by Ryan Michele
I gathered up our dirty towels and tossed them into the bathroom. I let Quinn sleep while I packed, knowing how grumpy she was in the morning.
I hopped in for a quick shower and got dressed. When I exited the bathroom, Quinn was sitting up in bed rubbing her eyes. I put a knee to the mattress and kissed her forehead. “Hope I didn’t wake you.”
She shook her head, and I could tell she was doing her best not to be her grumpy self. “Get ready and I’ll take you to breakfast before I have to head out.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “What time is your flight?”
“I check in at ten. You?”
“Not till one.” I could hear the sadness in her tone and saw it written on her face.
We did breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Bruce was there with the woman he picked up last night, and Laura was nowhere to be seen.
Quinn was quiet, and I didn’t know what to say to her. “I’ll call you this week.”
“Yeah. Sounds good. We’ll do dinner.”
“Okay.”
“I want to see you again, that is if you want to?”
“Totally.”
“Cool.”
“Cool.” She smiled over the brim of her coffee mug then snuck a piece of my bacon.
Yeah, I had missed that. I had missed Quinn, and I was going to do whatever it took to see her again.
13
Quinn
You never realize what you have until it’s gone.
Conner shot me a smile. His bag was packed and ready as was mine. When I heard that zipper go, the end felt like a doomsday. Like the end of something.
I had to check out of the room, and since I didn’t have anything else to do, we were sharing a cab to the airport.
He was flying to New York for work but promised to call me once he was settled there. I had hoped he meant that, but with him I couldn’t be sure. Carrie had told me all about his previous relationships. Conner wasn’t a settling down and getting serous kind of man. He was fun and excitement.
I knew I needed to be realistic and not expect him to hop into a relationship because we’d slept together. I wasn’t that naïve, but still; hope bloomed in the back of my mind and rooted deep in my heart. Hope that this wouldn’t end. That we’d continue on this journey and see where it took us.
Last night had been incredible, the best in my life by far. My thighs ached but in a deliciously good way. Conner was everything I wanted in a man. Come to find out, he always had been.
We made our way to the front desk where I took care of business then stepped outside the hotel.
I hated to say goodbye. Dreaded it. Goodbyes sucked. We stood outside waiting for the valet to hail us a cab.
Conner’s arms were around me, face buried in my neck. “I really had a great time with you this week.”
“Me too,” I confessed. It had been better than great; it was magical. A dream come true. One that would be seared on my brain until the day I left this earth.
The cab pulled up, and Conner placed our bags in the trunk. I slid in first, and he got in next to me. Hand on my thigh, he gave me a squeeze. I laid my head on his shoulder and inhaled his intoxicating scent, enjoying this small bit of time we had together.
The ride to the airport was quiet, but we were both exhausted.
We both checked in and spent the next hour in what had to be the slowest TSA line ever. Conner kept cracking jokes, making the best of it. He made me smile more times than I could count.
“Watch me get a pat down,” I whispered to him. It never failed. I swore the machine didn’t like boobs.
Conner stepped through with ease. On my turn, the red light flashed. Conner burst out laughing as I stepped out, and a female agent started patting me down. I smiled right along with him.
“That was too funny.”
“Boobs. That machine hates them,” I said, putting my shoes on and getting my phone out of my purse.
“Well, you have fine ones,” he said, grabbing my hand and leading us to his end of the terminal. Since my flight was later, I didn’t need to rush to mine. Plus, it gave us just a little bit more time together.
We found a couch next to several large windows unoccupied. “You sit, and I’ll go get us coffee. I didn’t get enough this morning.”
Conner reached behind him for his wallet. I held my hand up. “I can get coffee.”
He pulled out some bills. “I know you can, but when I’m with you, I pay.”
“Just like you did at the hotel.” My brow quirked. The sneaky man put it all on his credit card. He even let me go up to the desk where they told me it was taken care of. Rat.
“Yep.” He kissed me and put the money in my hand.
“Whatever.” This wasn’t something I wanted to waste our time together on.
Luckily the coffee shop wasn’t too far, and I got in line, which was decent size.
In front of me stood the old lady who hit me with her cane. What were the odds of us being in the same airport at the same time in a different city?
This was my chance to reset my karma and apologize for being a bitch. I tapped her gingerly on the shoulder. “Excuse me, ma’am. I’m not sure if you remember me, but we met a week ago.” She turned and scowled at me. Yeah, she remembered. “I wanted to apologize and buy your coffee this morning.”
“And a muffin,” she tossed in.
I smiled. “A dozen of them if you’d like.”
“One would be fine. I’d appreciate that.” Only then did the woman give me a small smile. It felt good to right this wrong. And how lucky was I that we were in the same place so I could get it off my conscience.
After paying for her items, I ran-walked back to Conner excited to share my news.
“You’ll never guess who I just bumped into.” I handed him his cup and sat next to him.
“Elvis.” He chuckled.
I whacked his shoulder. “No! Remember the story I told you about the old lady in the airport?”
“The muffin lady?”
“Yes. I bought her a coffee … and a muffin.”
