by Reese Ryan
“It’s a little late for a conversation about the birds and the bees.” She dragged her fingers through her hair.
“I’m not talking about that and you know it.”
“Then we’re fine. I’m not a virgin this time.”
“Which, to be fair, I had no idea about before the fact,” he reminded her.
“I know.” She smiled. “I’m just saying that while I have no regrets about what happened here, I also have no delusions that this is about anything more than sex for you...for us.”
Wait...what?
Had he given her the impression that sex was all he wanted? Or was she making it clear that’s all she wanted from him?
Either way, if that’s the way you want to play this, sweetheart, fine.
“Good talk, Quinn.”
“Look, this was fun, Max. No...” She shook her head, then gazed up dreamily. “This was...intense, and you were amazing. It took me back to that summer when everything between us felt so perfect. Everything was great until I tried to make it more than it was.”
“And what was it, Quinn?” It was a sincere question. Because he knew what it had been for him: the best damn summer of his life—until he’d screwed up and lost the perfect girl.
“A summer fling. That’s what it was then, and that’s what this is now. Two old flames feeling a little nostalgic and reliving the past,” she said. “But this time, we keep things simple and be honest with each other about where this is going. That way, no one gets caught up in their feelings or has any false expectations.”
She leaned down and kissed him. “You still with me, Max?” She smirked.
Damn. She was using his line on him. But if this was the only way to keep Quinn in his life—in his bed—then he’d accept her terms. For now.
“Okay, Quinn.” Max sighed. “What are the rules of engagement?”
Quinn sat on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs. She propped her chin on her fist, her foot bouncing, as she contemplated his question.
“The first rule of a secret summer fling is we don’t talk about our secret summer fling—to anyone. Second, we only see each other on our business trips. Third, no overnights. We end the night in our own beds. Fourth, when we complete this project, we walk away. We both get closure and there are no hard feelings.”
“Sounds like you’ve given this a lot of thought.” He sifted a few strands of her hair through his fingers. “But things are never quite that simple. What happens if one of us doesn’t want to walk away?” he asked.
She frowned, her nose crinkling. “We cross that bridge if we come to it,” she said. “But there should be no expectations of anything beyond what I’ve outlined. Deal?”
“Deal,” Max agreed. “But after the trade show today...”
She pressed a lingering kiss to his mouth and smiled. “Meet you back here then.”
Max watched as she sashayed from his bedroom and into the main space where she retrieved her purse, then left his suite.
Heaving a sigh, Max got out of bed and hopped in the shower again.
He would play by Quinn’s rules. But he looked forward to getting her to break each and every one of them. Because this time he had no intention of walking away so easily from the woman whose initials were branded on his skin.
Eighteen
Quinn sat cross-legged on the sofa in Kayleigh’s rental apartment, exhausted after the conference in San Francisco. She hadn’t realized how much walking was involved when attending a trade show. Then there were the early-morning meetings and the late nights spent in either her or Max’s hotel room.
She and Max had spent nearly every waking hour together. When they weren’t working, they’d shared meals, watched movies and spent lots of time discovering new ways to bring each other pleasure. All of it—except for a few meals—had taken place in private. The only thing they hadn’t done together was sleep. At the end of the night, she either returned to her room or sent him, begrudgingly, back to his.
Quinn couldn’t help smiling as she hugged her knees to her chest. Her week with Max had been incredible.
They’d bagged the deal with JRS and gotten preorders from a slew of other clients, both current and new King’s Finest buyers. The trip had been an all-around success.
So why was the time she’d spent with Max the thing she remembered most fondly? Quinn tried not to think too deeply about the reasons. Why didn’t matter. Her stay in Magnolia Lake was temporary. She wasn’t looking for a serious relationship and neither was he.
Her cell phone rang, and she couldn’t help hoping it was Max.
She checked the caller ID.
Wrong brother.
“Hey, Cole. What’s up?”
“Hey, Q. I know this is really, really last-minute...”
“I already don’t like where this is going.” She put Cole on speakerphone and went to the kitchen to make a snack. “Spit it out, Abbott. What do you need?”
She opened the fridge and took out fruit and cheese.
“I need you to be my plus-one, again,” Cole said.
“For Benji and Sloane’s wedding this weekend?”
“Yes. Say yes, please,” he said. “I have three women dropping hints about being my date for this thing. I honestly just want to go, celebrate with my family and have fun.”
Quinn put the fruit in a colander and rinsed it, then set it on the counter. “I’m surprised you want a date. I thought wedding receptions were a player’s playground.”
“I resent the term player. I’m up-front with every woman I’ve ever been with about not wanting anything serious. Plus, weddings might be great for hookups, but they also get women thinking about their own weddings. Like I said, I don’t ever lead anyone on. So you’d be doing me a favor. We go as friends. I can enjoy the evening without anyone thinking that I’m going home with them or, worse, that I’d be their best bet for a wedding of their own.”
“You’re kind of a drama king. Anyone ever tell you that, Cole?” She sliced the apple.
