Under the Boardwalk

He turned and came face-to-face with a grinning monkey holding his leather billfold in its hand.

“I don’t know why they insist on saying men are descended from apes.” Uncle John, another man who’d crowded Quinn earlier, spoke up. “This one’s not the brightest bulb in the box.”

Quinn shook his head in disbelief. He’d had his pocket picked by a monkey that resembled Marcel on Friends. Quinn wondered if it was possible to arrest the animal or if Ari’s family had managed to pull the ultimate con. He wondered what they’d say if they knew he was a cop. And then he pondered what the hell he was doing analyzing so much when he was having such a damn good time watching these people in action.

He accepted the wallet and slipped it into his front jeans pocket. “Don’t try reaching in there,” he warned the smiling monkey.

“We really should go,” Ari said, her eagerness to leave almost palpable.

He wasn’t in any rush himself, but she was so mortified, he decided she deserved a break. “We do have to get going.”

“But Ari hasn’t seen our plans for the new family business yet,” Elena said.

“There’s always tomorrow, Mom.”

Her mother shook her head, all that long hair whipping around her. “I’m sure your sister thought the same thing and where is she now?”

Quinn shut his eyes. He didn’t know how much longer he could take lying to Ari’s entire family when he could so easily put them out of their misery. But then he’d jeopardize two years’ worth of carefully laid undercover work. He’d already been stupid enough to confide in Ari enough to ease her suspicions.

He reminded himself that his reasons for keeping silent were just. If he could hold out a little longer… He opened his eyes in time to see Ari hugging her mother tight.

“Tomorrow’s Friday,” Elena said. “I’m planning a big meal and I expect you here with the family. We’ll talk, fill you in on our project… it’ll be like old times.”

Ari nodded. “I’ll be here.”

Quinn, feeling like an outsider, took a step back toward the door. Then another, and another. He was used to being on his own, but being alone in a close-knit crowd reminded him too much of all he’d missed out on in life. Finally he reached the door.

“And Quinn, you be here at four, too,” Elena called out. “Living at the hotel, you could use a good home-cooked meal.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I have a business meeting.” He refused to accept their pity.

“So cancel it,” Nicholas ordered. “When Elena speaks, people listen. And when she cooks, they eat,” he added, laughing.

“You’d better listen or else Yiayia will put a spell on you,” Ari whispered, coming up beside him.

“Who?”

“That’s Greek for Grandma.”

“Can I take that as an indication you want me here, too?” he asked.

She shook her head, the newly cut strands swaying sassily around her cheeks. “I’m just looking out for my mother. She’s had more than her share of disappointment lately. For reasons I can’t seem to fathom, she likes you and wants you around.”

Her glossed lips glistened and his body tightened, yearning for another taste. “I think her daughter does, too.”

“Arrogant man.”

He chuckled, then turned to the family. “Thanks, Elena. I’ll be here. Nice meeting you all.” He followed Ari into the living room and back out the front door.

A stubborn woman with her own share of secret pain, a bizarre family of con artists, and a pickpocket monkey. And he thought his life had become routine.

• • •

Ariana awoke, stretched, and every muscle screamed in protest. If this morning was painful, last night had been no better. Her first shift at Damon’s had been a crash course in hell instigated by one angry coworker named Maria. Quinn had put the experienced cocktail waitress in charge of teaching Ariana the ropes, then left her under both Connor and Maria’s watch. It didn’t take long for Ariana to pick up the sexual undercurrents between the two of them and realize she was a point of contention between them. Connor’s constant flirting with Ariana didn’t help the other woman’s attitude, even if Ariana did suspect he was doing it on purpose, to aggravate Maria.

And speaking of aggravating, Quinn had made himself suspiciously scarce last night. Though Ariana should be grateful he wasn’t underfoot as he’d threatened, she’d found herself watching for him all evening and was disappointed he hadn’t shown up, except to drive her home. She suspected he’d tapped Connor as his eyes in the casino while Quinn himself made sure she didn’t snoop around before or after her shift.

Which left her with only one way to get information about her sister. She needed to make friends with Maria. Ariana had an idea or two about how to take care of the other woman’s sour opinion of Ariana, and it involved using Quinn. Quinn, who’d tried to maintain distance by not talking during the trip to and from the casino. Quinn, who’d walked her to the door, and whose hazel eyes had golden sparks as they’d stared into hers beneath the porch light.

He’d leaned forward, coming close. She’d seen the conflicting struggle going on in his mind, the desire to kiss her again as all-consuming for him as it was for her. He’d been about to give in. She knew it, and then the damn monkey had tapped on the window and waved, a big grin on his ugly face.

Aunt Dee had pulled him away, but the damage had been done. The moment had passed. Quinn had had time to think and regain control, while Ariana realized her family had been spying on them the entire time. Deja vu all over again, she thought wryly.

Rolling to her side now, Ariana checked the clock on the nightstand, shocked to discover it was almost noon. She hadn’t slept so late since… well, since the last time she’d pulled cocktail waitress duty back in college. But she didn’t have all day to luxuriate, because some shopping was definitely in order. Though Damon’s had a uniform, she needed a comfortable pair of shoes or she’d never make it through her second shift.

The buzz coming from downstairs told her that her nosy family was already up and about. She wasn’t anywhere near ready to deal with them yet. She had no idea what they had planned, but she’d find out soon enough.

Ariana showered and slipped out the door before her mother could interrogate her about the trip to Damon’s, or worse, her daughter’s dealings with or feelings for Quinn.

• • •

So maybe she was a coward but Ariana stayed out all afternoon, coming home close enough to four o’clock that she didn’t have time to talk to anyone before Quinn’s arrival. After a quick change of clothes, she packed up her uniform in an overly large handbag, smoothed her black skirt, took a deep breath, and headed down the stairs to face the troops, only to find out someone had already let Quinn inside and led him to the kitchen.

Ariana joined them, watching as each family member welcomed Quinn as if he were an old friend, which he might well be, since he’d apparently worked with Zoe at the casino. Despite the warmth flowing through the room, Zoe’s absence was obvious to Ariana, not just physically, but in the forced way her family pushed themselves through their day.

As for Quinn, though he seemed wary about the family at first, he warmed up quickly, and it was obvious her relatives liked what they saw. So did Ariana. Faded denim molded over his behind, and his broad shoulders were covered by the same leather jacket he’d worn last night. His hair was just long enough to skim the collar and make her fingers itch to run through it. He was a man comfortable in his own skin, while in contrast, here she was in her parents’ house, uncomfortable in hers.

“Hi.” She spoke over the loud voices.

Quinn’s gaze met hers. Pleasure and happiness flickered in his normally dark gaze. It lasted a second, but long enough to fill her heart before her mother pulled her into her family’s midst. “Ariana, we have a surprise for you. Look at what we’ve got planned.”

Feeling off balance from Quinn’s reaction, she focused on the table where the plans she’d seen the other day had been unrolled again. “What is this?” she asked.

“A day spa,” Aunt Dee answered. Today Ariana’s aunt was wearing a brightly colored kimono. Unlike Elena, when Aunt Dee wasn’t in character as Wednesday Addams, she refused to wear the color black. Waving her hand