by Cali MacKay
She looked over at him as he maneuvered the sleek sports car along the coastline. He was handsome in a way few men were, somehow managing to look rugged yet refined, mixing bad boy with billionaire bachelor. Dark hair that looked like he’d been running his hands through it, a stubbled jaw, eyes so green and intelligent, and a mouth that was completely kissable. It was a dangerous combination that left her far too vulnerable.
And damn, but the man knew how to kiss. Toe-curling, heart-pounding, drag-me-to-your-bed kisses that left her wanting to forget that she was mad at him for threatening her livelihood. It made her want to find out what else that mouth was capable of—and that was a huge problem. She couldn’t lose sight of what was at stake. There was too much on the line to let herself get lost in a fantasy. That wasn’t her world—nor would it ever be. And she’d worked too damn hard to let it all go to hell just because she couldn’t remember the last time she got laid.
“There’s a little place I like to go to. Just hope it’ll be up to your standards, Chef.” He gave her a sideways glance and a smile that reached his eyes and lit them from within.
“I like it when you call me that.” Though why she was telling him, she hadn’t a clue. At the very least, it reminded her of why she was there. Because when he was being nice? It was so easy to forget he was the enemy.
“Sweetheart…I’m happy to call you whatever you’d like as long as it’s my name on your lips when you come.” Damn if his words didn’t leave her at once furious and completely turned on, if she were being honest with herself.
“What is it with you? Why do you always have to go there?” She shook her head and shifted in her seat, though it did nothing but increase the heavy ache between her legs.
“I know what I like—and I know what I want.” He gave her a casual shrug as he pulled down a side road that continued to run along the ocean. “You can’t fault me for being honest with you. And I don’t lie, sweetheart—nor do I beat around the bush. Life’s too short.”
There was a pain in his voice that caught her off guard, though it left her wondering if she’d imagined it. His gaze was focused on the road ahead of them, his eyes dark in the dim light of the night.
“Well, I do appreciate the honesty.” It was something at least—and a big something at that, especially after finding her last boyfriend in bed with the barista from the café they’d frequented. “I’ve been lied to in the past by someone I trusted, and I can’t stand it. It makes me question everything that’s said to me, and I end up feeling like a fool afterwards for being stupid and naïve enough to believe the lies.”
“If anyone was a fool, it was the person who lied to you. I have no tolerance for lies and deceptions. I’m just sorry you had to go through that.” Quinn’s brow furrowed, and though his eyes were still on the road, his gaze was intense as he glanced over at her for just a moment and cupped her face. The fact that he’d gotten so angry on her behalf caught her off guard, especially when they barely knew each other. And when he reached over and twined his fingers with hers before bringing her hand to his lips, the gesture at once sexy and old-fashioned, she couldn’t help but like him just a little more.
She found it hard to ignore the way his touch made her feel, especially when he was being sweet. Squirming in her seat to ease some of the aching need he was eliciting in her traitorous body, she tried to remind herself that she was only on this date to save her restaurant. And it had nothing to do with his touch or his kisses.
She forced herself to focus, especially since it’d be too easy to let him get her worked up like he had on the beach. And who knew what she’d be liable to do if he got her all hot and bothered again. “I’m sure everyone’s been ruthlessly lied to at some point in their life. I can’t be the only one, right?”
“No… It’s unfortunate that it happens as often it does.” Quinn glanced in her direction, giving her hand a squeeze, his touch strong and warm. “That’s one thing I promise you, Emma. I’ll always be honest with you.”
“I appreciate it—and I’ll certainly do the same.” Emma wasn’t sure why, but it meant a lot that he’d given her that small token of respect. And once more, it had her wondering who the real Quinn Ryker was.
He maneuvered the car into the parking lot of an old-style greasy spoon, the wheels crunching on the crushed gravel. “I know it’s not much to look at, especially now that it’s dark out, but there’s a great view of the ocean, and the burgers can’t be beat.” He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in for a quick kiss, and though she hesitated just a moment, she’d be damned if it didn’t leave her wanting more. “Come on, sweetheart. I’m starving.”
