Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Before I have time to react, he cups the back of my head with his big hand, keeping me from pulling away. We’re so close our noses brush. “Didn’t you learn anything from last time?” he asks with a grin.
I was right. From this close, I can see where his beard dips ever so slightly over a deep dimple. “What was the lesson?” I wet my lips.
His eyes drop to watch, before they come back to mine.
This is such a bad idea. We’re still tucked away from the main strip, but there are people with telephoto lenses literally scheduled to look for me right now.
He makes the decision for me, hooking his finger into my belt loop and yanking me right up against him. I let out a tiny gasp and he takes the opportunity to tease his tongue between my lips.
I lean into it, opening to him as my hands slide under his vest, his heartbeat thundering under my fingers. Sinner makes a deep, satisfied noise and adjusts his grip so he can palm my butt, digging in. Sparks sizzle everywhere we’re connected, sending a current tickling its way across my skin.
Heat washes over my core as we kiss like it might be our first and last chance.
When I finally push away with a gasp, it’s not because I don’t want to continue, but simply because I’m afraid I’ll drown in the feeling. He keeps me a moment longer, then lets me go. His masculine smirk is irritatingly tempting. I want to kiss it off him, and stupidly lean in again.
“Quinn?” a hesitant but amused voice asks.
I whirl to find Erika there, her eyes flitting between Sinner and me. “Uh, hi. I just—I mean, he just gave me a ride.” The flush that heats my face feels like it goes all the way down to my feet.
“I bet.” She gives Sinner another look, and I can’t tell if she’s scared, intrigued, or both.
I pat Sinner’s shoulder. “Listen, I have to go. Thanks for the ride. I appreciate it.”
He rocks his bike up on the pegs, and climbs off. “Sure. It’s a nice day. I’ll just hang out here and enjoy the sun. When you’re done, I’ll bring you home. Or did you have other plans?”
“No, that would be great.”
Erika and I watch, spellbound as he slips off his vest and pulls off his T-shirt, tucking it into his waistband. His chest is… Oh God. I want to catalogue every little scar, dip and tattoo. Short golden hairs trail down his abs and into his jeans. We are far from the only ones watching.
“Have a nice walk, ladies,” he says with a wink before wandering over to a sunny spot on the grass and stretching out.
As Erika and I walk away from him, she glances quickly over her shoulder. “And here I was worried we wouldn’t have much to talk about.”
10
Chapter 10 - Quinn
We buy iced coffees and walk together down the river path. This part is paved with brick and well maintained, with quaint little white benches and lots of flowers. There’s plenty of room for picnics, sunbathing or just taking a stroll like we’re doing. In other stretches of the city you can barely access the water, and if you do, you’re likely to end up stabbed with a dirty needle or stumbling over a homeless person’s tent. There’s never money for everything, especially in the more industrial areas.
“Soooooo…” Erika draws the word out as she walks by my side. “That was one of the guys from the club, right?”
A small group of kayakers glide by, and on the other side of the river a bunch of college guys are hanging out with their shirts off. It’s hard to take them seriously after Sinner’s display.
“Maybe.” I swish my paper straw around in the bottom of the cup to blend in the brown sugar syrup.
“Come on, give me something. That’s an actual, honest to goodness motorcycle club guy. Man. Member. Whatever. And you definitely weren’t getting dropped off on the back of a motorcycle during filming. Is this something new? Does your mom know?”
Across the river, there’s a glint off something that might be a camera lens. “Camera over to the left. The balcony.” I laugh like she just said something hilarious.
Erika grins and puts her hand on my arm. “This is so stupid,” she says under her breath. “Nothing personal. Hanging out with you is fine. I meant what I said the other night about being friends. If we get more seasons it would be nice to get to know each other better, you know? You didn’t really hang out with us much off set.”
“And you’re not just saying that because of Sinner, right?”
She hops ahead of me, spinning around and walking backwards. “Sinner? Are you freaking kidding me?” She fans herself with her hand. “So hot. We should hire them as consultants for next season. Toby could use a few tips.”