Chapter 19
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
Quinn
“You’re drooling.”
Ignoring my best friend’s comment, I take a sip of my Coke and try to keep my attention on those around me. Clearly I’m failing, if Camden notices. “Where’s Laura?”
“Meeting up with her later,” he replies with a grin. “She was going shopping with her mom.”
“How’s that going?” I ask, stealing a glance toward the paint party going on across the room.
“Fine, I guess. Trying to take it slow, you know.”
“Because she’ll get the wrong idea and start planning the wedding if you don’t?”
He winces. “She’s very…passionate about the future.”
My eyebrows arch.
“Yeah, I know,” he responds, taking another drink of beer. “Anyway, Cade said he’d drive us home. Why aren’t you drinking?”
I shrug and grab a handful of popcorn from the bowl.
“Just not feeling it tonight.” I can sense his eyes on me, but I keep my focus on watching Collin serve drinks.
Cade slipped back there a few times to help fill the cooler so Lizzie didn’t have to be interrupted during paint night, but other than that, the oldest Miller has done a damn good job keeping up with customers.
“Oh. Fuck,” Camden mutters under his breath.
“What?”
“Gabby alert, five o’clock.”
I turn toward the door, which is positioned behind me and just off to the right, and exhale when I see her. She’s already making a beeline straight for me, a seductive little grin on her face, and her tits practically falling out of her tank top.
“Quinn!” she bellows, pushing her way between me and Camden and plastering herself to my side. “I was hoping I’d run into you tonight.”
“Hi, Gabby,” I mutter, catching Camden’s snicker beside me.
“Wanna buy me a drink?” she asks in her typical flirty way.
No.
I know buying her a drink will lead her on. It always does. But I can handle Gabby. I’m too polite to say no, and she knows that. I just have to keep her at arm’s length and my feet firmly planted on the ground.
I nod to Collin and hold up my index finger, signaling one drink.
“Hey, Gabby, what can I get ya?” Collin asks, his face stone and his back straight. No one in the family likes her, not after what she did with Richard, Charli’s ex.
“My bestie Quinn is buying me drinks,” she replies, setting her tits on my arm.
“One drink,” I confirm to Collin a second time.
“Rum and Coke, please,” she coos, turning her attention to me as she waits.
“How was your day?” she asks brightly, her blinding white teeth on full display and framed by painted red lips.
“Fine,” I mumble, taking a drink of my Coke.
“Oh my gosh, are we drinking the same thing?” she asks, leaning over to get a better look at my glass.
I pull it back so she can’t stick her face in my glass or her mouth on my straw. “No.” My tone is flat, my annoyance high.
She doesn’t seem to notice, though, or she looks at me as a challenge, and starts droning on and on about her day. Honestly, I’m tuning her out, my eyes just over her shoulder to where I have a direct line of sight to the woman who monopolizes my every thought and dream.
Charli looks up and starts to smile, but then it quickly falls flat. Her blue eyes skirt to the left and stare down the woman practically plastered on my arm. I pull back, trying to create a little distance, but it doesn’t seem to work.
“Here ya go,” Collin states, setting the glass in front of Gabby.
She reaches for it, blocking my view of Charli, and brings it to her mouth. She swirls her tongue around the tip of the straw before drawing it into her mouth like she’s starring in a porno. “Thanks, Quinny.”
“Have a nice night,” I reply, hoping that’ll be the end of it.
Of course, what I was hoping for and what I get are two very different things.
“I was hoping we can hang out, you know…alone,” she replies boldly, batting her fake eyelashes at me.
“Sorry, I have plans tonight.”
“Plans with me?” she asks, placing her hand on my thigh and slowly drawing it up my leg. Her nails dig into my jeans, going dangerously close to my crotch.
“Oh, look. It must be skank night.”
The corner of my mouth twitches, but I don’t react.
Gabby huffs but seems to double down on her efforts. “Go away, Charli. Quinny and I are enjoying a drink. You’re ruining it.”
Charli snorts, crossing her arms over her chest. “Good.”
Gabby rolls her eyes. “Grow up.”
“Go away.”
Gabby moves her palm to between my legs, and that’s when I reach down and stop her. “Enough,” I state, pulling her hand away from my dick. “You need to go.”
She bats her eyelashes at me. “Are you coming with?” Leaning forward, she whispers, “If you do, I’ll be sure we’re both coming.”
“Not going to happen, Gabby. Have a good night,” I say, getting even more pissed. I try to always be a nice guy, but I’ll be blunt and direct if needed. This is a hard line she’s crossing, all in the name of pissing off Charli.
