second half of the list?”
Her cheeks grew pink. “What about it?”
He wagged his eyebrows at her. “I can help with all of it.”
Her laugh was a nervous flutter. “No, you can’t.”
“I’m sure I can.”
She shifted in her seat. “You can’t be my summer romance, and the other stuff goes
along with it.”
“Why can’t I be your summer romance? We’re off to a good start.”
She bit her lower lip, her habit as she considered options. She wouldn’t agree that
easily.
“You can’t be my summer romance. A summer romance ends in the fall. I don’t want to
not see you anymore.” She shoved up from the couch and flicked off the TV in the middle
of Ferris singing “Twist and Shout.”
“When you start a relationship, you don’t give it a deadline. You let it play out.”
“I don’t want to lose this.” She fidgeted and bit her lip before continuing. “I don’t
have many people I consider real friends. You snuck into a spot and it’ll be ruined
if we get involved romantically.”
Was this Quinn letting him down easy, or did she really believe this? He grasped her
hand. The simple gesture brought a smile to her face. So he was back to helping her
finish her list, including finding her a date who wasn’t a loser, but who couldn’t
compete with him. “A motorcycle, huh?”
“And a karaoke bar.”
He stood, leaned over, and kissed her cheek. “I’ll figure it out and call you tomorrow.”
After he left, Ryan mulled over the entire problem. He didn’t see an easy fix for
the mess he’d gotten himself into. He wanted Quinn. She had a valid point about their
friendship. Unlike her, he was more of a gambler.
“Hey, Griff, it’s me. I need a favor,” Ryan said into his cell phone as he drove.
“Since you’re calling from your cell, I assume you don’t need bail money.”
“I haven’t needed that since my misspent youth. I need your motorcycle.”
“I’m not giving you my bike. You’ve never driven one.”
“I mean, I need you to give someone a ride.”
“If this someone is a she, I could probably arrange it.”
Ryan kept his sigh from being audible. “Yes, she is a woman. All I need you to do
is give her a ride on your motorcycle. Fully clothed.”
Griffin’s laugh burst over the earpiece. “Are you sure you’re not a lawyer? You’re
always looking to close the loopholes. How hot is she?”
“Don’t worry about how hot she is.” Quinn wasn’t Griffin’s type, if he had one. Ryan
was pretty sure anyway. “I’m trying to help a friend.”
“A friend. Sure. I’m booked for the next day or so, but I think I can squeeze in a
motorcycle ride.”
“Call me later so we can set up the ride. Thanks, Griff.”
“Anything to impress a lady, huh?”
“Yeah.” Ryan hung up. He wanted to do more than simply impress Quinn. Ryan needed
time to think and plan a list of his own. Quinn would have her adventures. He’d even
help her look for a summer romance. If he could draw out the completion of the list
through the end of the summer without Quinn falling for some asshole, she’d have to
give him a chance. Summer vacation was less than three months. Quinn hadn’t had any
luck with her dates so far.
Odds were in his favor.
CHAPTER 6
A s the last bell rang ending the last regularly scheduled class of the year, Quinn
slid the remaining essays she had to grade into her bag. She’d have to come back for
the rest of the week for meetings and in-services and to input her grades, but for
all practical purposes, the school year was over. She sighed, hooked her bag on her
shoulder, and lifted her vase of daisies. The flowers still brought a smile to her
face. They sat in the passenger seat on her ride home.
As she pulled into her parking lot, her phone rang. The caller ID read, “Ryan’s Cell.” When did his number make it into my Contacts? She answered while easing into her usual spot. “Hello.”
“Hey, Quinn.
Her cheeks grew pink. “What about it?”
He wagged his eyebrows at her. “I can help with all of it.”
Her laugh was a nervous flutter. “No, you can’t.”
“I’m sure I can.”
She shifted in her seat. “You can’t be my summer romance, and the other stuff goes
along with it.”
“Why can’t I be your summer romance? We’re off to a good start.”
She bit her lower lip, her habit as she considered options. She wouldn’t agree that
easily.
“You can’t be my summer romance. A summer romance ends in the fall. I don’t want to
not see you anymore.” She shoved up from the couch and flicked off the TV in the middle
of Ferris singing “Twist and Shout.”
“When you start a relationship, you don’t give it a deadline. You let it play out.”
“I don’t want to lose this.” She fidgeted and bit her lip before continuing. “I don’t
have many people I consider real friends. You snuck into a spot and it’ll be ruined
if we get involved romantically.”
Was this Quinn letting him down easy, or did she really believe this? He grasped her
hand. The simple gesture brought a smile to her face. So he was back to helping her
finish her list, including finding her a date who wasn’t a loser, but who couldn’t
compete with him. “A motorcycle, huh?”
“And a karaoke bar.”
He stood, leaned over, and kissed her cheek. “I’ll figure it out and call you tomorrow.”
After he left, Ryan mulled over the entire problem. He didn’t see an easy fix for
the mess he’d gotten himself into. He wanted Quinn. She had a valid point about their
friendship. Unlike her, he was more of a gambler.
“Hey, Griff, it’s me. I need a favor,” Ryan said into his cell phone as he drove.
“Since you’re calling from your cell, I assume you don’t need bail money.”
“I haven’t needed that since my misspent youth. I need your motorcycle.”
“I’m not giving you my bike. You’ve never driven one.”
“I mean, I need you to give someone a ride.”
“If this someone is a she, I could probably arrange it.”
Ryan kept his sigh from being audible. “Yes, she is a woman. All I need you to do
is give her a ride on your motorcycle. Fully clothed.”
Griffin’s laugh burst over the earpiece. “Are you sure you’re not a lawyer? You’re
always looking to close the loopholes. How hot is she?”
“Don’t worry about how hot she is.” Quinn wasn’t Griffin’s type, if he had one. Ryan
was pretty sure anyway. “I’m trying to help a friend.”
“A friend. Sure. I’m booked for the next day or so, but I think I can squeeze in a
motorcycle ride.”
“Call me later so we can set up the ride. Thanks, Griff.”
“Anything to impress a lady, huh?”
“Yeah.” Ryan hung up. He wanted to do more than simply impress Quinn. Ryan needed
time to think and plan a list of his own. Quinn would have her adventures. He’d even
help her look for a summer romance. If he could draw out the completion of the list
through the end of the summer without Quinn falling for some asshole, she’d have to
give him a chance. Summer vacation was less than three months. Quinn hadn’t had any
luck with her dates so far.
Odds were in his favor.
CHAPTER 6
A s the last bell rang ending the last regularly scheduled class of the year, Quinn
slid the remaining essays she had to grade into her bag. She’d have to come back for
the rest of the week for meetings and in-services and to input her grades, but for
all practical purposes, the school year was over. She sighed, hooked her bag on her
shoulder, and lifted her vase of daisies. The flowers still brought a smile to her
face. They sat in the passenger seat on her ride home.
As she pulled into her parking lot, her phone rang. The caller ID read, “Ryan’s Cell.” When did his number make it into my Contacts? She answered while easing into her usual spot. “Hello.”
“Hey, Quinn.
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