In more ways than one, no doubt.
While she tried to clear her head, he came around the car and got her door, offering her his hand to help her out of her seat. With her gaze on him, she felt her dress shift up her thighs, Quinn’s smile widening in response as she no doubt showed him a long expanse of leg and probably accidentally flashed him too, the way her night was going.
“You’ve got great legs, sweetheart.” He pulled her to her feet, her body brushing against his as he held her close and nuzzled her, his hands slipping to her waist and gripping her firmly. She felt caught, captured, and she swore the shiver of need that pulsed through her body made her feel more alive than she had in a very long time.
“Thanks.” Crap…he had her blushing like some school girl.
He was so tall, so muscular, and his grip was so strong. He overwhelmed her senses and left her desperate for more.
What the hell was she doing?
Enemy Number One—straight ahead. Focus. But with his clean, manly scent filling her head, all she could manage was a ragged breath as she leaned in towards him. He pressed her up against the side of his car, making it impossible to ignore his hard length. His lips found hers in a kiss that stoked her need for him and had her fisting his shirt in her hands, barely resisting the urge to wrap her legs around his waist.
Damn him to hell.
She wanted to protest, but when he nipped at her neck, all she could manage was to roll her head to the side to give him easier access, and instead of curses, a needy moan escaped her lips. Just as she was getting ready to reach down and stroke him, he took her mouth in a sweetly lingering kiss, before pulling away, leaving her body reeling.
“Come on, kitten. There’ll be plenty of time for that later.” He knotted his fingers with hers and pulled her close to his body, possession in the gesture, though he disarmed her with a light kiss to her temple. Even as Emma’s brain told her she was playing right into the trap he’d set for her, her heart softened, yielding to the way he made her feel. “I’m starving and need to be fed.”
That must’ve been the understatement of the year, because the man finished off his double patty burger, all his onion rings, a handful of her fries, his strawberry shake, and was now looking for dessert. “So tell me, Lois, what would you recommend to finish up our meal?”
Their waitress, an older woman in her sixties, gave him a sly smile, their relationship clearly a familiar one, from what Emma had seen. “I don’t know why you insist on asking each and every time, when you always order the same exact thing.”
“Never know…the menu might suddenly change.” Quinn gave her a shoulder shrug and a smile that made him look far less like the ruthless and shrewd businessman she’d seen at work. “I suppose we’ll go with the usual then. And if you could bring two forks, I’d appreciate it.”
Lois leaned towards her as she turned to go. “Honey, you must be pretty special if he’s sharing his cheesecake with you.”
Emma managed a smile as Lois walked away, though curiosity got the better of her. “Do you come here often with your dates?”
He shook his head, looking rather serious. “Never. You’re the first.”
That didn’t make any sense. “So…why me?”
“Tell me—what did you think of your burger?” He sat back in the booth and crossed his arms in front of his
chest so that the fabric of his shirt pulled tight, accentuating all those rock-hard muscles underneath.
That was an easy enough question to answer, given her profession. “It was fantastic—juicy with a nice crust from the hot flattop grill. Just the right amount of fat. The potato bun held up well to the weight of the patty but was still soft and didn’t distract from the flavors of the meat—which was perfectly seasoned, by the way. Classic condiments, and the homemade ketchup was a very nice touch, especially with the little kick of cayenne and smoky paprika.”
His lips curled up into a sexy smile as his green eyes sparkled—and damn if it didn’t make her breath catch. “That’s why I’ve never brought any of my other dates here. I knew you’d appreciate this place for what it was. Most of the women I’ve dated only care that a restaurant is trendy, expensive, and there are plenty of other people there so they’ll be seen with me and, with luck, make it into a tabloid or society paper. Beyond that, as long as there’s plenty of champagne, the food could be crap, and they’d never notice—or care for that matter, since they don’t tend to eat more than a few bites.”
