Blind Date With A Bear(20)

“Really? Isn’t that excuse number forty-eight in the bro-code book?”

“Paige.” Mr. Growly of last night was back and dang if her body didn’t respond. She had to clench her thighs together against the rush of desire spreading through her.

“Listen to me. It looks like I’m not going to be home until very late Saturday night. Come to dinner at my parent’s house on Sunday.”

Paige’s heart skipped a beat. It quickly settled back down. Deb had invited her to Sunday dinner before. Quinn’s invitation meant nothing. “I don’t think so.”

“Monday?”

“I’m busy.” Paige didn’t allow herself to hesitate. She’d find something to do even if it was cleaning out her kitchen cabinets.

“A date?” His voice was rough as if he didn’t like the idea of her going out with anyone else. She’d never inspired jealousy in a man before. If that, indeed, was what his tone was implying. When she didn’t answer he gave a little chuff.

“Tuesday then.”

“No.”

“Wednesday? It’ll be our one week anniversary.”

She rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see them. No man celebrated a one week anniversary. Plus, it implied either desperation—which she was pretty sure he wasn’t—or manipulation. Either way, she wasn’t falling for it. “No.”

“Give a guy a break, Paige.” His tone sounded strained. She was proud of herself when she didn’t give in to her impulse to tell him she’d go out with him wherever and whenever he wanted.

“Lunch then. Any day next week.” Before she could answer, he continued. “Hell, I can already hear the ‘no’. Monday. You’re having lunch with me Monday, Paige. I won’t take no for an answer. I really want to see you, baby.” His voice dropped an octane and her nipples tightened against the lace of her bra. “I need to see you.”

She chewed on her fingernail, careful not to ruin the polish. “Look, I had a good time last night—”

“Me too, baby,” he broke in before she could finish.

“It was just a date.” Yeah, that’s what she’d had, a blind date with a bear. Nothing more.

“It was more than a date, Paige, and we both know it.” His tone was hard and commanding. And sexy. “I made you come just—”

“Quinn!”

“It was a date I want to repeat. I want to give you an orgasm with something besides my mouth. Or at least my mouth on a different part of your body. I bet you taste so fucking sweet.”

Her body trembled at the naughty images his words evoked. She was torn. Quinn was looking for a mate. She was looking for something long term, but she wasn’t his true mate and there was no way this would lead to anything but heartbreak, for her.

“Just another date, Paige. Another date with a bear,” his tone was coaxing. “Say, yes.”

Her inner self—the one that longed for love—beat back her logical self that said the bear shifter would wind up breaking her heart. “Yes, I’ll have lunch with you Monday.” Maybe a few days away from his magnetic energy would give her some perspective on the feelings he aroused.



The remainder of the week and the weekend went by slowly. Achingly, frustratingly, slowly. By Saturday afternoon, Paige was cursing herself for being a fool. If she hadn’t been so stubborn she would be seeing Quinn tomorrow.

Today, instead of inviting Ben and Jerry over again, she’d invited Betty. Just as she was scraping the brownie batter into the pan, her phone rang. No doubt it was Deb checking on her once more. “I told you, I don’t want to come over.”

“You damn well better not be going over to someone else’s place.” Quinn’s voice came over the line loud and clear.

“Quinn.” She hoped he couldn’t hear the rapid increase in her heart rate. “I thought it was Deb.”

“What’s my sister been nagging you about?” He tried to hide the relief in his voice that she hadn’t been going out with someone else. No way, no how. She was his, every luscious inch.

“She said she’d go bar hopping with me.”

“What!”

“And she said she’d get Ryland and Ryker to be my dates.” Wow, Paige thought, she’d never really heard a bear roar before, but that’s exactly what Quinn did. She held the phone away and hoped she hadn’t suffered any permanent impairment.

“Paige. Paige.”

She eased the phone back against her ear to hear him calling her name. “That was some, umm, roar.”

“Don’t you dare go out with my brothers. Or my sister for that matter.”