Quinn Family Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  “Close by, across the ocean,” his voice was low and melodious. “I don’t care. I just want to be with you.”

  “You are a lot more forward than I thought you were.”

  “What do you mean?” He bent down closer to her.

  “You spent months catching my gaze before and after games, not even mustering up the courage to talk to me. Then you throw propriety to the wind and travel across the country to find me. Why?”

  He nodded. “I thought maybe I was just being silly, thinking there was this connection between us as I stared at you, but after talking to you at that party … I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. I had to find you and see if you’re who I think you are.”

  She let herself rest her hand on his forearm. It was so big, tough, and manly she had to fight not to massage it under her fingertips. “And who do you think I am?”

  He smiled softly. “My dream girl.”

  Sariah had to swallow hard. “I guess we’ll see.”

  “Yes, we will.” His smile grew. “Any chance severe bun-lady will let you leave early?”

  “Severe bun …” Sariah laughed. “Miriam? Probably not.”

  He reclined back against the side of the bed, wrapped both hands around her hips, and pulled her toward him. Sariah’s breath caught and her arms and legs trembled. Who knew being close to a giant of a man could be this exhilarating?

  “Any chance you’ll give me a quick hug for making such an effort to find you?” Mack said so quietly she could barely hear him.

  Sariah wanted to hug him until the appointment time ran out, but she had held herself in check around men for too long. She couldn’t simply change her M.O. and throw her arms around this perfect man, who was obviously chasing her.

  She straightened away from him and retreated back to the counter, leaning against it to support herself. Mack’s face flashed disappointment but he didn’t move toward her. Thank heavens or she’d probably have yielded. Every part of her wanted to lay her cheek against that shredded chest and hang on.

  “A flight across the country doesn’t give you those kinds of privileges,” she tried to be sassy but her heart was beating so fast the words came out all breathy and full of longing.

  Mack nodded. “Is there any hope of me earning a hug?”

  She arched her eyebrows. “Is a hug all you’re after, big boy?”

  His lips curved into the most irresistible smirk. He stood up straight and the sheer glory of his build overwhelmed and thrilled her. “No.” He took a step closer. Sariah tilted her head back to maintain eye contact. “Any man who chases a woman across the country would be a fool to not beg for a kiss at some point.”

  Sariah’s stomach swooped and then filled with heat. She hoped her face didn’t reveal that if he kept being so enticing, she’d kiss him before they went on a single date.

  “Hmm,” she said. “I guess we’ll see how good your begging skills are.”

  “They’re pretty good. I was the youngest after all.”

  Sariah laughed thinking of Josh and how he almost always got his way. “You’ve got to watch out for those babies of the family.” Though there was nothing childlike about him.

  “We’re pretty irresistible.” He leaned closer and Sariah lost all rational thought and the ability to breathe.

  Mack reached up and tenderly touched her right cheek. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. His hand trailed back, pushing at the hair covering the right side of her face.

  “Stop!” Sariah screamed, ducking out of his reach.

  The door burst open and Joseph stood there. “Sariah? Did he hurt you?”

  Mack was eight inches taller and at least a hundred pounds heavier than Joseph. It was nice but really stupid of Joseph to stand up for her.

  “No,” she whispered. She glanced back at Mack. His face was full of confusion and regret.

  “I’m sorry, Sariah. I didn’t mean to …” Mack’s voice trailed off as it was obvious he had no clue what he’d done.

  Sariah felt horrible for the way she’d reacted … but the thought of Mack seeing or touching her scars. Her stomach soured and she backed further away from him. Joseph put a reassuring arm around her.

  Miriam appeared in the hallway. “What’s going on here?” she demanded.

  “Nothing,” Sariah insisted. How could she explain why she’d screamed? She didn’t want anyone thinking Mack would hurt her. She wanted to erase the worried look from his eyes, rewind time to a few minutes ago when it was just them bantering, and somehow react differently yet still protect her secret.

