Sugar & Spice

Chapter 8

Author's Note: I'm simply in awe of the support I've received on S&S so far from all you lovely, perfect, amazing readers!!! Thank you so much for your encouragement and your excitement over these two dorks' love lives. MUAH!! ♥

"Hey," he said. "Wasn't sure if you'd changed your mind."

She shook her head. "Just...last minute things."

"Let me take that," he said. He reached for the box and the weight lifted from her arms. "Come on in."

She followed him inside. Streamers and hearts dangled from the ceiling. A long buffet table had been set up along one side of the room. Quinn headed for it and she followed him, unsure where she fit in with this full room of people she didn't know. He set the box on the table and pried the lid open.

"That smells amazing," he said.

A hand snaked over Quinn's shoulder and came within an inch of snatching a pastry before Quinn slapped it.

"Pete, don't even think about it," he said.

"It's just one," Pete grinned. He nodded at Crissy. "Glad you could make it. Quinn here has been waiting by the door for the past hour."

Quinn shot Pete a dark look but Pete just shrugged.

"Just stating the facts, buddy," Pete said. He dove for the pastry then darted behind Crissy before Quinn could stop him.

"If you watch really closely," Pete whispered to Crissy. "You might see him blush."

"Pete," Quinn warned.

"I think he might kill you after the party's over," Crissy said to Pete over her shoulder.

Pete shrugged. "Not afraid of the big guy. He hasn't managed to kill me yet. And I always give him a hard time around the ladies he likes."

Now it was Crissy's turn to blush. Quinn took a threatening step towards Pete. Pete chortled and took off.

"Don't pay any attention to him," Quinn said. He reached out to place a reassuring hand on her arm but he stopped just short of touching her. She almost leaned into him, to make him touch her, to make his hand come in contact with the exposed skin of her arm...

But his hand fell away and he returned his attention to the box of food.

"I don't mind," she said. "Have you known each other long? He seems to have you pegged."

Quinn nodded. "Ever since kindergarten. He was the one who would pester all the girls with creepy crawlies. I was the one who apologized to the principle and got us out of it. Come to think of it, he still does that sometimes..."

Crissy laughed and shook her head. "And you tolerate him still."

"Heaven knows why," he said, smiling back at her.

She nodded at the box. "Mind if I help you unpack that?"

"You did all the hard work already. You should kick back, enjoy yourself."

She inched closer, her body practically vibrating when she felt his body heat and realized how close she was to him.

"Yeah, but I'm not the greatest at parties and it'll give me something to do."

"Ah," he nodded. "I can totally understand that." He moved over to make room for her and together they unpacked the pastries and set them out on the table. When they finished, Quinn snuck a sideways look at Crissy and slipped a white chocolate truffle into his palm.

"I saw that," she said in a low voice and a teasing glint in her eye. To think she'd been so nervous on her way here seemed impossible now. It felt as if they were old friends, bantering back and forth.