Dear Rose 3: Winter's Risk Read Online Free Page B

to have cake and ice cream. Though I’ve never been interested in pussy.” She wrinkled her nose. “Nevah.”
    “Then you’re lucky.” Did he sound as bitter as he thought he did? He’d have to watch that. Even though he had every reason to be. How many lovers had dropped him when they’d learned he’d been with the other sex? The latest was a woman who would have run screaming if she hadn’t cared so much about what other people thought. Maybe he should start hiding it, but fuck it, all he wanted to do was share his entire self with someone. He also continued to think if he talked to the person about his other thoughts, maybe they could accept that in him and allow him what he needed. Was that too much to ask?
    So far, the answer was yeah.
    She shot him a look.
    “It’s a helluva a lot easier to be interested in one sex.” He laughed, a hollow sound. “Then, when you’re with pussy, you don’t want cock, and when you’re with cock, you don’t want pussy.” He’d been in relationships and always seemed to want what he couldn’t have. He’d never been happy. Maybe that was why the other person eventually walked out on him. It sucked balls.
    Rose tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Maybe you could have both at the same time? I mean, no one says it’s either-or.”
    “What, an intersex person?” He snorted. “That’d be the only way I’d get both.” Humans didn’t share well. He could see evidence of that walking into any daycare in America and observing children’s behavior.
    She smacked his hand playfully. “No, silly boy. You could find a girl and a guy to be with.”
    “At the same time?” He gulped down his liquor. “Like that would ever happen. It would take one patient girl and a guy who didn’t mind cock.” He threw money down on the bar. “I gotta go.”
    * * * *
    He’d left to meet Josie. How telling that he’d been meeting the girl who was now kissing Quinn, the man Rose had been talking about.
    So Quinn did like men and women, if Rose had been right. And Rose was usually right. Sometimes it was hard to believe Rose was Devyn. It was quite a transformation he undertook to become his diva drag-queen ego.
    Quinn could mean what Zach thought he meant. It was highly unlikely, though. Regardless, Zach sat down by them. Tight fit, but they would work around it. The chair creaked under him. He hunched over before straightening. Quinn was practically like a giant in these chairs. The smell of coffee drifted over as a machine made a whir sound.
    Josie embodied mortification. “I’m so sorry about this. I was supposed to be done. I can’t imagine what you’re thinking.” She took a breath as her words were running together before she stared at Quinn pointedly.
    He gazed back, seemingly nonplussed. Not saying a word, he simply sat there, returning her gaze.
    She cleared her throat before she peeked at the door and back to Quinn. She was being subtle, but even Zach got she was asking Quinn to leave. Quinn, however, was either ignoring it or wasn’t processing what she was asking.
    Zach couldn’t help but be amused. This could go on for a while if she didn’t put it more directly.
    As if she’d read his mind, she said, “I think I need to talk to Zach alone.” She shot a withering glance at Quinn, presumably because he hadn’t gotten her inferred meanings.
    He leaned back in his chair, still nonchalant as ever. “Yep, I think it concerns both of us, so I’ll stick around.”
    Zach had to glance down at the floor to cover his grin as Jos blew out an exasperated breath. She had the same expression she’d give a mischievous puppy.
    “I talked to you alone. I think Zach deserves the same courtesy.” If her eyes could have shot daggers, they would have.
    “Why don’t we ask Zach what he wants?” Quinn countered as he jiggled his hips in the seat. Those trim hips Zach had watched dance a few dozen times. He could envision Quinn’s hunky body as it was quickly divested of the