  “It’s time for you to go, Mr. Quinn.” Miriam folded her arms across her chest.

  Mack stared at Sariah, ignoring everyone else.

  “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I … overreacted.”

  He nodded tightly, obviously still confused how she could react that extremely to him brushing her hair from her face. She never wanted him to see her scars. It was irrational and extreme but she wanted him to keep thinking she was beautiful.

  She straightened her shoulders and tried to think how to salvage the situation. The best thing to do would be to get Mack out of here and talk to him later, but what would she say? “I’ll see you out front at six.”

  “Sariah.” Joseph pulled her around to face him. “You don’t want to go out with a man who would hurt you.”

  Sariah shook her head. “Mack would never hurt me. I … I can’t explain. This is on me.” She glanced back at Mack. He stood there looking so strong and appealing, but not threatening. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but what made her think she could date someone like him and not have her deformity be an issue? She’d never fit in that wives and girlfriends club of football players. She almost told him she couldn’t go to dinner, but that wasn’t fair to him.

  Instead, she gave him a forced smile and pushed past Joseph and Miriam, hurrying to the women’s bathroom. She barely made it into a stall before hot tears pricked at her eyes. She couldn’t date Mack, and every part of her wanted to.

  Chapter Nine

  Mack watched Sariah leave, certain this wasn’t his moment to chase after her, though that was the only thing he wanted to do. He’d finally found her and she’d been as witty and beautiful as he’d imagined. He knew she was responding well to him, then as he went to brush her hair from her face, she’d come apart. There must be some reason she kept her thick hair over the right side of her face and neck. He couldn’t think of a time he hadn’t seen it down and swooping to the right. He’d be very careful not to try moving it again, but he wished she’d confide in him. What was he thinking? She barely knew him.

  He met the stony gazes of the guy who’d tried to protect Sariah and severe bun-lady. The guy was his first massage. He must’ve been standing outside the door to burst in that quickly.

  Grabbing his shirt, he tugged it on and walked toward them. They both backed out of the way. Mack felt like he should apologize to them, but he hadn’t done anything wrong.

  He walked quietly to the receptionist desk and pulled out his credit card. Bun-lady finally came and took it, charging him for the third massage, even though he hadn’t really gotten much of a massage. He left a generous tip, gave her a forced smile, and headed outside. A brisk, spring wind hit him as he trudged to his rented Cherokee. This roller coaster with Sariah was killing him. He’d finally found her, she was flirting with him, and then, bam, he’d somehow messed it all up again. At least she’d said she’d meet him at six. He’d been terrified she’d rescind their dinner agreement.

  Settling into the Cherokee, he tilted the chair back and closed his eyes, hoping he could rest and the dull headache that was starting behind his eyes would disappear.

  His phone rang. He pulled it out without sitting up. “Hello,” he muttered, hoping it was Navy or one of his brothers. He could really use some advice from his sister.

  “Mack,” the voice was unhappy and he instantly recognized it as Hyde Metcalf’s voice.

  He sat up and
wondered if the angels in heaven were conspiring against him. “Hey, Hyde.”

  “Caleb called me.”

  “Figures.”

  “You found Sariah?”

  “Yeah.” He stared out of the windshield at the bright spring day. The wind rustled budding tree branches. Why had he come here? Did he even have a chance with Sariah?

  “And?” Hyde’s voice was tight and controlled.

  “She’s going to dinner with me at six.”

  “Did you bully her into that?”

  “What? Come on, Hyde,” he protested. “Have you ever seen me bully anybody into anything?” Mack might be one of the toughest offensive linemen in the nation but he had never pushed his way around anywhere, besides the football field. He’d learned young that people were intimidated by his size and he’d tried extra hard to be kind and not give anyone a reason to fear him. Being bullied as a small child for his speech impediment had made him empathetic. He hated the thought that maybe he had scared Sariah because of his large build. The only other reason she would have freaked out like that was because there was something wrong with her face or neck.

  There was a pause then Hyde finally admitted, “No.”

