Carly Phillips - Under the Boardwalk

“Aren’t there things you’d rather do than talk?” she asked in a husky voice, since his finger had begun to make its way across her left breast.

He inclined his head. “Yes, and we’ll get to that. As soon as you tell me why you keep this side of you so well hidden from everyone you know.” Beneath her lacy bra, he drew lazy circles around her nipple, careful to avoid touching her there and eliciting the wanton woman he knew she could be.

She exhaled and a low, trembling moan came out instead. “You expect me to talk right now?”

He nodded. “If you want satisfaction later, I do.”

She arched her back, which had the effect of pushing her breasts taut against her silky bra. “That’s blackmail,” she complained.

“And you’re stalling.” He shot her a bad-boy grin and started to withdraw his finger.

“Professor Ariana Costas is safe,” she admitted at last.

As a reward, he cupped her entire breast in his hand and began kneading her soft flesh.

Her eyelids fluttered closed, a happy sigh on her lips.

“Safe how?” he asked.

She swallowed and her throat worked convulsively. “Ari is what the family calls me.”

It’s what he called her, too, but he wasn’t about to mention it just yet.

“And Ari hits too close to home.”

“How so?” he asked, curious.

Ari sighed. “Well, Ari is the little girl in the tanning cream who turned orange and liked it. She’s the one who played lookout and laughed while her sister stole the principal’s spare keys to the boys’ locker room.” Her lips twitched as she recounted the memory. “Zoe wanted to douse the football team captain’s shorts with itching powder after he started spreading rumors about her.”

Quinn stifled a laugh. It was important that he continue to focus on Ari more than on Zoe’s pranks. “And Ari’s the one who walked into Damon’s casino dressed like that twin?” he guessed. “The one who slept with me? Who just undressed in front of me now? And who liked it?”

“You know me too well.” She looked at him through heavy eyelids.

Through caring eyes, he hoped. Still his life had always been about watching people leave and never getting too close as a result. She was guaranteed to do just that once her sister returned, and he couldn’t invest too much in her.

“I’m not sure what to think about us,” Ari said.

Quinn nodded, accepting her honesty. He wasn’t sure what to make of them either. He only knew when she was around, the world seemed brighter and he liked everything more. He’d gotten more revelations than he’d counted on, and he didn’t want to risk driving her away too soon.

“Then how about you don’t think and just feel?” he asked, and shifted his palm so that he could turn teasing into torment by rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger at the same time he leaned over and sealed his lips over hers.

He slipped his tongue between her lips, molding his body to hers. The need to make love to her, bury his body deep inside and lose himself in her, was overwhelming. But without warning, the doorbell rang, interrupting them.

“This can’t be happening.” She echoed his thoughts exactly.

He rose to his feet, pulling her to a sitting position. “Unfortunately, it is. I forgot I told Wolf to bring Dozer over when he got a lull at the center.”

Ari scrambled to dress, pulling her shirt over her head.

“The bedroom’s back that way and the bathroom’s inside,” he said. “Go on and I’ll handle Wolf.”

“Thanks, Quinn.” She treated him to a smile that made him harder than he’d been before they were interrupted and, worse, caused a distinct warm feeling in his heart. So much for not investing too much in Ari.

• • •

Ari buttoned the blouse she’d changed into at home, then glanced in the mirror over the sink and vanity in Quinn’s bathroom. With the meager contents of her purse, she quickly fixed her makeup and, after a moment’s hesitation, picked up a comb lying on the counter and brushed through her hair. She’d pulled herself together on the outside, but inside she was still trembling and aroused.

And one thing had nothing to do with the other. Arousal seemed obvious and understandable. The trembling came more from their conversation than from unslaked sexual desire. Thanks to Quinn, she was an emotional mess, feeling more vulnerable than usual and susceptible to a whole host of insecurities. All combined to prove just one thing.

She didn’t know who she really was. She couldn’t say she missed Ariana Costas, the uptight and boring teacher with an equally boring life.

On the other hand, she still thought that the insanity surrounding her family was too great. Her views on that hadn’t changed in the time she’d been gone. But she liked the woman she was around Quinn-the more open and less repressed, and even less judgmental, Ari.

In coming home, she was starting to view her family from an adult perspective and appreciate their idiosyncracies a bit more than she’d like to admit. So much so that she no longer minded thinking of herself the way her family did: as Ari, the child who’d willingly participated in their pranks and games.

So it wasn’t a coincidence that she could no longer think of herself as Ariana. Being caught between two personalities and two worlds raised a scary question-just where did that leave her now?

Quinn stood in his office watching the rows of television monitors. His anger was contained and he merely rocked on his heels and waited for Damon. By the time his boss strode into the room, it was close to midnight.

“The tables are hopping and the bar’s packed.” Damon slipped his hands into his slacks, obviously pleased with himself. “All in all, it’s a damn fine night.”

The man’s arrogance knew no bounds and was getting on Quinn’s frigging nerves. “I guess that depends on your perspective. I don’t appreciate being tailed to my own goddamn house.” Though he’d told Ari he was just being cautious, he’d lied. He just hadn’t wanted her to panic.

“A smart man trusts no one, Quinn.”

He clenched his jaw tight. “And what did you find on this fishing expedition of yours?”

“That you’re having a good time on the job, not that I blame you. It’s smart to keep Ariana close by. This way she can’t be asking questions around here. I’m impressed with you,” Damon said, nodding.

“Then call off the tail or I’m out of here.” And though he had no intention of walking away, Quinn’s boiling frustration was evident in his threat.

