“Sure, you’ll just have to show me what to do so I don’t mess things up.”
Stepping into the hardware store, I switch on the lights.
Quinn glances around, and then her eyes lock on the side of the counter where I display her cupcakes.
“Eli,” she whispers as she walks closer.
I made a sign that reads, Made by Quinn. There’s also a jar filled with dollar bills.
Quinn points at the jar. “Is that all from sales?”
I nod. “I need to empty it. I opened a saving account until you’re ready to talk about opening a store.”
Her eyes widen. “There’s a saving account?”
“Yeah,” I grin at her. “Four months' worth of cupcakes’ sales has added up to a nice little amount.”
Quinn glances at the sign. “A dollar-fifty one? How many have you sold?”
My smile grows. “There are almost three thousand dollars in the account.”
Quinn’s eyes fly back to me. “You’re joking!”
“I told you, people are loving your cupcakes. If you open a store and make a business of it, you could make a hell of a lot more money.”
I watch as it sinks in, Quinn’s smile slowly growing bigger, and then she lets out a happy shriek as she darts toward me. I catch her, and when she wraps her arms around my neck, I lift her off the floor with a chuckle.
Laughter bubbles from her, the most beautiful sound I’ve heard in a long while.
“Thank you, Eli,” she breathes, pressing her mouth to mine. She lets out a giggle against my lips, and then she peppers kisses all over my face. “Thank you.”
Chapter 18
QUINN
Since I went into town with Eli, I’ve been thinking about what he said about opening up a bakery.
I’ve started writing down ideas of what the store could look like and what other themes would work for the cupcakes. I call it my dream journal.
Eli brings his truck to a stop in front of his parents’ house. We’re helping Ethan move into his own place.
As we climb out of the truck, Alex and Ethan are carrying a couch out of the garage. My eyes scan over all the furniture Ethan’s collected while living with his parents.
“Wow, that’s a lot of stuff to move,” I mention as I walk closer.
“Luckily, I have the two of you helping,” Ethan chuckles right before they load the couch onto the back of Alex’s truck.
“I’m just going to start loading,” Eli says as he walks into the garage.
I follow after Eli and pick up a lamp.
“You don’t have to help, baby,” Eli says as he grabs a box labeled kitchenware.
“I want to.”
“Quinn,” Ethan says when I start walking back to the truck.
“Yeah?”
“When we get to my place, would you mind helping Mom unpack everything?”
“Not at all. Is she already there?” I set the lamp down on the truckbed.
“Yes, she went ahead to open the window so the place can air out,” Ethan replies.
We buckle down and load as much as we can before heading to Ethan’s house. After a ten-minute drive, we pull up to a house, right on the beach, that’s in need of a lot of TLC.
The white and blue paint’s peeling off in places, and some of the shutters are missing.
“Shouldn’t he fix the place up before moving in?” I ask Eli when he brings the truck to a stop.
“You try telling Ethan that,” Eli chuckles.
I help unload the lighter boxes before joining Nina in the main bedroom. “I’m here to help.”
Nina wipes over her brow with her forearm. “Boy, am I glad to see you. Grab a bucket of water and a rag from the kitchen. I want to clean all the rooms before we unpack the boxes.”
“Okay.”
I get to work in one of the guestrooms, and every hour or so, Eli comes to check on me.
When I walk into the guest toilet, I scrunch my nose at the ugly lime green tiles. “Dang. If it was up to me, I’d just yank it all out and redo it,” I mumble to myself.
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Alex says as he passes by the restroom. “You hear that, Ethan? Quinn agrees with me.”
“Yeah-yeah, I’ll get to it,” Ethan mutters. He comes to lean his shoulder against the doorjamb and glances around the small space. “I wonder what the previous owners were thinking when they chose these tiles?”
“They obviously have zero taste,” I chuckle. “It looks like someone sneezed, and it splatted against the walls.”
“Ewww,” Nina laughs. “And on that note, it’s time for lunch.”
