stepped back. “It’s like that.”
“No, you don’t,” she fired at him. “Don’t you dare toss a judgmental look my way.
Every time I’m at the bar, I see women sliding all over you. I don’t judge you.”
“I don’t fuck every woman I meet.”
“And I didn’t screw Nick. He slept in my bed. I didn’t even realize he was there until
I woke up for work.” She turned toward the living room and added, “Not that you have
any right to question what happens in my bedroom.”
She had him there. He’d agreed to be friends. She didn’t know he planned on having
more. Would he have had the same reaction if it had been another woman? He thought
of his sister, and decided, yes, he would. He followed her back to the couch.
“Look, I thought maybe it wasn’t consensual. You have the right to sleep with whomever
you want.” His stomach burned saying it. He wasn’t all right with the idea.
She sipped her tea. “I know I do, but thanks for your permission.”
“You don’t need to get bitchy. I came here to drop off your phone. Here.” He pulled
it from his pocket and tossed it at the couch.
“Thank you.” She curled both hands around her mug and sighed. “I don’t want to fight
with you. I’m sorry. It was nice of you to send me flowers today. Have a seat. Things
with Nick are complicated.”
“How? You’re divorced, right?”
“We’ve always been friendly. He shows up now and again to check on me. He came by
a few weeks ago because he got some woman pregnant. He needed a friend to talk to.”
She looked sad when she talked about Nick. Was she still hung up on him?
He settled beside her on the couch and they fell into a comfortable silence watching
the movie. Cameron was complaining about how everything always worked out for Ferris.
Ryan chuckled. “You’re Cameron.”
Quinn raised an eyebrow as she sipped her tea. “And what, you’re Ferris?”
“Without a doubt. I’m the fun one.”
“Without a doubt. I’m the responsible one.” She sighed and then smiled. “I should’ve
guessed Indy would’ve put playing hooky on my list. This is one of her all-time favorite
movies.”
“What’s one of yours?”
“Favorite movie?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmmm . . . It’s toss-up. Either Benny & Joon or Never Been Kissed. I remember Indy took me to see Benny & Joon and when Mary Stuart Masterson looked at Johnny Depp and said, ‘Having a Boo Radley
moment?’ I was the only one in the theater to laugh out loud. I don’t think anyone
else got it.”
It figured. He didn’t get it.
“Boo Radley? From To Kill a Mockingbird ? It’s a classic.”
This woman was more intelligent than he was used to. Maybe she was out of his league.
“What’s yours?”
Her question startled him back into the conversation. “That’s easy. Die Hard. ”
She shook her head. “Guys. Never happy unless things are blown up.”
“Yeah, well, we like excitement.” Ryan thought of the relaxed, laughing woman he’d
spent yesterday with. “How’s your list coming?”
She grunted. “There are eight items on the list. Only one is done, which happened
because you dragged me out of here yesterday.”
“What’s your plan?”
“School is over in less than a week. Then I can focus on nothing but my list.”
Ryan looked at her and remembered Indy’s advice—help with the list. “What’s the next
thing on the list?”
“What’s your sudden interest in my list?” She leaned forward and put her cup on the
table.
“I’m offering my help. What any friend would do.” Besides, he planned to be her summer
romance. He scooted closer to her.
“I need a karaoke bar and a motorcycle.” She crossed her arms and waited.
“At the same time?”
“Ha-ha. No. They’re the next two things I want to accomplish.”
He’d seen the list. She was still playing pedestrian. She didn’t want his help with
stripping naked and having a wild orgasm. “What about the
“No, you don’t,” she fired at him. “Don’t you dare toss a judgmental look my way.
Every time I’m at the bar, I see women sliding all over you. I don’t judge you.”
“I don’t fuck every woman I meet.”
“And I didn’t screw Nick. He slept in my bed. I didn’t even realize he was there until
I woke up for work.” She turned toward the living room and added, “Not that you have
any right to question what happens in my bedroom.”
She had him there. He’d agreed to be friends. She didn’t know he planned on having
more. Would he have had the same reaction if it had been another woman? He thought
of his sister, and decided, yes, he would. He followed her back to the couch.
“Look, I thought maybe it wasn’t consensual. You have the right to sleep with whomever
you want.” His stomach burned saying it. He wasn’t all right with the idea.
She sipped her tea. “I know I do, but thanks for your permission.”
“You don’t need to get bitchy. I came here to drop off your phone. Here.” He pulled
it from his pocket and tossed it at the couch.
“Thank you.” She curled both hands around her mug and sighed. “I don’t want to fight
with you. I’m sorry. It was nice of you to send me flowers today. Have a seat. Things
with Nick are complicated.”
“How? You’re divorced, right?”
“We’ve always been friendly. He shows up now and again to check on me. He came by
a few weeks ago because he got some woman pregnant. He needed a friend to talk to.”
She looked sad when she talked about Nick. Was she still hung up on him?
He settled beside her on the couch and they fell into a comfortable silence watching
the movie. Cameron was complaining about how everything always worked out for Ferris.
Ryan chuckled. “You’re Cameron.”
Quinn raised an eyebrow as she sipped her tea. “And what, you’re Ferris?”
“Without a doubt. I’m the fun one.”
“Without a doubt. I’m the responsible one.” She sighed and then smiled. “I should’ve
guessed Indy would’ve put playing hooky on my list. This is one of her all-time favorite
movies.”
“What’s one of yours?”
“Favorite movie?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmmm . . . It’s toss-up. Either Benny & Joon or Never Been Kissed. I remember Indy took me to see Benny & Joon and when Mary Stuart Masterson looked at Johnny Depp and said, ‘Having a Boo Radley
moment?’ I was the only one in the theater to laugh out loud. I don’t think anyone
else got it.”
It figured. He didn’t get it.
“Boo Radley? From To Kill a Mockingbird ? It’s a classic.”
This woman was more intelligent than he was used to. Maybe she was out of his league.
“What’s yours?”
Her question startled him back into the conversation. “That’s easy. Die Hard. ”
She shook her head. “Guys. Never happy unless things are blown up.”
“Yeah, well, we like excitement.” Ryan thought of the relaxed, laughing woman he’d
spent yesterday with. “How’s your list coming?”
She grunted. “There are eight items on the list. Only one is done, which happened
because you dragged me out of here yesterday.”
“What’s your plan?”
“School is over in less than a week. Then I can focus on nothing but my list.”
Ryan looked at her and remembered Indy’s advice—help with the list. “What’s the next
thing on the list?”
“What’s your sudden interest in my list?” She leaned forward and put her cup on the
table.
“I’m offering my help. What any friend would do.” Besides, he planned to be her summer
romance. He scooted closer to her.
“I need a karaoke bar and a motorcycle.” She crossed her arms and waited.
“At the same time?”
“Ha-ha. No. They’re the next two things I want to accomplish.”
He’d seen the list. She was still playing pedestrian. She didn’t want his help with
stripping naked and having a wild orgasm. “What about the
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