Page 98 of Playboy For Hire

“It’s open,” came a voice from behind the door. “Come on in, honey.”

I smiled, hoping she really meant that term of endearment, and opened the door. Thea was sitting in the living room of her apartment, straight-backed in her wheelchair, wearing a deep blue wool sweater over a trim gray skirt, with sparkly blue earrings that I bet were real sapphires. She looked lovely, and her smile was broad and generous.

“Ryder, sweetheart. Come here and give me a kiss.”

I shut the door behind me and walked over, giving her a hug and a kiss. I was truly warmed by her welcome. Quinn obviously hadn’t told her about us, or she wouldn’t be so happy to see me. I felt a little guilty, not mentioning it to her. But it was still nice to see her. I hadn’t realized until just then how much I enjoyed her company.

That sobered me. I probably wasn’t going to see her much after today. Even if Quinn hadn’t mentioned what had happened between us, at some point, he’d find out Thea had invitedme over, and he wouldn’t want me involved with his family anymore.

“Look at you,” she said when she released me from the hug. “So dashing. I’d ask you to be my date to this dance if Jimmy Sullivan hadn’t snuck in and gotten me to say yes before you.”

I laughed. “I’m flattered, but I don’t know if I could keep up with you.”

She looked at me. “Are you getting enough to eat? I worry about Quinn all the time, but do I have to worry about you too? You look a little pale. Are those circles under your eyes?”

“I’m fine.” I gave her my most reassuring smile. “Just a little stressed about finals and graduation. But enough about me. Tell me more about this dance, and Mr. Sullivan. I want to know all about him.”

She lowered her eyes demurely. “I won’t lie, he is quite the catch. Only eighty years old, and as spry as if he were sixty. And he’s just as handsome as he was all those years ago in his navy uniform.”

“Ooh, that sounds juicy. Is romance in the air? Are the chaperones at the dance going to find you two secluded in a corner, getting up to who knows what?”

“Excuse me,” she said in mock outrage. “I don’t know what impression Quinn has given you, but I am a maiden lady with high moral standards. I would never compromise my dignity in public.” She grinned. “But I know that Gladys Bagley will. That woman has a taste for gin like you wouldn’t believe, and it makes her very forward. And last year, Agatha Renwick threw her back out trying to twerk.” Thea cackled. “Gossiping about them isalmost as good as doing the deed yourself. Now come into the bedroom.”

“Says the lady with high moral standards. Are you sure it’s safe? I feel like you might ravish me.”

“The last thing I ravished was a turkey sandwich. But the point is tolooklike I might do some ravishing—if Mr. Sullivan wants to make an honest woman out of me. And I’m not sure which dress to go with.”

“Wait, are you serious?” I blinked. “Are wedding bells in the air?”

I felt suddenly out of my depth. I desperately wanted to ask Quinn about Thea’s love life, but, of course, I couldn’t. That realization made me sad all over again.

“I’m sure I wouldn’t know,” Thea said primly. “But a true lady is always prepared. Now take a look at these.”

She’d laid out three options on her bed, a green silk number, a screaming, fire-engine-red satin dress, and a chic black and white outfit. They all looked nice, and I knew a couple of vintage stores where they’d sell for quite a bit of money. The red dress was probably Alaïa, and the green one looked like it had come straight out of the nineteen-sixties. It probably had.

“They’re all beautiful,” I told her. “Are you sure you don’t have a favorite?”

“If I did, why would I have called you? Do you think I brought you all the way across the city just so I could look at those big old biceps of yours?”

I laughed. “If you did, I wore the wrong outfit. Should I roll up my sleeves?

“And have everyone think I wasentertaininga young man in my boudoir?”

“Aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she said with a wicked grin. “But they don’t have to know that.”

“Our little secret.” I mimed zipping my lips, then looked back at the outfit options. “I think I need to see them on you, to see how they wear.”

She sighed. “I was afraid of that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll need some help with the zippers on the red and the green, and it would be too scandalous to let you do it. Which means I’ll have to call Violet, and then I’ll have to share you. It’s a pity Quinn’s not here.”

She looked up at me, tilting her head as she spoke, and I had the sudden sensation of being a bug trapped under a microscope.

“Have you seen him lately?” she asked.

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