The Christmas Tree Guy by Railyn Stone Read Free Book Online Page B

on, Syd. That’s him, the guy in the black standing at the bar watching you like a hawk. Good gracious one in heaven, look at those eyes. That’s the Christmas tree guy isn’t it?” Quinn was dressed in a simple black utility shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his muscular arms and a pair of dark denim jeans that fit him perfectly. The stubble on his face was gone and had been replaced with a clean-shaven look, making him appear even younger and yummier than when she first met him. “You didn’t tell me he was that fine.”
    Giggling at the silly nickname they dubbed him with, Sydnee released the breath she was holding and glanced back at Quinn, whose intense gaze initiated a parade of chills to high-step across her skin. “That’s him all right.”
    “Well, I can say he wasn’t quite what I was expecting. He’s a whole lot hotter. Honey, if you don’t go over there and talk to him, I will. He is magnificent, but he looks familiar.”
    “Sara, he’s on a date. Are you crazy?” She paused, looking at her friend. Please don’t let him be someone Sara dated . “And what do you mean he looks familiar? Don’t tell me you went out with him before?” It was definitely a possibility. Sara had a tendency to date a lot. Not that she was promiscuous, she just couldn’t seem to make up her mind. She equated dating to fishing and Sydnee thought back to a conversation she had with Sara before. “Syd, sometimes you have to reel in a few minnows before you pull in the big bass.”
    “Puh-lease, if I had dated him, believe me, you would have known about it. Every nasty, sordid detail. Syd, seriously, he’s not on a date he cares anything about.” Sara continued, peering at Quinn. Sydnee could feel his eyes on her as she struggled to divert her attention elsewhere; failing miserably. Nervously, she rubbed her neck and placed her elbow on the table.
    “What are you talking about?”
    “Look, he was sitting at that table over there before. You can clearly see he’s on a double date. However, he left the table, and he’s staring at you. He has no interest in the girl he was sitting with. If he was interested, he wouldn’t be at the bar making eyes at you.”
    “Whatever, Sara, guys do that kind of thing all the time. You do remember who my ex-husband is, right? They may be out with one woman, but they are scoping out another one. And just how do you know he doesn’t care about the date he’s already on?”
    “Oh get real, Syd. I’ve been on enough dates to know when I see someone doing someone else a favor.” Sara paused before continuing with her explanation. “The other guy is trying his hardest to get with the girl he’s with and she’s not really interested, but she’s out with him because he probably has money, or something like that. So, he got your boy there to go on a double date because she probably wouldn’t go out with him without having someone to go out with her friend. You know, like the movie Good Fellas , and how the girl wouldn’t go out with Tommy unless Henry went out with her girlfriend?”
    “You watch too many movies, and you’re crazy.” Sydnee laughed at the explanation Sara gave her. The woman was unbelievable, but her dating tips and tricks were always a great source of entertainment for Sydnee.
    “But I’m right. Go over there and talk to him. You know you want to.” Just the thought of going over to Quinn made Sydnee sweat in places she didn’t want to. He was such a beautiful man and the thought of being in close vicinity of him had her heart racing. She knew he looked good and she was pretty sure he was going to smell even better. The scent of his cologne had lived in her nostrils since the day he’d delivered their Christmas tree and she wasn’t sure she could handle another live whiff of it without wanting to inhale his entire being.
    “Sara, I-I can’t do that.”
    “Yes, you can, but hey, if you won’t go, I will. No sense in letting something like