Quinn’s forehead crinkled. “That’s ridiculous. First, I’m not going to sleep with
any of these guys tonight. Second, peeling off the label is no big deal for you. You’ve
had lots of practice.” Quinn stomped her feet as if she’d lost circulation.
Ryan barked out a laugh. “Did you just call your sister a slut?”
Quinn’s cheeks reddened. “No, I meant she had practice because she’s worked at a lot
of bars.”
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m tired of sitting. Ready to go?” she asked Indy.
Indy held up her bottle, showing it was more than half full. “Tell me about the second
half.”
“Worse than the first. I don’t remember much.”
“What was with the guy you recognized?”
Quinn shifted again.
Indy took a drink, waiting for Quinn to elaborate.
Quinn leaned forward between Indy and Ryan, and whispered, “He’s a former student.”
Indy began to sputter and pressed her hand to her mouth to stop from spewing beer.
Ryan handed her a napkin.
Once she finished choking, Indy began a full-on laugh.
Quinn stiffened. “This is
not
funny.”
Unfortunately, Indy’s laughter was contagious and Ryan chuckled.
Quinn turned to him.
“Et tu, Brute?”
Laughter burst from his chest. He couldn’t prevent it even if he tried. Right now,
she looked so offended, he didn’t attempt to stop laughing.
As Indy dabbed the tears from the corners of her eyes, his laughter abated. Quinn
stood with her arms crossed. “How can you think this is funny?”
He took a deep breath. “It’s not, but as soon as you said it, all I could think of
was ‘Hot for Teacher.’ ” His comment caused another round of laughs.
Griffin walked up to the table. “This looks like a fun table. What’s the joke?”
“There is no joke.” Quinn glared at Ryan.
Griffin waited while Ryan and Indy regained their composure. Ryan couldn’t remove
the smile, but he touched Quinn’s arm. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.”
Indy looked up at Griffin. “One of the speed daters is Quinn’s former student.”
“Oh shit.”
Quinn’s head tilted. “See?
That
is an appropriate response. Not laughing at the situation like a couple of kids sharing
bodily function jokes.”
Ryan clamped his mouth shut and Indy bit her lip. They glanced at each other briefly
but realized it would quickly result in more laughter. They looked away, allowing
Quinn to think her reprimand worked.
Griffin pulled two stools around the edge of the table, gestured for Quinn to sit,
and waved Jenna over.
They quietly placed their order and Ryan drained the rest of his water.
Mary tapped the microphone at the front of the room. “Excuse me. I wanted to thank
everyone for coming out tonight to make O’Leary’s first singles event a success. Please
drop me a line if you’ve met a love match tonight.”
Quinn snorted.
Mary continued, “And keep an eye out for information on our next event.” Her eyes
locked on Ryan’s as the crowd applauded. She swept her arm out to draw his attention
to her success.
The smaller groups began to mingle and talk with drinks in hand. No one seemed to
be in a hurry to leave, so it seemed like it would be profitable night after all.
Unlike Colin’s debacle last night.
With a straight face, Indy asked again, “What about the rest of the guys?”
Quinn shrugged. “I was so upset after Joe appeared, I couldn’t focus. I think a couple
gave me their cards out of pity.”
Colin strode up behind Quinn. “I thought you were fine.” He placed a hand on her shoulder
and she jumped.
Ryan’s hand tightened on his empty glass.
Colin nodded to Griffin, placed his beer on the table, and reached across him to Indy.
“Hi. I’m Colin, Ryan’s brother.”
She shook his hand coolly and evaluated him as she spoke. “We met years ago when I
worked here. I’m Quinn’s sister, Indy.”
Colin leaned his arms on the table and focused on Indy. “I think I remember you. You
used to sing during closing while cleaning the tables.”
“Good memory.” She took a drink from her bottle.
“We should catch up.”
Indy ignored Colin’s offer to catch up. “What about you, Griffin? Any sparks?”
Jenna returned with drinks for everyone, including Colin, who hadn’t been there when
they ordered.
“The women were nice enough. I might make a call or two.” He took a drink from his
bottle of beer, the same brand Indy was drinking. Intense gazes flashed between Indy
and Griffin.
“Only a couple?” Ryan asked. “Are you slowing down in your old age?”
Colin had inched his way closer to Quinn, effectively blocking her from Ryan’s reach.
He whispered something only Quinn could hear, and she laughed.
Ryan quickly stood. “I need to go check in with Mary. See you guys later.” He left
his glass on the table and glanced over his shoulder to see Colin shake his head and
shrug.
Colin knew. He had to know Quinn was off limits. Yet there he was moving in. What
if she fell for him? Shit. Could he be her summer romance? Colin would walk away.
