“What are you doing?”she asked, sounding sleepy, her eyes barely opening.
“The same thing I used to do for Lia.”He slid off one sock.
“Hey.”Quinn was fully awake and trying to sit up.
“No, stay where you are.”
Heath quickly removed the other sock and squirted some lotion into his hand.She’d just started to pull her leg away when he quickly smeared the cream on the ball of her foot and went to work on her toes.
Quinn gave a low groan and quit fighting him.“Why do foot massages feelsogood?”She lay back on the cushion.
“Your shop is two doors down from Didi’s, and you haven’t gotten a massage from her yet?”Heath chuckled as he moved from Quinn’s toes to the pad of her foot.“She explains it to you as she works.The thing I remember is that it activates the nervous system and releases endorphins and such.A good foot massage helps your whole body relax.”
He then told her about Lia’s foot cramps.By the time he moved on to Quinn’s other foot, she was asleep.Heath finished but didn’t know what to do.They had twenty minutes before they should get ready to head to the festival, and he didn’t want to risk waking her by moving.Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her feet under his hands and the sense of connection and intimacy it gave him.If only she could feel the same way.
The ringing of a phone startled Heath awake.He found he’d leaned over in his sleep and was resting with his head on Quinn’s hip.With a jolt, he straightened and found her watching him, an unreadable expression on her face.
“Sorry.”She bent her knees and pulled her feet toward her, so he stood.The ring hadn’t been his, so it must have been Quinn’s.He asked, “Where’s your phone?”
“My camera bag.”She swung her feet from the couch like she meant to stand, but he waved to her to put on her shoes.
By the time he’d pulled the phone from her bag, it’d quit ringing.Then it started again.He handed it to Quinn.
“Quinn O’Brien.How may I help you?”She frowned.“How did you get my number, Viktor?”Heath couldn’t hear what he said in reply.“I understand, but it’s a boundary issue.This is mypersonalnumber, and I don’t give it out to clients.If you wanted to communicate with me, you should have emailed my business account… yes, we’re on our way.”
She ended the call and slid her feet into her shoes.“That man.Sometimes I feel sorry for him, and other times I’d like to smack him right upside his entitled head.”
“I want to do that every time I look at him,” Heath said, putting on his jacket.
“You’re just jealous.I really think we could help him.”Quinn rose, and he held her coat as she slid her arms into it.“You two could be friends.”
“Not when he looks at you like you’re lunch.”
“He doesn’t look at me like that.”
“Whatever you say,” Heath replied dryly.
By the time they left the Gatehouse, they were running fifteen minutes late.
“I can’t believe I fell asleep,” Quinn said.“I blame you and that foot massage.”
“Well, I blame lack of sleep because no one gavemea foot massage.”Heath kept his tone light.
“Sounds like you should take your own advice and make an appointment with Didi.There’s Viktor.”Quinn approached the man and held out her hand.“Let me have your phone.”
The duke-let blinked but did as she asked.Heath watched with wonder as she flipped through his contacts and deleted one.She handed back the phone.
“Now do it right.”
Heath had no idea what she was talking about, but Viktor seemed to.
“I apologize for my presumption.Since we are becoming friends, would you be kind enough to exchange phone numbers?”He offered her the phone again.
“If we’re friends now, you have to behave yourself.”Quinn pointed to where the crowds were gathering.“What’s on your schedule for today, my Lord?”
“If we are friends, you must call me Viktor.What would you like to do?”
“I’m working for you and the Citadel.You’re the one having this adventure in the Pacific Northwest.What else do you want to see today?And don’t say it’s me.”She said the last firmly but with a teasing tone.