I’m done being her pawn.
Gabby sighs and shakes her head. “We all know you’ve got a crush on Charli, Quinny. What you really need is a real woman to help you forget all about her.”
Charli snorts. “A real woman who sleeps with married or committed men?”
Gabby narrows her eyes. “If they’re unhappy with their current significant other, that’s not my fault.”
“No, you’re right, it’s not,” Charli replies, almost sweetly. “Your problem is you have no standards and will allow cheaters to get anywhere near you, pretending it’s affection. It’s not. It’s availability.” Charli bats her eyelashes in the same way Gabby does and smirks. “Bless your heart.”
Gabby huffs and turns, pushing past me and Camden and bumping into Charli as she passes. I instantly see red and am standing up to go after her when Charli places her hand on my arm. The gesture instantly soothes my frayed nerves and has a calming effect on me.
“That woman is gross,” Charli says, setting her empty glass on the bar.
“Do you want another?”
“No thanks. I’ll just get a water when Collin comes back over,” she replies and I’m immediately acting.
Raising my hand, I signal for Charli’s oldest brother.
“I didn’t mean right this second,” Charli states.
“Water, please,” I say to Collin when he steps over to our side of the bar.
Nodding, he scoops a cup of ice and uses the soda gun to fill it with water. When he brings it over, he asks, “Gabby giving you a hard time?” He’s staring at his sister.
“Nothing I can’t handle,” she replies, taking the water.
“I think Quinny here just needs to sleep with her,” Camden says, making me want to punch him square in the face.
Of course, he doesn’t know he’s disrespecting his sister, but dammit, I know.
Before I can reply that it would snow in Hell before my dick would ever get near her, Charli makes a disgusted sound. “Quinny would have to get a shot afterward. That’s seriously nasty, Camden.”
He holds up his hands in surrender. “Just trying to help my friend get some dick play.”
“Knock it off,” I grumble harshly. “Not gonna happen. Ever.”
He shrugs. “Suit yourself.” After a beat, he adds, “But my sister’s probably right. You’d need a shot of penicillin after that one.”
“How’s paint night going?” I ask, Charli holding my attention.
“Amazing. Another masterpiece nearing completion,” she replies, a beaming grin on her gorgeous face.
“I have my doubts,” Camden teases.
“Watch it, or it’ll be your Christmas gift.”
“I’ll hang it in my closet.”
“Come on, man. At least put it in the garage. It’ll help keep the mice away,” I josh, earning a hearty laugh from my friend.
Charli gasps. “Just for that, I’m bringing it to your place and hanging it over your couch.” Her eyes dance with mischief.
Man, I love this Charli. This fun, teasing, sassy version that’s been overshadowed by her morning sickness this past week.
Oh, who am I kidding?
I love every version of Charli, but my favorite right now is pregnant Charli. She’s more vulnerable and actually allows me to help her. It’s a refreshing change over the woman who refuses my help just for spite.
“All right, boys, don’t get into trouble. I need to use the restroom and return to my Monet.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her walk away, casually following her progression as she makes her way to the hallway at the back of the bar. I wait until she’s inside the ladies’ room before standing myself and saying, “Be right back.”
Camden is talking to Cade, who just returned to his seat, and just nods in understanding.
I go to the men’s room and step inside. Fortunately, it’s empty, so it doesn’t appear strange for someone to see me standing by the door, listening. After a couple of minutes, I hear the other door open, and I quickly slip out and act casual.
Charli has to pass by me in the hallway, since the men’s room is the first door, and when she sees me step into the hall, she hesitates and gives me a small smile. “Hey,” she says, preparing to continue walking.
“Can I stop by? After you’re done here?” I blurt out, needing to speak with her without the watchful eyes of the Miller brothers.
“Tonight?”
“Yeah. I’ll be quick,” I assure, knowing she gets tired earlier than normal now that she’s pregnant.
“Umm, I suppose.”
“All right, I’ll head out shortly after you but wait long enough so no one is suspicious.”
“Gotta go,” she says, walking away.
I look up, returning to my seat, and find three sets of eyes on me. All her brothers are watching, but I don’t sweat it. I’m not doing anything wrong, and what I am doing is none of their business.
I just pray when it all comes out in the open, they leave me with some of my teeth.
“Hi.” Charli pulls open the door and steps aside, granting me entrance.
“Hey. Thanks for letting me swing by,” I say, moving so she can close the door.
“Did you drive?”
“Uhh, no, I went ahead and walked over.”
