Echo

Chapter 8

Quinn's POV 7 PM

Once Bucky told her where they were going and the time they were to meet him and Emily at the restaurant she went to get ready. Quinn decided on a tasteful backless black dress that ended about midthigh. She went with her hair down and wore minimal makeup. Nothing too flashy. The goal was to look like she was trying to look nice for Steve not make Buck jealous. Satisfied with the final look she put on her heels, grabbed her clutch and went to go meet Steve in the common room kitchen.

Quinn was in the middle of making sure she had everything she needed that could fit in her bag when she looked up. Pausing for a second at the sight of Steve waiting for her in the living room. He was dressed in a dark blue suit, a white button down shirt with a tie two shades lighter than his suit. She had never seen Steve dress in anything other than his uniform, sweats or casual slacks and a flannel button down. It really wasn't fair that he was this good looking. Internally shaking her head she walked over to him and gave him a tight smile. "Are you ready?"

Having heard the sound of her heels clicking on the floor Steve had turned to look at her while she walked up to him. Quinn notices that he was looking at her strangely, but he doesn't do anything but nod. Glancing down thinking she might have a stain she didn't notice when she was getting dressed or she'd somehow flashed him or something. "What, is there a stain or something?"

Steve shakes his head no as if he was coming back to himself. "No, sorry about that. Uh it's just– You look really beautiful."

Quinn crosses her arms under her breasts and frowns up at him, her eyes narrowed as she waited for him to start in on her. This was the kind of thing he'd say lulling her into thinking that he was actually going to be nice before he would insult her. "It's just us right now, Steve. You don't have to pretend to like me when we're alone."

He has a look she couldn't quite read and says, "I'm not pretending. You really are beautiful, Quinn. We might not always have gotten along, but I'm not blind." His tone and look of sincerity throw her off.

She shakes her head and tells him if they don't leave now they'll be late. Heading to the elevator to get down to the garage she pressed the button for it not looking to see if he followed her. As they step into the garage she remembers Steve only has a motorcycle and her tight outfit wouldn't exactly allow for her to ride without flashing a lot more skin then she was sure either of them were comfortable with. Quinn pulls out her car keys and after a second she hesitantly hands them to him. "You mean you're actually going to let me drive your car?" Steve says with that 'boy next door' goofy grin of his that made her heart flutter.

He knows the only other people she let's drive Baby was Bucky or Wade which is why this was a big deal. Clutching the keys in her hand before she sets them in his open palm she lets out a deep breath. "Yes and if she doesn't come back in the same condition not only will you pay for any damages I will make it so you never drive anything else ever again. Do I make myself clear, Rogers?"

He salutes her with a wink and says, "Yes, ma'am!" Quinn's face warms at his response reminding her of her sexy time with Bucky this morning. Steve rushes over to open the passenger door and helps her get in completely unaware of Quinn's naughty thoughts. As he walks around to the driver's side she thinks to herself that this is going to be a very, very long dinner.

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If you didn't know the truth of Quinn and Steve's relationship with each other you'd think he really was in love with her. We're talking Academy award winning believable. At first she assumed he was just going along like she'd asked him to and that he was really excited about them meeting Emily, but he kept looking at her like Quinn really was the love of his life. It was throwing her completely off her game and that didn't sit right with her. For example; Steve held open all the doors for her and helped her into her seat at the table. Small touches like his hand on the small of her back as they walked into the restaurant or brushing Quinn's hair back off her shoulder so it was out of her face. Quinn was too busy being hyper aware of every touch and his very real acting to get more than the briefest impression of Emily in the first ten minutes of meeting her.

She decided to ignore Steve as much as she could while still simultaneously trying to look enamored with him. Emily Walker was pretty in a 'girl next door' way with deep brown eyes, light brown with a touch of blonde shoulder length hair. She was about Quinn's height, maybe an inch or two shorter. Dressed in a knee length royal blue dress that softened her rigid military air. They had just gotten their drinks and with the table not being very big when Quinn went to pick up her wine glass her fingers brushed against Emily's giving her a small vision.

Emily was talking to Bucky in the car on the ride home. She was convinced Quinn hated her and wasn't being truthful about her feelings regarding Bucky causing a fight between them.

To everyone else it only looked like Quinn was thinking too hard about picking up her wine, but Steve saw her pause knowing what she looks like when she has a vision. Coming back to herself Quinn finished picking up her glass and took a sip before carefully setting it back down. She couldn't let Steve throw her anymore. It was time to stop overthinking and convince everyone she was in love or at least liked the overgrown golden retriever to her left.

Leaning into Steve a little so he could put his arm along her shoulders Quinn put her hand on his knee to let him see the vision she had. For a split second he was surprised since she'd never shared with anyone besides Bucky that she could share her visions. He nodded once letting Quinn know he understood and really put on a show for the other woman. As Bucky laughed at something Emily said Quinn rested her head in the crook of Steve's neck and tried to relax. She could do this, she just needed to think back to when she had really liked Steve and stop being so damn tense.

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Halfway through dinner Quinn excused herself to go to the bathroom with Emily tagging along. She found it very annoying when women assume you want to go to the bathroom in groups, but for Bucky's sake she gave Emily a pass this time. While they washed their hands in stilted silence the real reason the other woman had followed her came to light. Looking at Quinn in the mirror she said. "I just wanted to say this really quickly and I hope you don't get offended. When Bucky told me about your guy's past I was really insecure to be honest. I'd looked you up and saw how beautiful you are after hearing all of these stories about the incredible Quinn Harding. I thought, he had her, why would he be interested in me? But Buck's made it very clear to me that he wants to be with me and that you really are just one of his best friends."

Emily laughed a little to herself as she continued on clearly not seeing how uncomfortable she was making Quinn. "When he told me that this would be yours and Steve's first date I didn't really believe him. I thought you were faking so I wouldn't think you were into Bucky, but I see now what he meant by Steve being in love with you. He's really happy that you're giving him a chance you know." Grabbing some paper towels she hands a few to Quinn and says before walking out of the bathroom,  "I'd really like to be friends with you and hope that we can double date again in the future."

Emily hadn't let Quinn get a word in, but she didn't know what she would have said other than Bucky was right about them being just friends. She knew Steve had let him in on their plan so as to not look at them like they were crazy tonight, but there was something that Quinn had noticed in the way Bucky kept looking at her and Steve like he was believing the act was real and not at all fake.