Read Harlequin Special Edition October 2015, Box Set 1 of 2 for Free Online

her head, he slid in behind his desk and gestured for her to sit back down. “Okay. What’s going on?”
    â€œI, uh, had a visit from Manny and Annabelle today, at my design showroom. Manny offered me a really good project, redoing all the rooms in your house.” She paused to swallow and smooth her already perfect hair. “I agreed to meet him at your house tomorrow in the afternoon to go over the changes he wants. If he still wants to hire me, I’ll work out the numbers and put together a contract.”
    This was all news to Quinn. But not bad news. He asked cautiously, “And this is a problem somehow?”
    â€œWell, after Manny and Annabelle left, I started wondering if you even knew that he was planning to hire me. I thought I should, you know, check with you, make certain you’re on board with Manny’s plan...” Her voice trailed off.
    He watched her try not to fidget. And the longer he sat there looking at her, the more he came to grips with the fact that the one night he’d had with her wasn’t enough. Luckily for him, her signal came through loud and clear: she felt the same way.
    No, he had no time for romance.
    But for a woman like Chloe, he might just have to make time.
    Should he be pissed off at Manny for taking the situation into his battered old hands? Probably. Manny had no business butting in.
    But Quinn had just spent a week keeping himself from climbing the hill to get to her. Manny’s bold move had brought her right to him. Pissed off? Hardly. Downright grateful was more like it.
    Not that he’d ever admit that to Manny.
    A small, embarrassed sound escaped her. “Oh, God. You
didn’t
know, did you?”
    â€œDoesn’t matter. Manny’s in charge of the house and we agreed when we bought the place that it would need major upgrades. It’s his call who he hires to make that happen.”
    â€œSo you’re okay with it—with me, working in your house?”
    He was more than just okay with it. “Sounds like a good idea to me—I mean, if you’re willing.”
    She gave him one of those glowing smiles that could light up the blackest night. “Well, then. Yes. I’m willing, definitely.” She got up. “So, then, I guess I should be...”
    He couldn’t let her go. Not yet. He pushed back his chair. “Now that you’re here, how ’bout I show you around?”
    â€œThe gym, you mean?”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œYes. Yes, I would like that.”
    â€œWell, okay, then. This way...”
    * * *
    Chloe followed Quinn past the reception area, into a series of wood-floored classrooms with mirrored walls and different kinds of equipment stacked in the corners. In one, a fitness ball class was in progress. In another, the participants were paired up for intense stretching. They went upstairs to the second floor and the giant cardio room as well as a room with all kinds of weight machines and one with boxing equipment and two rings.
    He explained that Prime Fitness tried to offer something for everyone. “We have martial arts for all ages, boxing, kickboxing, general fitness and yoga classes...”
    She listened and nodded, just glad to be walking along beside him, glad that he seemed to want to keep her there longer, to be drawing the moments out before she left.
    On the top floor there was a beginning women’s self-defense class in progress. They watched through the observation window as a big guy in a padded suit tried to take down a woman about Chloe’s size. The woman shouted and fought him off violently, kicking and slugging at him, spinning away and sprinting off as soon as she got the guy to let go of her.
    Watching that made Chloe’s mouth go dry and her palms feel clammy. It made her think of Ted and how she ought to be better prepared if anyone ever hit her or threatened her again.
    â€œWhat do you think?” Quinn asked.
    She turned to