Love, Diamonds, and Spades (Cactus Creek #2)(22)

A twitch of humor tipped his lips.

“Plus, I need to have all this chocolate packaging done before we open in an hour,” she added primly, proud of her ability to continue reasoning despite her imagination having gone on the attack with images of Rylan stripped down to nothing…her atop the nearest counter…

And that’s when her brain lost all control of the helm.

Pirated thoughts of the dirtiest variety soon had her noting the optimal butt-level height of the counters. They really did look to have a sturdy foundation...

Rylan muttered a silent oath. “You’re killing me. Stop looking at the counters like that. It’s plenty strong to do everything you’re fantasizing. You really want to take a run at the scenario those pretty eyes of yours are begging for? Me taking you right here?”

Damn him. And damn her eyes for being portals to her mind, or whatever part of her body was currently in control.

“Sugar, I think it’s time you tell me what you want,” he sighed gruffly. “A no-tomorrows quickie on the counter or the whole package with me?” Stopping a few inches in front of her, he cupped her cheek and gazed into her eyes. “Personally, I want you to pick the whole package,” he whispered against her lips. “Do you know that if I had been allowed to enter Luke’s Random Acts of Romance challenge, I would’ve had a hundred entries in mind? All for you.”

A flush of pleasure spread across her cheeks.

“I’ve thought about at least that many ways to win you over.” He trailed his thumb along her jawline. “I figured if I had entered the challenge, odds were I would’ve won the prize due to the sheer volume of my entries alone. So, I went ahead and awarded myself the prize. Well, half of it, at least.” He pulled out an embossed ivory card from his back pocket.

“You bought a certificate from that spa?” Quinn recognized the ivory card immediately because she’d actually been the one to pick the spa for Luke’s contest. Of course she’d never had the time or money to ever go there as a customer herself, but she’d heard good things.

“For you. It’s a single certificate because I didn’t want you to feel there were strings attached to it. I know how hard you work and I wanted you to have a day to relax. Even if you don’t want to see where this can lead between us, it’s still yours.” He kissed her gently, silently giving her the promise that there was no pressure to say yes and no guilt in saying no.

She looked at the spa certificate and then at the sinfully hot man asking her to let him love her in the way she’d always dreamed—two of the sweetest offers she’d ever received.

“Yes...I’m saying yes,” she replied breathlessly. “I don’t just want a ride on the counter. I want the whole package.” She looked into his eyes. “With you.”





CHAPTER TEN


THIS WAS SO not good.

Quinn watched the video of Dani’s news interview about the chocolate and beer throwdown again, hoping it would sound different the second time around.

Nope. Still really bad.

“Knock, knock.”

Quinn jumped. “Luke! What are you doing here?” She propped her hip awkwardly on her desk and glanced uneasily at her computer.

His eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?” He bee-lined it to her desk.

“Nothing!”

“You’ve always been a bad liar.” Sweeping her to the side, he peered at her computer.

“You know, I really need to get back to—”

His look silenced her. Pushing her hands away from the keyboard, he rewound the video back to the beginning and hit play.

Quinn felt helpless as she watched her best friend watch the video and proceed to get his heart kicked right where it hurt. Especially for Luke. She knew him, she knew he was already in love with Dani. And according to that video, the feeling was one-sided.

“Luke, I’m sure she didn’t mean that how it sounded.”

He remained silent, staring at the blank screen long after the clip ended.

Quinn put a comforting hand on his arm. “Don’t blow this out of proportion.”

He shrugged her off and headed out the door.

She ran after him. “Luke, stop. Cool down a bit before you head over there.”

“I just want to talk to her,” he said quietly.

Quinn just barely managed to lock up the shop before she caught up with Luke heading into Ocotillos.

Then they stood there together in silence just outside of Dani’s office seeing the same thing.

Dani and Rylan together, heads low, voices hushed in deep conversation, arms wrapped tight around each other. Rylan gently smoothing back Dani’s hair, and pressing gentle kisses to her forehead as she spilled her heart out.

Without a word, Quinn turned and left.



*



FROM WHERE HE’D planted himself so he wouldn’t miss her, Rylan caught sight of Quinn and snagged her elbow, stopping her on the sidewalk just outside of Ocotillos.

“Leaving so soon, sugar?”

She stiffly averted her eyes and kept silent.

He eyed her mutinous expression. “What evil is that busy lil head of yours convincing you I’ve done now?” he asked with forced calm. “Because whatever it is, you’ve got it all wrong.”