Suddenly, the person’s head turns in my direction and she lurches forward, clutching her hand to her chest as I’ve clearly given her a fright.
Fuck. Shit. This is not what I expected.
My mouth goes slack and I freeze on the spot. I cannot believe what my eyes are telling me, what I’m seeing inside the truck.
“Quinn,” I gasp, reaching for the handle of the rear door. But it’s locked. My eyes find her face, and the look of dread has spread, she’s shuffling away, shaking her head. I step back, slowly raising my hands and holding them up, on either side of my head. “It’s okay.” I try and calm her, showing I mean no harm. “I’m actually due to work on this site.” I laugh nervously, pointing my thumb over my shoulder, suddenly feeling the need to explain why I’m here and what I’m doing. “I promise I’m not going to hurt you.” I smile widely, and a small one tugs at the corner of her lips. Her head dips and she disappears from my sight. A few seconds later she pushes open the door, appearing right in front of me. I grab ahold of the frame of the rusty door and offer my hand to help her out.
“Hi,” I say as she takes my hand in hers. “Well, you certainly know how to surprise a guy,” I smirk.
“Not exactly how I wanted us to meet again,” she shows me a sad smile, pushing her messy hair away from her face. I swallow hard, thinking, despite how she’s slept just how beautiful she looks, even like this.
“Things are so bad you’re sleeping in your car?” I ask, my voice is just a whisper and she pulls her hand from mine to cross them over her chest. She’s shivering and all I want to do is lean in and kiss her, like we did that night at the club. I long to push my fingers into her hair and pull her towards me, kissing her lips, tasting her once more. I want to make all the bad things in her life good again.
Why?
I have no fucking clue, other than the way my damn heart is beating, how my mind is racing with all things Quinn related.
“I don’t have a job,” she mumbles, allowing her back to fall against the side of the car. Her head drops and she shuffles her feet against the dusty earth beneath her feet.
“I still don’t get why you’re sleeping in your car,” I lift and drop my shoulders.
“Because I have nowhere else to go,” she snaps, her voice breaking as she allows her eyes to flutter shut.
“Come sit in my car where it’s a little warmer,” I offer, holding out my hand to her. I can see the pain etched across her face, and I’d give anything to know what to say to her right now.
Lifting her head slowly, she sniffles back a tear.
“Okay,” she says, accepting my offer. I lead her to my car, pressing the fob to unlock the doors. I hear a tiny laugh escape her. I turn, looking at her, trying to work out what’s so damn funny.
She tilts her head to the side, stopping right in front of. “A little different than my ride,” she lets out another puff of laughter.
“Jump in,” I say, walking around to the driver’s side and sliding into the seat. She opens the door, standing with her hand on the door’s interior, stops and is looking at me. She’s hesitant, I can tell.
“Don’t make me regret this,” she smiles, but behind that smile I know is a hidden warning.
“Never,” I say, fighting back a cheeky smile. “Let me help you Quinn, seems to me you deserve a break.”
“That’s why I needed that job, Josh. I need to get money for a place of my own. I don’t have anywhere to go. I shower at University, using the public bathrooms there to get cleaned up. I’m lucky I got a scholarship, or I’d be really screwed,” she blows out an exaggerated breath.
“You never went back,” I narrow my stare at her, “The strip club, I mean.”
She shakes her head loosely, her fingers playing with the hem of her jacket. “No, because I couldn’t do it. I’m not one of those girls…” her voice trails off as she slowly turns toward me. “You did that Josh, you made me realize no matter how much I tried to force myself, I could never be THAT girl.”
“Do you have any idea how dangerous it is sleeping in your car? You’re lucky it’s me that found you and not some crazy ass murderer.”
“Oh god, don’t,” she says holding her hand to her chest. “I don’t have any other choice, Josh. What would you have me do?”
“Family, friends, surely one of them has a sofa you can sleep on.”