Nodding, she glances around her living room, as if not sure what to do. “Want to sit?”
“Sure,” I state, holding out my hand for her to go first. She walks to the couch and has a seat on the edge. “So? What’s up?” She’s a little stiff, her words a bit terse.
I sit beside her, turning toward her, and reach for her hand. “What you saw, back at The Lizard, that wasn’t reciprocated or encouraged.”
She offers me a small smile. “I know.”
My heart rate slows as I finally relax for the first time since Gabby walked into the bar and practically threw herself at me. “I don’t know why she does that. I’ve never once taken her up on her advances.”
Charli snorts, sitting back on the couch and crisscrossing her legs. I move back to join her, sitting comfortably beside her. “She’s a piranha with extensions and too-white teeth.”
I chuckle. “She is. And she only does that to get a rise out of you.”
She rolls her eyes. “She’s gross.”
“She is,” I confirm, reaching for her hand a second time. “Anyway, I just wanted you to know I’m not into her and have never considered taking her up on her offers.”
“Why?” she asks, seeming curious by the fact a twenty-five-year-old man has a proposition for sex on multiple occasions and has yet to jump.
“Well, first off, there’s the fact she was part of the reason you were hurt so badly by Dick,” I state, referring to her ex.
I squeeze her hand and bring it to my mouth, pressing a tender kiss to her knuckles.
“Not to mention the fact I’ve sort of had a thing for someone else for a really long time. ”
She chuckles and holds my gaze. “It really has been a long time.”
I lift my shoulders. “What can I say? I’m a glutton for punishment.”
She giggles and averts her gaze. Before she can reply, she yawns. I know she’s tired, but frankly, I don’t want to leave. I will, of course, but if I can steal just a few more minutes of her time, why wouldn’t I?
“Can I tell you something?” she asks, looking off toward the front door.
“Always.”
She swallows hard, and I can tell whatever she’s about to say is difficult for her. “When I looked over and saw her pressed against you, I didn’t like it.”
I have to fight to keep the smile from reaching my lips. “You were jealous.”
“No, I wasn’t,” she defends adamantly.
This time I let my smile fly. “Okay.”
“I wasn’t,” she counters, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Fine, so you weren’t jealous, just upset Gabby was pressed against me.”
“She had her hand on your thigh.”
“She did,” I confirm. “But I moved it.”
“I know,” she whispers, clearing her throat.
“Anyway, I just don’t like her, and I feel like she does that with you because she knows it’ll piss me off.
I mean, she can’t sleep with one of my brothers because they hate her as much as I do, not that she hasn’t tried in the past, so she goes after the closest thing to a brother I have who isn’t related by blood. ”
I turn, reaching out and cupping her cheek. “I’m most definitely not your brother.”
She shakes her head.
“I’m your baby daddy,” I state with a smirk.
She rolls her eyes.
“And you like me,” I murmur, running my thumb across her bottom lip.
“I don’t.”
I snort, slowly drawing her closer. “Don’t lie to me, sweetheart. I can see the rapid beating of your pulse in your neck.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
Grinning widely, I lean in and brush my lips across hers. “I’m very good at flattery.”
She rolls her eyes again but doesn’t move back. So, I press my lips to hers once more, this time letting my tongue trace the seam of her lips. Before I can deepen the kiss, she pulls back, yawning.
I know my time is up.
“I should go. You’re tired.”
However, instead of agreeing, she blurts out, “Do you want to watch a movie or something?”
“Hell yes.”
She huffs and shakes her head. “That was overzealous.”
“If watching a movie means I get to spend a little more time with you, then I’m very zealous.”
Reaching for the remote, she turns on her streaming platform and pulls up the menu. “What do you want to watch?”
“You pick,” I say, leaning back and throwing my arm across the back of the couch.
She scrolls through the options, settling on a romantic comedy. Then, she shocks me by placing the remote on the table, grabbing a blanket, and moving closer. She sits beside me and essentially cuddles into my side.
For someone who’s not into cuddling, she sure seems to do it a lot.
I barely pay attention to the movie. My entire focus is on the woman tucked beneath my arm. It doesn’t take long before she drifts off to sleep. Her body grows heavy and her breathing evens out and deepens. The faintest snore is like music to my ears.
By the time the movie ends, I’m exhausted myself, and even though I know I need to get up, to encourage Charli to go to bed, that’s not what I do. I kick my feet up on her coffee table, draw her even closer into my arms, and close my eyes.
When I drift off to sleep, it’s with the hope morning doesn’t come as quickly as I expect.
I want to stay right here, in this moment, forever.