She shook her head, trying to clear it. “I don’t get it. You don’t exactly sound thrilled with them, so why date that sort of woman?”
He shrugged. “It’s been easy. Convenient. I’m usually too busy to give any of it much thought or effort. And they’ve been happy.”
“So you get your needs met without having to try too hard. Right?” Clearly. Though it didn’t shock her, she was surprised to find that it did actually bother her.
“I’m not denying it, but…” He sighed before leaning forward just a little, closing the distance between them so she could see the flecks of blue and gold in his green eyes. “More and more I find those sorts of dates tedious. Hell, even the sex feels repetitive and uninspired—and it’s pretty bad when you can’t even get much enjoyment from getting laid.”
“Is that why I’m here? Because you’re bored with the women you normally date and want an inspired lay? Lovely.” It was impossible to keep the sarcasm from her voice.
“Why shouldn’t I want more? I’ve worked damn hard to establish myself and my business.” He ran a rough hand across his jaw and gave her a smile that had her breath catching and an ache starting up between her legs. “I can finally take a bit more time to focus on things other than work—and I like you. A lot. So if you have a problem with that—outside of the fact that you’re only here because of your restaurant—then I want to know where the hell you’re getting hung up so we can fix it.”
“It’s not that easy, Quinn.” What was he thinking?
“Why not? We’re already halfway there, since you’ll be joining me for whatever events I have planned for the foreseeable future.” He reached over and twined his fingers with hers. “I’m just asking for a little more.”
“You mean, you’re asking for what I explicitly said was off the table.” It figured. She knew it’d all come down to this.
“Say it.” He ran a lazy circle over the back of her hand with his thumb.
“Fine. Sex. You want to fuck me.” Her face flushed, though whether it was with anger, excitement, or desire, she wasn’t quite sure. Maybe it was all three.
His gaze took her in, his lips curling into a half-smile that reminded her of a wolf that had its prey cornered. “Would you like that? And please, sweetheart, let’s not start telling each other lies. I like this relationship too much for untruths.”
“Relationship?” She scoffed and shook her head. “Usually those don’t involve blackmail.”
Though his gaze was stern, humor tugged at his lips with an easy smile. “Answer me, Emma. Would you like me to fuck you? And remember that you’ve promised me honesty.”
With her pulse racing and her breathing shallow, she couldn’t believe he’d maneuvered her into such a position. Damn him.
She took a deep breath and somehow found the strength to look him in the eyes as she answered, though she’d be damned if she could keep her voice from sounding shallow and breathy. “Even if I did, I don’t just act on every whim. It’s far more complicated than that.”
Emma stopped talking when Lois put a slice of the most delicious-looking strawberry cheesecake on the table between them with a smile. “Two forks for the lovebirds. Enjoy.”
Quinn looked up at Lois with a smile, not looking the least bit annoyed about her lovebirds comment. “Thanks, Lois.” Once she was gone, he shifted his gaze back to Emma. “It doesn’t have to be complicated, Emma. I like you, and I think you like me at least a little. Even then, you don’t need to like me in order to enjoy sex. You just need to want me—and you do want me. I’d put money on it. So, tell me, darling…tell me that you want me to fuck you…that you want me to make you come so hard that your legs give out and you can’t do anything but scream my name.”
She let out an annoyed huff, not quite believing they were having this conversation. “Why do you insist on going there? Just eat your damn cheesecake.”
“The cheesecake’s fantastic, but that’s not really what I’m interested in eating, love.” He gave her a crooked grin as his eyebrows flicked up and he fed himself a forkful of cheesecake, his tongue peeking out to lick at his lips.
She wanted to groan. Wanted to slip her hands between her legs and find some relief. And she wanted to reach across the table and slap him for doing this to her. Frankly, she’d had enough. “Fuck off, Quinn.”
