Wyatt leaned over the counter. “I’ll keep your secret on one condition. You come straight to me if Darren returns or you feel you’re in danger.”
“Done.”
That was quick. Almost too quick.
Narrowing his eyes, he studied her face. She didn’t so much as blink. He couldn’t tell whether he believed her or not. And it frustrated the hell out of him. “Okay.”
It was better Quinn trust him than no one.
“Good. Because if you’d said no, I don’t know how we could have maintained this friendship.”
“Lucky I’m a smart man and was gifted with a large supply of brain cells.”
Quinn threw her head back and laughed. His gaze was drawn to her neck, and he suddenly got the urge to run kisses over her exposed skin.
“You were gifted with a large supply of something.”
He chuckled. Ten minutes later they began eating. Well, Wyatt was eating. Quinn was talking his ear off. God, he would never get tired of conversations with this woman.
She groaned out loud as she took a mouthful. “Bacon has got to be my all-time favorite food. Just the right amount of salt and grease. Did you know bacon was another addiction of mine?”
“I didn’t ask your brother, if that’s what you’re asking. You just look like a bacon lover.”
A sexy bacon lover.
“Hm, and how does someone ‘look’ like a bacon lover?”
“When they have the perfect combination of beauty and brains.”
The hand that was reaching for her coffee paused partway. A smile curved her lips. “Did you just call me smart and beautiful?”
“I believe the word perfect was in there too. Although, I should admit, I’ve already said it a hundred times in my head.”
Her smile widened. “You’re pretty sweet when you want to be.”
He leaned closer. “You’ve barely scratched the surface of who I am.”
But he had a feeling his “sweetness” knew no bounds when it came to Quinn.
Quinn lifted another napkin. Folding napkins should be a boring, mundane task. Not today. Not when her mind kept flicking back to Wyatt.
She’d thought he was going to kiss her that morning. Heck, her skin had tingled in preparation for the touch of his lips. The way he’d looked at her after she’d laughed…she was sure she’d seen heat in his eyes.
But he hadn’t kissed her. Probably a good thing. She might have latched onto the guy and never let him go.
“You look happy, dear. What has you smiling so wide?”
A god-like creature sent from heaven.
Instead of saying that, Quinn glanced up to find Mrs. Potter watching her with a knowing smile. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
There was a twinkle in Mrs. Potter’s eyes. “It’s because you were distracted. It’s a man, isn’t it. A woman only gets that look in her eye from a man.”
The lady was onto her. “It is.”
Mrs. Potter put down her tray of rolls and stepped beside her. “Do I know him?”
Quinn was pretty sure everyone in Marble Falls either knew him, or at least knew of him. He and his friends stood out from the average person like a sore thumb.
When Quinn remained silent a beat too long, Mrs. Potter began to look excited. “I do! It’s one of the boys from Marble Protection, isn’t it?”
Quinn’s brows pulled together. “How did you know?”
“Dear, those boys are the heartthrobs of Marble Falls. And you waltz into town, pretty and smart…it was only a matter of time. Which one? Bodie? That boy has charm in spades.”
She laughed. “I only met Bodie yesterday. He does have charm, but he’s not the guy I’ve been getting to know.”
Getting to know, swooning over, same thing, right?
A thoughtful expression came over Mrs. Potter’s face. “It’s Wyatt. He’s smart, like you. Plus, he could use some of your spunk.”
Quinn laughed. She wasn’t sure what Mrs. Potter meant by “spunk” but she would take it as a compliment. “His apartment is across the hall from mine. Makes not falling for the guy that much harder.”
Mrs. Potter nodded. “Yes, any of those boys would be easy to fall for. That’s wonderful to hear. What does your family think?”
Family? Gosh, they weren’t even at the holding hands stage yet. “We’re not dating. I hope we end up dating. But we aren’t yet.” Quinn hesitated before mentioning the next part. “And I haven’t told my parents because my parents aren’t around anymore. My mother passed away from breast cancer, my dad suffered a heart attack.”