It was something he was good at.
He suddenly had a thirst for something much stronger than water. He waved to Mary
and pointed to the bar to let her know where he was headed. His hand ran along the
cool, smooth mahogany before he signaled for Michael to pour him a bourbon. His fingers
continued to stroke the wood as he pushed images of Colin groping Quinn from his mind.
A group of young guys stood at the bar. Something in their conversation snagged his
attention. He picked up his glass and shifted over to eavesdrop.
“She’s hot. Especially for an older woman.”
“Tell me about it. I’ve been wanting to tap that since I was a teenager.”
Uh-oh. Quinn would keel over if she heard this conversation. Ryan leaned back to get
a view of the one speaking. Sure enough, he still wore his name tag. Joe actually
thought he had a shot with Quinn.
He saw Mary coming from the dance floor. She spied the men he stood near and stopped
to chat first. “Hey, guys. How did it go tonight? Everyone have a good time?”
They nodded at Mary and elbowed each other. She swung her attention back to Ryan.
“I told you this was a good idea. The event is over and we still have a full bar on
a Tuesday night.”
He tilted his glass in her direction. “You were right. It seems like most people had
fun. These guys are a little young.”
Mary blushed. “I actually had a couple of women request I invite younger men. You
know, the whole cougar craze.”
He’d have to share that one with Quinn. She wouldn’t appreciate being lumped with
cougars. He bit the inside of his cheek. She’d probably hit him if he told her. Joe
and his friends were on the move. They walked as a group back to the dance area. Joe
shifted, obviously looking for Quinn. Ryan slammed the rest of his drink. He followed
the young guys, not wanting to miss Joe being shut down.
Ryan reached the archway that led to the dance floor. Mary already had tables moved
and music playing from the jukebox. He leaned against the wall.
Quinn looked safely insulated, sandwiched between Colin and Griffin, with Indy across
from her. Ryan doubted Joe would approach. His group sat at a table, two down from
Quinn’s. She hadn’t noticed them.
Her smile was only slightly warmer than the one she offered the speed daters. Colin
must’ve been wearing on her. She nodded politely and slid from her seat. Purse in
hand, she headed for the bathroom. Joe saw his opening.
Ryan straightened from the wall. Joe quickly caught up with Quinn and touched her
arm. She turned, saw who it was, and her face went blank. Whatever he said, she wasn’t
buying. She shook her head and stepped back. He stepped forward and reached for her
hand.
Ryan left his spot but pulled up short. Quinn didn’t need his help. She squared her
shoulders and stared Joe down. Her words had minimal effect on the cocky look Joe
had, but he stepped away from Quinn. He shrugged and nodded. She tilted her head and
lifted an eyebrow. Her parting words were final. He retreated to his friends and she
turned into the hall.
Ryan followed. By the time he reached the spot where Joe had approached her, she had
already disappeared into the bathroom.
CHAPTER 16
I
n the dimly lit hall, Quinn eyed the door to Ryan’s office. She’d find refuge there.
Her body urged her to knock, but her mind pushed her toward the bathroom.
She entered a stall and sat on the lidded toilet. She needed solitude. The night’s
events replayed in her mind. What should’ve been a fun outing turned out pretty disastrous.
Meeting Colin was worth it, though. He and Ryan had the same charm that made a woman
want to hang around. He was bigger than Ryan and his hair longer, but their faces
were so similar, they could still pass for twins. Colin gave her insight into Ryan
she’d ignored. Colin was the playboy. Even as he hit on her, one eye roved to find
something better.
When Ryan spoke to her, all his attention focused on her.
She’d told Colin that Ryan was a friend. Something lit in his eyes. It was like he
was determined to win her over somehow. She pondered the impact of that while she
took in her surroundings. She’d never paid much attention to the décor in the bathroom.
She was usually a get in and out quickly person.
The bathroom looked like any other with its deep green industrial stall partitions
and black-and-white mosaic tile floor. But she noticed a sign on the stall door. She
stood to read it. It was full of statistics about rape. Creepy.
She exited the stall and washed her hands. While refreshing her makeup, she actually
read the sign above the sink. She’d always assumed it was a D
RINK
R
ESPONSIBLY
sign or E
MPLOYEES
M
UST
W
ASH
T
HEIR
H
ANDS
B
EFORE
R
ETURNING TO
W
ORK.
The kinds of signs every bar patron ignores.
This one read, I
F ANY MALE CUSTOMER IS HARASSING YOU OR MAKING YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, LET A STAFF
MEMBER KNOW
. I
F YOU NEED A RIDE HOME, WE’LL CALL A CAB AND ESCORT YOU TO THE VEHICLE
. Y
OUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY
.
