Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 31081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
“There is no time limit on healing. You should never feel embarrassed or ashamed of needing to be held through the bad nights.”
My heart thuds at his words.
“Thank you for just being you. For staying and understanding.” I gulp down the remaining wine left in my glass.
“Do you want to get out of here?” he offers.
“God yes.” I chuckle. Not the type of dinner I thought I’d be having tonight, but one I’m glad we had. We each gave a piece of ourselves tonight.
“I want to know you, Quinn. All of you.”
“Don’t get too close. It’s dark in here,” I jest, but he knows it’s the truth.
“Then I’ll turn the lights on.”
I don’t tell him he already has.
9
“Come on,” I tell her, taking her hand. “I want to show you something.”
We walk down the busy street toward a small courtyard that belongs to a bar. It’s low-key and romantic with lights strung across the open space between two larger buildings.
“Ever been to Madison’s?”
She shakes her head. “I’ve heard of it and driven by it, but I’ve never stopped to check it out. What is it?”
“You’ll see. Hope you saved room for dessert.” I flash her a wide grin as I take her to the hostess stand. “Two please.”
“Tonight is chocolate showers and fruit flowers.” The hostess gestures for us to follow her.
I had to come to this place a few months ago to meet Ren. Since Ren’s a talent agent for his brother’s record label, I thought maybe he was bringing me to a cool show. Turns out, he wanted to scope out the place. For a fucking wedding. It’s trendy and beautiful with all the twinkling lights and massive plants everywhere, making it seem like a hidden jungle, and by the end of it, he’d committed to a date. Presumptuous motherfucker considering he hadn’t even asked the girl to marry him yet.
The hostess leads us over to a table for two hidden behind a trellis of rose bushes in full bloom with lights woven in. Quinn seems dazzled by the quaint beauty of it all, which was my hope.
“I know you’re an independent woman and all that,” I say with a grin, “but allow me to take lead on this. Do you trust me?”
Without hesitation, she nods, making my heart fucking soar.
“Good girl,” I praise. “I’ll reward you for that later.”
She laughs. “Are you always naughty?”
“I own a sex club. I think we both know the answer to that.”
The waiter comes by with a rolling cart. His name is Timothy. He pours us some house wine, then proceeds to chat with us as he prepares our dessert. His rolling cart comes fit with a mini stove, a saucepan, and even a blowtorch. He shows off his fancy knife work as he cuts fruit into fun shapes, all beautiful flowers, then displays them like they’re part of a garden on a big plate he’s set between us. Quinn is transfixed and all smiles as he starts cooking his chocolate. Once it’s melted, he pours it into a fancy dispenser and showers it over the flowers, then sprinkles it with some powdered sugar.
“Voila! Enjoy your dessert.”
When he walks away, Quinn shakes her head. “It’s too pretty to eat. I feel like we should take a picture.”
“Like every other person who comes here so we can brag about it on Instagram?” I tease with a lifted brow.
“Hey now, I’m in marketing. It’s what I do. Stuff like this excites me.”
“And here I thought all I had to do was show you my dick.”
She giggles. “Well, that too. Fine, forget the picture. I’m diving in.” She picks up a fork and stabs at a green kiwi rose. After she coats it with some melted chocolate, she brings it to her mouth.
“Careful, Red, I might devour you right here,” I warn.
Her green eyes flash with wickedness. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
My cock reacts to the way her mouth wraps around the fork. A whimper of pleasure, not unlike how she sounds when she comes, rises up her throat as she chews.
“This is so good,” she tells me. “What a cute little place. I’m definitely bringing Wayne here.”
I’d be jealous, except she says it in an affectionate, normal way. Not like one would refer to a boyfriend, ex or lover.
“As long as I get to come with and meet Wayne.” I lift a brow in challenge. “Brother?”
“Best friend.” She licks some chocolate off her bottom lip, and my dick jumps in my slacks. “And funny you say that. He wants to meet you too.”
“You talked about me to the best friend. This is getting serious, beautiful. When should I go ring shopping?”
“Stop,” she groans. “You’re such an ass.”
“Good thing you’re into it.”
“We do share the same…desires.”
“I like you, Quinn,” I blurt out. “A lot. I know we set this whole gig up as something you need, but I don’t feel right about you just being a client or this being a transaction. It feels like so much more than that.”