“No,” she all but yells, holding her hands out in front of her. “I can’t go home. I can’t ever go back there,” she mumbles her voice tight and her face contorted. I swallow down hard, knowing from my experience with Caleb that I can’t push this.
“Okay, friends?” I ask. “Is there anyone who could help you out?”
“No,” she quickly dismisses me, “Besides, I really need my own place.”
“Well, let me help you,” I blurt out. “You can shower at my place, and stay there for a few nights until you get yourself sorted.”
“I couldn’t possibly,” she shakes her head. “I mean, that’s a super kind offer, but you could be like a murderer or anything. You did bring up the whole murderers running loose thing, that’s sure gonna make alarm bells ring in a girl’s mind.” She chuckles, pressing her palms flat against the top of her thighs.
I laugh, but reach inside my pant pocket, retrieving my phone. Quinn’s eyes go wide, as she watches me scroll through my phone before hitting the call button. It connects to the car’s hands-free, the dial tone ringing through the speakers.
“What are you doing,” she whispers her question.
“Don’t take my word for it…”
“Who are you calling?” Her mouth is hung open slightly but the call is answered before I can respond.
“Hello,” Amber answers the phone, “Josh, fuck Josh, why are you calling me at this time?”
I laugh out loud at the annoyance lacing her voice. “Amber, I need your help.”
“Oh my god, Josh, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, as such,” I reply, “I just need you to tell my friend Quinn…”
Before I can finish the sentence, Amber squeals loudly down the phone and I can hear she’s clapping her hands together.
“Josh I told you, didn’t I tell you…”
“Amber,” I blurt out, hoping to cut her off mid-sentence.
“I said if it was meant to be…”
“Amber,” I yell louder. “We’re on speaker. In my car.”
“Oh shit,” she mumbles.
“So anyway,” I continue, hoping to deflect from Ambers admission that I’ve been talking about Quinn. “I need you to let her know I’m not some kind of psycho murderer.”
“Well, I don’t know, you might be,” she says a little tongue in cheek. “I’m just kidding, of course you’re not.” She laughs down the phone.
“Not cool, Amber. Not cool.”
“What?” She continues to laugh. “But honestly Josh, surely Quinn can see for herself what a decent guy you are.”
“I can,” she finally speaks; well it’s more like a squawk, as if she had to force it out. I turn to her, smiling wider than I had for a long time. I mouth my ‘thanks’ as Amber continues to talk.
“Hey, where’s my buddy?” I ask.
“He’s just having breakfast, let me get him. I just know he’ll want to say hi.” I can hear the phone rustling as she walks with the phone in hand.
“Uncle Josh,” his little voice vibrates through the speaker system. He must have his mouth too close to the receiver.
“Hey, Finn, you getting ready for kindergarten?”
“Sure am. Are you working today? I think you should come have dinner with us tonight.”
“I can’t today, buddy. But soon, yeah?”
“Real soon?” his voice becomes sullen and full of disappointment.
“I promise,” I smile to myself. Damn, I love this kid as if he was my own.
“Pinky?” he asks, and my smile widens.
“Pinky promise.”
“Bye Unc
le Josh. Love you,” and I hear a rustle against the phone and a whooshing sound. He’s blowing a kiss to me down the phone, and it just melts my heart. I blow one back, his voice fading on the other end.
“Hey,” Amber comes back on the line. “He misses you Josh,” she sighs, and it makes my stomach sink. “When you gonna get your ass out here with us. He’s not the only one that misses you. Caleb’s not the same without you around,” her voice is now low, almost just a whisper.
“I miss you all too. But you know I like being in the hustle and bustle and close to downtown. Anyway,” I look at Quinn beside to me and I’m eager to get back to her. “I’m going to go.”
“See ya,” she sings before the line goes dead.
“Believe me now?” I ask with a cock of my brow.
“Maybe,” she replies coyly.
