Page 36 of As You Crave It

“You’re such a jerk. I thought it was one of my neighbors being passive-aggressive. But thank you. It’s one less thing I have to deal with.”

“That was my intention.”

“And I might just take you up on the extra help,” she told him. “I hate packing, unpacking, moving. Hopefully this will be the last one for a while.”

That caught his attention. “You think you’ll be here for a long time.”

“I don’t know if this is where I’ll settle forever, but I like it for now. I’m here until something draws me somewhere else. But I could be convinced to stay if something comes up.”

He nodded. He wanted to convince her to stay, but she’d already put the kibosh on any relationship they could have. “Well, I’m glad you’re here now.”

“Me, too.”

They stayed in her kitchen, watching each other in silence. When the eye contact became too much, he cleared his throat, looking away. “We should get going. We have a reservation for eight.”

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Arlo’s,” he answered. “It’s a great Cuban place. The owner’s a friend of ours.”

“Oh, that sounds good.”

“I thought you might like it.”

“Well, I’m starving. Let’s go. I’ll teach you about romance and chivalry and all those kinds of things, so you can finally find the woman of your dreams.”

Quin nodded but said nothing in response as he escorted her out of the house. She paid him no mind as she set the alarm, locked the door and walked in front of him to his car. The words she’d said ran through his head. She wanted to help him find the woman of his dreams. But he knew that he’d already found her.

Quin opened the passenger-side door of his sports car for Celia, and she got in. Sitting in the low seat, she looked over at him as he slid in next to her. He was devastatingly handsome. He always had been, but as a grown man, he had outpaced young Quin, with whom she’d been infatuated. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a white button-down shirt and a black sport coat. His thick, dark hair held waves that she longed to push her fingers through.

Coming back from the yacht trip, part of Celia had thought that Quin would forget the deal they’d made while he was half-drunk on rum. The thought that he might toss her aside, like he did every woman, had been one that had stuck with her. But here she was, on an actual date with Quin Rexford. Sure, it may have looked like he wanted to turn over a new leaf, but she didn’t trust easily, and the pain and embarrassment she’d felt eight years ago still felt fresh.

Keep it physical, she told herself. Don’t get too caught up in showing him how to be in a relationship. If it was physical—friends with benefits—she could keep her head on straight. Rebuilding their friendship was the most important thing to her. That way, if she didn’t let herself get to close, she could protect her heart from him. But what did he want? What was he getting out of this arrangement, besides sex? Did he want a relationship with her? She rejected that. Quin would never be the one to settle down, no matter how big a game he talked.

“You’re quiet,” he noted, his voice bringing her back to the inside of the car.

“I’m just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About what I’m going to order,” she lied, looking at him.

“Wouldn’t that be easier once you hear the specials?”

“Yeah, I guess so. Sometimes it just hard to read a situation when you’re in it. You won’t get a clear head until you’re removed from it.” She wasn’t sure why she said it. Maybe she craved clarity. God knew she couldn’t concentrate sitting next to him in the confined quarters of Quin’s small car.

They stopped at a red light, and Quin turned his head and watched her for a couple of seconds, his eyebrows drawn together. She could see him try to piece together what she’d just said. “Something tells me you aren’t just talking about food.” Before he could say anything else, the light turned green and he focused back on the road.

With him focusing on navigating the Miami traffic, Celia had some time to think. Being friends with benefits was a fun diversion, but she knew from experience that it could grow into an obsession, a compulsion. Being with Quin was what she had wanted, and it had been well worth the wait. But even though he told her he’d changed, the man had been a player for most of his life. No matter how much he said that was what he wanted, she wasn’t sure if he was being truthful. The Quin she knew didn’t form the emotional attachments that she craved in a relationship. They’d been best friends, they’d loved each other, and she’d wanted him more than that. But he hadn’t been willing to reciprocate.

And as she sat next to Quin in his sleek sports car, the scent of his cologne filled the air, and she felt herself melt into the buttery leather of the seats. If she allowed herself one more moment of weakness, she knew she would once again become that young woman with a wounded heart. But that didn’t stop her from wanting him. And the longer she spent on this date with him, the closer she came to doing something stupid. She shifted in her seat. He looked over at her and gave her that small, rakish half smile she remembered from college, and then she knew. If she’d been wearing panties, she would gladly drop them for Quin. Now. Later. Whenever he wanted. Hell, if it wasn’t dangerous or illegal, she would have straddled his lap on the way to dinner. Her common sense took a back seat to her hormones.

Quin finally brought the car to a stop, parking on a quiet side street. Celia looked around. She didn’t see a restaurant. Quin pointed to a dark alley. “This way.” He put his hand on her lower back, close to the curve of her ass, and led her across the street and toward the alley. His fingers lit a fire under her skin, hot enough to light a fuse that would make her explode with desire. With every step, every touch, she could feel her need growing.She was a goner.

“Are you sure there’s a restaurant down here?” she asked. “How do I know you aren’t escorting me down some dark alley for nefarious purposes?”

“Well, I guess you don’t.”

“Here’s a tip for romantic dates, Quin—don’t lead a woman down a sketchy alley. We don’t like that, no matter how sexy you are.”

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