“Goes with the baking, I guess.”
“You’re right! All I need is a walking stick and some grandkids. Hmm, might be a bit hard without kids though.”
Wyatt lifted a shoulder. “I’m sure we can find some somewhere.”
Quinn giggled. She loved that he just went along with her.
She looked up at Wyatt as they reached their floor. “You never told me whether you liked the cake?”
“It was the best cake I’ve ever tasted.”
Heck yeah, it was. Mrs. Potter was sharing all her baking secrets, and Quinn was absorbing them like a sponge.
She beamed up at him as they stopped outside his apartment. “This is why I need you in my life.”
“To tell you how amazing you and your baking are?”
“Amongst other things.”
Many, many other things.
Wyatt unlocked the door to his apartment. Quinn waited for him to take the first step inside, but he didn’t. Instead, he stepped back.
For a moment, she wondered whether he was listening for an intruder. Or maybe anticipating danger. Although, he didn’t appear tense. The complete opposite, actually.
“Aren’t you going to go in first? Sweep the place or whatever you normally do?”
“I’d be able to hear if someone was in there. It’s safe.” He touched his hand to her back. “Ladies first.”
Ah…okay. Strange, but she’d go with it.
Taking a step inside, she switched on the light—and her breath caught in her throat.
Lilies. Hundreds of them. Scattered around the room like confetti. They were everywhere. Pink lilies, yellow lilies. The room was a rainbow of colors.
Wyatt’s breath brushed across her neck as he whispered from right behind her, “I noticed that you look at the lilies a lot on your walk to work. I assumed they were your favorite.”
They were. Always had been. Since she was little, she’d loved them. Whenever she passed one, she needed to stop. Smell it. Take in its beauty.
The fact that Wyatt had noticed was amazing to her.
Quinn opened her mouth to speak, but she was lost for words.
“Did you know that each color has a meaning?” Wyatt’s breath was again warm on her neck. She heard the soft closing of the door.
“I didn’t.”
“Well, let me tell you what I’ve learned. Yellow lilies represent happiness. Which is something I think we’ll have plenty of together. Orange means energy. Energy is something you have in spades. It draws me to you. Purple is for admiration, which is quite fitting, because I admire the hell out of you. Your fire. Your determination.”
Wyatt moved to stand beside her. She immediately turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders while his swept around her waist. She wanted no space between them.
“What about the pink lilies?”
There were far more pink lilies in the room than any other color.
“Ah. The pink lilies…They represent love.” Quinn’s heart sped up a notch. “There’ll definitely be plenty of that in our lives. Because I love you, Quinn Ross. Every little thing about you.”
Wyatt loved her. Like…actually loved her.
Warmth filtered into Quinn’s soul. Those words brought her so much peace. She’d loved him for a while, and now she knew that those feelings were reciprocated.
“I love you too, Wyatt. Big truckloads of love.”
Wyatt dipped his head, nuzzling a spot behind her ear. “Truckloads of love is good. You have no idea how amazing it is to hear those words from your lips.”
A shiver coursed down her spine. “I can say them as many times as you want. I love you, Wyatt Gray.”
His mouth pressed to her neck before trailing up her jaw. Then his lips touched hers. The outside world faded. All that existed was her and Wyatt. Her world.
“I could kiss you forever and it would never be enough.” His words were muffled in between kisses. Lifting her, Wyatt pressed Quinn against the wall. Caging her with his body.
The feeling of him surrounding her was ecstasy. But what existed between them wasn’t just physical. Her whole heart and soul belonged to the man who held her.
Wyatt’s lips trailed down her throat. His hand slid across her shoulder, pushing her dress strap down. When her breast was exposed, he cupped her.
A whimper escaped her throat, her fingers sinking into his shoulders.
The man’s touch did things to her body that she didn’t know were possible.
When he pinched her pebbled nipple, her entire body jolted. Electricity shot from her breast to her core. He flicked his thumb over the sensitive peak.
She tightened her legs around his waist, pressing herself closer.
