The Panty Whisperer: The Complete Series (22 page)

The two boys that came with us are standing in front of us with the same looks on their faces, only they don't have their hands out. We both know what's coming before they even ask. Joel lets Tommy do the talking.

"So, umm, babe, do you think it would be okay if—"

She sighs and looks at me. I can't stop thinking about how when put in a certain setting, men automatically return to their childhood. It's cute and keeps things fun as long as they can be serious when needed. I'd like to think Joel and Tommy are that way. They're both very smart and have professional jobs.

"Go ahead boys. Do you need some quarters?" asks Megan.

"How do you know what we want?" Tommy cocks his head slightly to the side.

She stares at him for a moment, and he concedes.

"I promise we won't be long. Just one game. I swear."

"Mmhmm." Megan draws out the sound.

The boys run off before we change our minds, both cheesing. I was never much of a gamer, but I can tell Megan was. She looks as if she wants to join them.

"You can go if you want."

She chuckles. "It's okay, really. I've stolen quite a bit of their time together. Joel's been really cool about it. They can go play a couple of games together."

We stroll to the front desk, pay for the lane, and grab some shoes. It's by far the most casual date I think I've ever been on in my life, if it's even a date. We set the shoes over by our lane, and Megan taps me on the shoulder, then motions for me to follow her.

We peek around the corner and she breaks out a pretty impressive Australian accent. "Observe the males in their natural state with their young counterparts."

I nearly choke on a laugh. Tommy and Joel are focused intensely on the game, other than the occasional pause to talk trash to one another. There are about 10 boys standing around—probably aged six to nine—locked on the game and pointing at the screen. Half seem to be rooting for Joel and half for Tommy.

Suddenly, Tommy buries his face in his palms as Joel's arms fly toward the ceiling and he starts high fiving all the boys that are on "his team." They all begin taunting Tommy as he shakes his head. I get the feeling Joel doesn't beat him at video games very often, so this must be a special moment.

"You cheated!" Tommy receives support from his own team of bystanders.

"How dare you!" Joel stares down Tommy and bows his chest out.

Megan and I can barely breathe. They have no idea we're watching. We lean back around the corner. It's obvious they're halfway joking. It'd be pretty sad if they were actually serious. At the same time, I always find it a little sexy when men act like boys. They know how to have fun, and guys I've known like that usually make awesome dads. It's an attractive quality.

We walk back over to the lane and get everything set up on the screen. The boys finally show up.

"Hey guys," I say. "Have fun?"

Tommy frowns, and Joel beams with pride.

"Oh, we had a blast. Didn't we Tommy boy?" Joel pats Tommy on the back.

"Yeah. It was great." Tommy's words come through his teeth.

"You don't look too happy, Tommy. Did he hit the power button on the Nintendo right when you were about to win the game?" I ask.

Tommy looks as if he might explode, and Megan is grinning wide.

"Oh what do you know about a Nintendo? You don't know the struggles, Quinn. You don't know what it's like to have the frozen block screen, blowing into the cartridge to get it to work, memorizing the code to Contra."

Him and Joel look at each other and immediately start reciting it in unison.

"Up, up, down, down, left, right—"

"Boys!" Megan glares at them.

"Sorry babe." Tommy shoves his hands in his pockets as they both stop immediately.

When Megan turns away, they both finish the rest of it under their breath. Joel sits down next to me and smiles. "You guys want some beer? Something to eat?"

"Pizza sounds good to me. Megan, you want something?" asks Tommy.

"Yeah, pizza is good." She finishes typing a name on the screen.

Joel nudges me with his elbow. "Wanna come with?"

"Sure." I don't think it through before answering.

I'm operating on autopilot right now, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I really need to think before I just agree to things. I keep telling myself to take it slow, but I want to live in the moment too. Trying to think back, I can't remember the last time I've been out and had fun. Tonight seems like it's going to be a good opportunity. I decide to just go with the flow, but I need to be straight with Joel before I can do that.

We head toward the snack bar, and I pull him over to the side by a wall. I pull on his shirt harder than intended, and he runs into me. His chest pressed up against me sends a tingling sensation through my whole body.

