Page 98 of Hard Hitter

Quinn forced himself to stay calm, to not just blurt out his response. Of course he would agree to this. How much of an idiot would he have to be to turn it down?

He considered for a moment before realizing this wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind. He didn’t want to just have sex with Rae because she didn’t want to be the only virgin on her college campus, but this was at least a good sign, right? She was attracted to him enough to consider getting naked with him and engaging in intimate acts she had yet to do with anyone else. Of course, she was asking them tobothlose their virginity…

“Are you sure?” Quinn asked. “I mean, you don’t want it to be more...special? With someone you’re actually dating?”

“A lot can happen in one school year,” Rae said, grinning shyly. “You don’t have to say yes, it was just an idea. I feel like I’m completely freaking you out.”

“No, no,” Quinn said quickly, perhaps too eagerly. “Um, I mean, I’m good with it.”

“You’re good with it?” Rae said, eyeing him skeptically.

“Yeah, I’m in. It’s a deal...or a pact, or whatever.”

“Shake on it.” Rae stuck her hand out, her winning grin pulling up her lips.

He slid his hand into hers with a triumphant grin and shook it once. “It’s a deal.”

Chapter 26

“Quinn Casey, you clean up damn good.” Raelyn smoothed her hands up his arms and over his shoulders. His black suit jacket fit his muscled arms and shoulders perfectly. He was also wearing a tie, which she hadn’t seen since prom night. Quinn always opted for the more casual, open-collar look, but seeing him dressed to the nines like this sent all sorts of warm and needy feelings thrumming through her whole body.

Grabbing the lapels of his suit jacket, Raelyn pulled Quinn to her and pressed her lips to his. When she swept her tongue between his lips, he groaned and brought her in closer to him.

“Can I ask you something?” Raelyn said, reluctantly separating her mouth from his. “Why are you paying for the most expensive hotel suite in the city when you stay here every night?”

Quinn sighed and hummed as though contemplating a very tough question. “Well, the closet has all my stuff in it now.”

“Stuff can be moved.”

“Rae, are you asking what I think you’re asking?” Quinn’s mouth was curved into a grin. “Because that’s a pretty big step.”

“I know we’ve only known each other twenty-two years,” she said, sliding her hands down his chest beneath his jacket. “But I have this complex, I think. Back in high school I forgot to tell my best friend how I felt and he got away. So now when I see something I want, I just go for it.”

“And you think you want me?”

“Oh, I know I do.”

Quinn flashed his sexy one-dimpled grin before another heart-racing, breathtakingly fervent kiss. When he pulled away, Raelyn’s chest was rising and falling with the exhilaration of the kiss, eyes still fluttered shut. “Good, because Ineedyou,” Quinn said before nipping playfully at her ear.

Raelyn peeked at the alarm clock on her nightstand and groaned. “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you, but we need to get going if we’re going to make it on time.”

Quinn threw his head back with exasperation. “I know this is yourotherbest friend’s wedding, but I’m not looking forward to it as much as I should be.”

Laughing at the emphasis that Amira was theotherbest friend, Raelyn narrowed her eyes. “You’re not going to get all jealous, are you? Because you have absolutely nothing to worry about. The past is in the past, and it can stay there.”

“I’m notworried,” Quinn insisted. “I just don’t like that he’s put these images in my head of the two of you. It’s like, every time he looks at you I feel like he’s just picturing things, or replaying those memories in his head. And I don’t want anyone but me seeing that.”

With a grin, Raelyn wandered over to her closet and picked a little black bag off her dresser. Bringing it back to Quinn she said, “I thought this might come up. So, I got you something. Well, I gotussomething.”

Quinn looked at the bag, and then curiously up at Rae. He reached his hand in and pulled out the couple pieces of tissue paper on top, and the object hidden beneath. He held a small black and silver, oval-shaped remote in his palm and there was a mischievous glint in his eye when he peered back up at her.

“This one’s different than that other one we used,” said Quinn, turning it over.

“It’s new,” Raelyn replied. “And it goes to...these.” She pulled back and lifted up the side slit of her dress’s long skirt and snapped the band of her lacy black thong.

“Vibrating panties?” Quinn’s eyes widened, his devilish smirk looking hungry.

“Just bought them for this occasion,” said Raelyn, dropping the skirt back down. She wrapped her hand around his so that he was holding the remote, thumb hovering over the little plus sign button. Making her voice a silky, low whisper, she explained, “So, this puts you in control. I’m all yours, Quinn. But if you feel like you’re getting a little angry or annoyed with anyone trying to make you jealous, or you just want to remind me who I belong to throughout the night, you can just use this. And I’ll instantly be thinking about you.”

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