Ricochet (Locked & Loaded #1) by Heather C. Leigh Read Free Book Online

that his night didn’t go as planned, and stormed out.
    By the time he got back to his Midtown condo, he was even more agitated and fidgety than he had been at the bar—and after thinking about Quinn the whole ride home, he now had an erection hard enough to pound nails. He poured a rather large scotch and paced back and forth in front of his windows for over an hour, cursing himself for allowing Quinn to wiggle her way into his life so quickly.
    Rick replayed the afternoon in his head. Once he got Quinn out of her place and into the store, she became playful, almost mischievous. Her features lit up with a joy he wouldn’t have thought the introverted girl was capable of if he hadn’t seen it for himself. Unfortunately, the minute they got back to her little apartment above the gym, she reverted right back into the timid, nervous wreck he had met earlier.
    Quinn didn’t ask him to stay or for help putting her groceries away. She simply thanked him for the ride and hustled him out the door as quickly as possible. Rick thought he had made progress with getting her to relax around him. They were getting along great, and then… nothing. She may as well have said “don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out”.
    Closing his eyes, he decided he would try going out again tomorrow night. Maybe a different bar would inspire him to find someone. Possibly a brunette… with large eyes the color of caramel.
    Fuck!
    Agitated, Rick half-heartedly watched a Braves game until he was tired enough to go to bed. He stripped down to his briefs, checked his Glock 22 before slipping it under his pillow, made sure his Marine-issued KA-BAR knife was within reach on his nightstand and fell asleep, determined to put the beautiful, cock-blocking Quinn Wallace out of his mind for good.
     
     
     
     
    “QUINN! HOW WAS your first few weeks of work?”
    Quinn had been trying to get a cup of coffee from the break room, hoping to escape back to her desk without anyone noticing. Wincing, she twisted around to see who found her.
    “Mack.” Her tense posture instantly relaxed at the sight of the friendly yet frequently bad-tempered man. He was never ill towards Quinn. He always treated her kindly and with respect. She actually found it pretty entertaining when Mack would yell at one of the burly, muscled men and they would stand there and take it without uttering a single word.
    “It’s been wonderful, really. Thank you so much for taking me on.” She shifted awkwardly, so out of practice with making casual conversation that she wasn’t sure what else to say.
    “No need to thank me, Quinn. It’s great to have you here. We need a woman around here to keep the guys respectable.” Mack laughed, a warm, friendly laugh that reminded Quinn of her dad.
    Quinn smiled at her father’s best friend. Mack seemed to know exactly what to say to make her feel appreciated and less like an annoyance. Two years with Travis and she never felt as welcome as she had in the three weeks since arriving at Sanctum.
    “I should get to the front. It’s almost nine.”
    “Sure, Quinn. I’ll bring you a few invoices I need entered once I get organized.”
    Mack’s genuine smile left her feeling warm and fuzzy. A way she hadn’t felt since her mom died eleven years ago when she was just twelve.
    Quinn left the back offices, crossing through the main gym to reach the front lobby. The space had been empty a few minutes ago, but now there was a man repeatedly kicking a large black bag on the other side of the gym. Not just any man, but what Quinn thought could possibly be the most perfect specimen of masculinity she’d ever laid eyes on. Normally, she would hurry past, not wanting to witness the violence these men could unleash, but the sight in front of her pulled her in like a magnet.
    The man’s back was facing Quinn, giving her a full view of his flawless body as he executed each graceful move. Clad only in a pair of black and red fight shorts, she