Page 25 of Savage Suit

I playfully thumped her shoulder. “First off, why does my sex life call for the same level of concern as past-due bills and unemployment? Your priorities are fucked up. Second, it isn’t hard to get dick. Guys stick their penises anywhere. A hole in the wall. A toaster.”

Quinn laughed. “Maybe, a vacuum hose. A toaster would burn the fuck out of that dick, so—”

My growl interrupted her. “How does a damn fight relate to any of the above?”

“I told you.”

“Remind me again.”

She looked at me and sniffed. “I’ll answer your question, but first tell me this: What the hell kind of guys do you date that fuck household appliances? Where do you find such masochistic pervs?”

I rubbed my head. “I’m single for a reason, Quinn. The dating pool isn’t great right now. Also, it wouldn’t burn them if they unplugged it first. Even I wouldn’t date someone too stupid to unplug it first.”

She shook her head. “If it were recently used, it would still burn them. By the way, no wonder you’re single; you have horrible taste in guys.”

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Quinn forged on.

“Paul will pay for everything. Even better, his job is hiringsecretaries. You have a degree and had an outstanding advertising job just two months ago. You weren’t fired because you didn’t know your shit; you were let go because of the company’s issues. You have more than enough experience and an excellent track record. I’ll talk to him about it after you meet him.”

“I don’t know, Quinn. Even if I didn’t fuck a stranger, I was sloshed and drugged the last time I went out with you.”

“Oh, my fuck!” she snapped. “You won’t let me live that down. If you had fucked Mr. Sir, you’d lay the blame for that at my feet, too.”

“I would not!” I protested, a little too vigorously for truthfulness. “You don’t understand. I remember snatches of conversations and…and…” And since meeting Noah, I’d had feelings of déjà vu. His voice and scent seemed too familiar for me not to have met him before.

“I understand perfectly. You’re above lust and mistakes. Or non-mistakes. It might not have been a mistake if you had slept with someone. It could’ve been a night of passion and forgoing responsibilities and worry. Goddamn, girl, the nicest thing you did for yourself was buy that Coach watch for your 25thbirthday. This year, you didn’t even buy a fucking cake.”

“Twenty-five is a milestone.”

“Every year is a milestone. Do you know how fucking precarious life is? Celebrate each birthday with abandon because it might be your last.”

I frowned. “How grim.”

She scowled at me.

“Quinn.” I drew a breath. “I won’t bring the ball up ever again.” From this day forward, I’d ignore all thoughts of what I believed I remembered. “Swear to me I didn’t fuck a stranger, and I’ll let it go.”

“You wear me out, Ryan.” Quinn rested her head on the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling. “You couldn’t find the man if you had slept with someone at the ball.”

“You could. Whoever invited you might know.”

“The dude who invited me? Fuck him.” Her lower lip trembled before anger blanketed her face. “Fuck him,” she repeated. “I don’t talk to that asshole anymore and never want to see him again in my entire fucking life.”

“I did—”

“Was anyone in the room when you walked in? How’d he look? You were alone when I found you. As I told your ass ten minutes ago when you swore to drop it and said you believed me.”

“Swear to me,” I insisted.

“For fuck’s sake. You’re calling me a liar,” she accused, sounding both hurt and outraged.

I winced, wishing I could explain the feelings Noah had stoked. He’d been a supreme fucking asshole,but… “You want me to go out with youagain,” I said, too confused to dive into other details. “You don’t lie. However…”

“Fine,” she said dramatically, “I sw-swear you didn’t fuck a stranger.”

Quinn’s stumbling over the word grabbed my attention. “Why—”

“For what it’s worth,” she interrupted, “I’m so sorry I let him give you that pill. I shouldn’t have allowed it. That was so irresponsible of me.”