“The world has been saved,” he teased.
“Yes, it has. At least for me. What I did was wrong, and I was selfish. I’m happy I was able to fix it.”
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me tight to him. “Me too.” He kissed my temple.
Over the loudspeaker Conner’s flight was announced as boarding. We hadn’t finished our coffees, and they were nowhere near cooled off. I didn’t want our good time together to end.
He grabbed the coffees and tossed them in the trash. Moving to me, he cupped my face. “I meant what I said.” He pierced me with his gaze then claimed my lips. Conner kissed me hard and deep with lots of tongue, and my freaking toes curled. He kissed me breathless.
“See you around, Q.”
“Yeah,” I whispered, touching my fingers to my lips. I hated to watch him go, feeling a lone tear fall down my cheek. It was over. The week gave me a taste of something I’d always craved, and it was better than I could’ve ever imagined it to be. Now, it was getting ripped away. Fate was a funny bitch.
When I took my seat for my flight, I was seated next to the old banana muffin lady and found out her name was Rosemary. She had flown to Las Vegas to visit her niece and her family because the niece’s husband had unexpectedly passed away. I listened to her talk for most of my flight, and it helped ease my mind from thoughts of Conner. The panty charming man had been taking up all of my headspace.
Her story was a reminder, though, that life was short and took unexpected turns. Conner had been an unexpected turn. One I was so appreciative of. Even if we didn’t go beyond the week, we at least had that time together.
My thoughts drifted back to him and the week of challenges. Were we really that compatible?
I couldn’t stop asking myself what if he did call? Could we really be something more than friends?
The minute I got home I dropped my bags and collapsed on the couch. There was so much I
needed to do, like my laundry and check my work email. I had been gone an entire week and knew I was going to come back to a mess.
Reality wasn’t my friend, and I didn’t want to come back to her. I needed time to decompress. I was also starving. I flicked through my phone and dialed Carrie. We needed to talk, and she needed to bring food because there was none in my place.
“Hey, are you back?” She answered on the second ring.
“I have wine. Bring pizza.”
“Alright. I will see you in thirty.” I could hear her smile over the phone as she hung up.
I took a quick shower while I waited on Carrie and changed into my comfort clothes—baggy sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt.
She showed up about forty-five minutes later with an extra-large pizza. Half with my favorite sausage and black olives, and half with her preference of tomato and onion. I poured us both some wine, and we settled in on the couch with our plates.
“So how was Vegas? Tell me everything. Leave nothing out.” There were some things that weren’t meant for her ears even if she was my best friend. I couldn’t give her the juicy details of all the hot sex I’d had with her brother the night before. That was something no sibling needed or wanted to hear about.
“It was good actually. Better than expected.”
“How good?” She smirked and took a drink of wine.
“Really good.” I grinned and bit into my pizza.
“You slut.” She giggled and slapped my knee. “You hooked up with Conner.”
I avoided a confession and steered our conversation in a different direction. “Why did you send Conner?”
She took a hearty sip of wine and leaned back into the cushions. “Well, I knew Conner would step up and be there. He cares about you a lot, and I know you have always carried a torch for him. Maybe I thought this was your chance to see if there was something there for both of you, and by that smile, I think I was right. So how did it go between the two of you?”
“It’s not that simple.”
“But you had fun?”
“I had a great time.” But Vegas was over and so was whatever Conner and I shared. He was off doing whatever in New York, and I was back home in Flagstaff. “Conner was a great partner.”
“How was Becky?”
“Terrible.”
“Tell me everything,” she demanded, and I did. I told her about all the challenges. I didn’t go into details about the couple massages because, hello—brother. I told her how we won most of the challenges and was considered most compatible.
We talked and laughed some more while devouring the pizza and finishing the bottle of wine.
“What are you going to do about Drew marrying the bitch?”
I tossed the rest of the crust back into the box. That one last piece might have just killed me. “I don’t think there is anything I can do but be supportive and hope he is truly happy.”
“Guess so. Why do you look so sad, babe?”
“I’m not.” I lied, knowing she would know.
“You’re totally pouting.”
“I’m tired.”
Her hand patted my thigh. “Conner will come around. You’ll see. Give it time.”
I shrugged, not wanting to get my hopes up in any way. I knew the score and needed to accept it.
We said our goodbyes because it was late. I still hadn’t touched my email or my laundry, and I didn’t care one bit.
Life returned to normal. I was buried up to my eyeballs in all the work I had missed while in Las Vegas. One would’ve thought the others who worked here would’ve handled it, but no. They were so kind as to leave it for me.
Two weeks and Conner hadn’t called. No text. No email. No smoke signals. Nothing.
Part of me had hoped I wouldn’t be another notch on his bedpost. That the week meant something to him. But the rest of me knew that was how Conner operated.
I should have known not to allow my feelings to get into the mix, but it was hard not to. He showed me everything I’d ever wanted in the span of a week. We felt like a real couple. My body had adjusted to sleeping next to him and feeling his warmth. I missed his arms around me. I missed his smell. I missed his kisses. I missed all the pieces of Conner Davenport I had discovered I loved on that trip. I went through the everyday motions, pretending every time I checked my cell phone it wasn’t to see if he had texted or called me.