The air moved around her as he walked them to the bedroom. The feel of the soft mattress touched her back.
Quinn opened her eyes to find Wyatt hovering over her. His eyes fixed on hers. Something passed between them. Something intense and real and raw.
No words were spoken. They didn’t need to be. Both Quinn and Wyatt felt it. The deep connection.
His mouth lowered to her cheek. Then her neck. He trailed soft kisses down her body, peeling her dress away at the same time.
When her chest was bare, Wyatt was quick to take one nipple into his mouth.
Heat spiraled through her oversensitive body. She arched her back, hungry for more. Wyatt tugged and sucked. Every touch driving Quinn wild.
His hand crept up the slit of her dress. Taking hold of her underwear, he slid them down her legs. His hand wasn’t gone long. It quickly returned to her, this time covering the apex between her thighs.
Her breath caught.
At first his fingers stroked. Long, slow strokes that made her sex vibrate with need. Then he began to apply more pressure, moving in circular motions. Touching and teasing her clit.
Gravelly pleas left her mouth. Her voice didn’t sound like her own. “Now, Wyatt. Please.” Desire spread through her body like wildfire. Rapid and unstoppable.
“Patience, sunshine.”
The material of her dress got pushed down farther. Soon, she lay naked. Her eyes followed Wyatt as he stood.
He undressed slowly. Revealing his hard, muscular body bit by bit. Quinn couldn’t take her gaze from him.
When all his clothes were removed, Wyatt lowered himself between her thighs, trailing kisses up her legs. She held her breath as he neared her core. Then his lips closed around her clit.
Her sharp intake of breath was followed by a strangled cry. She threw her head to the side, her hips jolting. Wyatt held her firm.
He knew exactly what to do to drive her wild. Every touch caused a new ripple of pleasure to race through her. His tongue lapped her sensitive bundle. Over and over until she was ready to beg.
“Wyatt. Please! Come to me.”
Wyatt reached into the bedside drawer and quickly rolled a condom over himself. Then he was back with Quinn.
With the softest touch, he moved some hair from her cheek. “You’re mine.”
She nodded. “Yours. Forever.”
Forever. That’s exactly how Wyatt saw it.
Slowly, he sank into Quinn, loving the array of emotions that splayed across her face. Passion. Heat. Untamed need.
God, she was beautiful. There would never be a day when he tired of looking at her. Not if he lived a hundred years. “I love you.”
Her eyes softened. She ran her hand from his shoulder to his heart. “I love you, too.”
Lowering his head, Wyatt tasted her. She was so sweet. An intoxicating mix of strawberry and honey. Then he began to move his hips.
A gruff moan tore from him. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to go slow. His body urged him to move faster, but he wanted to savor her. To draw it out. Because being inside her was like a drug.
As he thrust, a rosy pink entered her cheeks. Her breasts bounced with each movement. Lowering his hand, he flicked her pebbled nipple, enjoying the soft moan that escaped her th
roat.
So damn responsive.
Soon, she began lifting her hips. Meeting him thrust for thrust.
“I’m not fragile, Wyatt,” she gasped. “Fuck me.”
His control snapped. Blood pounded in his ears as he pushed deeper. Faster.
The pressure built inside him. Like a storm he was unable to tame. Every thrust brought them back together. Back to his heart.
“I want all of you, Quinn.”
Every little flaw and strength.
“You have me.”
Her eyes began to shutter, but Wyatt lifted his hand to stroke her cheek. “Look at me, sweetheart. I want to see you come apart.”
Lowering his hand, he stroked her clit. Immediately, her walls tightened around him. Then her entire body shuddered as she cried out his name.
His name sounded so good on her lips in the throes of passion.
Wyatt couldn’t draw his gaze from her. She was wild and free. It was fucking beautiful.
Her walls pulsed around him as he continued to thrust. Wanting every little bit of her. Then his muscles tightened before an orgasm so intense and powerful took over his whole body.
