Page 104 of Playboy For Hire

“Well, I’m afraidyou’regoing to realize you could do better. But maybe, if you love someone, part of that is trusting that they mean it when they say they love you back.”

He snorted. “What kind of responsible, self-actualized kind of talk is that?”

“Wild, I know.”

He pulled back and looked at me. “You really don’t think I’m too young for you? Or too…me, for you?”

“I love yourme, so no, I don’t. And the age thing doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you. God knows you’re better in social situations than I am, and that’ll be true no matter how old we are.”

“Well, at least I can help you dress for them now.”

“Me and all my light-blue shirts thank you.” I leaned in and whispered, “But if I’m honest, I’m more interested in gettingundressedright now, if you know what I mean.”

“Is that so?” he whispered back.

“Definitely. It’s been too long.”

Ryder put one hand on the back of my neck and pulled me in for a searing kiss. I surrendered to it, trying to show, rather than tell, how much I loved him.

“What’s going on out there?” Violet’s voice carried through from the other end of the hall. “Why’d it get quiet all of a sudden?”

“I know you boys wouldn’t be getting up to any shenanigans in my home,” came Auntie Thea’s voice. “Quinn, your mother and father brought you up too well for that.”

I broke the kiss and laughed.

“No,” I called out. “We were just talking. It’s fine.”

“And are things fine between the two of you?”

I looked at Ryder, whose smile lit up the room.

“Better than fine,” I said. “They’re perfect.”

21

RYDER

We walked back to Quinn’s apartment, hand in hand. It was closer than my house, and, rather conveniently, didn’t have any housemates kicking around. I was giddy with excitement, joy, relief—and love. I’d told Quinn the truth, and he’d said he loved me back.

I kept thinking about what he’d said.If you love someone, part of that is trusting that they mean it when they say they love you back. A tiny part of me was still afraid. I had a feeling it would take a while for that to go away completely. But what mattered was deciding to trust him. And that was something I could do.

“Did I ever tell you my housemates have crushes on you?” I asked as we turned onto Quinn’s block.

“What? No.” He scoffed.

I laughed. “I can tell you don’t believe me, but they do. In fact, maybe we should go to my place after all. That way if you change your mind about me, you’ll have other options.

Quinn squeezed my hand. “I’m not going to change my mind. I want you. Iloveyou.”

“Still. Maybe I should find my own place soon. Just to reduce temptation.”

“You don’t need to worry, I promise. Though the guy who lives below me is moving out in July, I think.” Quinn paused. “But actually…” He stopped without finishing his sentence.

I looked at him, intrigued. “What actually?”

He flushed. “Nevermind. It was a stupid idea.”

“I’m the king of stupid ideas, remember? I sent a picture of my dick to nearly 300,000 people on company time.”

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