Page 4 of Quinn
I can only smile back at him, the words catching in my throat, and nod.
The doors close, and I watch each floor’s number lighting up as we go.Seven. Eight. Nine. The door opens again, and Evan and I both move to let a man and woman in dress suits off on their floor. Aside from the scent of his woodsy aftershave, I notice Evan’s holding his bike helmet. I remember him talking about riding his bike this week because his car is in the shop. This could be a chance for me to try and make conversation with him. I straighten, thinking of Gabriella first finding her voice around Sebastian.
I lean close and whisper to him, trying to add a touch of seductiveness to my voice. “Did you ride your bike again today?”
Evan turns to me and smiles. “Why are you whispering?”
Okay, that didn’t work.
I glance back over my shoulder to the other passengers. “Elevator etiquette.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, it’s going to be a couple more days before I get my car back.”
What would Gabriella do?I scramble, trying to think of what to do next. She’s always touching him gently. I can do that.
“A much as the athletic wind-blown look works for you,” I touch his bicep flirtatiously. “I could always use someone to sit with on the bus.”
The bus?Seriously, this is the worst topic to try and make sexy.
Evan looks down at my hand and swallows. His Adam's apple is bobbing up and down. His breathing, having only just slowed down from his run to the elevator, picks up again. My own heart is thumping in my chest, and I pretty sure everyone else in the elevator can hear it.
“Yeah, that sounds like fun,” he breathes out.
Whoa. Did that actually kind of work?
The door to our floor opens, and I would give my life savings at this moment to have us not walking to the same place. This would be such a perfect moment to walk away and let him watch me until the doors close. But life isn’t like a perfect scene in a romance novel. A girl has to work with what is given to her.
I step out first and feel Evan close behind me. But as we turn the corner, we are greeted by Tyler, another co-worker on our team.
"There you are, man," he breathes, stepping in front of Evan.
I’m able to keep walking, unable to hide the smile on my face. I have only a moment to decide if I want to glance over my shoulder and see if he’s watching me. If he is, then maybe I'm not as much of a spaz as I imagined being. I take a breath and straighten my face just before turning the corner and glance back. Evan’s dark eyes are on me. His expression is a mix of curiosity and something else I can’t read.
Thank you, Gabriella.
3
EVAN
What the hell was that? Did I just dream Quinn flirting with me?
“E, come on,” Tyler steps into my line of vision just as Quinn rounds the corner out of sight. “I kind of need you to focus on me right now. You can drool over your lady crush later.”
My gaze swings back to Tyler, and I glare at him. "Do you mind? I don't think the entire floor heard you."
Tyler shrugs. “She’s not listening. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her without her earbuds unless we’re in a meeting.”
“She didn’t have them in just now,”
Tyler pulls a face. “Is she still behind me?”
I roll my eyes. “If she was, do you think I’d still be talking to you?”
“Good point.”
I start walking towards our team’s set of cubicles near the back wall. “What was so important that you had to interrupt?”
"Please tell me you have a copy of the slide show for the meeting today."
