Page 35 of The First Deal

“Fine, hand it over, how much do I take?” I asked, holding out my hand, but Quinn didn’t pass me the bottle, instead, she squeezed the pipette, dropped some liquid back into the bottle, and gestured for me to open my mouth.

“Remember, hold it,” she said as she slipped the dropper under my tongue.

I did as I was told, and then Shane came wandering out of the bedroom, still wrapping his silver tie around his neck. He leaned in to kiss me, but I pulled back, making Quinn laugh.

“You can kiss him, Han. Just no tongue, yet.”

“What’s going on?” Shane asked with a deep frown. “Quinny, what have you done to my girl?”

His girl. Oh lord, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to hearing him call me that. So simple, yet it made my knees weak and my heart all fluttery.

Quinn answered for me. “I gave her some CBD for the nerves. Swallow.” She was looking at me, and I took her final word as a command, swallowing down the remains of the weird-tasting liquid.

“Ah, good idea. Can I have some?” Shane asked, and Quinn handed over the bottle and then turned her back on him to smooth down my hair.

“You look great though, Han. And expert tip, tell Vi that she looks young, anything under forty, and you’ll instantly be on her good side.”

I thanked my boyfriend’s daughter, who had quickly become someone whose company I really enjoyed, then moved past her to straighten Shane’s tie and kiss him—with tongue.

“Gross,” Hannah commented, leaving us alone in the kitchen. She was visiting for the week, then she’d be heading back to her new place in Brighton. I had suggested a few times that we skip the dinner so that Shane could spend more time with her, especially as she was going to be spending Christmas in Bali with some friends, but he had insisted that the dinner was important, and that Quinn would understand.

Quinn had taken my side, but she wasn’t holding a grudge against her dad. She had his playful side, which was probably why I liked her. So instead of being a moody bitch, she poked fun at him, and pretended to be some hurt, abandoned child.

I had the best feeling about my growing relationship with Quinn, and I suspected that together we could send Shane to an early grave. Not that I wanted to, I quite liked having him around.

“We should leave. Are you ready? You look ready.” Shane leaned back against the counter. “Fuck me, Cariño, you look incredible.”

It was like he’d barely noticed me getting dressed not fifteen minutes ago and was finally seeing me. I ran my fingers down the front of the deep-red satin dress. The hem hit the floor, and there was a slit that ran up my left leg, coming to a stop at the middle of my thigh. I popped my hip, revealing it to him, and he shoved his fist into his mouth, biting down as he eye-fucked me.

And I eye-fucked him right back. Dragging my gaze slowly over his broad shoulders wrapped in a pitch-black suit jacket. Beneath it was a monochrome patterned waistcoat, buttoned over the top of a crisp shirt.

“Will you two please either kick me out and I’ll go next door, or fuck off to your dinner?” Quinn called from the sofa. “You’re being weird. Again.”

“We’re not being weird,” Shane called back, then closed in on me, whispering, “We’re just addicted to each other. Maybe we should stay home.”

Home. It was his place, but god, I loved how he never said that; he always called it home now, as though I might actually belong there with him.

“Absolutely not. I took that weird CBD shit and have been mentally preparing for this all day. We’re going, come on.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the front door, shouting out a goodbye to Quinn as we went.

“I can’t believe you’re nervous,” Shane said when we were in the elevator, heading down to the underground garage where Bo was waiting for us. “You’ve always been the picture of confidence.”

“Picture,” I whispered. “Pictures don’t always capture reality.”

“You’ve been nervous before? When?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Nu-uh, not telling. This is my secret.”

“I told you mine,” he began to argue, sounding like an overgrown child, then laughed loudly as I raised my brows at him. “Fine, keep your secrets. I’ll get them out of you one day.”

“I look forward to your interrogation,” I said, a heated look passing between us, but we had no time to act on it as the doors flew open, revealing the garage, and a few feet away, Bo, leaning against the Mercedes, taking a huge bite out of a cheeseburger.

“Evening,” he said, swallowing down his meaty mouthful. “You two look lovely.”

“Thanks Bo,” I said, twirling in my dress before Shane opened the car door for me and I slid in.

We made comfortable small talk as we travelled, and pretty soon we were arriving at the Goldfly Hotel where our dinner was being held.

Shane got out of the car first, then came to my side, opened the door and helped me out just as someone called his name.

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