All It Takes (Romancing Manhattan 2)

She’s spicy from the pizza and from her own sass. Her hands fist on my shirt at my sides, and I devour her, memorizing every inch, every sigh.

I pull my mouth away and rest my forehead against hers.

“That wasn’t just me.”

“No,” she agrees.

“Come with me on Friday.”

She takes a deep breath, and just when I think she’s going to turn me down, she says, “Okay.”

“You’re damn challenging.”

A slow smile slides over her face.

“Damn right I am.”

Chapter Six

~Sienna~

Whelp, I’ve officially lost my damn mind.

I’m at a stoplight on my way home from Grandpa’s house, staring at myself in the rearview mirror.

I look the same, but I don’t feel the same at all.

I let Quinn Cavanaugh kiss me. And if I’m being honest, I didn’t just let him, I participated with equal enthusiasm. Because he’s not a good kisser.

No, he’s a freaking exceptional kisser. The kind of kisser who should come with a damn warning label. He could win the kissing Olympics.

And now my lips are ruined for all of mankind.

“You’re in way over your head,” I scold myself in the mirror before the light turns green and I continue on my way.

I had one of the best days that I can remember in a long time. Like I told Quinn, I’m no thrill seeker, but driving that car today was amazing.

Dangerous.

So out of character for me.

And when we were done, and he ran to me, boosted me in the air and spun me around in excitement?

Well, that might have been the best part of all. Seeing the pride in his brown eyes, and that big smile on his handsome face.

He didn’t even give me a crazy guilt trip for winning, which surprised the hell out of me. The men I’ve been with, which have been few and far between, were not good losers. Their egos were ridiculously small, along with other body parts that I don’t want to think about.

I had no illusions of grandeur today; I knew that Quinn would win that race. He told me that he’s driven that track since he was a kid and his dad put him in driving school there when Quinn showed a tendency to drive too fast, and his father wanted him to have the tools to be safe.

However, I may be a safety girl, but I am also competitive, and when I got behind the wheel, it’s like I suddenly became someone else.

I won by less than a car length.

And although he teased me a bit, and was truly flummoxed that I won, he was also gracious and excited for me.

And then he kissed me.

“Dumb,” I mutter as I turn down my block. “Not only did you kiss him, you agreed to go out on a date with him. You know better than that.”

Before I can continue to give myself a stern lecture, I see Louise sitting on my front porch, in the glow of my porch light.

I get out of the car and walk up the sidewalk, and Lou stands, linking and unlinking her fingers nervously.

“You have a key,” I remind her without saying hi. “You didn’t have to sit out here in the dark.”

“I can’t just go inside when you’re mad,” she says and bites her lip. “And I’m really hoping that you’re not mad anymore because I don’t want to fight.”

“Good because I need you.”

“You do?”

I unlock the door and she follows me inside. I set my briefcase by the door, my keys in their bowl, and then walk into the kitchen for a bottle of wine.

I need a glass.

Or four.

“Wine?”

“Yes, please.” Her voice is full of gratitude and relief. “And let me just say right now that I’m sorry for the other day. You’re right, and I didn’t want to hear it. I took everything back.”

“Lou—”

“It was the right thing to do,” she says, holding her hands up. “The sad thing, but the right one. I’ve been upset about Grandpa, and just everything lately. Shopping helps. But I don’t want to waste his money, and I don’t want to fight with you.”

“I’m proud of you.” I pass her a glass of red and wrap my arm around her shoulders, then kiss her cheek. “You’re right, you did the right thing.”

“Yeah, but you should have seen that Chanel bag, Si. It was to die for.”

“And you can still buy it, after you get the rest of your finances figured out and on your feet, splurge on the bag. It’ll be a gift to yourself.”

“I like that,” she says and sips her wine. “Okay, enough about me. What’s going on with you? What do you need me for?”

“Ironically, I need you to go shopping with me this week.”

Her brown eyes widen with anticipation and excitement. “I was not expecting that, but I’m all for it. What are we shopping for?”

I tell her about Quinn’s invitation to the play premiere.