Under the Boardwalk (Costas Sisters 1)
“When’s the trip to the amusement park?” Quinn asked.
“Next weekend.”
After they’d closed down this operation, Quinn thought. Maria would still be around. In all likelihood, Ari would not be.
Connor pulled out a Corona, opened the top, and handed Quinn the bottle.
Quinn shot him a questioning look and Connor shrugged.
“You looked like you could use one. My guess is Ari’s got you tied up in the same knots. Anything you want to admit to?” Connor asked, laughing.
“Hell no.” Which both men understood meant Not here. But there were some things about the situation he could discuss. “She’s not like Zoe.”
“That much I had figured out.”
“She’s more intense. More . . .”
“Repressed?”
Shutting his eyes, Quinn recalled how easily she had slipped out of her blouse, how close they’d come to making love on his couch with the ocean as a backdrop. He shook his head. “Not the word I’d use, buddy.” He met his friend’s amused gaze. “But she’s so scared of being like her crazy family, she’s lost sight of how to have fun.”
“So remind her,” Connor said as if it were simple.
And maybe it was. He and Ari had spent all their time in an intense situation. What they needed was relaxation and fun. She needed relaxation and fun. She’d spent too much time hiding behind the conservative facade she thought distinguished her from her family, and not enough time giving in to her true nature.
Quinn intended to bring out her “Ari” side. Not only did he want her to have fun but he wanted her to see she could embrace her natural instincts and emotions without fear of turning into a sideshow freak. She’d come to understand how special the real Ari was. The upside to his plan was that they’d be putting on a show for Damon at the same time.
He reached across the bar and slapped Connor on the back. “Every once in a while your intelligence shows through.” He chuckled but knew Connor understood he was damn grateful for the insight. “Now get back to work.”
Quinn slid off his chair and walked to where Ari stood at the other end of the bar, where she was calculating a bill. “Hey there, beautiful,” he whispered in her ear.
A light blush stole across her cheeks. “Stop that, I’m working.” But a pleased smile told him she was happy to see him.
“You know what they say about all work and no play. Which brings me to my proposal.”
She turned and he captured her against the bar. Her heart beat more quickly in her chest and her breathing grew more rapid. “You’re excited,” he said softly.
“Yeah, well, I think we’ve established that you do that to me.” Her eyes flashed bright and eager.
He grinned. “Well, what would you say to upping the excitement quotient? Let’s plan a night of hot gambling.” He leaned closer so he could whisper in her ear. “And even hotter sex.”
Her body trembled against his. “You’re bad,” she said, nestling her cheek against his in an intimate gesture that did so much more than just turn him on physically. He had an emotional tie to this woman that had the potential to hurt him in the end.
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.