Quinn I (Undaunted Men #1)

by J. C. Cliff

  After dinner, Quinn and I combined all our foods together, and then he wrapped everything up in a canvas sack he had brought. We walked the food about a hundred yards away from our campsite until he found a high enough branch he was happy with. Throwing the rope on the other side of the tree limb, he hoisted the bag high off the ground, and then tied off the rope to the trunk of the tree. I would’ve never known to do that. A shiver rolls through me, thinking of a bear entering my camp to forage for food, all because I didn't know you were supposed to keep those scents away from camp.

  When we came back from securing our food from potential midnight bear invasions, we straightened up our little camp, getting ready for bed. After we both brushed our teeth, he gave me some privacy to change my clothes. I was surprised when he came back and laid out his sleeping bag right beside mine, leaving only two feet between us. I would've thought he'd taken the far end of the shelter. It's not like there's a lot of floor space, but there's enough space to put more distance between us.

  So here we are, snug and safe for the night, or so I hope. My feet are sore and stiff, and I’m scared to see what they look like. I was too embarrassed earlier to pull my socks off in front of Quinn and assess the damage to my feet. What I wouldn't give right now to have some hot water to soak them in.

  Quinn’s deep voice cuts through the thickness of the night, interrupting my thoughts. “What are you thinking about so hard over there?”

  “Bears,” I reply without hesitation.

  He bursts out with laughter, and the buoyant sound he emits makes me smile. I love the tone of his deep, rich laugh; it’s infectious. “I don’t feel sorry for you. You’ve got one of America’s finest protecting you. I can’t believe my own damn dog left me high and dry.”

  I try to stifle a giggle, but fail. He’s right. She has snuggled up right beside me, keeping me company. I look down at Kimber and, at the same time, she peers up at me with the most innocent eyes. I can’t help but smile at her. I rub the back of her neck, her mahogany coat soft to the touch. I bend down and give her a gentle kiss on the top of her head, and her fuzzy hair tickles my nose. I never would’ve pegged her for a military dog, simply because she is super sweet and cuddly.

  Besides Kimber, I can’t believe how well Quinn and I have hit it off. He’s so easy to talk to, and his sense of humor is wicked. I love that he’s always smiling. He has this unexplainable energy vibrating off him when he’s nearby, and I find I'm drawn to him like a magnet.

  He must be hot, because he sits up and grabs his t-shirt by the back of his collar, peeling it up and over his head in one swift motion. I can’t seem to breathe properly. I’m being asphyxiated by testosterone and muscles galore. I can clearly see the muscular outline of his broad shoulders and back against the moonlight, and if it were a little brighter, I would be able to see each individual muscle flex as he moves. He’s more than well defined; he’s the very definition of muscle, strength, and manliness, all wrapped up in one.

  I watch as he settles back down into his sleeping bag and tucks his arms underneath the back of his head. His bronze chest is exposed to the open air, rising and falling with each breath, and my heart flutters. He lets out a long-winded sigh as he looks out into the distance, toward the sky.

  I tilt my head to the side, peering out underneath the roof's eves, following suit. I look at the stars at this angle, trying to see what he sees. I think about Vince and wonder if he's seeing the same set of stars as I am right now. He's put me through hell over the past twenty-four hours, and I'd like to see him get his own due.

  Without thinking, I blurt out my own thought. “Quinn, do you believe in karma?”

  “Baby,” he says, turning his head to face me, arching his brow while wearing a sly grin, “I am karma.”

  I burst out laughing, smiling from ear to ear, shaking my head at his silliness. His lips twitch as he asks, “And why is that so funny? You don’t believe me?”

  “Somehow, I believe you're telling the truth.”

  He then gives me a flirtatious wink. “Damn straight I am.” He smiles back at me, his white teeth glistening against the moonlight. I stroke Kimber’s back, soothing her back into a peaceful sleep.

  “Quinn,” I whisper into the night.

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you for staying with me.” I don’t know why I get a sense of peace when I'm with him, but I do. I can tell by his mannerisms and the way he loves his dog that he’s a good man. With the moonlight reflecting off him, I can make out every sexy, handsome feature of his face. I don’t even think he knows how striking he is, and if he does, he doesn’t act like it. “I feel safe with you guys here.”

