Page 53 of Tightrope

“The woman who decided she didn’t want to marry you after she found out that you would not be joining the family firm?”

“Yes.”

She smiled. “You have a very complicated life, Matthias.”

Matthias’s mouth kicked up a little at the corner in a wry smile. “Everyone’s life is complicated. My life just has a few unusual twists.”

“Did you love her?”

“Margaret? I wanted to love her. She was beautiful, smart, charming. Her parents were friends of my parents. My family thought she was perfect for me. Everyone thought we were an ideal couple. For a time I told myself that I was in love with her. But in the end I couldn’t take the final step.”

“What is the final step?”

“I couldn’t trust her.”

“Ah.”

“Things like love and friendship involve trust,” Matthias said. “I have a hard time with trust.”

“Because sooner or later, everybody lies.”

“Sooner or later.”

“Including you?”

“I am a very, very good liar, Amalie. It’s a side effect of my talent.” He waited a beat, never taking his eyes off her. “Now you know the full truth about me.”

“Talk about complicated.”

“Don’t you care?”

“I used to fly for a living,” Amalie said. “I know how to take calculated risks.”

He watched her sip her brandy.

“I don’t usually tell people about my talent,” he said. “And until tonight, I’ve never told any woman that I’m an excellent liar.”

“A wise policy.” Amalie finished her brandy and set the glass aside. “It would probably make a lot of people nervous.”

“But not you?”

“Not me. Not tonight.”

“How do you feel about taking the calculated risk of kissing a man who has just told you that he is an accomplished liar?”

She stopped breathing for a few seconds. The entire conservatory seemed to go still. She was standing on an invisible platform, waiting to catch the bar. Waiting to fly. She probably should have been frightened but she wasn’t. Not tonight.

“Funny you should bring up the subject of kissing,” she said. She touched her fingertips to the side of his face. “I’ve been curious about what it would be like to kiss you.”

Matthias leaned over her and into her, giving her plenty of time to change her mind. When she did not retreat, his mouth came down on hers.

The kiss started out slowly, deliberately. She could feel him holding back, wielding control over his own response while he sought to seduce her.

But the compelling heat in the atmosphere called to all of her senses, summoning her with the power of a sorcerer’s spell. An exhilarating rush of energy swept through her. She did not want him to hold back. She wanted to grab the bar and fly.

She put her arms around him and launched herself into the unknown.

Chapter 25