Damon waved a hand, dismissing him. “Go downstairs, have a drink and relax. You’re too damn uptight.”

“I wonder why.” Quinn let out a harsh laugh and, ignoring Damon, headed out the door. To keep himself sane, he needed fresh air.

And he needed to see Ari.

Not five minutes later, he’d settled himself on a barstool where Connor was busy mixing drinks and sending pathetic mooning looks Maria’s way. Not that he was one to talk, he silently acknowledged, watching Ari’s hips sway as she maneuvered among tables.

“I’m not sure how we came to this,” Connor said, leaning on the bar during a lull between patrons. “Hung up on two babes.”

“We always liked women,” Quinn said, laughing.

“Yeah, but they never presented such big challenges before.”

“Is that what you see in Maria?” Quinn asked his friend. “Is it just the challenge?”

Connor wiped down the bar with a damp rag. “Hell, if that’s all it was, do you think I’d be taking her and her kid to Great Adventure?”

“She has a kid?” Quinn let out a slow whistle. “That must have been some first date.”

“Instead of having hot sex, we shared hamburgers, fries, and milk shakes, then watched Joey play with his friends at the school playground.” Connor stared at Maria for a while, long enough for her to turn and acknowledge his searing gaze. “And I’m still not going anywhere, which shocks the hell out of me.”

“Scares you, too, I’ll bet.”

Connor barely acknowledged the comment with an imperceptible nod. “Be right back.” He turned to pour a round of beers from the tap for one of his waitresses, then returned to hang out with Quinn.

“When’s the trip to the amusement park?” Quinn asked.

“Next weekend.”

After they’d closed down this operation, Quinn thought. Maria would still be around. In all likelihood, Ari would not be.

Connor pulled out a Corona, opened the top, and handed Quinn the bottle.

Quinn shot him a questioning look and Connor shrugged.

“You looked like you could use one. My guess is Ari’s got you tied up in the same knots. Anything you want to admit to?” Connor asked, laughing.

“Hell no.” Which both men understood meant Not here. But there were some things about the situation he could discuss. “She’s not like Zoe.”

“That much I had figured out.”

“She’s more intense. More…”

“Repressed?”

Shutting his eyes, Quinn recalled how easily she had slipped out of her blouse, how close they’d come to making love on his couch with the ocean as a backdrop. He shook his head. “Not the word I’d use, buddy.” He met his friend’s amused gaze. “But she’s so scared of being like her crazy family, she’s lost sight of how to have fun.”

“So remind her,” Connor said as if it were simple.

And maybe it was. He and Ari had spent all their time in an intense situation. What they needed was relaxation and fun. She needed relaxation and fun. She’d spent too much time hiding behind the conservative facade she thought distinguished her from her family, and not enough time giving in to her true nature.

Quinn intended to bring out her “Ari” side. Not only did he want her to have fun but he wanted her to see she could embrace her natural instincts and emotions without fear of turning into a sideshow freak. She’d come to understand how special the real Ari was. The upside to his plan was that they’d be putting on a show for Damon at the same time.

He reached across the bar and slapped Connor on the back. “Every once in a while your intelligence shows through.” He chuckled but knew Connor understood he was damn grateful for the insight. “Now get back to work.”

Quinn slid off his chair and walked to where Ari stood at the other end of the bar, where she was calculating a bill. “Hey there, beautiful,” he whispered in her ear.

A light blush stole across her cheeks. “Stop that, I’m working.” But a pleased smile told him she was happy to see him.

“You know what they say about all work and no play. Which brings me to my proposal.”

She turned and he captured her against the bar. Her heart beat more quickly in her chest and her breathing grew more rapid. “You’re excited,” he said softly.

“Yeah, well, I think we’ve established that you do that to me.” Her eyes flashed bright and eager.

He grinned. “Well, what would you say to upping the excitement quotient? Let’s plan a night of hot gambling.” He leaned closer so he could whisper in her ear. “And even hotter sex.”

Her body trembled against his. “You’re bad,” she said, nestling her cheek against his in an intimate gesture that did so much more than just turn him on physically. He had an emotional tie to this woman that had the potential to hurt him in the end.

But he couldn’t walk away without giving it his all. Without giving her his all, including showing her how to have fun, let go, and not be afraid of being more like her outgoing family.

It was a gift he wanted to give her, just as more time was a gift he needed to give himself. “I’m officially giving you tomorrow night off. We’re having dinner on the rooftop restaurant and we’re going gambling at the tables. I’ll send a car for you at eight. Dress is elegant.”

“Now, how can I argue with that?” she asked, the pleasure obvious in her voice.

“That’s the point. You can’t.” He’d deliberately phrased things as a done deal.

“Excuse me,” Connor said, clearing his throat as he cut in. “I hate to interrupt, but there are tables that need your attention.”

Quinn shot his friend an annoyed glare, but to Ari, Connor was her immediate boss and she jumped to attention.

“I’m going,” she said as she ducked under Quinn’s arm.

Which was fine with Quinn, since tomorrow night she was all his.

• • •

Ari had no dressy clothes to wear for the night Quinn had planned. Her conservative suits would send him running in the other direction, and she didn’t want to wear her sister’s hand-me-downs. Instead she’d gone to the hotel boutique and purchased the sexiest dress and shoes she could find. But all the while, she wished she’d had her sister to rely on for advice on what outfit to choose, how to act, and any other questions she had. It had been so long since she had felt any close emotional bond with Zoe, and, with her twin in hiding somewhere and Ari staying alone at Quinn’s house, she missed her sister more than ever.