  “Well, to be honest, I’m not sure Kimber was going to give me a choice about the matter either way, but you’re welcome.” I release a light, contented sigh, I could listen to his deep baritone voice all night long.

  “Do you need your baby back?” I tease.

  He shakes his head at me, and I hear the smile in his voice. “Goodnight, Lexi.”

  “Goodnight, Quinn.”

  He rolls over, facing away from me, and then we settle back down into a comfortable silence. I’m left alone with my thoughts again, and promptly my mind veers back to the last two days. So many questions swarm inside my head, and so much of the unknown lies ahead of me. My future has literally turned to complete and utter shit. I don’t like change, and the things I haven’t had time to digest are now surfacing in the quiet of the night. All these abrupt changes are too much for me to process. I’m scared of starting a new life on my own…terrified, actually. I love my family, and my job. I can only hope that this craziness will eventually blow over, and I can go back. Surely, I can go back, can’t I?

  A cool breeze wafts over me, and I inhale the fresh mountain air. It's soothing, clean, and wholesome. I need to force myself to focus on something positive. I ask myself, what am I most thankful for, and immediately, I come up with Quinn. I’m not alone. He's the only reason I feel safe and calm in the middle of nowhere.

  I hold onto Kimber a little tighter and kiss her soft head. She’s sleeping so peacefully, nuzzled up against me, and I smile a genuine smile. There's an unexplainable, heartwarming feeling of completeness one gets when a dog gives of their love, both freely and unconditionally. It's as if she's already made me part of the pact, and she wasn't going to let Quinn have a say in the matter. I softly chuckle at the thought when Kimber had barreled into me earlier to Quinn's dismay. He later told me she can be very jealous of his affections. I can definitely see where any female, human or otherwise, wanting to bide for Quinn's attentions. He's too attractive and fascinating not to.

  A large part of me hopes they don’t go their own separate way tomorrow. Having them here with me distracts me from dealing with reality, plus I don’t want to be out in the wilderness alone. I listen to the continuous noises of the forest as they slowly turn into a symphony of sounds, and find myself finally drifting off to sleep.

  Dry barn dust kicked up under my feet as I rounded the corner to Griffen's stall. My step faltered the second I noticed his stall door had already been opened. I picked up my pace and flung open the door the rest of the way to find the majestic animal lying down on his side.

  “Griffen?” I nervously whispered, my heart pounding in my chest. Getting down on my knees, I sidled up beside him and looked into his eyes. “What’s wrong, boy?” My eyes flicked back and forth over his huge body as I quickly assessed him. He’s distressed and breathing heavily. What the hell? When could this have happened?

  My hands shakily ran over the barrel of his body as I looked for clues. His chest was barely moving as he struggled for each breath he took. This Arabian is my entire life. We've done so much together over the past fifteen years. We’d competed together, won ribbons, but after he turned eighteen, he had a mild stroke, and even though he'd recovered just fine, I had to retire him.

  Oh, God, please tell me he didn’t have another stroke. Panic ensued as I tried to gently s
peak to him, thinking it was Griffen who needed the calm voice, not me. “It’s gonna be okay, boy. Hang on. I’m gonna get us some help.”

  I quickly scrambled to my feet in a blurry haze of fear, and for a second, I wasn’t sure which way to turn. The barn phone came to mind, so I bolted out of the stall and turned to run toward the other end of the building in a mad dash. My heart was in my throat as I busted through the office door, and then I made a grab for the phone receiver with the intent to call the vet. Thank God, he was on speed dial. This barn hadn't changed much over the years, and it showed by the lack of technology present, but it was home to me and Griffen.