Laughing, Ethan and I head to the kitchen where Eli already has a sandwich in his mouth.
“Couldn’t wait for the rest of us?” Nina playfully chastises him.
Eli shakes his head as he finishes the bite he just took, then reaching into the Tupperware, he takes another sandwich and holds it out to me. “You’ll like this one. It’s bacon and cheese.”
“Mhh…” I take it from him and sink my teeth into it.
We all gather in the kitchen, jokes being thrown around while enjoying the lunch Nina prepared.
When we get back to work, time just flies by, and before I know it, the lights flicker on in the house. I climb to my feet, stretching my sore muscles. “We’re not going to get it all done today,” I mention as I glance to the kitchen.
Ethan comes to throw his arm around my shoulders. “That’s what tomorrow is for.”
“If you don’t remove your arm from Quinn, there will be no tomorrow for you,” Eli mutters.
Ethan pulls me against his side. “Honestly, Quinn, since you’ve come along, Eli’s become possessive as hell. What did you do to him?”
“Me?” I pretend to gasp, struggling to keep my laughter back. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Three,” Eli begins to count. “Two.” He raises an eyebrow at Ethan.
Just as Eli darts forward, Ethan tugs me in front of him as a shield.
Eli grabs hold of my arms, tucking me against his chest. “Mine.”
Nina sits down flat on her butt as she bursts out laughing, and soon we’re all cracking up.
Eli wraps me up in a tight hug, resting his chin on the top of my head.
“My caveman,” I say as my laughter dies down.
“Takes after his father,” Nina says, getting back to scrubbing the floor.
ELI
After work, I drive over to Josh’s place. I dropped Quinn off this morning because she wanted to clean the house before Josh comes back from a haul.
Parking the truck, I get out. Just as I open the front door, Quinn’s scream echoes through the house. Slamming the door shut behind me, I pull the gun from behind my back and run toward the kitchen.
“Quinn!”
“Eli,” she cries. “Quick!”
I dart inside and then come to a shuddering stop when I see the water gushing from a burst pipe beneath the sink.
“Don’t just stand there. Make it stop!”
Putting my gun away, I rush out of the house to grab my toolbox, and by the time I get back to the kitchen, Quinn’s clothes are soaked through, wet strands of her hair sticking to her neck and face.
“Move aside, baby,” I say as I take out a wrench and crouch in front of the sink. The water soaks me in seconds as I work to block the flow. I finally manage, then rise to my feet, wiping the drops from my face.
“It just burst,” Quinn says, scowling at the mess in the kitchen.
Glancing at Quinn, my eyes lock on her chest. The white fabric of her dress is completely see-through, sticking to her like a second skin. My cock hardens, and within a second, it’s straining against my jeans.
Her gaze drifts over me, and for a moment, we just stare at each other.
God help me, she looks fucking sexy.
The wrench drops from my fingers, and when Quinn’s tongue darts out to catch the drops on her lips, I can’t stop myself from closing the distance bet
ween us.
Framing her face, I tilt her head back, and then my mouth crashes against hers.
With Quinn getting better, day by day, it’s becoming harder to keep the pace slow between us. My self-control slips when my tongue brushes over hers, and my hands move down to her shoulders.
Feeling her wet skin has a groan building in my chest. I keep moving my hands down her sides until I reach the hem of her dress. My fingers brush over the sides of her legs as my lips knead hers.
Gathering the soaked fabric, I pull her dress up until I have her ass exposed. The groan ripples up my throat when I palm her firm cheeks, and then I pull her body up against mine so she can wrap her legs around my waist.
Somehow I manage to walk us to her old bedroom while still kissing her senseless. Quinn’s fingers tangle in my hair, and when she moans into my mouth, I almost fucking stumble.
I set her down by the side of the single bed, and reaching for the hem of my shirt, I pull the fabric over my head.
Quinn begins to struggle with her dress, which makes me chuckle as I reach down to help her.
