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.
My friends watched him go. (Actually, I’d bet every woman in the place watched him go. I hadn’t missed the stares when we’d come in.) Someone at the table sighed.
“I agree with Elyse,” Margot said. “He might be playing around tonight, but it’s clear he likes you a lot. He wouldn’t bother, otherwise.”
“Totally,” said Claire.
“Fine, we like each other.” I laid my coat across my lap. “And we’re attracted to each other. And we have fun together. But that doesn’t mean we should date.”
“Hello! That’s exactly why you date someone!” Elyse blurted. “If I met a man who looked like that with a dick like that who wanted me the way he wants you, I’d be fucking over the moon!”
“Shhh,” admonished Claire.
“He does have a nice dick,” I admitted. “And he knows how to use it.”
Elyse groaned. “I’m so jealous right now.”
“What about his tongue?” Claire giggled into her Cosmo.
“Haven’t gotten there yet,” I said. “Maybe later. I promised him a blowjob for shoveling the driveway today.”
“You guys sound just like my sister and her husband,” said Elyse, while Claire and Margot nearly choked on their drinks. “I bet you get married.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. I don’t want to marry him. I’m not sure I want to marry anybody.” I stood up. “I’ll be right back.”
I walked past the bar to the racks and hung up my coat, and on my way back to the table, I saw Quinn talking to our server across the room. What’s he doing? Ordering more drinks?
I went back and sat down, and he appeared at my side a moment later. He took his seat, putting that infernal arm around me again. “Sorry about that. Did you get what you needed from your coat?”
My cheeks burned. “Um, actually it wasn’t in there.”
“Oh really? What was it?”
“Um, a…lipstick.”
“Of course.” The look on his face told me he wasn’t fooled, but I was saved by the appearance of our server with a tray of appetizers. Thank God—surely he can’t eat and smother me at the same time.
“By the way, I thought you quit modeling,” I said. “How come your agent is calling?”
“I did quit, sort of, but there were a few contracts I couldn’t break. I have to go to New York next week for a few days.”
“Oh.”
And the weirdest thing happened. I realized that I was kind of sorry he was leaving for a few days…that I didn’t really want him to go away…that I’d miss him.
No, it couldn’t be that.
I’d miss the sex, that was all. Not the man. Things were just heating up between us, and his taking off now was like leaving a restaurant before the main course was served. I wouldn’t miss him. I couldn’t. My heart beat erratically, and the back of my neck felt prickly and hot.