by A. E. Neal
I don't know why you didn't say goodbye and right now, I really don't care. I won't apologize for wanting answers from you, but if this is the way you're going to act, then I don't want any part of it. Thank you for the flowers and dinner.
She read the message several times before clicking 'send', then waited. She was waiting for a response that would inevitably never come, but sat and stared at the screen as if her life depended on it. It was stupid for her to think there could have ever been anything between her and Jaysen. As much as she wanted to know what he was hiding from her, she decided some things were better left unsaid.
Quinn flipped the TV on and tucked her shiny, new phone under a pillow. Her eyelids grew heavy as she watched another rerun of The Simpsons and quickly succumbed to some much-needed rest.
Chapter 13
That dreadful song, Manic Monday, was blaring from the alarm clock in her bedroom. Ziggy was snuggled up at her feet and she wished that for just one day, she had the life of a cat. Sleep, eat, sleep, drink, and sleep some more.
"Zig, buddy, get up," she said, wiggling her toes.
Her back was stiff from sleeping on the couch all night and the TV was still on. She clicked the 'power' button on the remote and dragged herself into her room to shut off the alarm. She swore, every single Monday morning, the radio station would play Manic Monday. It was like waking up in the middle of a scene from Groundhog Day.
Quinn dreaded going into work. She didn't want to see Jaysen or even speak to him just yet since she was still pissed at him for shuffling her off without even saying goodbye.
She went through her morning routine as usual and by the time she'd gotten out of the shower, she realized she was already running twenty minutes late.
"Shit!" she cursed, searching for her black pumps. "Ziggy, have you seen my shoes?" she asked the ball of fur curled up on her bed. He cracked one eye open, then flopped a paw over it as if to say, "It's too damn early for your questions, lady."
Rummaging through her closet, she grabbed a pair of gray, peep-toe heels instead and hurried out the door, grabbing her phone and clutch off the kitchen table. She held her shoes in one hand as she bolted down the stairs in a hurry. She had exactly three minutes to catch the bus or she would be forced to call a cab.
"Morning, LA," a bright-eyed, Nick greeted Quinn as she hopped on one leg, trying to slip her shoe on.
"Hey, Nick. Can't talk. Late," she managed between breaths.
"Need a ride?" he asked and it suddenly dawned on her that he actually owned a car, unlike her.
"Oh my God, would you mind? I'm so incredibly late it's not even funny," she said peeking out the door just in time to see the bus drive off.
"I don't mind at all. Lemme go grab my keys," he said as he jogged up the stairs.
She balanced herself against the wall in the foyer and pulled her other shoe on. She was a mess from head to toe; hair in a ponytail, wrinkled blouse, and shoes better suited for spring or summer, not the dead of winter.
Nick returned, twirling a set of keys at the end of his finger, smiling. "You ready?"
"Always," she replied, wondering why he was so chipper.
"I'm parked in the garage, so you can wait here or you can walk with me. Although..." he said, tilting his head to the side to eye her shoes. "You might get frostbite wearing those."
"I'll walk," she countered, trying to sound tough, but knew she'd freeze halfway down the staircase into the underground parking garage.
"We could always try the elevator," he scoffed and she rolled her eyes. "Come on."
Quinn followed Nick outside and around the back of the building. He unlocked the gate to the stairwell and held it open for her. It had been a few years since she'd set foot in the parking garage and as far as she knew, everyone in the building chose to park on the street for fear the damn thing would collapse on top of them.
"You sure it's safe to be down here?" she asked, cautiously.
"She's not going anywhere, promise. Solid as a rock," he said, tapping the brick and mortared wall with his knuckles.
"Yeah, right," she teased.
As they approached, she couldn't help but to notice the vehicle he was about to drive her to work in.
"That?" she asked.
"What?"
"You can't be serious. We'll die in that thing."
"Oh, LA, you really need to grow some balls," he joked, but she wasn't buying it. "LA, meet Elena. She's a 1970 Pontiac GTO."
"I can see that."
"She's the only thing my life-sucking, money-hungry ex-wife didn't fight me for."
The car was beautiful; perfect, glossy black paint with white pinstripes down the panels, black leather interior and it was spotless, inside and out.
"She's pretty," she said as he unlocked the passenger door. "I see why you keep her tucked away."
"She's the only woman who won't break my heart, glad I got to hold on to her after everything that happened."
He rounded the hood as she slid inside and put her seat belt on. The driver's side door opened and Nick hopped in, looking as excited as a kid learning to ride his bike for the first time. He turned the ignition and the engine roared to life.
"It's been a while since I've taken her out."
"How'd you get it here then?" she asked out of curiosity.
"Oh, I have a truck, too. Just thought you could use a little adrenaline rush first thing in the morning."
She smacked him in the arm with the back of her hand. "Seriously? You have a truck and you're gonna make me ride in this death trap?" she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
Nick threw his head back and laughed like an evil professor as he revved the engine.
"Mature."
