Amaryllis by Jayne Castle Read Free Book Online Page A

occasionally took place among the very wealthy, most people registered with matchmaking agencies when the time came to get serious.
    It was considered remarkably stupid to even consider contracting such a formal and terribly permanent alliance without the assistance of a good counselor and a respected agency.
    Lucas followed Amaryllis out the front door. “I’m registered with Synergistic Connections myself.”
    “I’m not surprised.” Amaryllis paused to activate the jelly-ice lock on her door. “It’s not as though either of us has a lot of choice, is it? There are only a couple of agencies in New Seattle that handle high-class talents and full-spectrum prisms.”
    Lucas slanted her an enigmatic glance as he guided her to the sleek sports car parked at the curb. “No one will suspect you’re a full-spectrum prism tonight. After all, I’m a class nine, and everyone knows that no agency would match a nine with a strong prism.”
    Amaryllis smiled very sweetly as she got into the car. “High-class talents are notoriously difficult to match with anyone, prism or non-prism. They tend to be arrogant and overbearing.”
    “It’s common knowledge that full-spectrum prisms aren’t any easier to match,” Lucas said. “Too damn picky.”

Chapter
3

    Lucas stood with Amaryllis at the far end of the museum hall and tried to keep his attention on Miranda Locking and Merrick Beech. It wasn’t easy tracking their progress through the crowded room. The task was turning out to be ten times more complicated than it should have been because Amaryllis’s dress kept moving. She looked as if she were enveloped in a cloud of brilliant butterflies. Every move she made distracted him from his mission.
    The fluttering dress annoyed Lucas. He had contracted to pay an outrageous sum for a trained, experienced prism. In his considered opinion, Amaryllis was anything but professional this evening. She looked provocative, enticing, and, on top of everything else, she smelled good.
    “Have you spotted Miss Locking?” Amaryllis asked as she bent to examine the artifacts in one of the display cases.
    “They’re on opposite sides of the room, but they’re making their way toward each other.”
    She peered at one of the strangely shaped objects in the case. It was made of a silvery green metal. Shaped something like a flashlight, it had no obvious light source. “Let me know when you’re ready to link. In the meantime I’m going to get a good look at these relics. I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to be among the first people to see the exhibition. I thought I’d have to wait months to get tickets.”
    “I’m glad one of us is having a good time,” Lucas muttered.
    “Once in a while my job brings a few really terrific fringe benefits,” she said cheerfully. “This is definitely one of those occasions.”
    “Nice to meet someone who enjoys her work.”
    “Oh, I do. When I left my position at the university six months ago, I wasn’t at all certain that I would ever be happy in business. No offense, but I assumed that the commercial world would be rather uninspiring.”
    “It has its moments.”
    She glanced at him, her eyes wide and unexpectedly intent. “It certainly has had a few interesting moments for you. You’ve lead a very exciting life, Mr. Trent.”
    “Lucas.”
    She smiled. “Call me Amaryllis.”
    “Amaryllis. Don’t tell me, let me guess. Your parents got caught up in the craze for old Earth flower names, right?”
    To his surprise, the glow of interest in her eyes faded. It was replaced by an expression of cool politeness. “My aunt once told me that my mother chose Amaryllis because she wanted a name that would be exotic enough to make me dream my own dreams.”
    “And have you dreamed your own dreams?”
    Amaryllis lifted a shoulder in a small shrug. “Sometimes one has to pay for other people’s dreams.”
    “I’m not big on cryptic statements. What in the five hells does that