“Only because I’m misunderstood.” She could hear the grin in his voice. “Speaking of misunderstandings and drama... Us going to this thing together won’t create any static between you and Max, right?”
The knife slipped and she cut herself. Blood oozed from her fingertip and dripped onto the cutting board.
“Shit.”
There was a knot in the pit of her stomach.
The first rule of a secret summer fling is we don’t talk about our secret summer fling—to anyone.
Had Max broken rule number one already? No, he wouldn’t have talked to Cole about them. Had Zora broken her promise and told Cole about the kiss she’d seen? Or was Cole just fishing?
Relax.
“What’s wrong?” Cole’s voice was laced with concern.
“The knives here in Kayleigh’s rental are surprisingly sharp. I sliced my finger.” Quinn turned on the water and rinsed the cut beneath the faucet until the bleeding stopped. She cleared her throat. “Why would Max care about me going to Benji’s wedding with you?”
Cole didn’t respond right away.
“That was the vibe I got between you two at my parents’ anniversary party,” he said. “Max was... I guess the best word for it would be territorial.”
Quinn breathed out a quiet sigh of relief.
They had agreed to keep things casual and not tell anyone. So going to Benji and Sloane’s wedding with Max wasn’t an option. No doubt, that was why he hadn’t asked her to go with him, even though he knew Sloane had invited her.
Besides, Max knew that she and Cole were nothing more than friends.
“Max will be fine,” she said. “The real dilemma is what am I going to wear?” Maybe Kayleigh had something in the shop downstairs that would work. “Never mind, I’ll figure it out.”
“So you’ll come?�
� There was a lilt in Cole’s voice whenever he convinced her to do something out of her comfort zone.
“I obviously have zero compunction about crashing your family’s events, so why not?” She shrugged. “This time, I’ve actually been invited.”
She glanced at the open but unanswered invite to Benji and Sloane’s wedding on the counter.
“Awesome. That’s the good news,” he said. “The bad news is we’re ahead of schedule on the restaurant project. Construction begins within the next two weeks. Which means—”
“Kayleigh and I both need to be out by then.” Quinn sighed.
It looked like she’d be back to making that long daily commute again in a couple of weeks.
She made arrangements to meet Cole at the event on Saturday. He was in the wedding party, so even though she’d be his plus-one, she wouldn’t see him until well into the reception.
Hanging out with Cole would be fun, and it would give her an excuse to see Max despite the rule she’d established about not seeing each other while they were in town. The truth was that she missed spending time with him. And she hated seeing Max around the office but pretending there was nothing between them.
Quinn picked up her phone again and typed a text message.
Hey, Max. Just an FYI. Cole asked me to be his plus-one at Sloane and Benji’s wedding.
Three little dots showed up on the phone almost immediately. But after five minutes, there was still no message. Quinn put down the phone and went back to preparing her snack.
An hour later Max’s single-word response came through.
Okay.
That was all he had to say?
But what exactly did she expect Max to say?
Don’t go with my brother. Come with me instead.
Maybe he would’ve, if she hadn’t insisted that they keep the relationship secret and not see each other in town.
You can’t have it both ways, babe.
Quinn cursed to herself, grabbed her phone and wallet, and headed down to Kayleigh’s shop.
* * *
Max watched as Benji and Sloane greeted some of their guests. He couldn’t be happier for his cousin and his new bride.
Sloane was beautiful in a simple, strapless, ivory wedding gown. Her short pixie haircut was adorned with a crown made of fresh flowers.
Benji was a tech billionaire who could’ve easily afforded a huge, lavish destination wedding. But he and Sloane would’ve been content to get married by the justice of the peace.
Benji and Sloane considered the wedding to be the public formalization of what they already were: a family. The small, elegant ceremony and reception were simply concessions to their families. After their honeymoon, Benji, Sloane and the twins would spend a year in Japan. So it was the last time their entire extended family would be together until Parker and Kayleigh’s wedding—scheduled for soon after Benji and Sloane’s return.
Max had tried to stay in the moment, celebrating with his family. But he’d been distracted the instant Quinn walked in the door. She was stunning in a pale pink, backless dress with a beaded top. The ethereal, knee-length overlay made it seem as if Quinn floated around the room.
Still soaring after the incredible time they’d had together in San Francisco, Max was completely taken with her.
He could get accustomed to spending time with Quinn. She was brilliant at her job, and people loved her. She was affable yet persuasive. Fun to be around, and she had the best laugh. And though she was generally thoughtful and careful, there was a side of Quinn that was audacious and slightly uninhibited. He’d enjoyed every moment they’d spent together, and he was eager for their trip to Chicago in a few weeks.
But waiting three whole weeks to spend time with Quinn again didn’t sit well with him. Being this close to her now only heightened his hunger for her.
Max had agreed to Quinn’s terms, and he understood her hesitance to go public with their relationship while they worked together. But it didn’t mean he had to like it.