Even though it had happened quite a few years ago, it was still difficult to say out loud. Losing her parents had been the hardest periods of her life.
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you. It was a few years ago…” Not that time took away the pain. It dulled it somewhat. But didn’t eliminate it completely.
“Do you have siblings?”
“Actually, Mason is my brother.”
Mrs. Potter’s brows lifted. “Mason from Marble Protection?”
“The one and only.”
The other woman nodded, like she’d just worked out a piece of a puzzle. “I see it. It’s in the eyes. Not just the color, the look. Like you really see the world and want to do your part to make it a bit better.”
Quinn was pretty sure that described her brother more than it did her. “Mason’s the do-gooder. I’m the handful. Where Mason always did what he was supposed to do, I’ve always been a bit more impulsive. A loose cannon, as some would describe.”
“Some” being just about every teacher she’d ever had growing up.
Mrs. Potter didn’t look so convinced. “I’ve only known you a short amount of time, but I wouldn’t describe you as a ‘loose cannon.’ I would say that you seem confident. Hardworking. Not afraid of a challenge.”
Quinn liked that description a heck of a lot better than what she’d said. “Thank you.”
The other woman was really growing on Quinn. In a way, she reminded her of her mother. Kind. Easy to talk to. And she had a way of making people feel comfortable without even trying.
“I only speak the truth. Now, why don’t you head off early.”
Quinn glanced over at the clock. “My shift isn’t supposed to finish for an hour.”
“I won’t tell if you don’t.”
Quinn laughed.
“We aren’t busy, and I can close up on my own.”
“Okay. If you’re sure…”
“Go.”
Quinn didn’t need to be told a third time. Thanking Mrs. Potter, she grabbed her bag and headed out. She didn’t actually have any plans this evening, so she didn’t know what she would do with an extra hour. Would it be too much if she knocked on Wyatt’s door to see if he wanted to hang out?
Smiling at the idea, she turned a corner. Her apartment wasn’t far. Plus, the breeze was warm. It was a perfect afternoon to walk.
She’d almost made it home when a crackling noise sounded behind her. Like footsteps over leaves.
Turning her head, she frowned when she was greeted by an empty sidewalk.
Strange. Maybe it had been some kind of animal. A bird, perhaps? Or maybe she was losing her mind.
Shaking her head, she turned back—only to jump when she saw a figure standing in front of her.
“Holy crap! What the heck, Darren?”
The man stood there with his hands shoved in his pockets, not looking the least bit apologetic. “I thought you heard me, and that’s why you stopped.”
Placing her hand on her chest, she waited for her heart rate to slow. “I stopped because I heard something. I didn’t expect to turn around to find you less than a foot away.”
He lifted a shoulder. “Sorry.”
She almost scoffed. The man was far from sorry. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be on your way to the airport? Tanya said you were leaving tonight.”
“I am. My flight leaves in a couple of h
ours.”
And he’d decided to spend his last hours in Marble Falls stalking her?
Stepping around him, she continued walking home. If he wanted to talk to her, let her in on some of those secrets he was keeping, he could follow.
“Are you here to tell me the real reason it’s so important to you that I don’t research the story?” Not that it mattered. One way or another, she was going to find out.
“Yes.”
Quinn’s feet stopped. Yes? As in, Darren was finally going to tell her the truth?
“Okay. Tell me.”
“The truth is, the people responsible for the break-in are dangerous. That’s why you need to stop.”
Quinn almost rolled her eyes. That was a no-brainer. “I know that already.”
“Do you?” Darren took a step forward and for a moment, fear flashed across his face before he cleared it. “Do you know they’re so dangerous they could tear your arm off in under a second? So fast, you could never even dream of outrunning them? These aren’t people you want to mess with, Quinn. They’re barely people. I’m trying to help you.”
