by Opal Carew
Her pulse still raced at the memory of Quinn holding her tightly to his body, her breasts crushed against his naked, muscular chest. And his cock thick and solid against her belly.
She tingled at the thought of welcoming it inside her. Longed to feel it fill her completely.
She sucked in a breath and pushed away from the door. She unhooked her damp bra as she walked across the room to the en suite bathroom, then stripped off the panties. She hung the lingerie on a towel rack to dry, then showered.
Afterward, she combed her long hair, then blow-dried it. Once it was cascading in shiny waves over her shoulders, she walked back into the bedroom and pulled on the coral bra and panty set and the sundress she’d been wearing earlier.
As she turned toward the door, she suddenly felt overwhelmed. So much had happened today. Her emotions were frayed. She sank down on the bed and stared at herself in the mirror.
What was she going to do? Austin had invited her to stay here, and she would tonight, but what would she do after that? She didn’t have money for a bus ticket back to Lachelle. And the thought of going back there right now after what had happened with Maurice …
She dropped her face into her hands. No, she couldn’t deal with that. Not yet.
She had four weeks before she had to return to work.
But she had nowhere else to go. No one who could help her.
Her phone beeped. She walked to the side table by the couch and picked it up. Who would be texting her?
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the display.
Maurice.
What could he possibly want?
She opened the text app and saw a number of texts from him.
He couldn’t possibly be apologizing and trying to get her back after all that he’d done. Could he?
Not that she’d take him back.
As she started reading the texts, her chest tightened.
Don’t bother coming back to work. You’re fired.
Maurice owned the company she worked for. She shouldn’t be surprised that he wouldn’t let her continue working there.
And don’t bother looking for a job elsewhere in town. You won’t get one.
Her heart sank. That was no idle threat. He had enough clout in Lachelle to ensure no one hired her. No one wanted to be in Maurice’s or his family’s bad graces. They essentially owned the town.
BTW, the bank is calling in the loan on your town house. If you can’t pay off the remaining balance, they’ll foreclose.
Shock surged through her. Could he really be that vindictive?
His family owned the bank that held the mortgage on her home. The only way she could get the money to repay the loan would be to sell the town house, and she was absolutely certain Maurice could arrange it so no one would buy it. No real estate agent in town would list it, she was sure, and trying to sell it on her own would be futile.
It felt like her insides had been ripped out of her body and shredded.
She sat on the bed staring at the phone, her hand trembling.
Oh, God, what was she going to do now?
* * *
Quinn raked his hand through his hair as he paced the bedroom, anger flooding through him.
What the hell was wrong with him?
That wasn’t the kind of man he was. Bullying a woman. Almost stripping off her bra. All because his emotions were totally out of control.
Anger. Anxiety. Lust.
His cock wanted April, but his brain knew better. The battle taking place between the two was throwing him wildly off balance.
Fuck, he realized that with the position she was in, he could easily persuade her into his bed. But he would never take advantage of her vulnerable position. And no matter what, winding up in bed with her was too dangerous a game, given his past feelings for her.
He strode to the shower and washed off the chlorine from the pool, then toweled off. As he walked back into the bedroom, he heard his cell vibrate on the dresser.
I’m ready for some gambling. Bring April and meet me in the casino in 30m.
Quinn grinned. Austin loved to gamble, and he was good at it. He had an instinct, and it usually paid off.
Quinn walked into the living room. April was still in her bedroom, and he was worried that after what had happened, she might stay in there to avoid him. He frowned. Austin wouldn’t like it if Quinn left April here, even if she wanted to stay. Austin would probably insist on coming up to get her.
He walked down the hall and tapped on the door.
“April, Austin is in the casino. He wants us to join him.”
She didn’t answer, so he knocked harder this time.
“April?”
She still didn’t respond.
“April, if you don’t answer, I’m coming in.”
After two seconds, he pushed open the door. He glanced around to see April staring out the window, dressed in the same lovely sundress she’d had on earlier. Of course, it was the only appropriate thing she had left for going out.
“I’m sorry. I won’t be very good company tonight,” she said softly, not turning around. “Why don’t you go without me?”
He strode toward her until he stood a foot away.
“Look, Austin wants you down there, and it’s the least you can do to thank him for his hospitality.”
“His hospitality?” she asked evenly, still staring outside. “And yours, too?”
“Sure. Mine, too. Austin loves to gamble, and he’s looking forward to your company this evening.”
“All right,” she said simply. “I’ll need a minute to fix my makeup.”
“I’m sure it’s fine.”
But when she turned around, even though she kept her head down, he saw her eyes were puffy and red. She’d been crying.
“I’ll only be a few minutes.” Her voice sounded so empty.
His heart ached. He hated seeing her like this.
As she walked to the dresser where her makeup bag sat, he knew he couldn’t leave it at that.
“Wait,” he said.
She stopped walking, but didn’t turn.
“April, are you upset about how I acted earlier? Because I’m sorry about the way I behaved.”