He hadn’t. It hurt, and I was moping but putting on a strong act and clean face. No one would know. Maybe Carrie, but we didn’t discuss her brother anymore.
When I spoke with my brother, he didn’t bring Conner up and neither did I.
I didn’t want Conner blowing me off to put a rift between them. They’d been best friends forever, and Drew could get overly protective at times. All Drew needed to know was we had fun together. Period.
I wanted to be patient, but I was disappointed. Rebecca already had been doing her best to come between their friendship, and I didn’t want to be lumped with her. The woman should have been named the queen of mean.
Her bridal shower was coming up, and I wasn’t ready to deal with her shenanigans again so soon. However, Drew intended to marry the bitch, and I had no choice but to grin and bear it and hope like hell Drew knew what he was doing.
14
Conner
It’s a scientific fact: never tell a woman she’s crazy unless you want to see crazy
“Make sure the flowers are expensive. I want the card to read: I’m sorry I haven’t called, but I haven’t stopped thinking about you. Let me make it up to you with dinner.”
Jasmine, my secretary, smiled at me as she jotted the note down on her legal pad. “You’ve got it. Anything else, Mr. Davenport?”
“Did you get the reservation I asked about for lunch?”
“Yes. I have you scheduled for a one o’clock lunch with Drew Landis.”
“Great. Thanks. Don’t forget to have those flowers delivered as soon as possible. Add on a box of chocolates, and make sure they deliver this too.” I handed her the small gift bag.
I had gone out of my way in New York to find Quinn the sexiest pink and black lace panties I could find. I only hoped she would wear them for me the next time I saw her.
Unfortunately, life turned crazy on me, and I hadn’t called. I knew if I spoke to her it’d only make me miss her more, but I was an idiot. An asshole.
It had been two weeks, and I hadn’t picked up the phone once to call Quinn. A text message seemed too impersonal. That was a lie. I had been a chicken shit.
Quinn was the first woman I’d truly given a damn about. I didn’t want to hurt her, and I owed her far better than she got from me.
Quinn was a great woman, and I refused to think I fucked it all up with her.
I was pulling my head out of my ass and making this—us—happen.
“Will do. Enjoy your lunch.” I gave her a small wave and left to meet Drew. I only hoped he wasn’t going to give me a rough time. Maybe Quinn had told him I fucked her and blew her off, and he wanted to kick my ass. He’d be within his right to do so. Hell, part of me wished he would. Maybe it would knock some sense into me, but I was going to make it up to her. She was all that mattered.
“How was New York?” Drew asked while glancing over the menu. He’d been distant when we were in Las Vegas that final night. If anyone should be pissed it should be me for not being invited in the first place. Drew needed to grow a damn set and ditch the bitch.
“Busy as hell.” It was daunting spending my time in conference rooms, going over PowerPoints. The tech company was launching a new dating application that took a bit longer to program than anticipated. Everything had to be perfect. Each code did something. Whether it was good or bad was the question.
“Las Vegas was interesting. Want to tell me how long you’ve been fucking my little sister?” His gaze cut to me, jaw tight and pissed.
I set down the menu and gave him my full attention. “Listen. I’m just gonna lay this out. Rebecca is a
bitch. The way she treats Quinn is shit, and it needs to stop. I’m not going to bullshit you. I like your sister, and I care about her. A lot. When Carrie called me and said that Rebecca had orchestrated this Vegas trip and Quinn needed a man, I decided to hell with it. The opportunity was there, and I took my shot. I’m not sorry for it.”
“Rebecca’s wound up tight about the wedding. She doesn’t mean to come off so harsh.” He tried.
“Whatever you say. You’re the one who didn’t even invite me to the wedding.”
The waiter came, and both Drew and I ordered beers. “Man, I…” I held up my hand, not needing to hear it. He sighed and ran his hands over his face, then changed the topic on me.
“You serious about Quinn, or is she another conquest?” The waiter came back to drop our drinks off.
“I’d never treat Quinn like that.” I took a long pull. I lied. I had done exactly that and felt like a total bastard for it. She deserved so much better than this crap.
“You better not. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I care about my sister. I just want to see her happy.”
“I get that.” I decided to come clean. “I fucked up by not calling her these past two weeks, and I’m going to fix it. I respect her. I sent her flowers and candy today. I want to do this right.”
Our food was sat in front of us. “If you fucked up, you’d better fix it. She knows I’d be pissed off if she breathed a word about it to me.” He gave me a pointed look. “Hell, I am pissed off.”
“I know. I’m a dick and I’ve got work to do but, Drew, I’m going to do it.” I loved her, I'd realized, and that thought hit me like a sock to the gut. Yeah. I did. And it was time I did something about it.
“Okay then.” I dug into my burger, and Drew did the same. I wanted to talk more about Rebecca and press him on the matter of him going through with this wedding, but I knew if I pushed him too hard, he’d shut down on me again.
