Free NeedMe by Cari Quinn Page A

have a job and I’ve had to buy bigger clothes. But you
know what? I’m closer to happy than I’ve ever been. I used to hate my body.”
She sighed and stared at the ceiling. Poor Cale probably regretted commenting
on her lust for food. “Even when I was a size two, it wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t good enough.”
    “You’re beautiful. You always have been. The first time I
saw you…” He whistled and she grinned. “Shit, the things I wanted to do with
you are probably illegal in twenty states.”
    “So why didn’t you make a move? Tony and I weren’t seeing
each other yet.”
    Shortly thereafter, however, they had been. A trip to the
Nook’s storeroom to unearth some books had led to Tony offering to give her some
help. About ten minutes after that he’d helped her to the fastest orgasm she’d
ever had. The guy had talents that any woman would be lucky to experience.
    For weeks, they’d met every few days in that storeroom. Half
his allure had been that he’d been so young, and hot, and Italian .
Italian men just did it for her. Christ, those dark eyes of his could do her in
all on their own. The other half had been how damn sweet he was. He had his
foibles like anyone but he always brought his mom flowers and totally got why
women needed chocolate during certain times of the month.
    Even so, at that point she hadn’t considered actually dating
him. A woman in her upper thirties with a guy in his twenties was a cliché
waiting to happen. She didn’t want a bagel boy like some of the older female
celebrities. What she wanted was a real man and a real relationship that
included more than sex. Someone she could just hang out and laugh with, discuss
current events and anything else.
    At first she’d been sure Tony could fill only one role in
her life. Sexually, he was golden. Then he’d asked her out—to a picnic in the
park while the symphony was playing—and told her all about his degree in art
history and how he adored working in a bookstore and couldn’t snap up enough of
their latest non-fiction releases. Granted, they’d ended the night in his bed,
after getting there via a few heated stops in the hallway, but she’d soon
realized he had a lot more going for him than being good in the sack. It had
taken them a while to get it right but lately things had been wonderful between
them.
    He trusted her enough to let her sleep with his best friend,
for God’s sake. Falling for him had been a slow process, but she’d tumbled
deep. And hard. Was still falling, actually.
    Cale slid his hand up and down her arm, reminding her he
still hadn’t answered her question. “Sore subject?” she asked.
    “No.” He flicked his gaze up to hers. “I might’ve, if you
hadn’t been Spence’s sister.”
    “I didn’t know you knew that then. We kept it quiet around
the store.”
    “He told me. Think it slipped out accidentally one day but I
picked up on the secrecy and didn’t say anything to anyone.” He tweaked her
nipple and grinned. “As much as I wanted to ask why you were incognito, I let
it lie.”
    “Long story.”
    “About?”
    She tipped her chin toward the ceiling and considered how
much she should tell him. He’d been inside her body. Shouldn’t that give him
more access to the rest of her too? Regardless, she wouldn’t violate her
brother’s privacy. “Something happened a few years ago, with Diana. Let’s just
say it taught me the value of using my married name.”
    “Oh, the evil Diana. All roads lead back to her.”
    His amused tone made her mouth twist. “You don’t know her.”
    “I do know she’s got one hell of a rack.” He laughed at
Marcia’s squint. “No, I don’t know her. Since I’ve been working early mornings,
I hardly ever even see her. We’ve spoken, what, maybe two times in the past
year?” He shrugged. “She signs my checks. Good enough for me.”
    “You do know it’s tacky to comment on another woman’s
cleavage while you’re in bed with me,