At twenty-one, yes he was. But so was Matt. “As long as you’re younger, you’re the baby, so humor me.”
“I am humoring you. I’m letting you bring me to a place where jocks hang out, aren’t I?”
She wrinkled her nose. “That’s a snobby, elitist thing to say. Now, come. Let’s go have a drink and you can tell me why you wanted to see me.” She clasped his hand, led him to the elevator and hit the button for the top floor.
They walked out and as they waited for the hostess to lead them to a table, she heard a familiar laugh that sent tingles down her spine and a jolt of pure awareness through her veins. After hearing his voice all day, she should be immune to such a typical feminine reaction. Quinn always knew when Austin Prescott was nearby.
“Your table is ready,” an attractive waitress with blonde highlights in her hair, said.
“Thank you.” They started for the table when Quinn heard her name. “We’ll be right there,” she said to the other woman.
“Matt, come say hello to Austin.”
“The jock boss,” he said low enough for her to hear.
“What do you have against athletes?” she asked. The rest of the family loved sports. She came by her choice of job naturally. Her dad was a die-hard Miami Thunder fan.
“I know their social reputations. I just don’t want you to end up a notch in this guy’s bedpost.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Oh my God, Matt! He’s been nothing but professional since I started working for him.” If she ignored the one kiss that consumed her dreams.
She pulled her brother over to Austin’s table, where he sat with Bri and Marcus. “Matt, you’ve met Austin. This is his sister, Bri who works PR at the firm and Marcus who is an agent. Guys, this is my brother, Matt.”
They all exchanged hellos.
“I didn’t know you’d be here tonight,” she said to Austin, who looked casual and relaxed. His white shirt was unbuttoned, showing a smattering of chest hair she had to drag her eyes away from. And right now those gorgeous unique colored indigo eyes were hot on her face.
“I was dragged here by these two.” He gestured to the others at the table. “What brings you out tonight?”
She glanced at her sibling. “Matt wanted to talk. I figured this place was a good choice.”
Austin inclined his head. “So I don’t suppose I can convince you to join us?”
She smiled but shook her head. “I need to know what Matt wants.”
A low laugh sounded from beside her. “I want a drink.”
Quinn grinned. “And that’s my cue. I’ll see you Monday?” she asked.
Austin nodded. “See you Monday.”
Matt grasped her hand and led her to the table the hostess had indicated earlier and a little while later, she sat with a glass of Chardonnay, while her brother drank a scotch and soda. They talked about home, their parents, their siblings and their jobs, catching up. But all the while, she was acutely aware of Austin. And the waitress who was definitely flirting with him in ways that couldn’t be misconstrued.
Quinn ought to be used to the attention Austin garnered. From the first business lunch they’d attended, women ignored Quinn and threw themselves at Austin. He had cleavage lowered into in his face, boobs brushed against his arm, phone numbers slipped into his jacket pocket … and she could go on. He laughed it off to being an ex-NFL star.
But she’d Googled him prior to her interview for the job in order to gain information about the man. What she’d learned besides his stats – the fact that he was a Heisman Trophy winner and Rookie of the Year for the Thunder as quarterback – was his reputation with women. Though he’d never been linked with one female for long, photos showed him with gorgeous, willowy thin dates on his arm.
Models, actresses, Instagram worthy females who fit his playboy image. He’d been discreet in the time Quinn had been working for him. He’d didn’t parade women in the office and never had he asked her to make a lunch or dinner reservation for a date. But the man wasn’t a monk and he clearly had no intention of settling down.
“Quinnie-Boo, God are you even listening to me?”
She blinked when Matt snapped his fingers in front of her face and even called her by that awful childhood nickname to get her attention. “I’m sorry. I was lost in thought. But I’m paying attention now.” She couldn’t spend time thinking about her boss and his strong chiseled features and tanned skin. Or the muscled body beneath the suit. She needed to stop letting her mind wander there.
“I guess you want to know why I asked to see you in person?” Matt asked.
Finally, he got to the crux of things. “I take it you didn’t just want to see your sister?”