  Taking in a shaky breath, I plucked the old handheld telephone from its base which was bolted to the wall. The cording was thick with dirt and coiled so badly, I had to tug a little to get the wiring to stretch out. As soon as I began to punch in the speed dial numbers, I’m grabbed from behind. It all happened so fast…so fast it felt surreal. Strong, muscled arms wrapped around my chest and squeezed the air out of my lungs. Reality sunk in, and I opened my mouth to let out a scream, but a heavy-handed leather glove clamped down over my mouth and muffled my shrieks of terror. Even though my nose wasn’t covered, my lungs were constricting, and I couldn’t take in a breath to save my life. My mind raced, but I had no idea what the hell was going on, or who had me.

  “You can still breathe through your nose, Lexi,” a deep, gruff voice informed me in a sardonic manner, as if I didn't know. His breath fanned out over the shell of my ear, causing me to shiver. I wheezed through my nose, and then inhaled a familiar cologne. With his light Italian accent, and his one-of-a-kind cologne, I was able to put two and two together through my panicked haze. I realized it was Vince. His cologne sat thickly in the back of my throat, and I gagged against his hand. I struggled in vain to get free, but it was useless; he was too powerful.

  “You gonna settle down and not scream? Be a shame not to get the help your horse needs, wouldn’t it?”

  My limbs froze and my heart stopped at his words. The bastard, he did this. He did this to Griffen.

  In a rush of adrenaline-fueled anger, I wrenched my face away from his hand and turned my head, snarling at him, “What did you do?!”

  “Ah-ah-ah, now, is that any way to greet your future husband?” he asked calmly while keeping a vice grip on me.

  “Get your hands off me,” I hissed between clenched teeth. All I could think about was getting Griffen help. “What did you do, Vince?”

  A slow, evil grin spread across his lips, and I knew, without a doubt, he was indeed to blame. “What did you do to my horse?!” I yelled.

  “I didn’t do anything, sweetheart,” he stated with mock offense. “It’s up to you as to whether or not your horse gets the proper care he needs to survive.”

  “Lexi, wake up.” A deep voice fades in and out as I stir awake. My heart is pounding out of control, and as I open my eyes, I’m met with a dark, looming shadow hovering over me. Still half asleep, I think it's Vince; he's back. A loud, piercing scream fills the night air, and then it registers that the noise is coming from me. Between my screams, and Quinn shaking me, I've come to. I find I'm shaking like a leaf, my skin feeling cold and clammy.

  “Lexi, it’s okay. I’m here.” Quinn's voice still fades in and out as he tries to calm me down, but I seriously doubt he can take away the torment I’m in. I’m not sure anyone can fix my hellish nightmare. “God, Lexi, what the hell is going on?” Even though he’s gently shaking me, his hands are gripping my shoulders fiercely, his fingers digging into my skin. I swallow, but there is nothing there; my mouth is dry as a desert. All I can do is pant with heavy, agitated breaths.

  Quinn gives up on getting me to speak and pulls me into his arms, encircling me in his strength as if he can protect me. I rest my head against his chest, his heart beating wildly, just like mine. I must’ve pulled him from a dead sleep and scared the shit out him.

  “I’m…I’m sorry, Quinn.”

  “Hush. There’s nothing to be sorry for. I’m glad I was here. I think you woke up the entire mountain side, though. No way in hell any bear would come within five miles of that kind of screaming.” By his tone, he's trying to make light of the situation, but I know he's unsettled, too.

  He pulls his upper body back, trying to look at me, but it’s too dark to see his full features. “You want to talk about this?” he softly asks. I shake my head. I’m so damn shaken up I don’t know what to do. All I know is that being in Quinn’s arms is the only place that feels good right now.

  “Slow, deep breaths, baby. You’re still hyperventilating,” his voice was unsettled and full of concern. I try my best to breathe in deep, measured breaths to calm my racing heart, but I can't. “Yeah, you’re not sleeping alone,” he affirms in conclusion, talking to himself. He starts to back away from me, but I cling to him, not willing to let him go; he's my life-line right now. “Hey,” he reassures me, “I’m not going anywhere, okay? Let me fix our sleeping bags so I can get us both comfortable, and then I’ll hold you. It’s cold out here.”