His breaths came out hard and fast. Quinn took everything from him. She shattered him.
Holding himself above her, he worked to control his breathing. His heart galloped. She was the only woman to ever raise it. The only one to touch his heart at all.
Their bodies were tangled as he dropped his temple to touch hers. “How did I find you?”
“Something tells me we were always going to find each other.”
He raised his head to look at her. He liked that thought. That they were meant to be. That their lives were always going to intertwine.
Chapter 26
Quinn stepped inside her apartment. She felt light. Happy. Like the final piece of her life had just slotted into place.
Wyatt loved her. His words and actions last night had been the stuff that dreams were made of. The stuff she thought only existed in movies.
Shaking her head, she moved to her bedroom to change. She’d already had a shower. Not that she and Wyatt had done much in the form of washing. Heat bloomed in her cheeks at the thought.
God, the man was making her blush, and he wasn’t even here.
Pulling the dress from the previous night over her head, she replaced it with blue jeans and a gray T-shirt. While Quinn was due at the bakery within the hour, Wyatt had just left for Marble Protection. Before leaving, he’d let her know that Kye was around. Watching. Making sure she was safe.
Jeez, the guilt she felt at these men losing chunks of their days to babysit her never ceased.
Kye would probably take one look at her and wonder why a smile the size of New York was on her face. Not that she cared.
Everything in her life felt right. For the first time in a long time, possibly ever, she wasn’t moving at a hundred miles an hour. She wasn’t researching the world’s deep, dark, and ugly. She wasn’t working all hours of the day. She was just living. And in doing that, she’d found everything she’d been missing.
This was a life she never knew she wanted. Now that she had it, she would be holding on tight.
Pulling her hair up into a ponytail, Quinn was about to brush her teeth when a knock on the door sounded.
She frowned. Who would be knocking at her door at eight in the morning? Bar Wyatt or Mason, she couldn’t think of anyone.
Possibly Wyatt coming back to give her more of those delicious kisses?
Boy, wouldn’t that be nice.
Her abdomen heated at the thought. Chances were slim to none. But a girl could dream.
Moving to the door, she looked through the peephole. Her jaw dropped open in surprise. She almost thought she was hallucinating until she yanked open the door.
“Tanya!”
The woman stood in front of her, hands ringing together.
Tanya’s gaze darted down the hall, then back at Quinn. She looked nervous. Almost like she was waiting for someone to pop out and attack.
“Hi, Quinn. Can we talk?”
Concern wrinkled Quinn’s forehead. “Of course, come in.”
As the other woman stepped inside her apartment, Quinn caught sight of Kye by the stairs. She whispered that all was okay. Tanya wouldn’t hear, but she was sure Kye could. She had no doubt the man would still remain in the hall and listen for trouble, just in case.
Closing the door, Quinn took a seat at the table, gesturing to the chair opposite. “When did you get to Marble Falls?”
“My flight landed an hour ago. I came straight here. Darren had given me your address before…well, before. Anyway, I’m sorry I didn’t call. It was a last-minute decision. I just jumped on the plane and left.” She scanned the living area. “Is anyone else home?”
“It’s just us. What’s wrong, Tanya?”
Something was wrong. Something that had put tangible fear and panic in the other woman’s eyes. Just the fact that she’d flown from New York to Marble Falls without so much as a call indicated something was up.
“I’m being watched.” Tanya said the words quickly, then took a deep breath before continuing. “I mean, I feel like I’m being watched. Every minute of every day, I feel eyes on me. I don’t even think I’m safe in my own home.” Dark circles shadowed Tanya’s eyes and her skin was pale.
Quinn’s heart went out to her. “When did this start?”
“The moment Darren left New York. But this last week, it’s been worse. No matter where I am, I hear footsteps behind me, but when I turn, no one’s there. And when I arrived home the other day, my back door was unlocked. Quinn, I always lock every door and window.”
Quinn believed her. She knew how safety-conscious Tanya was.