He shook his head. “I mean of course I did but I also wanted to tell you something.” Her brother looked like he was chewing glass, that what he had to reveal was that upsetting.
“What is it?” She put her hand on his.
“I ran into Daniel at a faculty meeting on campus.”
She startled at the mention of her ex-fiance. “Oh. Okay?” She and Daniel had ended things on an awkward note.
Matt had introduced them because he and Daniel were colleagues at the smaller college where they both taught. She and Daniel had bonded over the notion that neither one of them wanted children. As the oldest of the family, she’d raised her siblings and was quite content with any nieces or nephews that might come along who she could spoil.
She’d thought they’d been on the same page. So when he’d asked her to marry him, it seemed like the right thing to do. They enjoyed each other’s company and could each focus on their careers. Until the day he revealed he really did want kids and had assumed she’d change her mind at some point in time.
When she assured him she hadn’t … wouldn’t … he’d asked her to at least agree to reconsider things down the road. But she knew better than to go into a marriage with something as fundamental as wanting children undecided. She’d ended things and hadn’t seen him in two years.
“And?” she asked into the silence.
Matt drummed his fingers against the table. “His wife is pregnant and I wanted you to hear it from me. In case you took it hard or had had second thoughts.” He stared at her with love and concern in his eyes and she adored him for it but she did not understand her family.
Her parents thought after helping to raise their kids and her younger cousins she’d want to be a nanny instead of having a career and her brother believed she’d be hurt by her ex doing exactly what he’d told her he’d wanted. Or maybe the problem was her family just didn’t understand her.
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be? I knew Daniel wanted kids. Well eventually I knew, although it would have been nice if he’d told me from the beginning and not assumed I’d change my mind.”
She glanced at her sibling who still looked worried. “I realized pretty quickly after we broke up that I didn’t love him the way I should or I would have been a lot more upset by the end of things.” She bit down on her lower lip, remembering that odd feeling of relief after things had ended.
“And by the way, same goes for him. He was engaged again within a year. It’s all good, Matt, but thank you for worrying about me.” She squeezed her brother’s hand and he let out a relieved breath.
From the corner of her eye, she saw the waitress approach Austin once more, lean down and whisper in his ear. Whatever she said, it was an intimate action that had nothing to do with his drink order and he placed his hand on her waist and squeezed once in reply, causing Quinn’s stomach to twist at the sight.
“Well I’m glad to hear you’re okay,” her brother said, oblivious to her inner turmoil over Austin.
She forced a smile still keeping an eye out as Austin reached inside his pants pocket for his wallet, handing the waitress his credit card. She strode off and brought the bill back for him to sign. And not five minutes later, Austin stood up, hugged his sister, shook hands with Marcus and started for the door, meeting up with the woman who’d obviously just gotte
n off her shift. Together they walked out the door.
But not before Austin turned back and his gaze caught on Quinn’s. She hadn’t meant to continue staring. Hadn’t anticipated him turning back and looking her way. Something flashed in his expression before he shuttered it and quickly jerked his head back around and headed out the door.
Quinn sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, watching Austin with another woman hurt more than breaking up with her ex had. She’d grown close to Austin while working for him and had kept that kiss they’d shared close to her heart.
Until today, she hadn’t had to see him with one of his conquests and reality was a bitter pill to swallow. The truth was, she had no business having feelings for her boss. Her job was too good to lose. It allowed her to pay off her student loans and live in an extremely nice, safe apartment complex.
He had every right to do his thing and she’d do her own. Live and let live. And she’d move forward secure in the knowledge her heart wouldn’t get broken by her playboy boss.
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About the Author
NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips gives her readers Alphalicious heroes to swoon for and romance to set your heart on fire. She married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her three crazy dogs: two wheaten terriers and a mutant Havanese, who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram. The author of 50 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters who put up with having a mom as a full time writer. Carly’s book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa as a romance club pick and was the first romance on a nationally televised bookclub. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers. Want to keep up with Carly? Sign up for her newsletter (below) and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
About the Book
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue
About Dare to Resist
Excerpt from Dare to Resist
Keep Up with Carly
About the Author
Better than Sexy Page 16