She hoped he didn’t know that she was lying. Things were going so good between them. She didn’t want to ruin things between them, but she knew moving in with him so soon could be a mistake. One he could live to regret. As if reading her thoughts, he spoke.
“Is this about the living together thing? Because we don’t have to, you know? You can stay at the hotel if you want.” His words came out quickly as if trying not to rush her.
Great. Was he already changing his mind? It was happening quicker than she thought it would. “Sure. Yeah, you’re right. We don’t have to rush into anything.” She turned away from him and tried to hide the hurt that she felt.
Although her words were killing him, he couldn’t ignore the fact that she wouldn’t look at him. She was definitely hiding something. He wouldn’t rush her, but he wasn’t going to lose her to a misunderstanding either. He had to know what was going on inside of her head.
Quinn got up from the bed and went around to the other side. He sat next to her and pulled her up. She still wouldn’t look at him, but he turned his body to face hers and used his forefinger to raise her chin. “Look at me, Annie.”
She did as he asked. She hated that he saw the way her eyes glistened with tears.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” His gut tightened in pain at the sight of her saddened eyes.
She expelled a breath and tried to play it down. She knew she was being silly. They’d only started, well, sleeping together a week ago. She shouldn’t be this attached to him already. “It’s nothing. I’m sorry.”
The look on his face told her that he was angry. Why couldn’t she talk to him? What’s more was why didn’t she think she could trust him?
“That’s a lie.” He framed her face with his hands and rested his forehead against hers. “Annie, please. Tell me. What’s wrong?”
She looked into the depths of his eyes. They were so close to and one another. The gold flecks almost shimmered as she stared at them. They looked so beautiful. The longer she stared into them she became even more convinced than ever that he would leave her. She wished she knew what it was about him that left her feeling so insecure. Even with Larry she knew it was his loss. She knew she was a good catch. But with Quinn she felt like she wasn’t enough woman to keep him happy and that pained her more than anything, because she wanted him to be happy. She loved him.
“It’s nothing, Quinn. Please let’s just forget about it.”
He shook his head and kissed her nose. “No,” he whispered.
“I can’t talk about this. I’m sorry.” She got up from the bed and ran into the bathroom and closed the door.
Quinn sat there stunned. What happened? In a matter of minutes they went from playful foreplay to her being so upset about something that she was near tears and couldn’t look him in the eye. He got up from the bed and went to the bathroom door.
Knocking, he asked her to open it. Which was only met with the sound of the shower turning on. He reached for the handle and was surprised to find it unlocked. He walked in and saw her standing in the shower; she turned to look at him as he came around the door. He wanted to question her. To demand that she tell him what was wrong. But he didn’t. He saw the look in her eyes. He knew what she needed. She didn’t look as sad as she had only moments before. All he saw in her eyes was desire. Desire for him and what they did to each other.
Quinn stepped out of his briefs and smirked when she licked her lips at the sight of his cock. He fisted it in his hand, stroked it up and down and stepped inside the shower with her. He was going to lean in to kiss her, but suddenly she was on her knees and was swallowing him whole.
“Jesus. Oh god, Annie. Fuck that feels so good.” What was she doing? She had gone down on him before. But never with this much zeal. She was acting like she was starving for his cock.
Annie was moaning. She was ravenous for him. As long as she had him she was going to relish every moment of it. Nothing would stand in her way from enjoying him and all of his masculine glory. She moaned again, loving the taste of him, the erotic texture of his smooth skin on his rock hard cock.
Quinn was in heaven and slowly dying for three reasons. First, her wet and hot mouth was performing magic on him. Second, the wet slurping sounds that echoed against the bathroom tiles were so damn erotic he could come from that alone. And third, damn if he didn’t love her more and more with every second of every day.
“Oh, Annie. Baby, if you don’t stop, I’m gonna come.” He gave her the warning but couldn’t help himself from pumping into her harder and faster. Hitting the back of her throat over and over again sent him over the edge. “Aahh.” He shouted and spurt his hot cum into the deepest parts of her throat.
Ann sucked on him harder. She thrived on the musky and masculine scent and the way he tasted on her tongue. She loved that she had given him such pleasure. Swallowing the last of him, she relaxed her mouth and gently licked the last remaining droplets onto her tongue.
Quinn looked down at her in amazement. His heart clenched once again as she looked up at him. The hot, steamy shower was beating down on them. But he knew that had nothing to do with the flushed look on her face. He gave her a half smile as he brushed his thumb across her jaw line.
“Do you trust me, Annie?”
With everything that I have, she thought. “Yes.”
“Good. Come here.” He held out his hands to help her up and spun her around. “Place your hands there.”