She shook her head. “That’s not it.”
“Then what is it? Has something new happened?”
She drew in a shaky breath and nodded.
“Then come here and tell me.”
“No, I don’t think—”
“I said come and tell me,” he said firmly. He walked toward her and took her hand, then led her to the couch facing the window. He sat down beside her.
“I want you to understand, I’m not trying to get sympathy,” she said. “I’m not trying to get anything.”
“Noted.”
She gazed at him with wide, sorrowful eyes, still gleaming from her tears. Every protective instinct he had surged forward. She bit her lip, and his heart ached. God, he’d always loved how that made her look so sweet and innocent.
He squeezed her soft, delicate hand. “Just tell me.”
“It would be easier to show you.”
She drew her hand from his, and he hated feeling it slip away. She picked up her cell phone from the side table and flicked it on, then handed it to him.
As he read the series of texts, his chest constricted.
Hell, her ex was a fucking asshole.
He glanced at her again. “I take it he can follow through on these threats?”
She nodded.
“What about friends? Do you have anyone who can help you?”
She shook her head. “I moved straight to Lachelle when we graduated. My friends are his friends. They’re loyal to him. And I didn’t really make any of my own friends during college.”
He remembered. She’d been painfully shy. He’d had a devil of a time getting to know her himself. Then after she’d left him, whenever he saw her, she’d always been hanging out with Maurice’s friends.
“And I don’t have any f
amily.” Her voice wavered.
Goddamn, he couldn’t help himself. He slid his arm around her and pulled her to him. She rested her head on his chest, and, fuck, feeling her close to him like this made him want so many things. Stupid things he shouldn’t let himself want. Like keeping her in his arms forever. Like marrying her and being with her for the rest of his life.
She drew in a breath, then straightened her back, easing away from him.
“But it’s okay. I’ll be fine. I’ll figure something out.”
Part of him wanted to convince himself she was playing the martyr to see if he’d jump in and rescue her. But he couldn’t quite manage it.
“How?” he demanded gently.
She stood up and paced. “I don’t know. Not yet. Maybe I’ll get a job at the hotel.”
“I’m not sure they need a graphic designer. Maybe you could get a job waiting tables or cleaning rooms, but only if you’ve done it before. This is a high-end hotel. They want someone with experience. And even if you do get a job,” he said gently, “how will you find somewhere to live without first and last month’s rent?”
Her expression crumpled. She stopped pacing and faced him.
“Quinn, what do you expect me to say? I’m trying to stay positive, and you’re not making that easy.”
“I’m not trying to make it easy. I just want you to understand the reality of your situation.”
Which was pretty dismal right now.
Anger flared in her blue eyes. “You don’t think I know? Not only do I have no money, no job, and nowhere to live, I also have to figure out how to pay you back for my hotel bill.”
He frowned. “I keep telling you, that’s not an issue. I don’t want you to pay me back.”
“What you want and what I want are in complete opposition,” she said, her eyes blazing. “You don’t necessarily win.”
Why the hell did she cling to the pipe dream of paying him back? Unless she assumed she’d find a rich husband and pay Quinn with that sucker’s money.
That thought triggered the emotional upheaval simmering below the surface.
Anger flared. More likely, she was just trying to convince him that she was reliable and honest so she could get under his skin again. She’d been doing an amazingly good job of that.
His jaw clenched. “Get this straight,” he said between gritted teeth. “I don’t want your money.”
* * *
April’s eyes widened at the cold glint in Quinn’s eyes.
She had dropped her guard because he’d been so compassionate. When he’d held her in his arms, she’d felt cared for. Protected.
It had felt wonderful.
Until he’d poked at her precarious attempt to remain optimistic. Then everything had collapsed around her, leaving her stomach in a total state of chaos. And now he’d made it crystal clear that he would not allow her to repay her debt to him.
Her stomach coiled tighter. She needed to pay him back. Somehow, she had to find a way. She had to be able to stand on her own two feet, or how could she ever make it on her own?
She dragged her gaze from his and sighed. Right now, though, she had to worry about the immediate future. She had somewhere to sleep tonight, but tomorrow would come all too soon.
She stared at her hands. In his harshly spoken words, he’d told her he didn’t want anything from her, but she knew that wasn’t quite true, and that gave her an idea. One she didn’t savor, but it might be her only way out.
She moved closer to him, standing facing him while he sat gazing up at her.
“Fine. You want me to face facts,” she said, trying to keep her voice even. “The fact is I’m in trouble, and I have no one to turn to.” She shifted her gaze to his again. “Except you.”
He raised an eyebrow and waited.
“I need to ask for your help. I hate it, but I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want to be out on the street tomorrow, and I really need to pay you back somehow. If you won’t discuss money, then I have another idea that might appeal to you.”
“And what’s that?”
“One thing I know you want from me is sex. What if I give you that?”
His eyebrows shot up. “You’re suggesting you pay me back by fucking me?”
