Page 90 of Playboy For Hire

“Jesus, can’t you believe me for once? There is more to this job than lying.”

“Yeah, you also fuck people, and then fuck them over.”

“That has nothing to do with—Quinn, what we did—” Ryder stopped and took a deep breath. “What happened with you and me was not part of the job. We’re explicitly forbidden from dating clients, and I have to say, after the way you’ve been acting, I can see why.”

“Your job,” I said, exasperated. “Your great, glorious, wonderful job. You were upset when your advisor said you should work in sales. How is this job any different? You’re just selling yourself.”

“And you’re the person who told me those were all real jobs. So how come this one isn’t?” He looked aggrieved. “Look, you knew this was what I did for a living from the moment we met. And it’s literally the only thing I have—”

“Only thing,” I scoffed. “The only thing. Ryder, you could get any job you wanted if you actually tried.”

“Well, maybe I like the one I have. I shouldn’t have to defend myself to you. We’re not—” he broke off, then tried again. “We’re not even—”

“We’re not anything,” I finished for him. “Yeah. You can stop reminding me.”

“Quinn, it’s not you.” Ryder’s eyes looked hurt, which made no sense. I was the one who got to be in pain right now, not him. “Just, trust me. It’s better this way.”

“Right. Trust you. Because you’ve made that so easy.”

He opened his mouth to respond, then closed it without saying anything. His eyes held mine for a long moment. “I’m sorry,” he said finally.

“Yeah. So am I. I’m sorry I ever thought we could be something. I’m sorry I thought you were someone different. And I’m sorry it took me so long to realize who you really are.”

I turned and left the bar.

17

RYDER

Istared at Quinn as he left, followed by his friend. At least, I assumed the guy was just a friend. God, Quinn wouldn’t have moved on that fast, would he?

Had he really come here by accident? The more I thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Because how would Quinn know I would be here? I’d mentioned Tessa to him before, but I didn’t think I’d ever brought up where we went for trivia.

It still felt weird for him to show up here. Like he’d walked in on me taking a shower—not an inherently unpleasant event, depending on how things progressed.

But they hadn’t exactly progressed nicely, and now I felt sad and guilty and vulnerable all over again. Not that those feelings had ever really gone away, since the morning Quinn had walked out my door.

With a sigh, I turned and rejoined Tessa and her coworkers at the table. Some of them stared at me with curiosity, but no one said anything, except for Tessa.

“You alright?” she asked.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Just forget it. It’s nothing.”

The problem was,Icouldn’t forget it. I kept running over the conversation in my mind, drumming my fingers on the table, bouncing my leg underneath it. Questions for the fourth round kept coming, but I couldn’t pay attention to any of them, and when the round was over, Tessa leaned over the table.

“Okay, come on. Get up.”

She stood and took my hand, pulling me out of my chair.

At the other end of the table, someone wolf-whistled, and a guy named Nathan called out, “You guys going to get a room?”

Tessa rolled her eyes and pulled me through the crowd.

“Where are we going?” I asked as she tugged me past the bar.

“Out.”

“There are still four more rounds. And you left your purse.”

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