She did as he asked. She leaned the palms of her hands against the small tiled bench in the shower. She could feel him rubbing against her bottom. She closed her eyes and bit back the moan that desperately wanted to escape her mouth. Why did she love it when he did that? Suddenly an image flashed in her mind. An image of Quinn telling her that he wanted to take her there. She felt shocked at her daydream. Why had she imagined such a scenario? She would never do that. She could never. That wasn’t normal, was it? She was interrupted from her internal argument by the feel of Quinn reaching over her head.
Quinn grabbed the shower spray and adjusted the nozzle to full massage pressure. Only moments ago, when he thought of it, he just wanted to make her feel as good as she made him feel. But he was already getting hard again. Damn. He wanted her constantly. The sweet and hot wetness of her. The way she clung to and sucked on his cock with her tight pussy. It was amazing.
“Spread your legs a little more baby. Yeah, just like that.”
Quinn positioned himself at her entrance, barely sliding inside of her. Nudging just the head of his cock inside. “Are you ready for something new baby?”
Ann’s eyes flew open with question. Was he going to–ooh. “Oh Quinn.”
Quinn hadn’t waited for her answer. Right after he asked her, he slid into her all the way, and at the same time he brought the shower massage nozzle around and in front of her. He sprayed it directly onto her clit as he used the fingers of one hand to open her up further to him. Her resulting response was all the encouragement he needed to thrust into her with so much vigor like he was a virgin on prom night.
Ann could feel her blood beating and coursing through every part of her body and soul. To be filled by him, while he sprayed that fast pounding water against her clit was euphoric. She could already feel her orgasm building. It was right below the surface, climbing up and—ooh. There it is. “Quinn. Yes!” She shouted.
Quinn felt her release wash over his cock as he pumped in and out of her. Knowing that there was no way he was going to be able to come again so soon. But she felt so damn good, he couldn’t stop. Annie’s words changed his condition really fast, and effectively changed his mind on whether or not he could come again quite so quickly.
“Quinn, please. I want to feel you come inside of me.”
Just hearing her he was a goner. He thrust into her twice more and spilled himself inside of her. Surprised that there was anything left, he chuckled at what she did to him. He was like a teenage boy. Always hard, and always ready to go.
As they bot
h came down from their orgasms they held onto each other. Not saying anything, they began to wash each other’s bodies. When they were drying each other off on the tile floor, Quinn knew that there was no way on God’s green earth that he would ever be able to let her go. She was a part of him now. He was a part of her. He hoped to God that she knew that.
* * * *
Ann looked at him and wondered how long she would have with him. Every time they were together she found that she loved him even more. She wished she could tell him, but knew it would just end things sooner. So, she wouldn’t say anything. She would just bide her time and hope that she had more time to know him and love him. And dear God, did she love him.
An hour later, Ann followed Quinn into Rose’s Diner where they planned to eat a late breakfast. There was no mistaking all of the heads that turned in their direction as they entered.
“Just how small is this town?” She asked him as they sat down.
He chuckled. “Only a little over a thousand. Didn’t you know that? Why did you move here anyway?”
“I guess I needed a change of scenery.”
He smiled at her and outstretched his arms across the back of the booth. “And? What do you think of the scenery so far?”
She laughed at his arrogance. “Me like.”
“You do huh? Well, I happen to be enjoying the scenery as well.” He reached over and laced their fingers together.
“Seriously though, over a thousand people? That doesn’t seem terribly small. It seems like everyone knows everyone, and their business,” she added at the end.
“Not really. It’s just that everyone has known each other for so long and sees one another so often it’s kind of hard to keep secrets around here.” He shrugged it off, used to everyone’s nosiness.
“Oh, so basically the idea of privacy is foreign in this town?”
He gave her an ‘oh please’ grin. “No. But everyone knew my parents and their sordid situation, so naturally they know me and Derek, too.” He had already told her about his parents, after she had mentioned to him what Derek had said.
“Well, I happen to think you’re a very major player, at least in my life anyway.”
He knew she was only being playful, but he needed to hear that. He needed to know that he was important to her. He wished he could tell her everything that was happening to him. Everything that he felt at even the thought of her. But he had to be careful, he had to make sure he didn’t rush her. He could be patient. When she was ready, and she felt just as strongly for him too, then he would tell her.
Ann looked at him sitting across the booth. It still amazed her how incredibly handsome he was. After this morning, she managed to fall even farther over the edge in love with him. She actually had to bite her tongue from screaming it when she came in the shower earlier. She knew that she would have to wait until either he felt the same way towards her too, or he got tired of her and moved on. Regardless of which way it went she knew she would someday tell him everything that he was to her.
Chapter Seven
“Do you realize that it’s been two weeks since you seduced me on the side of the road?” Quinn asked her over a plate of scrambled eggs.