As he watched Quinn dance with Cole, both of them laughing, he cursed himself for not sending his original text message. Or any of the ten messages he’d composed then deleted before finally sending his lame, one-word response.
Okay.
He definitely was not okay with Quinn being here with Cole. Max didn’t care if the two of them were just friends. He wanted Quinn to be here with him. And only him.
Max had typed several variations of that message before finally deciding that coming off as jealous, possessive or downright needy would only scare her off.
He went with Option B instead: Just play it cool.
As if Quinn being here with his annoying younger brother was no big deal. Which now felt like the second dumbest idea he’d ever had. The decision his younger self had made to break up with Quinn definitely ranked first.
“Ask her to dance.” Zora nudged his shoulder. “It’s a wedding reception. There’s nothing weird about that.”
“Maybe.” Max sipped his glass of bourbon neat.
Just the thought of holding Quinn in his arms again brought back vivid memories of their week together. Reminded him of how much he wanted her in his bed.
But sitting there watching Cole and Quinn together was another form of torture. He wasn’t sure which was worse.
Max finished the last of his drink, then excused himself from the table before heading onto the dance floor.
He approached Cole and Quinn. “Mind if I cut in?”
“Only if you let me lead,” Cole said.
Quinn broke out in her melodic laughter.
Max couldn’t help laughing, too. “I meant I’d like to dance with Quinn, smart ass,” he said before turning to her. “If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” Her brown eyes danced.
Max took her hand and slipped an arm around her waist. They danced in silence for a few moments. “You look gorgeous, Quinn.”
“Thank you.” Her broad smile revealed the depth of her dimples. “You look pretty dashing in your tux.”
He cradled her in his arms as they moved together, his hand pressed to the smooth, soft skin of her bare back. The sensation reminded him of how he’d skimmed his hands over her bare skin as she lay naked in his arms just a few days ago.
Max inhaled the familiar scent of coconut and citrus as he leaned in, whispering into her hair, “God, I’ve missed you.”
She looked up at him. One corner of her mouth curved in an almost shy smile. “Me, too.”
It was a small win. The first step toward making his case for breaking rule number two.
“I’m looking forward to Chicago,” he said.
“For business or personal reasons?”
“Both,” he admitted. “But I’ve been thinking—”
“Quinn, Benji had a brilliant idea,” Cole appeared beside them suddenly with Benji in tow. “The cabin will be empty while he and Sloane are away.”
“We’d rather have you stay there than for the place to sit empty,” Benji explained.
It was a wonderful offer, though she doubted she could afford to rent the cabin of a tech billionaire.
“That’s kind of you and Sloane, Benji. But I don’t know if—”
“You’d be doing us a favor.” Benji grinned. “You need a place to crash in town, and we could really use a house sitter while we’re away.” He shrugged. “I consider it a fair tradeoff.”
Quinn agreed, thanking Benji for his generosity.
Max was glad Quinn would be staying in town once construction started on Kayleigh’s building. But he hadn’t finished his conversation with Quinn and couldn’t help resenting his brother’s awful timing.
Or maybe Cole had timed the situation perfectly.
Max assessed his younger brother coolly, but as usual, Cole was completely unfazed.
He forced a smile through clenched teeth, then put a discreet hand on Quinn’s waist and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Catch up with you later?”
Her brown eyes offered a quiet apology for the interruption. “Of course. Thank you for the dance.”
Max nodded and walked away, heaving a quiet sigh. But if his past with Quinn had taught him anything it was not to give up so easily. He’d find another opportunity to make his proposal.
* * *
Quinn said goodbye to the bride and groom and to all of the Abbotts.
As she approached the valet stand, Max called her name.
“Leaving already?”
“It’s been a long week,” she said.
“True,” Max agreed. “Mind if I walk you to your car instead?”
Quinn glanced over at the valet, who looked at them expectantly. She returned her gaze to Max. “It’s a beautiful night. A short walk would be nice.”
Max held out his hand and she gave him her ticket, which he used to retrieve her keys and get the location of her car. He extended his elbow to her and she slipped her arm through his.
It was a common, courteous gesture. But something about it felt warm and intimate, sending a small shiver up her spine.
“So we were talking about how much we enjoyed this past week together in San Francisco and how much we’re looking forward to spending time together in Chicago,” he repeated.
“All true,” she agreed.
“But Chicago isn’t for another three weeks, which feels like an eternity,” Max said. “So I propose we nix rule number two. Because I’d really like to take you back to my place tonight, Quinn. We could spend the rest of this weekend in my bed.”
“I’ll admit that sounds intriguing, but this is a rather small town, Max.” She glanced around the parking lot, suddenly conscious of whether anyone might overhear their conversation. “We agreed to be discreet about this. Hooking up here in town seems imprudent. Like we’re asking to get caught.”
Max stopped and turned to her. “Fortunately, my place is on the edge of town. Which is why it’s the place my family is least likely to stop by unannounced. And once you move into the cabin... It’s even farther out of town.”
