The Random Acts of Cupid (Christian Romance) Read Online Free Page B

you’re Cupid.”

Chapter 4
     
    At that moment, Elise understood what it meant to have your blood run cold.
    “Or maybe I should say, I know you’re Cupid,” Ryan said with conviction. “I reread the article and did a little investigating. It seems a little strange that a large percentage of the couples matched by Cupid work at or frequent the library.”
    Elise shrugged. “It’s the University library. Of course everyone comes here.”
    “But do a lot of them also frequent your church?”
    Elise made the mistake of looking into Ryan’s eyes. He was a well-trained lawyer, and she was being interrogated. The second she made eye contact, she realized he could see the truth and her sense of guilt. There was no use denying it or trying to pretend that his theory was far-fetched.
    “You were trying to set me up with Britney Bowers, weren’t you?
    “She is crazy about you, Ryan!”
    “But I am not crazy about her! There is no excuse for you sending her flowers and pretending they were from me. That’s deception and borderline fraud! And you claim to be a Christian! How can you justify your behavior? You interfere in others’ lives without permission. You are dishonest. You lie and deceive. Why? Does the end justify the means? My first impression of you was that you were a shy, sweet, Godly woman of good character. I can’t believe I was so wrong.”
    Elise shook her head, tears making trails down her face. She somehow knew it would do no good to defend herself. He had completely misunderstood and misjudged her. But she didn’t have to stand here and listen to him rant and lecture her.
    “Obviously nothing I say is going to change your opinion of me, so if you’re done . . .” Elise turned and fled down the steps and into the rain, her feet flying across the wet bricks.
    Suddenly, Ryan was in front of her, blocking her path across Red Square.
    “No, I am not done!”
    In their haste, neither one of them had bothered with an umbrella or even a hood. Elise looked up at Ryan, frustrated, yet still almost mesmerized at the droplets of water dampening his hair and trickling down the angular planes of his face.
    “What you are doing is wrong!” Ryan said, his features clothed with an intensity that only enhanced his rugged good looks. “Does anyone else know about how you like to toy with others’ lives? You’re famous now since that article. I think you deserve to enjoy your popularity. So I’m going to help you out with that. I intend to inform the newspaper of Cupid’s identity. I also think your supervisor at the library will find it very interesting to know how you’re using your position to ‘help’ others.”
    Elise was horrified. With her hand covering her mouth, she just stared at the wickedly handsome man in front of her.
    “Please, Ryan. Please . . . don’t tell.” Her mind went to all of the couples she’d matched. How would they feel when the magic and romance of an anonymous Cupid was suddenly brought into the realm of reality? What would her boss say? Would everyone misjudge her as severely as Ryan? She didn’t think she could handle the shame and embarrassment.
    At her plea, Ryan’s expression didn’t relent even a little. “It’s the right thing to do. What you do is unethical, and this is the only way to have all the secrets out in the open. You made your choices, and now you have to deal with the consequences.”
    Elise closed her eyes, her throat constricting in pain from trying to keep the tears from joining the rain that coursed down her hair and face. She longed to set things right! Ryan had misunderstood everything, and yet she doubted he would listen to an explanation, even if she could give it. He had positioned himself as judge and had convicted her without a trial. Now he was handing down her sentence. And it was harsh.
    Elise felt a strange mixture of shame, anger, and sheer panic. What kind of lawyer was he? She deserved a good defense, or at least the chance of a