  I nod my head, and I’m not sure if he can see me agreeing with him, so I manage to rasp out, “Yeah, okay.” I reluctantly let him go, and instantly I'm keyed up all over again. I nervously twist my fingers into knots as I wait for him to hold me again. He unzips my bag, and then he gently takes me by the elbow, helping me scoot out of my warm cocoon.

  I feel like a helpless, frightened five-year-old as I wait for Quinn to fix our bags. He’s right; it is cold outside of our sleeping bags. The midnight mountain air accosts my clammy skin, and I shiver, goose bumps erupting from head to toe. I don’t know how he’s seeing anything in this darkness, but he appears to be managing just fine. As I sit here on my knees, Kimber nudges me for attention, and I pull her into me.

  In the dim light I can see when he slips inside, and wedges himself against the far end of the sleeping bag. “Come here, Lexi,” he softly whispers. He holds open the side of the sleeping bag in invitation. I give Kimber a kiss on the top of her head, and then tuck myself in beside Quinn. Both the flannel material and his body heat comforts me the second I've sidled up to him. He reaches over me to zip up the side of our combined sleeping bags, encasing us both into one sleeping bag. He then settles back down, pulling me in against his muscled warmth. He firmly depresses my head, urging me to rest my head against his broad chest. I comply, resting my cheek against his steady heartbeat as he tries to comfort me. Kimber settles down at the bottom of our feet, and curls up in a ball. I relish the feel of both her and Quinn touching me; it's comforting.

  I’m still a long way off from being calm, but Quinn works hard to soothe my nerves, speaking soft words while he rubs the tense muscles on the back of my neck. So many things are racing through my mind all at once. I can’t believe I just dreamed about part of my fucked-up morning from yesterday, having to relive the horror in my sleep. I’ve never dreamt about real life events from the past before.

  “Come on, sweetheart,” Quinn soothes. “You’re still breathing erratically. As long as I’m here, no one is going to haunt you. I will keep them out of your dreams.” I nod my head into his chest, acknowledging him. He's working hard to calm me down.

  I'm full of overwrought tension, and my fingers curl into a fist against his chest. “Please, don’t let me go,” I whimper, wishing he had a shirt on so I could twist it in my hands. I don’t know what to do with all this nervous, displaced energy.

  “Shh, baby, I’m not going anywhere,” he softly assures me. He takes my fidgety hand in his and holds it tightly against the center of his chest, stilling my movements. “I’m right here. Everything is going to be all right now.” The assurance and warmth of his voice washes over me, and the way his strength surrounds me, I begin to settle down. Being wrapped in his arms this way, he feels like a familiar lover, I don't perceive him to be the stranger he actually is.

  My tense muscles begin to loosen, and as I steal a deep, calming breath, he murmurs over my head. I clo
se my eyes and soak in the sound of his deep, rich, and self-assured voice. As I take solace in his arms, I foolishly tell myself Quinn is willing and very capable of keeping all my demons at bay. If only this were true. The steady rhythm of his beating heart becomes my focal point, and eventually I’m able to drift back to sleep.

  Slowly rousing from a deep sleep, I wake to find myself in a heated tangle. I suck in a quick breath, realizing I’m in Quinn's sleeping bag. What the hell? My heart rate increases exponentially. I’m trapped, my back to his front, and all of his extremities are wrapped around me like an octopus. Even Kimber has taken up residence at the bottom of my feet, making it impossible for me to move.

  My limbs stay frozen as I lie here taking shallow breaths, thinking back to the moment during the night when this happened. Oh yeah, I remember now. Vince, Griffen, and the whole mess comes flooding back to me. A shiver rolls through me, the horrific memory of my nightmare having become my new reality.

  Quinn, for being a stranger, went above and beyond the call of duty last night. He came to my rescue in a heartbeat, shaking me awake, and was so sweet and attentive. I was a hyperventilating mass of nerves, and he worked extra hard at trying to calm me down.

  Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was this ruggedly handsome, sexy man who was able to distract me from my woes. I distinctly remember his gentle caresses and soft words. His warm embrace throughout the night made me feel safe and secure. The odd thing is, he held me as if he genuinely cared, and God if I didn’t soak that up. It seems like forever since I had lain in a man's arms.