"Shit, I'm sorry." I take a step away.

I expect him to make some kind of cocky comment, but he just smiles.

"What's up?"

"I want to let you know I just want to have some fun hanging out with everyone tonight. I don't want to have to constantly worry about taking things slow, or being cautious about whatever the hell is going on here." I waggle my finger back and forth between us.

"Okay. That's fine." His smile disappears from his face, and his shoulders drop slightly.

I'm not sure I got my point across very well.

Say something, Quinn. You're crushing the guy.

"What I meant was that I want to have fun with you. I just want to be careful too." Much better.

"Okay, well I want to have fun with you too. I don't want you to regret hanging out with me—I mean us."

I'm making him nervous again. It's totally throwing me off. He's still fucking hot, but he needs his confidence back, and I have something else I need to get out of my system.

He turns to head back, and I spin him around by his arm, put my palms on his cheeks, and press my lips to his. His eyes widen for a brief moment, and then he reaches up with his hand and runs it through the back of my hair, sending a shudder down my spine. It's not a long kiss but it sure seems like one. I don't mind at all. I bite gently on his lower lip to tease him, before moving away and staring into those emerald-green eyes of his.

"Was that you being cautious?" He laughs.

"If you can do it so can I." I wink before spinning around and heading toward Tommy and Megan. I give Joel the familiar ass shake he saw the first night we met. Sometimes the hunter just needs to remember how to hunt. I'm still not entirely sure what just came over me or why I did that, but I'm glad I did it. I had to know what it's like to kiss him when I'm not angry or hurt. It does kind of shoot my whole "taking things slow" idea all to shit though.

He catches up to me as we walk up. We grab our shoes and start to put them on.

"Where's the fucking pizza and beer?" Tommy asks.

Joel and I both freeze. It's like the kiss erased our memories.

Tommy looks at me, then Joel, then back at me again. Wheels are spinning in his head. He taps on Megan's shoulder, still staring at us with a huge smile on his face.

"What are you grinning about?" I ask.

Megan turns and faces him.

"They kissed again."

I turn to Joel. "Seriously, how the fuck does he do that?"

"I don't know, but you get used to it. He's a freak."

"It's the Jedi way, and Herbert knows it. Now, we gonna bowl or what, ladies? Oh, and Quinn?"

I drop my mouth open and gasp like I can't believe he just said that. Megan socks him in the gut, and he doubles over.

"You're all going down, as soon as I can breathe again—and get the feeling back in my stomach. Woman punches like a freight train. Seriously though, you two hillbillies need to go get the pizza and beer. Don't come back with hickeys either."

Joel stands up. "I'll go."

He's only gone a few minutes and comes back with the beer. Tommy glares.

"They have to cook it, fat boy. Damn. They're going to bring it out when it's ready."

Tommy does his best to hold his stare without laughing. "Yeah." He nods. "They damn well better, Herbert!"

Joel is slowly getting back to his old self. He's brushing up against me every time he gets the chance. I might be encouraging him. I'm trying not to giggle and flirt too much, but he makes it difficult. If I do end up dating him, I want to enjoy all the fun stuff in the beginning—getting to know one another, butterflies in the stomach, falling asleep on the phone, not wanting to be apart, ever.

We're having a blast, and the night couldn't be going any better. We bowl a couple of games, and the usual hilarity ensues. I get the feeling Joel is doing the same thing I am. He's pretending to be interested in the group but really just wants to focus on me. I'm glad we did it this way though. God knows what I would do to him if we were alone.

We finally finish up our bowling and decide to call it a night. It's obvious that Tommy wants to go home with Megan, and I'm deathly afraid of leaving with Joel, especially in his car.

Tommy looks at us. "Hey buddy, I think I'm gonna catch a ride and stay at Megan's place. You good?"

"Sure, no worries."

"Quinn, why don't you let Joel give you a ride?"

Megan elbows him in the ribs. He's oblivious to his crime. While a savant when it comes to book smarts, he's sometimes hopeless when it comes to romantic intuition.