He reached over and squeezed her knee. "I'm gonna teach you to live a little." He revved the engine once more, causing the tires to squeal as the car jolted forward.
"Yee haw!" he shouted as they sped through the garage and out onto the street.
Quinn gripped the door handle until her knuckles turned white. She wasn't exactly enjoying the early morning adrenaline rush like he'd promised, but was confident she'd actually make it to work on time.
"Do you know where the Beckett Building is?"
"As a matter of fact I do. They're putting together an investment portfolio for the restaurant."
"Wait. What?"
"They're the investors I have backing me for the restaurant. Pretty sweet deal too if you ask me. I'll be the majority owner and the only thing they have a say in, is the construction contract and a few other minor details. I didn't know you worked there."
"Risk analyst," she offered and he laughed at that too.
"No shit?"
"Yeah, I analyze the potential investments that come in and funny thing is, I haven't seen yours come across my desk yet, so you better slow down, or I'll deny your funding."
He let out a low belly laugh and continued at his chosen speed of fifty-five miles per hour through downtown Denver, swerving in and out of traffic like a racecar driver.
"You're crazy, you know that?"
"Nah, give me a few days. I'll show you crazy," he said, turning to her with wide eyes and a grin to match, he enjoyed tormenting her.
"Yup. You've lost your damn mind. That explains everything." She was thankful when they were forced to stop at a red light. She released her grip on the door handle and fiddled with her clutch.
"I'm serious, LA."
"About what?"
"Spend a few days with me and I'll show you what it's like to live on the edge."
"I happen to like my plain, boring life, thank you very much."
"That's bullshit and you know it. You're afraid to be adventurous. Plain and simple. What happens when you die and I'm the only one at your funeral? Do you really want your headstone to read, 'did nothing with her life and refused to live a little because she was afraid of a little fun'?"
Quinn smacked his arm again, this time putting more force behind it. "I've done ple
nty, trust me. I've lived...maybe a little too much," she countered.
"Right? I can't imagine what you've done that was wild or crazy or both. Lemme guess...you joined a knitting circle?"
He was teasing her and she didn't have anything left to say. It wasn't the time or place to tell him about her adventures as a young girl in L.A. She didn't think there would ever be a right time for that conversation.
"You're absolutely right. You know what?"
"What?"
"I'll take you up on that offer, when can we start?"
"Seriously?"
"Seriously," she repeated.
"Why don't we start now then?"
"I think you've done enough damage to my cardiovascular system for one day," she mused.
"Nope. You're all in or nothing at all."
"I'm in, but I have work, contracts, portfolios and other shit I can't put off today. It's my job."
"And I'm sure you love your job, but I'll bet you twenty bucks, you've never called in sick."
She held her hand out to him and wiggled her fingers. "Pay up, sucker."
"This year," he added and she dropped her hand to the seat beside him.
"Fine, you're right. Happy, now?"
"Nope. Not until you say, 'I'm all in, Nick. Please show me how to live on the wild side' and make sure you say it with a smile instead of that shitty frown you've been wearing ever since you got in my car."
As the wheels in her head turned, she wondered how much trouble she would actually get in if she called in sick. All the files on her desk would have to wait until tomorrow and Hannah would most likely screw up half of them, if not more. Her brain screamed, "Do it!", but, unfortunately, her heart was attached to her job. Something she was good at, something she truly loved.
"I can't, I'm sorry," she said, shrugging in her seat.
"One day isn't going to kill you, Quinn."
She turned to face him and felt the heat spread across her cheeks. "I. Can't."
"You can't or you won't? There's a difference."
"I'm done talking about this, I've made my decision, so please, just get me to work."
"Alright. Whatever you want to do is fine by me. But my offer expires at midnight."
"What are you, my fairy godmother now?"
"Just call me when you put your big girl pants on, okay?"
"Fine. I'll keep it in mind."
"Good."
"Good," she repeated.
During the remainder of the drive, neither said a word. Quinn knew she had disappointed him by not taking a leap towards freedom, but if she lost her job, her whole world would come crashing down around her. She couldn't afford to lose everything, she'd already done that once before.
As he pulled Elena to the curb outside the Beckett Building, she unbuckled her seat belt and reached for the door handle. He rested his hand on her knee, causing her to flinch.
"I meant what I said, so if you change your mind, I'll be here in a heartbeat."
It was a sweet gesture, one she wasn't used to hearing and she felt her throat close up as she swung the door open and got out of the car without another word.
Chapter 14
Since Nick had driven like a maniac, Quinn still had ten minutes to spare, so she jogged across the street and into the coffee shop. It was busy, just like any other weekday and as she took her place at the back of the line, she spotted Jaysen waiting for his cinnamon dolce at the end of the counter.
He was too busy talking into the Bluetooth device attached to his ear that he hadn't seen her walk in. Thank God.
"Jaysen!" the barista called. They actually got his name right this time, it was a miracle.
He waved his hand at the woman, took his cup and turned to walk out of the cafe in a hurry, but stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he saw Quinn.
