"Your mother?"
"Yep!"
Billie didn't ask any further questions because it wouldn't matter what she asked. None of this made sense to her. In fact, very little has made sense to her since she woke up this morning.
"But I have one slight problem. I'd need to pick up my car from the garage because Carlos drove me," Quentin told her.
"How do you feel about public transportation?" Billie asked, grinning.
"What?"
Just then, the server dropped off the check, and Quentin picked it up. Within seconds, he handed it back to her and told her to keep the change.
The server's eyes widened. "Sir, you accidentally gave me a $100 bill," she said, trying to hand it back to him. Quentin looked at the bill in her hand with minor curiosity.
"You know what you're right. I did. I'm sorry I meant to give you this," he then pulled out his wallet and handed her another $100 for her honesty.
A huge smile broke out on her face. "Are you serious?"
Quentin nodded.
The woman squealed in delight. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" the waitress said before running off to the register.
Billie stared at Quentin trying to figure this man out and having an exceedingly hard time doing so.
"What?" Quentin asked because of the bemused expression on Billie's face. "Someone told me I should spend the second half of my life giving my wealth away."
This made Billie laugh. "One - you're not that old. You're only two years older than me. Two- I've heard only the good die young so I know you have more time."
"I can be good," Quentin said with a teasing grin. "In fact, I've been told in certain ways, I can be very good."
"Uh-huh," Billie commented as she hiked up her bag on her shoulder and slid out of the booth. "Did you pay them, too?"
"Hey now! All I purchased was a smile," Quentin said as he slid from the booth to join her. "What else do I have to spend my money on?"
Quentin reached out and took the bag from her. He paused grabbing her hand to examine it. Gently he rubbed his thumb over the swelling on her knuckles. "Is this from boxing?"
Billie shrugged not liking the casual way Quentin held her hand or the flutters she felt as he held it, she pulled her hand away. "I was taking my frustrations out on the heavy bag first. It happens."
To change the subject she asked, "How did you get Carlos to help you, by the way?"
"I told him the truth about what happened. He's all for whatever I do so long as it helps you."
Billie smiled. Quentin is either the greatest conman that ever lived or the real deal. Billie just wished she knew which.
"Why is he so loyal to you?" They walked out of the diner together. Quentin put himself on follow not exactly sure where Billie was headed. "He said he owes you."
"Carlos doesn't owe me a damn thing." Billie led Quentin to what she expected was his first-ever bus stop. "He just feels like he's indebted to me. I've told him a million times but he's stubborn and won't listen to me."
"You were serious about the bus?" Quentin asked surprised.
"I don't take my car to the gym. There is no parking around there. So, yes."
Quentin shrugged. It really didn't matter. "Okay, then why does Carlos believe he's indebted to you?"
"You're not going to let this drop are you?" Billie asked.
"No." Quentin shook his head. "Can't say that I will."
Billie smiled. Part of her was happy to know it bothered him that she and Carlos were close, but Billie refused to examine why.
The bus pulled up and they got on board. Quentin was so out of his element; it was difficult for Billie not to giggle at him. She showed her pass and paid for his fare. They took the first two seats which allowed them to sit together.
"Still waiting," Quentin reminded her. Billie sighed but she decided to tell him the story.
"When my mom got sick, so did Carlos' wife, Elena. They were both in ICU. Several times we had bumped into one another, in the hallway, in the cafeteria. My father really couldn't get away to visit my mom much. So, I was the one with her most of the time."
Carlos and I started talking. Commiserating. Praying together. He was in the Army and at that time on active duty, his unit was being deployed. He had used up his leave. I promised to watch over his wife and his baby daughter, Isabelle while he was away. They have no family in the States.
His story had a happy ending as Elena got better but my mother did not and honestly if it wasn't for Carlos and his family, especially that baby girl, I'm not entirely sure if I would have pulled through.