  “I just want to get to know her. Why are you so against me?”

  Hyde blew out a breath. “It’s not you. It’s your fame and your family and Sariah is just delicate.”

  Mack swallowed, staring at the front of the massage school. Half an hour ago he’d think Hyde was being overprotective, but he’d witnessed … something. “She was flirting with me and I pushed the hair from her face and it flipped her out.”

  “I bet it did.”

  “Did someone hurt her?” He was imagining everything from an abusive boyfriend to a traumatic accident.

  “Sariah’s very private and it’s not my story to tell. I know you wouldn’t intentionally hurt her, but please be careful with her. Please think about her and not your own desires.”

  Mack didn’t know what to make of any of this. He wasn’t some selfish brute that was going to push himself on Sariah. “I’ll treat her like I would want someone to treat my sister.”

  “I guess that’s all I could ask. I’ll check in with you soon.”

  “Okay.”

  Hyde hung up the phone. Mack laid back against the seat and squeezed his eyes shut. This whole deal with Sariah was unnerving. Why was he so drawn to her and why did Hyde act like she was a fragile piece of beautiful pottery? The interactions he’d had with her showed she was witty, strong, and feisty. The only weird thing had been when he pushed at her hair and she screamed.

  Frustration rolled through him and he second-guessed everything from his motivation to pursue her to everyone’s overprotectiveness of her to even Sariah’s mental health. He’d take her to dinner, but that might have to be the end of his Sariah quest. No matter how much he wanted to be with her, he couldn’t allow her to be hurt.

  Sariah made it through the last hour and a half of school, her mind replaying the way she’d reacted to Mack’s gentle touch over and over again. Ah, Mack. He was a gentle giant and she was a freak-out crazy woman. How could she explain why she’d reacted like that? She still didn’t want him to see her ugliness. She knew the insistent way he was pursuing her would end soon, if it hadn’t already, but she didn’t want to see revulsion in his eyes. She could still remember the first time Tyler had seen her scars. He’d recoiled and then she’d been very careful to keep her hair covering her right side after that. She never let herself reflect on when Tyler’s girlfriend and her brothers had been trying to drown her and then discovered her scars. They’d changed their plan and used her injury to exploit Tyler. Sariah knew it had probably saved her life but at the time she hadn’t been certain she wanted to keep living.

  She said goodbye to everyone and took a deep breath. When she walked out those doors she might be face to face with Mack Quinn. Making sure her hair was in place, she said a prayer and marched resolutely out front of the school. You got this girl, she muttered to herself.

  Searching around, she didn’t see Mack. Her stomach filled with a heavy sickness, like eating an entire loaf of stale bread by yourself then discovering it was moldy. He’d left and wasn’t coming back. She didn’t blame him, but oh, how it hurt. She’d known she shouldn’t let herself fall for him, but stupidly she had.

  Walking slowly toward the parking lot, she squinted at the sun glaring off of shiny vehicles. She walked past a black Jeep Cherokee and jumped when she saw there was a large person inside. Putting a hand on her heart, she took another quick look. The man was inclined in the driver’s seat, sleeping, and she recognized him.

  Mack. She kept the hand on her heart. He hadn’t left. He must’ve decided to wait in his car and had fallen asleep. She stood there, staring into his window. It was crazy that he could be so big yet so good-looking and non-threatening. His features were definitely male, strong and cut. The curly, blond hair softened him, but not as much as the blue eyes that she loved to stare into.

  As if he sensed her staring, Mack’s eyelashes fluttered and his eyes opened. He focused immediately on her. He smiled softly and her heart thumped faster.

  Sitting up quickly, he pushed the door open and climbed out. Sariah stood her ground, not wanting him to think she was afraid of him. He probably already thought she was mentally unstable.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said immediately.

  “No.” Sariah shook her head. “That was on me. I apologize for reacting like a rabid badger.” She smoothed her hair tighter around her neck.

