Read Online No Romance Required by Cari Quinn - Free Book Online Page B

smoking a lot of Camels.
    “Yo. Vicky’s phone.”
    A freaking guy had answered her cell, just as he’d feared. Not feared. Suspected.
     Fear would indicate a level of trepidation at the possible outcomes. He was…indifferent.
    “Who the hell are you?” Cory stalked back to the railing as if he could see into Victoria’s
     house on the opposite side of town. “Where is Victoria?”
    “Dude, she’s out with the dog. She’ll be back.”
    The news that Victoria and her faceless he-man weren’t currently screwing like bunnies
     calmed him somewhat, but what she was doing infuriated him all over again. “Why is
     Victoria out with your dog when she’s late to see me? Dude ?”
    He heard a commotion in the background followed by a thud. “Vicks, come get your phone.
     The dude keeps calling you Victoria.”
    Her sigh gusted over the line amid the sounds of a scuffle. “Yeah?”
    “ Yeah ? That’s how you respond to me after you’ve kept me waiting six hours?” Cory blew
     out a breath. “Who is that guy?”
    She laughed, and he knew, just knew, she was laughing at him. “That was Bryan, you
     dolt. My brother. He’s home for an…uh, unscheduled visit.”
    Relief shot through Cory with such speed he actually sagged against the railing. Thank
     God she wasn’t there to witness his humiliation. “I saw his game against the Ravens.
     Incredible.” He paused. “Well, until that sack in the fourth quarter. How’s he doing
     now, by the way?”
    “Fine. He’s just fine.” Her terse reply surprised him. “I’ll pass him your regards.”
    “Thanks. And, uh, tell him I’m sorry for—”
    “For being you?” she asked wryly.
    Miraculously, a smile slid across his face. Amazing what just the sound of her voice
     could do to him sometimes. “Something like that.”
    “Will do.” She sighed again. “Give me a few and I’ll get there, okay?”
    He was tempted to tell her to forget it. Meeting after midnight when both their… tempers were aroused was a recipe for disaster. Once she learned exactly how serious he’d
     been about pushing her limits, she’d want no part of him.
    Maybe a disaster was exactly what he needed.
    “I’ll be waiting.” He clicked off and strode to his desk, snatched up his ledger,
     and went back out to the balcony. At least the galaxy still made sense.
    …
    Frenemies helping frenemies. Right. Past midnight. In a swanky apartment, all alone.
     As onboard as she’d been, actually kissing Cory on Monday had shown her that her good
     deed might just cause her to lose more than her panties. Because clearly the passionate
     encounter that had landed them both in the local gossip column—and started this whole
     ruse to begin with—hadn’t been enough warning.
    A crush on the guy was one thing. He was hot. Criminally so. But falling for him,
     or even potentially putting herself in a position to make that easier…
    She must be crazy.
    Scratch that. She was crazy, for Cory and his mouth. If he’d use it on her again, she’d probably even be
     willing to listen to more of what came out of it.
    Which was why it didn’t make sense that she’d avoided him all week. Why should she
     be afraid of where this might go? She was an experienced, sexually empowered woman.
     Whatever happened between them would be of her choosing. And she would enjoy the hell
     out of herself.
    Kinky sex or not, she’d snapped on the Teflon guard around her heart and she was ready.
     She definitely needed a distraction after the night she’d spent with Bry. Her big
     brother was obviously suffering from his football injury more than he would admit
     and she was on the verge of climbing the walls from nerves. Worry was not her color.
    The fancy doorman let Vicky into Cory’s phallic-shaped building and the man himself
     buzzed her upstairs. Really, she was barely nervous. Not even shaking or anything.
     Those goose bumps on her arms were from the fall chill, not abject fear at what might
     happen with