Seeking Escape

18: Let Me Claim You

*** Joyce's POV ***

I can't believe my life right now. It feels like a drama, a comedy, and a romance all jumbled together. Would we eventually add porno to that list?

No! I couldn't...I mean, I was curious, but I doubted that I would ever be that comfortable. Yet, my mind readily and easily drifted to Quinn and me, gearing up to get down. I giggled and realized I needed to spit out some toothpaste foam so I didn't look rabid when he walked in.

I was surprised that he hadn't joined me yet. He seemed eager to spend more time together. I wondered what we would do. I wondered if I would be able to cope without the liquid courage today. God knows, I wasn't repeating last night's binge again today.

I finished up and bounced out of the bathroom. Quinn was putting on his shoes, which confused me a bit.

"Hey. Looks like we're going out?" I inquired awkwardly.

"You might want to check your phone. I think someone may be trying to get a hold you." He replied and moved past me into the bathroom, shutting the door.

I tried not to read into the fact that he ignored my question. I flopped on the bed and immediately saw a text from Neil. Oh no! BRUNCH! WITH NEIL!

"Shit!" I cursed. While I was fantasizing about spending another day with Quinn, Neil was on his way to a brunch where I intended to reaffirm our friendship and nothing more. I needed to face the music and call him. Let him down about brunch and us in general. I owed it to him.

I hoped to be done with it by the time Quinn was finished. I took a deep breath and dialed. He didn't answer. I left an awkward voicemail. "Uh, hi. It's me...Joyce. Give me a call when you get this."

I hung up and stared at my phone, willing him to call back soon.

"Everything okay?" Quinn asked.

"Oh yeah. My co-worker Neil...he has been hounding me about going out...to brunch. I was just calling to cancel." I shared.

"Oh, you don't have to cancel on my account." Quinn offered.

"No! Trust me, I would much rather spend the day with you." I replied quickly.

Quinn gave me an odd look and let a beat of silence pass. "So I don't mean to pry, but you did say before that he wasn't anything more than a friend, right?"

I sighed and shrugged. "He's a very nice man who I go to lunch with occasionally and who has expressed an interest in getting to know me outside of work."

Quinn read my dodginess with a fine-tuned bullshit detector. "And you didn't want that, even before me?"

"No. I...shit, I'm embarrassed to admit this." I said, covering my face. Quinn pulled my hands away and gave me an encouraging smile. "I told him I was seeing someone in hopes that he would give up."

"And apparently it didn't work." Quinn replied with a furrowed brow.

"I think it may have encouraged him because before I had told him that I wasn't interested in dating at all." I admitted with a grimace.

"I have an idea. Why don't I come to brunch with you?" He suggested.

"Um, what?" I asked like I hadn't heard him.

"I'll make sure this bro gets the message." He stated. "Plus, if we're spending the day together we're going to need to fuel up and hydrate."

"O...okay. But you can't be rude to him. I still have to work with him." I informed him.