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“That sounds interesting.”
Not committing himself. Because he wasn’t involved with or romantically interested in Marie or because he didn’t want Darcy to know he was? “What do you do, Quinn?”
“I dabble.”
“In?”
“Private investing.”
“I see.” She saw immediately that Quinn was probably loaded. And that his line of work would explain the jeans and casual blue shirt on a weekday afternoon. In a job like that he’d be very much his own boss, which made him even more attractive.
“So you never have any fun.” He touched her arm. “Not even on special occasions?”
“Is this one?” She couldn’t help smiling at him. He was irresistible.
“Meeting you could be nothing but a special occasion, Darcy.”
“Re-e-ally.” Oh, such a charmer. “And if I accept that compliment and return it, will I be causing any trouble for Marie?”
He didn’t blink. “Marie and I are buddies.”
“That’s what she said, but I wasn’t sure.” She wasn’t going to tell Quinn that she suspected Marie had, at very least, a killer crush on him.
“In fact, I’ll tell you a secret.” He beckoned her closer, touched his beautiful masculine lips to her ear, making it tingle with the desire for more touch. “She left just now so we could get to know each other better. Said she’s been wanting to match us up for months now.”
“Really.” Darcy was astounded. Had she and the girls read Marie that wrong about this man? “You’re sure?”
“She said as much.” He signaled Joe. “Another drink, Darcy? While we get to know each other better?”
Darcy held his gaze. She was beginning to suspect what kind of getting to know each other he ultimately wanted to do. And why not? Maybe it was what she needed to erase the stubbornly lingering traces of Troy.
She sent him a smoldering look that was partly ruined when her conscience thumped on the inside of her skull. Darcy, you moron, you don’t want to do this.
Yes, actually, she did. The guy looked like George Clooney. ’Nuff said.
“I’d love another drink.” She drained the one she had, probably two ounces in a single shot, and rested the glass back on the bar, smiling determinedly. “Getting to know you better sounds like it could make my whole night.”
6
DARCY DROVE SLOWLY UP E. Lake Forest Avenue, peering at the houses. Some numbers were visible, others not, but she was definitely close. Quinn’s house would be in this block.
There. Number 819, an attractive brick Tudor with a bay window on the lower level, rounded front door, dormer on the second floor and a decent-size yard. Not the largest house on the block, not as ostentatious as she’d imagined, but in a neighborhood like this, not far from Lake Michigan, even a garage would be out of her price range.
She pulled opposite and parked, turned off the motor of her in-her-price-range red Kia Rio sedan.
Well. Here she was. This would all have been easier if she’d gone home with Quinn last night, the night they met. But he’d invited her for tonight, so what could she do? The problem was that the twenty-four-hour gap had taken away from the chemical momentum.
All day she’d been debating: to go or not to go? Quinn was undeniably attractive, and Darcy had talked to Marie last night to apologize and to hear from the horse’s mouth that a “visit” between them would not be encroaching on her friend’s man-territory or her heart’s desire. Marie had been so enthusiastic about the idea of them getting together for a fling tonight that Darcy had hung up feeling a little disoriented. Except Marie was so anxious to get Darcy into a relationship she’d probably tell Darcy to go ahead if the guy was a terrorist.
Tonight the guy was Quinn. And no matter how hard Darcy tried to focus her memory on his looks, his solid, mature body, his charm and appeal, she couldn’t get more than a fuzzy image. Those martinis must have affected her more than she realized.
No matter. As soon as he opened the door and stood there in all his George Clooney glory, the rest of the night would fall into place.
She hoped.
Marie had also mentioned she’d be hosting a party at the end of the month for couples engaged and married over the last five years who’d met through Milwaukeedates.com, and was hoping to hold it at Gladiolas. Cutting it kind of close, but the restaurant didn’t have many reservations that night, and if Marie chose food off of the regular menu, Darcy could manage it. No doubt Marie hoped Darcy and Quinn, or Darcy and Chaz or Darcy and someone would be there as a couple.