His coarse wording made her uncomfortable, but she shrugged.
“Why not? You don’t have to worry about any romantic entanglements. It’ll be just a straightforward physical relationship.”
His eyebrow arched up. “You don’t find this kind of arrangement a bit demeaning?”
She shrugged. “Why? It’s not like I’m being forced into it. And with the strong attraction there’s always been between us, it’s the same as if we just decided to have a fling.”
“And you think a few fucks with you is worth over a hundred grand?”
She flinched inside, but kept her head held high. “It can be as many fucks as you want. You call the shots. And before you continue insulting me, I wanted to pay you in cash.”
* * *
Fuck. Quinn stood up and raked his hand through his hair. He was being an asshole again.
But damn it, her suggestion had thrown him totally off balance. He could barely think straight at the thought of finally having her in his bed.
And to tell the truth, the prospect terrified him.
If he finally got what he’d dreamed of for so long … If he finally felt her naked body beneath him … surrendering to him …
Fuck, he might fall for her all over again.
“I told you I don’t want you to pay me back.”
Her eyes glittered as she stared at him, and her back slumped in defeat.
“Fine. I’ll have to find another way.”
She started to turn away from him, but he knew he couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her tightly against him. The feel of her soft breasts crushed against his chest sent need churning through him.
“But I do want to take you up on that offer.”
Her eyes widened again.
“I’ll even throw in enough cash to get you started again.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“You don’t dictate the terms. I do.”
He waited for her to protest, but she didn’t.
“You’ll stay with me for a month. I’ll expect you to be totally cooperative. You’ll do whatever I tell you to do. Fuck me whenever and however I want. Agreed?”
She nodded, her cheeks flushing a deep rose.
He released her and stepped back.
“Good. At least it’s an honest proposition,” he continued. “We both know what we’re getting out of it. No one’s being taken advantage of. And there’ll be no messy ending. When the time is up, you’ll just leave.”
“Yes, of course. Now that that’s settled, I’ll go fix my makeup so we can go down and join Austin.”
“Wait. There’s one more thing.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I’ll be sharing you with Austin.”
* * *
“What?” April’s heart raced. He couldn’t be serious. Being with two men at the same time? How could she do that?
She’d only ever been with Maurice, and she’d believed she loved him at the time. And being with Quinn … she’d never stopped wanting him. But she hardly knew Austin.
“It’s nonnegotiable,” he stated flatly.
“I thought you didn’t want me to go after Austin.”
He smiled. “That’s the beauty of it. If we’re sharing you—and I’ve always wanted to share a woman with Austin—then there’s no way he’ll fall for you. Sharing a woman means we can fuck you all we want, but there’s no way it’ll go any further.”
She compressed her lips. What choice did she have?
“All right.”
His eyes glittered, and his lips turned up in a ghost of a smile. “Good. This should prove very interesting.”
His phone vibrated. He pulled it from his pocket and
glanced at it, then tapped on the screen for a few seconds as a turmoil of emotions fluttered though her.
Oh, God, had she really agreed to this?
“Is that Austin?” she asked.
He slipped his phone back into his pocket. “Yeah. He’s wondering where we are.”
She stood up. “Okay, I’ll go and get ready.”
He grabbed her hand again.
“Not yet.”
5
Quinn felt April’s fingers tremble in his hand as he drew her back to him. Now that he knew he would finally have his wish fulfilled, to have her in his bed, the hunger threatened to overwhelm him. Even just the feel of her hand in his had his cock pulsing.
Her gaze flicked to his, then her cheeks blossomed a deep rose. She knew exactly what he had in mind.
“I thought Austin was waiting for us.” Her voice quivered.
“I told him we’d be down in twenty minutes.”
“Why?” she almost squeaked.
He chuckled. “Well, because you and I just made an interesting agreement, and I think we should seal the deal.”
“You want to … uh … do it … right now?”
“If by it, you mean fuck, then no. I’d want more than twenty minutes for that.”
He led her into the living room, then walked to the bar and picked up his drink.
“First, let’s discuss safe sex. Austin and I both had physicals recently and were tested for STDs. With how busy we’ve been preparing the ICO launch, neither of us has had a sexual partner for several months before or since. What about you?”
“I … uh … yeah, I had a physical about a month ago so I could be added to Maurice’s health insurance.”
“But learning about his recent infidelities must have you worried.”
She bit her lip. “Not for health reasons. He hasn’t touched me in about six months. Now I understand why.”
Fuck, the guy was a total idiot.
“So if you’re on birth control, we could dispense with condoms if you agree,” Quinn said.
“Yes, we can do that.”
“Good.”
He sat down on the barstool and took a sip, watching her biting her lip. After the shocking offer she’d just made, and the thought of what he and Austin would be doing with her later this evening, the sight no longer made him think she looked sweet and innocent. Now all he could think of was the warmth of that mouth. How it would feel to be inside it, her lips wrapped around his hard cock.