Isabelle made it so I couldn't fall apart because I was responsible for her. Carlos and his wife were counting on me. The only time I was apart from that little one was when I had to hire a nanny so I could attend my mom's funeral.
For 6 months, I took care of Isabelle and her mom. When Carlos came back, he said he was retiring. He didn't wish to leave his family again. That meant financial hardship for the family but now he owns the parking garage."
"Owns it? As in he owns the building?" Quentin asked wondering how the hell that happened and then he filled in the blanks.
"You bought the property?"
"No, Carlos bought the property with the help of a certain Angel Investor," Billie corrected.
"And you can't figure out after all of that why the man would lay down his life for you?"
"I get it. It's just not necessary. Carlos and Isabelle were my anchors during a really dark time in my life. I didn't know how to work through all that I had to process, in such a short amount of time."
"You got a picture of her?"
"Isabelle?"
"Yeah," Quentin said.
Billie dug out her phone from her bag and swiped her pictures, picked out her favorite, and showed it to Quentin.
"I thought you said she was a baby."
Billie took back the phone and looked at the photo, "She was a baby then, but it's been two years. She calls me Madrina now."
"Godmother?"
"You speak Spanish?"
"I speak several languages," Quentin admitted, "a mandatory part of the grooming. She's adorable by the way."
Billie looked back at the picture and smiled in such a loving way it made Quentin's heartache. Must be something to have Billie's love.
"Would you mind before we retrieve your car and see your mom if I go home first? I'd like to get cleaned up a bit, you know before I meet my possible future mother-in-law."
"That's fine with me. I'll just pick up my car and..."
"What? Circle the block about 50 times before I'm ready to join you. Just come to the apartment with me."
"Are you sure?"
"We are a couple, aren't we? If we are going to play this game your father has put into play, no time like the present, I would say."
Spying a teenager who was standing on the bus trying to video or take a discrete picture of them, Quentin grinned, "I totally agree."
Quentin turned her face with his hand and leaned in to whisper close to her ear. "See that boy, the one who is pretending to take a selfie, he's been recording us for the last 2 minutes."
Billie pulled back surprised. "Seriously? How do you know this?"
"My life has been pretty high profile. You get used to it."
"Maybe you do? I sort of miss my life being my own."
"Was it really?"
"What do you mean?"
"We all change who we really are to fit in the world we are born into. Ever wonder who Billie Dupree would be if she wasn't bound by everyone else's expectations of her?"
"I...?"
Quentin took advantage of Billie's hesitation and pulled her in by the nape of her neck. He kissed her but kept it brief, just long enough to keep it interesting for the young videographer.
He pulled away and Billie said, "Surely you can do better than that?"
Quentin laughed but wasn't about to turn down the challenge. Once again, he pulled her towards him this time however his other arm went around her waist anchoring her into place. His mouth expertly claimed hers.
What started out as a tease became a promise of something far more real as Billie ignited Quentin's desire. Once again, she took control. Her soft lips smoothly brushed across his. Even though she took command, the kiss was slow and uncertain. The contradiction, Quentin found so sexy. He wanted her to explore and take her time at the same moment wished she'd speed things up. He was so turned on at the moment that this slow build-up was torture.
Billie left him wanting when she pulled away, her eyes a little glassy with passion. Quentin was glad to see she felt it too. There was a pull between them, a magnetic force that was undeniable. They both looked over at the teen and he appeared stunned by what he witnessed.
They had reached their stop and Billie rose to leave, clueing Quentin in. As he passed the teenager, he saw him uploading his video. Quentin leaned over the boy's shoulder, "Try hashtag passion."
"Or true love," Billie said grabbing Quentin's hand to pull him off the bus. "That should get you a couple of more views."
Quentin liked the way she thought even though he knew she didn't mean it. He almost found himself wishing that she did.
They arrived at the front doors of her apartment building and Mitch said, "Him again?"
"I'm afraid he's a keeper Mitch. So, please allow Mr. Harrison access should he drop by for me?"
"If you say so, Ms. Dupree."
