Man Candy (14 page)

unbuttoned her coat.

I took it off her shoulders. “I’ll be

right back. You won’t even miss me.”

“You got that right,” she muttered,

plunking down in an empty chair across

from her friends. “Is there a cocktail

menu?”

Spying the coatracks in a room just

beyond the bar, I hurried over and hung

up Jaime’s coat as well as my own.

While I was out of sight, I posted the

photo of Jaime and me in the car to my

Instagram account, chuckling at how

perfect it was. She had sort of a
what

the fuck is that smell
expression on her

face, whereas I was grinning ear to ear.

Off to a great start
, I captioned it. I

gave it three hashtags: #sweetpea

#firstdate #loveisreal.

Oh, God. She was going to kill me.

This was way too much fun.

Slipping my phone back into my

pocket, I went back to the table and took

the seat next to Jaime, making a big deal

about dragging the chair over to be

closer to hers. She was reading the

cocktail menu and scooted her chair

farther away, but I just moved mine

again. I looked across the table at her

friends’ faces, and every one of them

was trying to figure out what the hell

was going on.

A server appeared. “What can I get

for you?”

“I’ll take a Sazerac,” Jaime

answered.

“Good idea, snookums.” I put my

arm around her shoulders and nodded at

the server. “She’s always so smart. I’ll

have the same.”

The server promised to be back

shortly with our drinks, and I turned to

the women across the table. “So catch

me up, ladies. I haven’t seen you in

years.” I kept my arm around Jaime and

could just imagine the look on her face.

Margot cleared her throat. “Well, I

work for my father, doing PR and

special events for the philanthropic arm

of his corporation.”

“Nice. Are you married? Single?”

“Not married, but I’ve been dating

my boyfriend Tripp for about three

years.”

“Oh, you have a boyfriend. That’s

wonderful.” I squeezed Jaime’s

shoulder. “Isn’t that wonderful, poopsie?

They’re in love, just like we are.”

Jaime coughed and picked up her

water.

“How did you and Tripp meet?” I

asked.

“My father introduced us. Tripp’s a

lawyer at the firm my father employs.”

She was talking to me but staring at

Jaime, who was obviously trying to do

that telepathic thing women do with their

eyes when they want to communicate

something without words.

“And how about you, birthday girl?”

I turned the charm on Claire, whose fair

skin turned a little pink.

“I’m an elementary school art

teacher,” she said, picking up her

cocktail.

“That’s awesome. I’d love to be a

teacher.”

“Really?” Claire looked surprised.

“I wouldn’t have guessed that. I mean,

you have such a successful modeling

career.”

The server showed up with our

drinks, and Jaime grabbed for her glass

like she was suffocating and it was an

oxygen mask.

“That was never my long-term goal,

though.” I picked up my Sazerac and

took a sip. “I’m still trying to decide

what
is
, but every now and again I do

think teaching is something I’d enjoy. I

love kids.”

“You do?” Elyse blinked at me.

“Oh, yeah. I was an only child,

always jealous of people with lots of

brothers and sisters. I hope I have a

whole brood of them.”

“Really?” Now Margot was staring

at me too.

“Totally. Jaime and I want at least

four or five, don’t we, dumpling?”

“At least,” she said flatly, clinging to

her cocktail for dear life.

“How about you? Do you have

children?” I asked Elyse.

“Not yet, but I’d like to someday. I

should probably find someone to marry

first, but that hasn’t been too easy.”

“I agree, it isn’t easy,” I said. “But

you know what? You have to trust in

fate.”

“That’s what I say too.” Claire was

wide-eyed. “You have to believe that

someone is out there for you, and it’s just

a matter of time before you find each

other.”

“I agree, Claire. Take Jaime and me

here.” I gave her another squeeze, nearly

spilling the drink she refused to put

down, and kissed her cheek, which was

difficult since she tried to lean away

from me. “We weren’t always the

passionate couple you see before you

today. Just two weeks ago, she was like

a distant star, shining her light from afar,

and I could only dream about her.” I

gestured grandly toward the ceiling.

“That’s so beautiful,” whispered

Elyse.

Jaime snorted.

“And then fate stepped in. I needed a

place to live, there was a vacant

apartment right below hers…” I looked

adoringly at Jaime, who gave me the

stink eye. “She took one look at me and

fell head over heels. Didn’t you,

gumdrop?” Her face was so full of fury,

I couldn’t resist rubbing my nose on hers

in an Eskimo kiss.

“And of course,” I went on as Jaime

slunk lower in her chair, “one moment in

this woman’s presence and I knew—
I

knew
—that it was meant to be. I mean,

look at her! Who could resist the face of

an angel?”

Jaime scowled like a scolded child,

her lower lip protruding.

“She’s practically glowing,” said

Margot, unable to keep from smiling.

“Jaims, love suits you, it really does.”

“So be patient,” I said to Elyse.

“Your true love might show up when you

least expect him to.”

The server came back and asked for

our dinner orders, and I gave Jaime a

little breathing space to quickly look

over the menu while I did the same. But

once we’d put in our requests, I put that

arm right back where it was. When I was

certain all eyes were on us, I leaned

over and blew softly in her ear.

“Quinn,
darling
,” she said, her tone

shrill. “Would you mind? It’s a little

warm in here.”

“I’m sorry, peaches, I just can’t help

myself when I’m around you. And I don’t

want you to catch a chill.”

“Well, I’m fine. And I’d like a little

more room, please.” She looked so

miserable, I eased up.

