Under the Boardwalk (Costas Sisters 1)

She passed the door to the outer suite on the way, and since Quinn hadn’t shut the door completely, she clearly heard the sound of raised voices traveling toward her. And though she told herself she shouldn’t eavesdrop, she couldn’t help but listen anyway. Especially once she realized the man in the other room was Damon and Quinn was obviously not happy with the man’s interruption.

Quinn didn’t appreciate being woken in the morning any more than he liked Damon’s obvious attempt to find out who he’d brought up to his room. Quinn leaned against the wall beside the bedroom door and contemptuously eyed the man who’d barged in.

Where Damon was concerned, the stronger Quinn came on, the more the boss respected him and the more responsibility he gave. “I work for you but my private life is my own,” Quinn said.

“Have a cup of coffee and chill.” Damon held a hand up in front of him. “I just heard rumblings downstairs that you were hot and heavy with some broad in the lobby, and I came upstairs to give you my congratulations. You’ve been like a goddamn monk since coming to work here, and I figured it’s about time you got some action.”

Quinn rolled his shoulders to relieve the building tension. “Let’s say this has been long overdue.” In ways this man couldn’t begin to understand. Being with Ari had been destined from the moment he’d saved her ass on the beach, only now he was in deeper than ever before.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Damon stepped closer, lowering his voice.

Quinn wanted Damon gone, and playing along was the only way to accomplish his goal. He nodded. “You said to keep an eye on her, didn’t you?”

“And you’re ever the loyal employee.” Damon belted out a laugh and slapped Quinn on his forearm. “Just make sure she doesn’t find out you offed her twin or you’ll be back to being a monk in no time.”

Still laughing, Damon strode toward the door, turning before he walked out. “My trip’s still on, so make sure you’re not distracted over the weekend,” he said with a nod toward the bedroom.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be one hundred percent business,” Quinn said. If for no other reason than he was dying to wrap up this case and return to his real life.

No sooner had Damon shut the door and it locked behind him, than Ari stepped into the suite, wearing his shirt and an extremely wary expression on her face. She’d obviously heard what Damon said, leaving Quinn to wonder where the hell he stood with her now.

Ariana tried to swallow but since hearing Damon so callously discussing how Quinn had supposedly “offed” her twin, she felt like she had paste in her mouth and a huge lump in the back of her throat.

“I don’t suppose you’d care to explain?” she asked Quinn. But since he’d been less than forthcoming until now, she really didn’t expect any answers.

But she refused to stick around on the basis of pure trust. Not anymore. She’d given him her faith and her body. It was time he offered something in return. But since being on the receiving end of Jeffrey’s ultimatum, Ariana didn’t believe in giving her own. Folding her arms over her chest, she stared at Quinn. And waited.

“You can’t believe everything you hear.”

She laughed, but the sound was as bitter as she felt. “Try another one.”

He spread his hands open wide. “Things aren’t always as they seem?”

A reluctant smile pulled at her mouth. “Better.” But not enough.

She turned and headed back into the bedroom to get dressed. Back into the room where they’d made love. And because they’d been so close, so intimate, because she’d seen him with Sam, in her heart Ariana knew Quinn hadn’t had her sister offed. No way in hell.

But she needed to hear the truth from him or she was through. He still wasn’t talking. She began the embarrassing morning-after process of retrieving her clothes that were scattered around the room. She bent down for her T-shirt when Quinn laid a hand on her shoulder. Her heart beat triple-time in her chest and her skin tingled, memories of last night overwhelming in their intensity.

He knelt down beside her, his breath warm against her neck, and whispered softly in her ear. “I’m an undercover cop and your sister’s safe. There’s nothing else I can tell you.”

She sucked in a startled breath. “You’re a—”

He placed a hand over her mouth. “Do not repeat that word out loud. Especially not here. Understand?”

She nodded and he released her.

Her cheeks tingled from his touch as surprise and something so much deeper coursed through her veins. His last slip of the tongue had been real. Quinn was a cop, not one of Damon’s goons. Unless he’d turned, but she knew that wasn’t even a remote possibility. She’d always known he was a good man. She wouldn’t have slept with him otherwise. And she’d sensed his nobleness even when he refused to give her the answers she needed. Which was why her feelings and emotions regarding this enigmatic man were bizarre, conflicting, and now that she’d slept with him, even more complicated.