He burst out laughing. “I love how feisty you are. Love that you want me so badly, and yet you hold your ground. So, keep fighting me, darling, because that’ll only make my victory all the sweeter when I finally have you. And I will have you, Emma. Every way imaginable. Would you like that, my sweet dirty girl?”
“The only one here with a dirty mind is you.” Desperately needing a way to distract herself lest he see that her mind had already gone to all the places he’d been describing, she took a bite of cheesecake and nearly had an orgasm then and there. “Wow…that’s really good.” She wanted to hate everything about him, and yet he was making it infuriatingly hard for her.
“It’s different, isn’t it?” He took another forkful, and she followed suit, forgetting to be angry with him as she let the flavors play over her tongue.
“It doesn’t have the normal cream cheese flavor, nor is it grainy in texture like ricotta. If I had to guess, I’d say mascarpone.” And instead of a graham cracker crust, they’d used a butter cookie crust and then topped it all off with freshly macerated strawberries.
“Couldn’t tell you, love. I just like eating it—and I like watching you eat it too, with those plump red lips of yours. I bet they taste so good right about now.” He leaned forward with his arms propped on the table, and damn, but he looked ready to devour her.
Tired of him teasing her, she figured she could give as good as she got. Swiping her finger through the dollop of whipped cream, she slowly sucked it off her finger suggestively, holding his gaze and reveling in the fact that his eyes had darkened, and he’d bitten his bottom lip. “They’re even sweeter now—not that you’ll get to taste them.”
“Like hell I won’t.”
Chapter Six
Quinn didn’t hesitate to take advantage of Emma’s flirting. Reaching across the table, he cupped the back of her neck with a firm hand and kissed her, ignoring her protests and the fact that there were other customers watching. Her lips parted as his tongue found hers in a kiss that left him wanting to sprawl her across the table and finally have a real taste of her.
When he somehow managed to break their kiss, he could barely control his need for her, his breathing heavy as he spoke. “So fucking sweet, and so sexy. Just like I knew they’d be.”
He dug out his wallet and tossed far too much money on the table, as he always did, knowing Lois’s income was meager. However, the last thing he’d been expecting was for Emma to grab her wallet, as if expecting to pay for her dinner. “Don’t you dare, Emma. Dinner’s on me. Always. Put your money away
.” And though he’d never in a million years let her pay, there was something in him that appreciated the gesture, especially when none of the other women he’d been with would have ever thought to offer.
She growled in frustration, but stuffed her wallet back in her bag. “I don’t want your money, Quinn.”
He pulled himself out of the booth, and gave her a hand getting to her feet. She slid out of her seat, showing him a long expanse of leg as the hem of her dress rode up her thighs. It was impossible to keep his erection from straining against his jeans, and in the position she was in with his crotch at her eye level, there was no hiding the effect she was having on him.
Her wide eyes drifted from his cock up to his face, before turning into a glare after being caught ogling his hard-on. “Quit looking at my legs. It’s bad enough I had to put on this dress and heels.”
“At least you’ve managed to remain upright. Your abilities seem…greatly improved. And sweetheart, I’ll most certainly look at your legs if you’re looking at my cock.”
“You’re just so funny.” She shot him a look over her shoulder as she moved towards the door, and he swore she was the sexiest thing he’d seen in a very long time, all attitude and sass, and clearly not aware of just how gorgeous she was. “As for walking in these things, you can thank my friend Ivy for that. She insisted I practice and wouldn’t let up until I could manage it without killing myself.”
“Then I’ll have to send her my thanks, since I prefer you in one piece.” They stepped out into the cool night air and the salty scent of the ocean. Though it was October, the weather had been unusually mild, even if the evenings had started to cool down. “Don’t suppose I could interest you in a walk on the beach? I’m not ready for this night to come to an end just yet.”
“I’m here on your dime, Quinn.” The bitterness in her voice caught him off guard—and she must have realized exactly how it sounded because she turned towards him and grabbed his hand. “Wait…I’m sorry. That was unfair and mean of me to say.”