Hmm. It gave pause for thought. Quinn considered the neighborhood. She’d never felt
uneasy going to and from her car. She’d never had any problems. How many women did
in order to warrant these warnings and an invitation for help?
The door swung open and Indy entered. “Are you all right? You’ve been gone a long
time.”
“I’m fine. I needed a break.”
Indy reapplied lipstick and touched up the rest of her makeup. Quinn watched with
the same fascination she had when they were teenagers. Indy was an artist with makeup.
Quinn picked up her purse. “I think I’m going home. Will you be okay?”
“I’m fine. I’ll finish my beer and head out.”
“Will you tell Griffin and Colin I said good-bye?”
Indy turned, her eyebrows drawn together. “That’s not like you. What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to run into Joe again. He caught me on the way in here and wanted to
buy me a drink. He didn’t want to hear no. I had to go into bitch mode for him to
get it.”
“I’ll ask Griffin or Colin to walk you out.”
“No, there’s a back door right out here.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’ve used it before. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Indy gave her a quick hug and swung back out the door. Quinn followed.
In the hall, she looked at Ryan’s office door again. She plowed forward and knocked
quickly. If he didn’t answer, she’d slip out the back door.
“Come in.”
She opened the door and took a hesitant step in. Ryan was lying on the couch with
his eyes closed. As soon as she took a small step, his eyes popped open.
“Hey, sorry to interrupt.”
He sat quickly. “You can see I was hard at work.”
Her hand still gripped the doorknob. She didn’t know what she was doing here, hadn’t
thought about it. She wanted to see him before she left. “I’m going home. I wanted
to say good night.”
One eyebrow lifted. “Colin not entertaining enough?”
She chuckled. “He’s plenty entertaining. I’m going into work again tomorrow, so I
need some sleep.”
His gaze swept across her body and she remembered his hands touching her everywhere.
She barely withheld a shiver. She spoke quietly. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to
use the back door to leave.”
He shot off the couch, concern etched on his face. “What happened?”
She blinked. “Nothing. I don’t want to run into Joe again. I don’t know how else to
turn him down.”
“So you’re going to sneak out the back?”
“Yeah, I’m tired. I’m done.”
“I won’t let some pissant make you sneak out of my bar. Again. Come on.” He slung
his arm over her shoulder and switched off the light.
“It’s not just Joe. Colin will want to talk, and although I told Indy I was leaving,
if I go out front, someone will stop me.” She tried not to pull closer to him to enjoy
his warmth. She patted his chest. “Thanks for the offer.”
She meant to step away and head down the hall to the exit, but she looked into his
eyes. Her feet forgot how to move.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Why don’t you follow me in your car?” She whispered so quietly she wasn’t sure if
he’d heard. It was the closest thing to an invitation she knew how to offer.
“You sure?”
She nodded and walked to the door. She immediately missed the warmth of his body,
but she felt his eyes on her as she walked. Excitement stirred her blood. It took
a lot of restraint not to bolt out the door and run to her car. The sudden urgency
to be alone and naked with Ryan overwhelmed her. She didn’t care. It had been a crappy
day.
On the short drive home, she tried to come up with reasons why this was a bad idea.
Everything she thought paled in comparison to going out with Joe or calling Nick.
She and Ryan had already had sex. Really, really good sex. What harm could this do?
She shoved the gear lever into Park and stood outside her car while Ryan parked. He
joined her but didn’t say anything. He took her hand as she led the way into the building.
They took the stairs up, with Quinn carrying her sandals. Ryan was fascinated by the
fuchsia on her toenails. She often opted for vibrant or deep-colored polish. Her fingernails
rarely sported color, but having sexy feet was her thing. It was akin to women who
wore silk and lace under everything.
Ryan seemed to appreciate it.
In the loft she felt a little lost. They hadn’t spoken or shared any touch other than
holding hands since they left the bar. Ryan slid the bolt home on her lock.
When he turned, she pressed him against the door with the length of her body. Without
even the small heels of her sandals, she felt diminutive, her eyes level with his
chest. She poised on tiptoe and kissed his lips.
She had to be sure last time hadn’t been a fluke. Closing her eyes, she parted her
lips. His arms wrapped around her back. His hard-on rubbed her abdomen, and the pull
of desire tugged at her center. She melted with a kiss. This didn’t happen to her.
It was insane. Her brain fogged.
Ryan moved and she walked backward, not caring where he was leading her.
The room was dark except for the table lamp she’d left on. She hated coming home to
a dark house. She was especially grateful for the glow as Ryan maneuvered them through
the living room.
