Page 54 of My Best Friend's Sister

T W E N T Y E I G H T

- Quinn -

I don’t know why I cared so much about showing Maddy a good time. Caring wasn’t my style. It felt uncomfortable and scratchy. Like a cheap suit. Yet I couldn’t help but want her to like me. There was something about the way her eyes danced when we were talking that made me want to be the reason they sparkled, widened, and rolled.

It was a strange sensation. After all, I’d been on countless dates with beautiful woman who seemed equally into me. It just never phased me before, never messed with my appetite. But with her, I felt as breathless and anxious as if I were running on a treadmill, and all the while, she just sat there glowing, oblivious to how eager I was to anticipate her every desire.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure I liked the feeling. It was too full on. Made the stakes feel higher than they should’ve. We were just two people—two roommates—drinking and eating food together. It should’ve been no big deal. So what if she was super hot? So what if I got hard every time she swallowed? So what if the mere sight of her glossy lips made me want to drag my dick across them until she begged for a taste?

Yes, it was wrong to crave her this way, but it was too late. She was like one of those Magic Eye puzzles that had suddenly come into view, and I couldn’t unsee what a pretty picture she was even if I wanted to. Which meant the only one way out of this was through it. And thank fuck for that because if she didn’t sit on my dick tonight, I was going to lose my goddamn mind.

“Do you have something you usually get or do you want to share a few things?” she asked, tucking a shiny strand of hair behind her ear.

I smiled. Women were so obvious. “Let’s share a few things. Do you have your eye on something particular or are you happy for me to choose?”

“You can order,” she said, her eyes passing over the menu one last time. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t try on here…though the tofu dishes probably wouldn’t be my first choice.”

My mind flashed back to the last girl I took out. She seemed nice enough, but she was one of those super self-righteous vegetarians, and I think the fact that I ordered a big, juicy steak right after she broke the news was a deal breaker. Maybe I misjudged the way she visibly recoiled at my order, but when a girl breaks the ice by telling you she doesn’t like meat in her mouth, it’s hard to stay open-minded about a second date.

Our waitress returned with our drinks on a small tray a moment later, and I felt guilty for asking her to carry four drinks at once when she had arms like matchsticks. Maybe that was part of the establishment’s high-fashion aesthetic, but I couldn’t help but think there was something off-putting about looking that hungry when you worked in a restaurant.

“Ready?” she asked, her tight ponytail giving her a look of permanent surprise.

“Yes,” I said, angling my menu towards her. “Can we have these three starters?” I fanned my fingers out so they were pointing at the Fashion Week Fingers, the Burberry Bruschetta, and Victoria’s Secret Spinach Dip.”

“Sure,” Blonde Ponytail said, tucking her tray under her arm so she could scribble on her notepad.

“And we’re going to share the Trio of Stiletto Steaks and a side of Prada Potatoes, extra crispy please.”

“Wow,” Maddy said after the waitress left. “Good thing I came hungry.”

“We can take home anything we don’t finish,” I said. “But don’t be polite. I plan to keep you up late tonight.”

“You mean out late?”

“I mean up,” I said, grabbing the shot closest to me.

The flush of her cheeks deepened as she reached for her blue shot glass, but as soon as she lifted it, a familiar voice broke through the background buzz of the busy restaurant.

“Quinn? Hey!”

I turned to see Alicia standing beside our table with an obnoxiously branded bag hanging from one elbow. She was in a silky peach dress and her neck was draped with a dozen thin gold chains.

“Hi.” I set my shot glass down and stood up to greet her, letting her press her cheeks to mine like a wannabe European. “How have you been?”

“Fine. Busy busy. I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“You remember Maddy,” I said, extending a palm in her direction. “James’s sister.”

“Oh my god,” she said, leaning back melodramatically. “I didn’t even recognize you.”

Maddy’s lips straightened into a sheepish smile.

“You look so grown up,” Alicia said, saying too much.

“Yeah, well, I’m almost twenty-six,” Maddy said, like she didn’t appreciate being patronized.

Alicia seemed to pick up on the fact that she hadn’t made the best impression and forced a smile before turning back to me. “I didn’t realize you guys were…?”

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