A million thoughts raced through Quinn’s mind. On one hand, it made sense that it would be Project Arma. Perhaps they were trying to figure out what Tanya knew…and whether she knew too much. Maybe her connection to Darren made her a liability.
On the other hand, from everything Wyatt had told her, Project Arma were professionals. They wouldn’t let Tanya catch on to what they were doing.
Plus, if they were worried, wouldn’t it be easiest just to kill her?
Either way, sitting here wouldn’t help them figure it out. She needed to get Tanya to Wyatt. At the very least, he would be able to talk to her and make a decision about what to do next.
Quinn reached across and touched her friend’s hand. “I know people who can help you. They own a security business here in town. I don’t have much time before I need to start work, but I can take you there first.”
Quinn expected to see relief but, if anything, the fear on Tanya’s face increased. “Please, don’t leave me! I don’t want to be alone with people I don’t know! I’ve been so scared, Quinn. I need a familiar face.”
Indecision tore at her. Tanya was a friend. Not only had she just lost her husband, she’d also flown all the way from New York for help.
At the same time, she didn’t want to let Mrs. Potter down.
She gave her friend’s hand a squeeze. “I’ll call my boss and see if there’s any way I can miss my shift today.”
Grabbing her phone from the kitchen counter, Quinn called the bakery.
“Mrs. Potter’s Bakehouse,” Mrs. Potter answered with a chirpy voice.
“Mrs. Potter, it’s Quinn. I’m so sorry to ask this when my shift begins in less than an hour, but is there any chance you can do without me today? I’ve had a friend fly in from New York last minute. She has an emergency and needs my help.”
She couldn’t help but cringe as she asked. She’d never in her life canceled on a boss so last minute. It went against every hard-working bone in her body.
“Dear, that’s fine. I don’t anticipate it being busy. Go, help your friend.”
Quinn let out a sigh of relief. She still felt guilty, but so grateful for Mrs. Potter’s understanding. “You are so wonderful. Thank you. This won’t happen again. I promise.”
/> “I’m sure it won’t. I hope your friend is okay.”
So did Quinn. Once she hung up, she smiled at Tanya. “I can stay with you at Marble Protection.”
This time, Tanya did look relieved. “Oh, thank you!”
Popping her phone into her back pocket, Quinn grabbed her keys, and they headed down to the car.
“I can drive if you don’t mind directing me. I got a rental car from the airport.”
“Oh, um, sure.” Quinn wasn’t the biggest fan of driving, but she found it slightly strange that the other woman wanted to drive when she didn’t know the area.
Tanya had parked across the street. Before they reached her car, she saw Kye sitting in his. He’d probably sped down the stairs to beat them.
Quinn placed her hand on Tanya’s arm as she slowed beside Kye’s car.
“Morning, Kye! This is my friend Tanya. She needs your team’s help, so we’re heading to Marble Protection now.”
He nodded, his eyes shooting from Tanya to Quinn. “I’ll trail you.”
She never doubted it.
Moving to Tanya’s car, they’d just climbed in when Tanya touched her arm. “Is it okay if we make a quick stop at the pharmacy? I’ve run out of my anxiety meds.”
Quinn’s brows rose in surprise. She knew her friend suffered from anxiety, but had never heard Tanya mention anything about needing medication for it. “Of course.”
“I’ll let your friend know.”
Quinn was about to tell Tanya she could just text him, but Tanya was already out the door.
While she waited, a message came through from Wyatt. She smiled when she saw the three heart emojis.
Christ, she loved the man.
She was about to respond when Tanya climbed back into the car. Rather than start the engine, Tanya first removed something from her arm. Something that appeared to have been sitting beneath her sleeve.
Before she could get a good look at it, Tanya was shoving it below the seat. When her friend didn’t offer any sort of explanation, Quinn frowned. “What was that?”
Tanya remained silent as she started the engine and began to drive. Quinn waited, but the silence only lengthened.
“Tanya, is everything okay?”
Wyatt: A steamy contemporary military romance (Project Arma Book 5) Page 19