  Mack’s eyes flicked to her neck and back to meet hers. “Can you tell me about it?”

  Sariah’s mouth went dry. “No,” she squeaked out.

  He studied her, moistened his lips, and then said, “Someday?”

  She shrugged. She wanted to tell him yes, or joke away the whole thing, but she couldn’t do either right now.

  Mack studied her for a few beats then he nodded, as if accepting her crazy secrets. “Thai food?” he asked.

  Sariah’s shoulders lowered. “Thai food sounds delectable.”

  Mack smiled at her word choice. “Are you comfortable riding with me or would you like me to follow you?”

  “I’d love to ride with you,” she said quickly. She’d really messed this up, making him think she was afraid of him. She supposed many people would be, with his muscular frame, but she knew he was gentle and good.

  He extended his hand and stared at her, his blue eyes asking her to trust him. Sariah placed her palm in his. He squeezed her hand and walked her around the Jeep, opening the passenger door. Sariah slid into the vehicle, so relieved he hadn’t pushed her to know her secrets. She was going on a date with Mack Quinn. It would probably be a one and done, but she was going to enjoy every second of it.

  Chapter Ten

  Mack glanced around the small, dingy restaurant as the hostess seated them, set their menus down, and bowed herself away.

  “Don’t worry, they passed the health board,” Sariah said.

  “Maybe they bribed their way through, but no way this place actually passed any cleanliness tests.”

  Sariah laughed. “I didn’t figure you for a big old wimp.”

  Mack was so happy she seemed comfortable with him again he would’ve eaten food from a street vendor in the Philippines. “Huge wimp, just ask my sister.”

  Sariah’s gaze traveled over him. “So, all those lovely muscles are just for show?”

  Mack wished he could show her exactly how tenderly he could hold her with his muscles, but he was pretty gun shy after her reaction at the school, especially with her unwillingness to explain. “For sure.”

  “I know that’s a lie. I’ve watched you push around defenders like they were bitty babies.”

  Did that mean she was afraid of him? “Most people don’t even notice the linemen, too focused on the superstars like the Rocket and Hyde.”

  “I don’t even know who the Rocket is and Lily watched Hyde close enough for
the both of us.” She glanced down at her menu then back up at him. “My gaze never left the offensive line.”

  Mack’s heart was thumping faster and faster. Everybody knew who the Rocket was. But all he cared about was Sariah was back to flirtation mode, and he loved it. Yet part of him was terrified of how taken he was by her. His mom and Navy had warned him repeatedly to stay away from women with mental health issues. They’d explained it wasn’t the woman’s fault, but it could sure make life miserable for a family if the wife and mother was unstable. His mind was racing ahead though, he’d barely gotten Sariah to come to dinner with him. He couldn’t be worrying about her being his other half, and how that might affect their future children. Children? It was really hot in here.

  “You are ready to order?” a small Oriental lady was at his elbow.

  “Um …” Mack looked to Sariah.

  “Do you trust me?” she asked.

  The question hit him hard, especially as she searched his eyes with her dark brown gaze. He did. Maybe he was a fool for it, but he trusted her with so much more than his dinner order in this hole-in-the-wall restaurant. “Yes,” he said.

  Sariah’s eyes were serious for half a second then she grinned and turned to the lady. “We’ll have the pineapple fried rice, the pad thai, the papaya salad, cashew nut chicken, the red curry, oh, and the mango sticky rice.”

  “Ah, yes. All the entrees you like spicy?” the lady pumped her eyebrows at Mack.

  “Sure.” He shrugged.

  “A three,” Sariah said. “He looks big but he’s too tender to stomach a five.”

  The lady laughed, took their menus, and bustled off. A young girl brought them waters. Mack thought it was interesting they hadn’t even asked if they wanted a different drink.

  “I’m tender?” he asked.

  “Don’t even try to deny it.”

  “Does that mean you aren’t afraid of me?”

  “Why would I be …?” Her eyes lit with understanding. “I’m not afraid of you, Mack.”