“Arms up, baby,” I murmur before dragging the fabric up her body. It falls with a wet slap to the wooden floor.
My gaze drifts over the white cotton bra and panties, the sight making me impossibly hard.
“You’re so beautiful,” I whisper in awe.
Closing the distance between us with a single step, I brush my hands down her arms. I take hold of her hips and push her back onto the bed.
Quinn lies down, and when I crawl over her, her wide-green eyes look at me with all the trust in the world.
Wanting Quinn to be on the same page as me, I say, “I’m not taking your virginity today.” She begins to frown, and it has me quickly explaining, “There’s something else I want to do.”
“What?” she asks, resting her hands on my shoulders.
“Let’s just explore each other. Okay?”
Quinn sucks in a deep breath, then she nods.
Lowering my head, I nip at her lips before deepening the kiss. It quickly spirals out of control, and then I place my left hand on her hips. My fingers flex against the feel of her warm skin.
Quinn brushes her hand down my back, but she jerks away as she accidentally touches the gun.
I pull quickly back. “Shit, sorry,” Pulling the gun from behind me, I yank the drawer of her bedside table open and shove the weapon inside.
“You have a gun?” Quinn asks, a slight frown between her eyebrows.
“Just a precaution.” I brace my forearms on either side of her head and lock eyes with her. “Don’t worry about it.”
Quinn nods, and placing her hands on my sides, she lifts her head, pressing her mouth to mine. I kiss her for a moment before moving down, caressing her skin with my lips as I make my way to her breasts.
Christ, she tastes good.
I bring my left hand down, and pulling the lace of the bra down, I expose Quinn’s right nipple. Just like the rest of her, her breasts are small. My palm completely covers her, and my eyes drift shut from how good she feels.
“Fuck, baby, could you be any more perfect?” I whisper, and then I reach behind her to unclasp the bra. Pulling the cotton away from her, I notice Quinn’s chest practically fluttering from how fast she’s breathing.
My eyes lift to her face, and when I see her watching me with anticipation darkening her eyes, it makes a tender emotion warm my chest.
“Tell me I’m the first guy to touch you,” I say as I lower my head, sucking her nipple into my mouth until it’s a hard bud.
“You’re the first,” she gasps.
Placing my hands on her hips, I move down her body, brushing kisses over her skin until I reach her panties. I pull the cotton down her legs, staring at her naked body.
Christ. No taking her virginity, Eli.
I brush my hands up Quinn’s legs, over her hips, and up to her breasts, almost getting drunk knowing I’m the first, and I’ll be the only man, to touch her like this.
Chapter 19
QUINN
Eli’s hands roaming up my body steal the breath from my lungs.
I thought I’d feel self-conscious being naked in front of him, but the only thing I’m feeling is anticipation. My skin tingles as if it’s begging Eli to touch me everywhere. Every nerve ending is highly aware of him.
Eli’s teeth tug at my nipple, sending a streak of lightning to my abdomen.
Lifting his head, his features are tense, his jaw clenched so hard a muscle jumps right above his jaw.
“Is something wrong?” I ask, my eyes darting over his face.
He shakes his head. “Just taking a lot of self-control to take things slow.”
“You don’t have to,” I say, and placing my hands on his waist, I pull him down so he’ll lie on top of me.
When his chest presses against mine, he lets out a deep groan as if he’s in pain. “Fuck, baby.”
Again a frown starts to form on my forehead, but then Eli’s mouth takes mine in an intense kiss that makes it hard to suck in a full breath of air.
His hand moves down to my hip, and his mouth leaves mine, pressing kisses down my neck and shoulder. I hear him take a deep breath before he looks at me.
Eli shifts slightly off me while his fingers brush over my abdomen. When his hand slips between my legs, I forget how to breathe. His touch is soft, his eyes locked on my face.
“Did you fantasize about me touching you?” he asks.
Overwhelmed by his hand covering my most private part, it takes a moment for me to respond. “Yes.”