"Why do I get the feeling, Mitch thinks you could do better?" Quentin asked as they entered the elevator.
Billie shrugged. "It doesn't matter what he thinks. What matters is what I think."
This brought a grin to Quentin's lips. "Oh really? And what pray tell do you think, Ms. Dupree?"
"I know I can do better." Billie laughed at the dejected look on Quentin's face. She relented slightly by saying, "For now, let's just say you're a work in progress."
Quentin really couldn't argue with that assessment. "Yeah, I guess you could call me that, but I'm willing to put in the work to improve," he said pulling Billie into his arms.
Billie immediately pushed him away. "I'm all for playing the game Mr. Harrison but let's not get carried away. You and I both know this," she motioned in between the two of them, "is going nowhere."
Quentin put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "If you say so, Ms. Dupree."
Billie hated how sure Quentin sounded when he hinted they would become something more. She couldn't afford such a romance. Becoming romantically involved with Quentin came with a price tag that was too rich for her blood.
Billie opened up the door to her apartment. "Make yourself comfortable but uh... keep your clothes on this time okay?" Billie taunted.
"I'll try my best," Quentin said with teasing eyes.
"I'm just going to grab a quick shower and change. I should be no more than twenty minutes. Do you have something to occupy yourself for that long?"
"I'll just grab one of your romance novels from the shelf to read if I get bored," Quentin goaded and loved how Billie's face flushed with color.
"They're not mine," Billie fumbled and Quentin's eyebrow rose in curiosity.
"You have books that aren't yours on display on your bookshelf?"
"Well no... I mean, they're mine, I obviously own them but I've never read them."
"Why do you have a shelf full of romance novels you've never read?" Quentin asked perplexed.
"My mother wrote them." Billie walked over to the bookshelf and pulled one down, to show Quentin her mother's name, Gwendolyn Dupree. "It's taken me some time to track the copies down. There are still a few I'm missing from her single years."
Quentin took the book from her. "Your mother was a writer?"
"Actually, she was an opera singer, but writing it would seem was always part of her life."
"Your mother must have been to some lavish places and parties being an opera singer. The perfect fodder for romance stories."
Billie shrugged. "I guess."
"Why haven't you read them?"
"I didn't start collecting them until after she passed and my Father fessed up this is what she did in her free time. I guess it was a way to grab little pieces of her to keep with me, but I missed her too much to read them."
"Hmmm," Quentin said thoughtfully but didn't relinquish the book. Instead, he took it to the couch, sat down, and cracked it open to read.
"You're seriously going to read it?" Billie asked astonished.
"Who knows," Quentin teased, "I may learn a thing or two."
Billie laughed and shrugged. "Suit yourself." And she walked into the bedroom and shut the door.
It took a while before Quentin heard the water running. Just the mere thought of wet and soapy Billie had him adjusting his position. It didn't help that Billie's mother was a damn good writer and he just finished reading a steamy sex scene in the book.
Suddenly he heard Billie scream. There was a thud, then a crash, and then another scream. Quentin didn't have time to do anything but react. He swung open her bedroom door and ran to the bathroom.
He opened the bathroom door to find Billie pressed against the corner of the shower looking terrified. "Kill it! Please kill it! I beg of you!"
It took a moment for Quentin to not be distracted by a sudsy naked Billie and follow her finger to the beast that had her cornered. It was a thousand-legger, a house centipede, and it looked to be about three to four inches in length.
There was no way for Quentin to reach the thing without getting wet from the shower. But Billie looked so terrified, that he didn't think twice. He kicked off his sneakers, opened the door, and entered the shower. Grabbing the bottle Billie held in her hand he smashed the bug.
Quentin used some toilet paper to wipe the dead bug off the tiled wall and threw it away. By this time, however, he was soaked. "The bug has been defeated," he announced with some humor until he'd seen Billie still shivering in the corner.
"Hey, you okay?"