So it was true. Darren had just confirmed what Maya had told her. That men who posed irrevocable, unstoppable danger on society existed.
“How do you know that?”
He shook his head. “Does it matter?”
Absolutely. “Yes. It does.”
“Are you even listening to what I’m saying? They’ll kill you!”
Quinn was listening. The man was saying he still wouldn’t tell her the role he played in all this. “Does Tanya know what you know?”
“No. This has nothing to do with her.”
At the aggression in his voice, a spark of anger shot through Quinn. Tanya was his wife, yet he’d never treated her well. Like she was too stupid to understand anything important.
“Thank you for your warning. If that’s all the information you have for me, I need to go.”
She took a step toward her apartment but stopped when Darren yanked her back by the arm. “Are you going to stop researching this or not?”
“Get your arrogant, egotistical hand off me.”
“Quinn—”
“I don’t have to tell you anything. You’re not my boss anymore. But you want to know my opinion on the whole matter? If men like that exist, people have a right to know. So make your own deductions about whether I’m researching the story.”
Anger washed over his face. When his hand tightened, pain ricocheted up her arm.
Shooting a knee up, she kicked him between the legs.
Darren released her arm before keeling over and grunting in pain.
“You touch me again, and I’ll do worse. Go back to New York and don’t even think about contacting me again.”
Turning, Quinn continued to her apartment. She heard Darren’s voice calling her from behind, but she ignored him. The man was the biggest ass she’d ever met in her life.
Why couldn’t he just tell her how he knew about these men?
She was tempted to call Tanya right there and then and tell her exactly what had happened. The only problem was, she’d have to tell her friend why Darren had acted the way he did. And she did not want to drag her friend into the middle of this story.
If Tanya didn’t know anything about these men, the last thing Quinn wanted to do was inform her. It could potentially put her life in danger.
Quinn was still huffing and puffing when she reached her apartment. She’d taken a step inside her place when the door behind her opened.
“Something bothering you?”
Something? Try someone.
Breathing out a frustrated breath, Quinn spun around and attempted a smile. She was sure it looked completely wrong. “Just contemplating the stupidity of men.”
“Surely not all of us? I’m a man. I like to think I teeter closer to intelligence than stupidity.”
Quinn would agree with that. The man in front of her seemed different from the one she’d just left in many ways. “The only way I’ll work out if that’s true is if I spend more time with you. Want to come over for a movie night tonight?”
The moment the question left her mouth, she knew it was a good decision. She needed something to take her mind off Darren and the story that was going nowhere fast.
One side of Wyatt’s mouth lifted. “I’d love to.”
“Great. Oh, and by movie night, I meant movie and dinner.” Anything to prolong her time with him.
Wyatt nodded. “Of course.”
“I’m a terrible cook, but we could order in?”
“It’s the company that makes the night.”
God, the guy was a charmer. “How about you pick the movie and I choose dinner?”
“Done. I’ll just finish up what I’m doing and come back.”
“Great.” She was about to close her door when she stopped. “Oh, and one more thing. No sappy, overly fake romantic comedies.”
His brows lifted. “Not a fan…?”
“Of cliché story lines, predictable endings, and pathetic male leads? Not even a bit.”
Chapter 8
Quinn flicked her gaze from the TV to Wyatt, then back again.
The man wasn’t touching her. Not even close. In fact, an entire person could fit between them on the couch.
She’d sat down first, expecting him to sit close. He hadn’t. He’d sat down on the other end. At least a shoulder-to-shoulder touch would be better than the ridiculous distance between them.
She could always move closer to him, but now it would just seem weird. And it didn’t explain why he hadn’t sat next to her.
Was it possible she smelled bad? She’d jumped in the shower as soon as she’d gotten home, but it had been quick. Plus, she probably hadn’t spent as much time washing as usual because she’d spent the entire time thinking of different ways to maim Darren if he ever got close to her again.
