Under the Boardwalk (Costas Sisters 1)

But he couldn’t walk away without giving it his all. Without giving her his all, including showing her how to have fun, let go, and not be afraid of being more like her outgoing family.

It was a gift he wanted to give her, just as more time was a gift he needed to give himself. “I’m officially giving you tomorrow night off. We’re having dinner on the rooftop restaurant and we’re going gambling at the tables. I’ll send a car for you at eight. Dress is elegant.”

“Now, how can I argue with that?” she asked, the pleasure obvious in her voice.

“That’s the point. You can’t.” He’d deliberately phrased things as a done deal.

“Excuse me,” Connor said, clearing his throat as he cut in. “I hate to interrupt, but there are tables that need your attention.”

Quinn shot his friend an annoyed glare, but to Ari, Connor was her immediate boss and she jumped to attention.

“I’m going,” she said as she ducked under Quinn’s arm.

Which was fine with Quinn, since tomorrow night she was all his.

* * *

Ari had no dressy clothes to wear for the night Quinn had planned. Her conservative suits would send him running in the other direction, and she didn’t want to wear her sister’s hand-me-downs. Instead she’d gone to the hotel boutique and purchased the sexiest dress and shoes she could find. But all the while, she wished she’d had her sister to rely on for advice on what outfit to choose, how to act, and any other questions she had. It had been so long since she had felt any close emotional bond with Zoe, and, with her twin in hiding somewhere and Ari staying alone at Quinn’s house, she missed her sister more than ever.

She walked through Quinn’s house, his dog Dozer trailing everywhere she went. Though he was a mixed breed, outwardly he was all chow. His golden fur resembled a lion’s mane but he acted more like a baby in need of attention. Considering she was feeling fairly lonely herself, Ari was grateful for his company.

Kneeling down, she ran her fingers through his fur and he stretched, rolling over. “You’re so affectionate. Quinn’s lucky to have you,” Ari murmured.

She accommodated his shameless request for a belly rub, laughing. “And I’m lucky Aunt Dee took the monkey to her house, or else you might not have been a happy dog. I wouldn’t want to deal with some sort of perverse sibling rivalry,” she muttered.

Besides, when Zoe returned, she’d have her own sibling strife to deal with, and theirs would make the monkey and the dog’s potential problems seem like an absurd cartoon. She stood and, with excitement swirling in her stomach, headed into the bedroom to get ready for the night ahead.

An hour later, a black limousine that looked absurdly out of place in the small neighborhood pulled up to Quinn’s beach house. Adrenaline fueled her walk to the car, more so when the driver opened the door and she found Quinn waiting inside.

Quinn held Ari’s hand and helped her into the back of the limo. A long black coat protected her from the cold and blocked him from seeing the outfit she’d chosen. Her bare ankles and strappy high-heeled shoes told him she was wearing a dress, while her sexy, musky new scent revealed she’d indulged in a sensual change he enjoyed.

She’d pulled her hair up, leaving soft strands to fall around her fully made-up face and caress her cheeks. He shook his head, letting out an appreciative whistle. “You look fantastic.”

“Thank you.” A pleased smile turned up her lips. “You look pretty hot yourself,” she said, treating him to a sultry, you-ain’t-seen-nothing-yet look.

She’d obviously taken his request to loosen up and have fun to heart. She settled in on the seat beside him as the car got under way. “I didn’t expect you to come pick me up.”

He grinned. “Life’s full of surprises. I told you I’d make sure you had a good time. I’m a man of my word.”

“I know that.”

And those words obviously meant a lot to her, since she then snuggled closer to him.

“I’ve never been in a limo before and the ride wouldn’t be nearly as much fun if you hadn’t surprised me.”

“Didn’t you go to your prom?” Even in foster care, he remembered working at a gas station and saving money to pool with some guys at school and take a girl whose name he couldn’t remember to the prom in a limousine.

“I was so happy I had a date, I didn’t want to subject him to my father’s question of the moment,” she said, a glazed look in her eyes as she remembered. “I met him on the street corner and we drove with some friends.” She tilted her head upwards, her gaze locking with his. “So this is a first for me. Thank you.” She brushed a quick kiss over his lips before sitting back in the seat.