"Tim, I'm gonna have to call you back. Something just came up," he said into the device and pulled it from his ear.
She gave him a weak smile and a nod.
"Hi, Quinn."
"Hey," she replied, still unsure of what to say to him because he was the one who shuffled her off without a word.
"Can we talk? Do you have a minute?" he asked.
She tilted her head toward the barista who was waiting to take her order. She gave the young woman her order and Jaysen handed her a twenty.
"You don't have to do that," Quinn scolded him.
"I know I don't, but I want to."
Things were awkward between them, they both felt the tension in the air surrounding them. On one hand, Quinn wanted to slap the shit out of him, but on the other, she wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go.
As they waited for her Chai tea, he stood silently next to her, just scanning her with those amazing honey colored eyes of his. She wasn't sure if he was trying to read her body language, which in her mind read something like this: She hated the fact that she loved the way he made her feel.
Her name was called and she grabbed her tea from the barista and headed for the door. Jaysen followed closely yet remained silent until they were outside.
"Quinn, wait," he said, taking her hand.
She whirled around to face him. "What?"
"Look–" he began.
"Look what? Unless you're going to say something along the lines of— look Quinn, I was a total fucking asshole last night and I want to make it up to you by leaving you alone for the rest of eternity— then I don't want to hear what you have to say," she snapped and began walking again.
He hesitated for a moment, then caught up with her. "I suppose I deserved that. Will you at least give me a minute to explain?"
"No."
He was at her side now, but she refused to look at him, because the truth be told, as soon as he caught her in his panty-melting gaze again, she would be through.
"Please stop walking and talk to me," he pleaded.
"No, because if I do that, I'll end up forgiving you and...well...I just don't think I'm ready to do that just yet." Her heels clicked against the concrete as she picked up her pace.
"I fucked up, Quinn. I got scared. I don't know what the hell I'm doing here."
That stopped her in her tracks. She turned to face him, his eyes were guarded and dark, he looked hurt, confused and tired.
"What do you want from me, Jaysen?"
He took a step closer but didn't say a word. She struggled to read him, he was the only person she'd ever met who had the same two expressions. Both were fierce and intense.
"I'm going to be late. You said you wanted to explain, so start talking," She snapped again.
Now he was inches from her body and she could feel his breath on her cheek as he inhaled her scent. Goosebumps covered her skin and she tilted her head to see his eyes. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest and as she inhaled his natural scent. After a moment, he leaned in closer, invading every one of her senses and she knew the wall she'd put up to shut him out, was now slowly crumbling at her feet.
"Jaysen," she breathed.
His breath quickened as he closed the gap between their bodies, resting his forehead against hers. She stared into his eyes as if they would give her all the answers she ever needed to know. The noisy city surrounding them all but disappeared. He lifted a hand and wrapped it around the back of her neck. She tilted her head back and parted her lips, slightly. He wound his fingers in her hair and all at once, his lips crashed down on hers.
She opened her mouth, further allowing him to explore her lips and tongue with his. Her knees weakened as their kiss grew deeper and more feverish. She hadn't ever wanted anything more in her life than she wanted Jaysen Beckett... naked.
But as with all good things, eventually they had come to an end and that was when she broke their wonderful, electric kiss.
She could sense he felt it too by the half-drunk look he had in his eyes as he stared at her.
"I have to go," she said.
"When will I see you again?"
"I don't know," she replied becaus
e she couldn't seem to form any other sentence in her brain at that moment.
"Please tell me I'll see you later. Lunch maybe?"
"I don't think that's such a good idea. I could lose my job if anyone found out about this. I can't put my job on the line for whatever is going on between us, Jaysen."
"Nothing is going to happen to you. I own the company, remember?"
Quinn smiled. Yes, she knew he owned it, but truthfully, she was more worried about what kind of rumors would generate in the office if anyone caught wind of what had just happened. She didn't want to be the talk of the town, she really did like keeping to herself.
"Just give me some time to figure this all out. Can you do that?"
"As long as I don't have to wait long." He smiled and just like her daydream, she noticed a small dimple form on his left cheek.
"I promise," she said, leaning forward and pressing her lips to his once again. "I have to go."
"Can I at least walk with you?" he asked and she nodded.
They walked together towards the Beckett Building in silence. Again, the wheels in her head were turning. How could she make any of it work for them without compromising her job? The reality of it all was that she couldn't, but every time she looked at him, she wanted to throw all of her morals and inhibitions right out the window and scream, "Fuck it!" at the top of her lungs.
Once they reached the building, Jaysen and Quinn went their separate ways, but not without a few flirty gestures first. She mouthed the word, 'goodbye' to him and he returned the favor with a wink. She watched as he walked through the corridor towards the bank of elevators, then disappeared.
"You look happy this morning," Hannah said. "Oh. My. God. Did you get laid?"
Quinn stuffed her clutch into the drawer of her desk and slammed it shut. "No."
"Sorry, you just seem extra perky today."
She wanted to snap at her, but instead, she pulled out her chair, sat down and booted up the computer.