Sighing, I took my arm back but

reached for her hand, holding it in my

lap. “OK. This will do for now.”

She sent me a murderous look but

left her hand there, and the conversation

turned to other things—how the holidays

had stressed everyone out, trips planned

for spring or summer, Claire’s disastrous

blind dates, Margot’s new car, my

mother’s old house, Elyse’s failure to

keep her New Year’s resolutions

already. But Jaime stayed fairly quiet,

and just after we’d ordered another

round of drinks, I felt her hand moving

over my crotch. My dick immediately

responded.

What the hell was she doing?

I looked over at her and saw her

smiling sweetly at Claire, who was

describing some date she’d been on

recently where the guy wouldn’t stop

talking about his ex.

Our chairs were close enough

together and the restaurant dark enough

that I didn’t think anyone would notice,

but damn it, sitting at this table with a

raging boner would be really

uncomfortable. And I could hardly adjust

myself with her hand right there. Oh

fuck, I was getting hard fast. She knew it,

too; I could tell by the satisfied smile on

her face.

I winced slightly as my cock bulged

painfully against the seam of my jeans. I

needed more room in a really bad way

—and she wasn’t letting up! The bigger

it got, the firmer she rubbed it. Should I

move her hand? Slide my chair away

from her? Excuse myself from the table?

I could, but I wasn’t wearing a jacket,

just a cashmere sweater over a button-

down. The shirt was tucked into my

pants, and the sweater wouldn’t hide the

obvious if I stood up.

Fuckfuckfuck, it felt good and

terrible at the same time. She was being

so naughty and it totally turned me on,

but jizzing in my pants on our first date

would not be cool, especially in front of

her friends. I shifted in my chair, trying

to adjust without being obvious.

“Quinnypoo,” Jaime said suddenly,

and
way
too syrupy, “would you be a

lamb and go get my coat for me? I left

something in the pocket I need.”

I looked at her expression, which

was both innocent and knowing at the

same time.
Oh, you little devil. You did

this on purpose.

I didn’t really want her friends to see

the monstrous erection I had going, but I

couldn’t ignore the dare. And if I was

going to take it, I was going to take it all

the way.

I smiled at her. “Of course, kitten.

Anything for you.”

I stood up and made sure everyone

got an eyeful. “Excuse me, ladies. I’ll be

right back.”

On my way to the coatrack, I ducked

into the bathroom and washed my hands,

just for something to do while I counted

to ten in Polish, my go-to task when I

need to stop myself from coming too fast

or get rid of an ill-timed hard-on.

Jeden, dwa, trzy…
It worked. By the

time I got to
dziesiec
, I was comfortable again.

I dried off my hands, adjusted my

pants, and went to get Jaime’s coat.

There was probably nothing in her damn

pocket, but whatever. I had to give her

credit for fighting back a little. All the

ridiculous names and overt affection had

to be driving her nuts. Her friends must

think we were crazy.

But it was a good time.

A perfect time.

FOURTEEN

JAIME

HE DID IT.

That rat bastard stood up and

showed everyone the big fat bulge in his

pants like he was proud of it.

What were you expecting? The man

has zero shame.

Still. It was kind of hilarious.

“Oh. My. God.” Claire’s entire face

was pink. “Did you guys see what I

saw?”

“If you mean the package on Quinn,

um yes.” Margot fanned her face.

“Package! It looked like a baby

elephant was trying to escape!” Claire

stage-whispered.

“I tried to look away and I couldn’t,”

murmured Elyse. “It was almost

hypnotic.”

I started to giggle, bringing a hand to

my mouth. I’d pulled the stunt to

humiliate Quinn, but actually I was kind

of glad my friends got a good look.

There was a certain thrill in knowing

that of all the women he could have, of

all the women in the world obsessing

over his image, I was the one next to him

at dinner. I was the one with his arm on

my shoulders. I was the one he wanted.

“OK, so what the hell is with you

guys tonight?” Margot’s eyes were wide

as she shook her head. “Explain the love

bug routine.”

“Yeah, I thought you didn’t even like

him,” said Claire. “And now you’re in

love?”

I rolled my eyes. “We are not in

love. This is just another one of his little

chicken games. He’s trying to get me to

crack because he knows how much I hate

all the sappy love shit.”

“So it’s fake?” Elyse asked. She was

Claire’s friend from work, and we didn’t

know each other all that well, but she

appeared devastated that Quinn’s

amorous gestures weren’t real.

“Yes, it’s fake.” Our second round of

drinks arrived, and I grabbed my wine

for a sip. “But don’t tell him I said that.

He’ll punish me.”

“So, wait.” Claire glanced over her

shoulder to make sure he wasn’t coming.

“I’m confused. Did something happen

between you guys since I saw you two

days ago?”

“Yeah, they banged,” said Margot.

“Twice,” I added. “And it was

phenomenal.”

“God, you’re so lucky,” Elyse

gushed. “He is
gorgeous
. And I don’t

care what you say, he adores you. That

can’t all be fake.”

I shrugged. “He adores pushing my

buttons, and he knows just how to do it.

He always has.”

“Maybe, but he’s definitely hot in the

pants for you.” Claire laughed and

picked up her drink in a toast. “That

much is obvious. Well done. You got

what you wanted.”

Behind Margot, I saw Quinn

approaching the table holding my coat.

“Shhh,” I said.

“Here you go, love muffin,” he said,

handing it to me. “I just got a call from

my agent that I need to return, but I’m

going to do it outside. I’ll be right back.”

He leaned down to kiss my cheek.