Billie shook her head, no. Ever since she was a little girl and she found one of those things in her bed she's been terrified of them. Quentin gently pulled her into the water to rinse the soap off her body.
Billie just stood there like a statue, allowing the water to rain down over her.
Grabbing the towel from the rack Quentin shut off the water and wrapped the towel around Billie, before pulling her towards him. She was still shaking. "It's okay, it's just a bug. It can't hurt you," Quentin soothed as he ran his hands over her back and she burrowed into him.
"I hate those things," she whispered against his shirt. "I hate everything about them. How big they are, how quick they move, all those... legs. Billie's body gave an involuntary shudder and Quentin pulled her in closer. "You're wet," Billie observed and Quentin laughed.
"Yes, I am. It's difficult to kill a bug in a running shower and not get wet. Come on let's get you into the other room so you can get dressed. You're cold," he reasoned and Billie followed him out of the bathroom and into her bedroom.
"I'm sorry. I very rarely ever see them in the apartment. They exterminate the premises regularly. I didn't expect..." Billie felt so bad as she took in Quentin's soggy appearance. "Thank you for coming to my rescue," Billie finished.
"My pleasure, any excuse to see you naked is fine by me," Quentin teased, Billie glared at him and he chuckled.
At the reminder of her state of undress, Billie shrugged into her silk robe and tied it around her waist. "Give me your clothes," she demanded.
"I beg your pardon?" Quentin taunted. "Didn't you say I have to keep my clothes on when you came in the door?"
"That was before you got all wet coming to my rescue," Billie stated.
"Must you use the words wet and coming in the same sentence when you're standing so temptingly in front of me in that silk robe?"
Billie pulled the robe a little tighter around her.
"It's not going to help, silk clings to a damp body, love."
"Just give me your damn clothes," Billie commanded annoyed that she put them both in this situation because of her phobia of insects.
"Yes, ma'am," Quentin said, slowly pulling his t-shirt over his head, revealing that taunt muscled stomach and finely cut chiseled chest of his. It should be a crime to look that good.
Billie turned to her closet so she didn't have to continue to witness him undressing. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn Quentin was purposely taking his time pulling off piece after piece to try to seduce her.
It didn't help that her dream about him last night was very similar to this, with him undressing and then him undressing her right before they both tumbled passionately into bed, but no, she would not give in.
Billie picked out which clothes she thought appropriate for her to wear to meet his mother and dashed back into the bathroom to get changed. She came out to find Quentin standing there in nothing but his black silk boxers. He wasn't kidding about how wet silk clings to a body. It didn't help that Quentin seemed somewhat aroused by the events that took place.
"Your underwear?"
"Yes?" Quentin asked amused.
"They're wet."
"Yes, they are but I assumed you weren't expecting to come back into this room to find me completely naked."
"I... no... of course not... but you can't wear them like that. I have a dryer. In a few minutes, you can get dressed again."
"Have any thoughts on how we might pass the time?" Quentin baited as he ran his thumbs along his waistband, acting as if he was about to pull his underwear down.
"Don't you dare!" Billie said averting her eyes with a hand covering them and becoming incensed when she heard Quentin laugh at her.
"You asked me to take them off," he reminded her.
She threw a towel at him. "Yes, but I expect you to do so after I leave the room and to put that towel around your waist."
"You're no fun." Quentin grinned.
Billie ignored him and quickly gathered up his other clothes. "Just leave them outside the door when you've pulled them off and I'll add them to the rest of your clothes," Billie instructed before removing herself from the room and shutting the door behind her.
Billie paused a moment outside her door, her legs felt like jelly. The moment she thought he might actually disrobe in front of her she lost all sense and got weak in the knees. To have her fantasy, standing there oh so real in her room. It was more than a girl could bear.
The door cracked open and in his hand were Quentin's boxers.
Billie snatched them and she heard him laugh. She pulled the door closed tight before running away to put as much distance as she could between her and the now naked Quentin Harrison in her bedroom.