"What the hell, man? Sorry. What'd I do?" He grabs at his side and arches his back.

"Just hush." Megan growls at him.

"Yeah, it's fine," says Joel. "I'm good. Just gonna head to the house."

"It's okay. I can ride with Joel. If you want?" I stare at him.

What in the flying fuck are you doing, Quinn?
Bad idea. Every red flag and alarm bell is ringing in my head, but apparently I'm thinking with my body now.

Joel tries to give me an out again. "You don't have to humor me. I'm a big boy. I have driven alone before."

Ride with Megan and Tommy. Don't be stupid. Please don't be stupid.

"Nah, it's okay. I'm going with Joel. You guys have fun."

I can't believe I'm doing this. I need to zip tie my legs shut. They'll spread for this man if I don't do something.

Tommy and Megan say bye. Concern fills Megan's stare and Tommy looks excited, knowing he's about to get laid. My entire body is numb. I keep biting at my fingernails and wiping my sweaty hands on my thighs. Without thinking, my hand goes down to his and our fingers interlock.

He looks over and smiles.

"Does this feel a little like junior high to you?" I grip his hand tighter.

"No, not at all."

I'm puzzled. Usually he plays back when I joke with him.

"I haven't given you my ID bracelet yet."

I giggle like a teenage girl again. I need an intervention. "Wow, I forgot all about those."

"I gave mine to Tabitha Swanson in seventh grade, and I'm pretty sure that bitch lost it."

"Oh yeah? Did you guys have a long and serious relationship?"

"Hell yes. It was like, three months. That's like a 30-year marriage in junior high."

We walk through the front door and toward the parking lot.

"It definitely is. I bet you planned your dream wedding with Tabitha. Was it in a church, or outdoors? I bet the reception was nice."

He laughs. "You're funny. You know that?"

He tickles my ribs and of course I giggle and flirt back. Fuck me. His fingers have magical powers when they touch me. I want to jump in his arms and wrap my legs around him.

I spy the Fastback as we walk up and the arousal hits me full force. Goddamn it. I head toward the passenger door.

"What are you doing?" He tosses me the keys and my heart attempts to explode from my chest.

"I can't. This is your baby. Just—no, no."

"I'm serious. Get in there and fire her up."

I can't believe he's letting me drive this car, especially after how things went down last time. He must really like me. As far as I know, Tommy has never even driven it. I might just have to tell him.

"Don't you fucking tell Tommy either!" He gets in the passenger seat and looks around the car. "So this is what it looks like from over here."

He adjusts his seat and settles into unfamiliar territory.

I press in the clutch and turn the key. The energy rushes up through my legs and between my thighs as the frame vibrates and shakes everything in the car. I'm so fucking wet.

Joel smiles at me as I pull out my cell phone and snap a selfie of me behind the wheel.

"What the hell are you doing, woman?"

"Hang on a second."

I say aloud what I am typing into my phone.

Quinn: Man, this thing drives like a beast. You'll have to try it sometime.

I press the send button and the picture heads to Tommy's phone. "Okay, you ready?"

"Don't you dare send that. I'll be in the doghouse for months."

I look over and wink at him. "Too late."

"You're some kind of evil, you know that?"

I shift into reverse and back us out of the parking spot. "You knew it was going to happen."

"You drive her straight to your house, understand? No funny business with my baby."

I really should do what he says, maybe even park down from the house, to avoid Joel and Olivia seeing each other. My body makes a different decision. I pull out of the parking lot going the opposite direction of where I live.

"Aren't you back that way?" He turns and points out the back window.

"Shut the fuck up, and enjoy the ride." He's lucky I haven't punched it. Yet.

His phone beeps, and he laughs.

He holds up the phone, and I glance over.

Tommy: WE ARE DONE! BENEDICT ARNOLD!

I grin and work my way through the gears.

Joel squirms in his seat, but I think I'm driving pretty conservatively. I'm still not sure what I'm doing, where I'm going. I've never just lost control of myself like this.

I get on a ramp to the highway and glance at Joel. He's finally smiling and relaxed. His window is cracked, and his hair waves slightly back and forth with the wind.