“Listen,” I sigh heavily, turning my body until I’m facing her, “Let me take you to my apartment. You are free to get cleaned up, rest a little, do what you like really. But don’t stay here in that rust bucket,” I jerk my thumb back in the direction of her shitty looking car. “The owner will be along at nine, that’s who I’m meeting as we are working on plans for the development.”
“Okay,” she agrees, but I sense the reluctance in her strained voice, her shoulders slumping a little as if defeated. “But the car comes with me.”
“What?” I gasp, “that thing actually drives?”
“Hey,” she slaps my arm. “Bert has been good to me,” she says widening her eyes.
“You named your car, Bert?”
“Sure did,” she says with a twinkle in her eye. The twinkle brought back warm memories from the night at the club.
I hold out my hand to her. She shakes, and I smile. “Deal.”
Josh
I drive back to my apartment, the rusty old truck following me the whole way. I keep checking in my rearview mirror to make sure I don’t lose her. I can’t afford to lose her now.
I pull into the parking lot below the complex, jumping out just as Quinn’s car swings into the parking spot beside mine. I rest my ass against the trunk of the car, my arms folded over my chest waiting for her to emerge. I can’t help the feeling deep within, the one that’s telling me that I have to help this girl. Somehow find out how things have ended up this bad for her. I check over my shoulder to see her wrestling with a huge backpack.
“Shit,” I say, pushing myself away from my car. “Do you need me to help you with that?” I ask, pointing to the huge backpack. The kind you would expect to see a hiker carrying.
“My life in one giant bag,” she laughs nervously. I nod, turning and taking the bag from her. My hand is pulled to the ground, the weight of the bag takes me completely by surprise.
“What the hell is in here?” I laugh, dragging it up from the floor and throwing it over my shoulder. “A dead body?” I harden my face, giving the appearance of seriousness.
“How’d ya guess,” she answers, before letting out a little heartwarming laugh. “I’m just kidding.” She gently taps my arm playfully, “That bag contains everything I need. Couldn’t risk leaving it down here, you know, in this sketchy neighborhood and all.”
“Sketchy,” I question her with the lift of my brow.
“Totally,” she lets her eyes fall to the ground, biting the corner of her lip.
“Let me show you to my apartment,” I say with a nod, indicating for her to follow. We take the glass elevator to the top floor. Quinn’s hands rest flat against the glass as she looks at the more than impressive view through the window. A small gasp of disbelief escapes her before she whips her head in my direction, her eyes fixed on me as her mouth goes slack.
“You live on the top floor,” she says, inhaling sharply through her nose.
“Sure,” I say resting back against the metallic wall of the elevator.
“So, you’re kinda rich or something.”
I shrug and fight back the smirk that pulls at my lips. The fact is, I’ve done well for myself, but I’m not a jerk and I don’t flaunt my money in front of those who are clearly struggling.
“Business has been good,” I say casually.
She spins on the spot, turning and facing me. She takes a few small steps, closing the gap between us. My pulse thuds as she gets closer, my desire to touch her is overwhelming. “So explain something because I’m a little confused.” I watch as she swallows down hard. Her eyes hard and fixed on me. The way she is looking at me is making me kinda nervous.
“Anything,” I say, pushing my foot against the wall and pushing myself off until I’m stood upright and just inches from her; from touching her.
“Why me,” she blurts out and I wait for her to continue. Seconds feel like minutes and I wait expectantly. But nothing.
“Why you what?” I ask, unable to take the silence for a second longer.
“Why are you trying to help me? You could have anyone you want, why are you wasting your time on me?”
“Is that what you think,” I murmur, the ping of the door opening catches my attention as we arrive on the top floor. I step over, pushing my foot in the doorway, resting my arm on the side, blocking the exit. “You think I have other intentions?”
“I just don’t understand,” she says before clearing her throat. “Why would a guy like you take any interest in a mess of a girl like me?”
“Because, maybe, just maybe, there’s much more of you to see under that mess,” I smile. “I can’t help but admit there’s something that intrigues me, Quinn. I have this desire to know more.”