“Did I choose the wrong movie?”
No. You chose the wrong seat.
Quinn drew her attention back to Wyatt. If she was honest, she had no idea what was going on with the movie. Not a single clue. “Sorry, I’m a bit distracted.”
“A bit” was one big fat understatement.
“What’s got you distracted?”
The story. Her old boss. Why the heck Wyatt was still so damn far away from her. “It’s nothing.”
Wyatt’s expression didn’t change. He just sat there looking perfect, waiting for her to spill her guts. Wasn’t going to happen.
“Okay.”
When his attention flicked back to the screen, a moment of irritation swirled through her. The man didn’t even attempt to scoot closer. There was no sneaky arm around the back of the couch. No subtle shuffle. Nothing.
“So, tell me, why no romance movies?” he asked.
Quinn scoffed. “They fill women’s heads with lies, giving them unrealistic expectations of dating in the real world.”
Wyatt chuckled. “That’s a bold statement. Give me an example.”
Had the man never watched a romance movie?
“Okay, how about the grand gestures of love, which are painted as normal. Flying the woman to Europe at a moment’s notice, organizing flash mobs, filling rooms with a thousand roses. That’s not real. Men don’t do that.”
His attention remained on the TV. “Some guys probably do that. Maybe you haven’t been spending time with the right men.”
Well, that was a given. “Come on, do you know anyone who’s done any of those things?”
Wyatt’s silence gave her the answer she was looking for.
“Romance today is a card and a kiss on Valentine’s Day. A bouquet of flowers on an anniversary. And that’s if you’re lucky.”
Wyatt lifted his shoulder. “Women could always go the extra mile for the man.”
“Oh, I’m sure they do. However, when the reciprocation stops, so do the gestures.”
His brows pulled together. “I didn’t know you were such a pessimist.”
&nbs
p; “I prefer the term realist.” She gave Wyatt an innocent smile. It did kind of sound like she hated men. And romance. And love. Which wasn’t true at all. She just preferred the real and the raw. It saved her from disappointment. “Take us, for example,” Quinn continued. “In any romance movie, the guy would not be sitting so far from the girl.”
And close proximity on a movie night wasn’t even a large expectation. Not in Quinn’s mind, at least.
“You’d like me to sit closer?”
“Yes.” She’d prefer the man to be a lot closer. “I’d also like to know if I smell bad.”
Wyatt wrinkled his nose in confusion. “You don’t smell bad. You smell good. Really good. It’s actually a large reason for the distance.”
Smelling good didn’t sound like a reason for distance to her. “Why would me smelling good make you want to sit over there?”
“Because the closer I am, the more I want to touch you. And if I start touching you, I probably won’t be able to stop.”
A warmth heated in Quinn’s chest. “And why is that a bad thing?” It only sounded good to Quinn. Really good.
Wyatt ran a hand through his hair. It was the first time she’d seen him look uncomfortable. Like he didn’t want to tell her the reason.
Then it hit Quinn. “It’s because of my brother, isn’t it?”
When Wyatt’s silence continued, Quinn knew she’d hit the nail on the head.
Blowing out a frustrated breath, she began to stand, but stopped at Wyatt’s hand on hers.
“I like you. A lot. But your brother is like family to me. I feel like I should speak to him first, preferably in person, before anything happens between us.”
Quinn loved her brother. But he had no place in this relationship. He had no place in this room. “If you like me, kiss me.”
A muscle ticked in Wyatt’s jaw. “Quinn…” His voice was strained.
She leaned forward and snaked her fingers through his hair. A smile flirted across her lips. “I like you, you like me, and I’d like you to kiss me.”
He watched her for another beat. She could almost see the internal battle raging inside him. Then his head lowered…
And when his lips touched hers, desire whipped through her body. Her limbs grew heavy.
Wyatt: A steamy contemporary military romance (Project Arma Book 5) Page 6