He broke the kiss, but not their bodily contact, to ask, “Upstairs?”
“Yes.” The husky whisper sounded foreign.
Was that me? What the hell happened to my voice?
She reached up to kiss him again but felt his lips curve into a smile. “We can’t go
up like this. We’ll fall.”
Leave it to him to suddenly become practical. He stepped back and spun her by her
shoulders. She jogged up the stairs only to reach the top and find Ryan hadn’t followed.
“Where did you go?”
“I’m getting some water.” His voice floated up the stairs.
Quinn went to the bathroom to freshen up. When she came out, Ryan was standing shirtless
and barefoot beside the bed. She had debated whether or not to strip down in the bathroom.
Now she was glad she didn’t. It would be awkward to stroll past a mostly clothed man.
She ran her hands up his torso and back down to his jeans. She tugged at the buttons.
Whoever invented button-fly had not been thinking. “We won’t be needing these.”
His hard cock strained against his boxer briefs. She stepped back and began to gather
her dress when Ryan’s hands closed over hers.
He stepped closer and whispered, “Let me.”
She released the flimsy rayon blend of her skirt.
He kissed her neck, then her shoulder. He nibbled at her collarbone. This time she
didn’t even try to suppress the shiver.
“Are you wearing anything under this?”
“Why don’t you check?”
His hands slid up her outer thighs. When he found no underwear, he groaned and kneaded
her ass. She felt herself getting wet and his hands couldn’t move fast enough. They
traveled up and the pads of his thumbs rasped across her nipples. Her dress was bunched
around his forearms. She lifted her arms above her head for him to remove the garment.
He inched it up, following with kisses and licks. The dress was at her neck and she
attempted to pull her arms loose to touch him, but he tightened his grasp on the material,
holding her in place. He nibbled her collarbone some more and sucked her nipples to
hard points. She clenched her thighs together, sure she would come any minute.
Ryan slipped the dress off, flinging it across the room, and pushed her on the bed.
The room was dark except for the night-light glow coming from the bathroom. He was
a shadow hovering above her. She reached past the waistband of his underwear and stroked
him.
His tip was moist and he was rigid with want. He slid from her grasp, bit her earlobe,
and said, “I want to taste you.”
He moved lower, trailing his warm, wet lips. Nudging her thighs wide, he lowered his
head. His tongue swirled and lapped, sucked and nibbled, until her legs wrapped around
his shoulders, pinning him in place. Her hips bucked as he slid fingers into her while
he licked.
“Oh, God. Yes!” she screamed. She moaned. Even as the sounds echoed, she didn’t recognize
her own voice.
Her entire body tingled and vibrated. She tried loosening her thigh muscles, afraid
Ryan would suffocate, but he kept at her until her legs spasmed and trembled.
He knelt above her spent body and wiped his chin. His underwear was gone and he reached
across her for a condom. She was still panting, her muscles lax, but as soon as he
rubbed against her, her senses jumped. He eased into her torturously slowly.
She pulled his face to hers and kissed him hard, tasting herself and his sweat. Her
tongue battled with his as her hips thrust upward. She wanted him deep and hard. Her
body collided with his and she began building again.
Her hands reached lower and clawed at his ass, pulling him deeper, while he sucked
at the pulse on her neck.
No words passed between them. Their bodies spoke and responded until they were a crumpled
heap of relaxation.
Quinn lay on top of Ryan. His heart pounded beneath her palm. Their bodies were slick
with sweat and sticky from sex. She wanted to shower but couldn’t move. Her muscles
refused to cooperate.
“Are you trying to kill me?”
“Huh?” She tried to look up at him, but it required too much effort.
“I think my heart rate is in heart attack range.”
She laughed. This was
not
the effect she had on men. She turned her head and bit his nipple. “Maybe we should
refrain from doing this. I don’t want to be responsible for your untimely death.”
“Like hell. I’ll take my chances.”
The words hung over her like a heavy curtain. Those were the same words he’d used
in the elevator. She had said she wouldn’t take a chance on him. Yet here she was
drawn to him over and over. And not only for the great sex.
His hand skimmed over her hair. “Something wrong?”
“I was trying to convince my body to go to the shower.”
“Hmm. How’s that working for you?”
“It’s not.” She sighed and closed her eyes to enjoy the moment.
When Ryan’s heart was a steady and calm thump, she sat. She thought he fell asleep,
but his hand snaked out to her hips to pull her close again. She grabbed the water
he’d had the foresight to bring up and chugged half a bottle. When she pulled it from
her lips, a few drops fell onto Ryan’s chest, the cold startling him.
“Sorry.” She wiped his chest. “I’m going to the shower.”