“There’s nothing more to know.”
“There has to be,” I say letting out a huge sigh. “I barely know a thing about you.”
“And that’s the way I’d rather it stayed.”
“But why?” I ask, my eyes pleading with her to take down her guard, to give me something back. “Let me in. Let me help you.”
“You don’t even know me,” she croaks out.
“No, but I will,” I say, grinning, dragging the bag from the floor and walking out of the elevator. I keep my hand on the door to prevent it closing. I jerk my head towards the door. “You coming?” I ask, my eyes wide and waiting.
She releases a breath I’m pretty sure she’s been holding and slowly takes a step forward. I watch as her slim body almost shimmies across, stopping just beside me. “Lead the way,” she says coyly, her fingers pressed together and her body trembling.
I lead her down the hall and over to the door of my penthouse suite apartment. “So, you rent this?” she asks, her eyes taking in the surroundings.
“Maybe. Or maybe not,” I smirk.
“Well, either you do or you don’t,” she says with a frown.
“Let’s trade,” I say, pausing in front of the door.
“I have nothing to trade.”
“Oh, I think you do.” I smile widely. “I will answer any of your questions, but in return you have to give me answers too.”
Laughing, she takes a step back. “Your tricks won’t work on me, Josh.”
“It’s not a trick,” I say pushing the key into the apartment door, and holding it open for her to walk in. “After you,” I say with a nod of my head. She steps through, her jaw slack and her eyes roaming the apartment.
“Oh my god,” she whispers, a gasp escaping her. “This is something else.” I close the door, dropping her bag on the floor just at the entrance, my eyes fixed on her. She walks further inside the apartment and over into the kitchen area. The open plan apartment is flooded with early morning sunlight and I watch as she makes her way over to the windows that overlook the area.
“I bet you sit out here a lot,” she beams pointing her finger to the large terrace. For the first time today, I’m seeing a smile like no other. The sort of smile that reaches right up to her sparkling eyes, lighting up her entire face.
“You like?”
“Oh, I love this.” She trails her hand across the work top as she makes her way back over to me. “I can’t believ
e how big the apartment is. Wait, you live here alone, right?”
“Of course,” I smile, and watch as she continues to inspect the apartment. I stride over to the breakfast bar and slide onto a stool.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“I’m just giving you space to look around.”
“I’m waiting for the guided tour, you know, since I’ll be stopping here for a few days,” she says the words as though it’s difficult for her, but she’s finally acknowledging my offer of help.
“Oh, yeah, sure,” I jumble out my words as I jump down and rush back to her. She’s stayed near the entrance, looking at me with wide eyes. I grab her bag, thrusting the bag over my shoulder. “Let me show you the where everything is.” I lead her up the staircase, the entire first floor overlooks the ground floor.
“So, this room is mine,” I say holding my hand out to the light wooden door at the top of the staircase. “All the others are spare. You’re free to take your pick. Although this one,” I point to the door next to mine, “might be a little too childish for you.”
“Childish,” she questions me with her eyes as well as her words.
“Yeah, Finn sleeps in there when he comes to stay with me. I decorated it superhero style.” I push on the handle and let her look. I love this room just as much as Finn does. I had a huge mural painted on the wall for him and the whole room is coordinated in his favorite superheroes.
“Wow,” she breaths, “This is like the ultimate boy’s room.”
“That’s the idea,” I smile. “You might like the next room,” I say leading her to the last door on this side of the balcony. “It has a great view,” I say, before pushing the door open and leading her inside. The breathtaking view overlooks Central Park.
“Wow,” she gasps, holding her hand to her chest. “And you’re okay with me staying here, just for a few days?”
“Of course,” I smile, before looking down at my wristwatch. Shit. It’s already nine and I’m going to be late. “I really gotta go, Quinn.” I step closer to her, gently resting my hand at her waist. “I will leave you the spare key; make yourself at home.”
Worth the Wait Page 3
