Under the Boardwalk (Costas Sisters 1)

He glanced down and saw her handwritten address. He was completely taken off guard, and for a split second, his stomach churned with all the excitement and anticipation of an adolescent who’d just gotten a yes to his first date. “I’ll be there.”

She started to walk away, then turned, uncertainty in her eyes. “Remember what they say.”

“What’s that?”

“What you get may be much more than you bargained for.”

He laughed, but once again his gut tightened. He had the distinct impression this date could change his life forever.

Chapter Seven

Damn Quinn. If he was going to insist on being her chauffeur, the least he could do was show up to drive her home. At two A.M., Ariana had no desire to hunt around the casino looking for him. She started with the small bar where she’d seen him the first time, but he wasn’t there. Now she headed for his office, her thoughts in turmoil.

Nothing she’d learned about Quinn or Zoe made any sense. She recounted the facts that worked against Quinn: She didn’t know much about him and he’d been less than forthcoming about who he was and what his relationship had been to her sister. People at Damon’s wondered if he’d had anything to do with Zoe’s disappearance, and though he claimed to know for a fact her twin was alive, he refused to divulge more information. Until tonight he’d kept close tabs on Ariana during her time in the casino—because he was afraid she’d discover he was somehow involved? All the circumstantial evidence didn’t place Quinn in the best light.

But she wasn’t ready to count him out. Wasn’t it possible that Maria, who’d been a bitch since day one, had intended to cause problems for her and Quinn? Ariana shook her head. That theory didn’t work, because it served Maria’s interest to have Ariana involved with any man other than Connor.

But ironically also working in Quinn’s favor was the fact that he claimed her sister was alive. Added to that, her crazy family seemed to like and trust him. His deep caring for Sam proved he was a decent human being. And Ariana was falling hard for the man.

Her last relationship had been with a fellow professor who’d been as excited about Freud as he was about her. Sadly, that passion hadn’t translated physically for either of them. They’d agreed to be friends, went to university events together, but there’d been no real romance in her life for way too long.

Quinn gave her excitement. He made her feel desired and sexy and completely feminine even when he was in one of his darker, not-speaking moods. While she was in town, she wanted to get to know him better. Her search for Zoe had suddenly become as much about clearing Quinn from guilt as finding her sister.

She obviously couldn’t rely on fact or logic, and frustration shot through her. She’d just have to confront Quinn. She’d already checked his office, but the door had been locked. She checked the paper he’d given her with his phone number in case she had to reach him. Sure enough, he’d also included his room number.

Her gaze strayed from the house phones to the bank of elevators. The easy way or the hard way? Ariana wondered. Which would it be?

Apparently, since her return home, she’d acquired courage she hadn’t known she possessed. Not five minutes later, Ariana was knocking on Quinn’s door. Her fists clenched tight as she waited.

Finally he jerked open the door. His gaze fell on Ariana and his eyes opened wide in recognition. “Oh shit. I forgot all about you.”

“Nice way to impress a lady,” she said wryly. “You never showed up at the bar to take me home.” That was unlike him, and for the first time she wondered if he’d gotten sick.

A look at his furrowed brows and she realized he was preoccupied, nothing more. If he’d let her drive to the casino and leave on her own, he wouldn’t have to add her to his list of concerns, something she opened her mouth to mention.

“Come in and let me get dressed,” he said, and all rational thoughts fled.

Her stare drifted from his troubled gaze to his muscled chest. His bare muscled chest, sprinkled with just the right amount of sandy-colored hair and tapering to a trim waist. Lower down, a thin scar traversed his lower right abdomen and led into the waistband of his unbuttoned jeans. Her hands twitched with the desire to feel his skin’s texture, to dip her fingertips into the worn denim and explore further.

“Unless you’d rather wait in the hall?”

His voice startled her, and feeling as if she’d been caught, she quickly raised her gaze. Her body had already flushed hot at her thoughts, and now she was certain a blush covered her cheeks as well. “No. I’ll come in. Thanks.” Ariana stepped inside, tripping over the raised wooden saddle on the floor.