“And? Does it feel the way you imagined?”
I shake my head.
Eli parts my folds, and his finger brushes over my sensitive spot. I shake my head harder, breathing, “A million times better.”
The corner of his mouth curves up, and he begins to stroke me harder. My abdomen clenches so hard, it makes the air burst from me.
I’m so focused on how Eli’s making me feel, I forget to explore his body. My eyes stay locked on his as pleasure begins to build inside me, swirling and tightening.
His fingers move down, flirting with my opening before returning to the bundle of nerves, making my hips lift off the bed.
“Do you want my finger inside you, Quinn?” he asks, his voice hoarse.
“Yes.” My body tenses as the anticipation in me reaches breaking point.
Eli’s eyes burn on me, and then he pushes a single finger inside me. His palm flattens against my clit, and as he begins to massage me, pleasure shoots through me like a rocket. My hips start to move, and grinding down on his hand, my breaths become uneven.
My body tenses, and my nails dig into Eli’s sides.
“That’s it, baby. Let go for me.”
It feels like I’m stuck on a cliff, but then Eli presses down harder on my clit, his finger twirling inside me.
“Come, Quinn.”
My body unravels, and I convulse as if I’m being electrocuted. A strangled moan slips over my lips while ecstasy washes through me.
Eli looks at me with so much love, it makes overwhelming emotions build in my chest.
Slowly I come down from my orgasm, and as Eli pulls his hand away, I’m surprised when he moves down my body. He pushes my legs wide apart, making my eyebrows jump into my hairline, and then my face goes up in flames as he licks me from my opening to my clit.
I’m slightly dying of a weird mixture of embarrassment and desire while he kisses his way up my body until he reaches my mouth.
When he sees that I’m blushing, a hot grin spreads over his face. “Just marking my territory, baby.”
I let out a chuckle. “I guess that’s one way of doing it.”
Eli braces himself on top of me, and lowering his head, he kisses me tenderly and deep, making me feel treasured.
With my brain activity returning after the orgasm, I move my hands up and down his back, drinking in the feel of his warm skin and toned muscles.
Rea
ching his lower back, my fingers follow the waistband of his jeans until I get to the front. I undo the button, but when I try to pull down the zipper, Eli breaks the kiss, shaking his head.
Instantly I pout, not happy that he’s stopping me. “I want to explore you too.”
“I have zero willpower left, Quinn.”
“So?” I worm my way out from under Eli and push him onto his back. “It’s my turn, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“Wow, look at you being all bossy,” he teases me as he settles back against my pillows. His eyes drift over my body, and reaching a hand out, he brushes his knuckles over my right breast.
Kneeling next to his thigh, I reach for the zipper, and this time he doesn’t stop me.
Taking hold of his jeans and boxers, I ask, “Can you lift your hips?”
Eli does as I say, and as I pull the fabric down his legs, my eyes dart to his groin.
Oh dear God.
I try to hide my shock at his size.
I tried watching porn once but almost died from embarrassment. It was the only time I saw a man naked, and I felt a little traumatized.
But Eli…
“You’re beautiful,” I murmur in awe of his body.
“Beautiful?” he asks, cocking his head with a frown forming between his eyes. “Not a word a guy wants to hear when his woman’s staring at his cock.”
“What am I supposed to say?” I chuckle, amused by his reaction.
“Impressive.”
I let out a chuckle. “Oh, trust me, you’re impressive.”
ELI
I teased Quinn because, for a second there, she looked a little scared.
When she begins to straddle me, I grab hold of her hips to stop her. “I swear if your pussy comes close to my cock, I’ll be done for.”
Pushing her a little down, I settle her on my thigh. Not that the heat coming off her and searing into my skin is any better.
“If it’s so hard for you, why are you delaying us having sex?” she asks.
“Because I don’t want you to miss out on everything that comes before it.”
Beautifully Hurt (Beautifully Broken) Page 12