Ann looked at him innocently and held a hand to her chest in shock. “What? Me? Seduce you? I am a lady, sir, whatever gave you the impression that I would stoop to such levels?”
Quinn almost spit out his eggs in laughter. “Well you may not stoop but you certainly drop, to your knees, a lot.”
Ann gasped at his cocky arrogance. She picked up her napkin and threw it at him. “Well, you are certainly never complaining when I’m doing it.”
After he dodged her napkin he explained, “No, you misunderstood. I’m not complaining. No, I’m merely pointing out how glad I am that you had that flat tire.” He winked at her and shoveled in another forkful of eggs.
“Fine. I guess you’re saved by your charm. So, what’s on the agenda today?”
He thought about it for a minute. This was the first day since they met that they both actually had the day off. It was strange and nice feeling being able to sleep late without either one of them needing to be anywhere.
“No ideas, huh?” Ann reached over and grabbed his empty plate in an effort to take it to the sink. But her idea was quickly thwarted.
Quinn pulled her into his lap. “I have a few ideas.” He waggled his brows at her in a seductive gesture.
Ann rolled her eyes and laughed at him. “Good Lord. Don’t you ever get enough?” But she kissed him anyway. She loved his kisses and the drugging effect they had on her senses.
Quinn was the first to pull away. He looked at her intently as he ran a hand up her arm, across her shoulder and up her neck to cup her nape. “I don’t. I swear, no matter how many times we’re together I’m always dying for you again.”
Ann seemed startled by his demeanor. She said nothing, rather staring at him.
“Annie, say something.” Quinn’s words came out desperate, and he hated that. But he needed something from her. He needed a sign that he was as important to her as she was to him. So many times in the past week he had almost let it slip that he was in love with her. He just kept reminding himself that they had only been together for two weeks. That he had to be patient and soon, hopefully, she would fall in love with him, too.
“Quinn, I don’t know what to say when you get serious like that.” Her expression showed him how sincere she was being. She still looked unsure, as if afraid to tell him the whole truth. He wished the woman in her would scream from the highest mountain top that she loved him. It was too soon for that though and he knew it. He hated this tightening feeling around his heart. He wanted to keep her forever and feared that he might not be able to.
“You could tell me that you feel the same way. You could tell me that you want me just as much as I want you.” It wasn’t really all that he needed to hear, but it was a beginning.
As soon as he said it he realized his mistake. Sex again. Would that be her biggest worry? Would she wonder if all he was interested in was the way their bodies moved so in tune with one another? Sure, it was fantastic. Heck, it was better than fantastic, but he wanted more for them.
She set the plate back on the table and reached her arms around his neck. “I do want you, Quinn. You know that though. It’s obvious isn’t it? Every time you touch me I completely melt for you.” How could he not know that? She was a whimpering pile of need for him.
He smiled at her and kissed her nose. He did know that. He knew how to turn her on and make her feel good. Of that he was sure. But he wanted more than her body. He wanted her to give her heart, willingly and without reservations. He wanted all of her, every last bit of her, right down to her very soul. Hell, he didn’t just want that, he needed it.
“Do you feel like taking a drive today?” He asked her as he continued to plant little kisses all along her face. “We could take a picnic up to a lake that’s only about an hour away. Maybe a blanket, too? What do you say?”
It sounds like heaven. “I think that sounds great. Do you want me to make some sandwiches? I could even throw a salad together.”
He didn’t. One of the things he had noticed since she moved in was that she was always trying to do things for him. This would have been nice occasionally, but she did it like she was trying to prove something to him. She did the dishes, the laundry, cleaned, dusted and vacuumed. They actually had had their first argument over it a couple of days ago.
He remembered vividly the hurt in her eyes when he had snapped at her. He hadn’t meant to, but he had just gotten home late from the Roadhouse and was furious when he found her still up at three o’clock in the morning folding his laundry.
“Why in the hell are you doing the wash at this ungodly hour?” He had snapped at her.
At first she had snapped back. “I didn’t get home until late from the restaurant and I knew if I didn’t do it that you’d try to do it yourself tomorrow.”
It baffled him why she
kept trying to do things before he got to them. He couldn’t make any sense out of it. “Why? So what if I do the laundry. It’s my laundry.”
That was when she changed, when the sadness entered her eyes. “I just want to do nice things for you. I didn’t want you to think that I don’t appreciate you letting me stay here.”
In retrospect he could have handled her statement better. The truth was though that it pissed him off. He wasn’t just letting her stay there. He had asked her to move in with him and he meant it. He didn’t want her ‘staying’ with him. He wanted her living with him. It was supposed to be their place, together. Not her staying with him. It made it sound like they were just biding their time until something better came along.
So naturally, because he was so levelheaded whenever he got angry, he really flew off the handle. “I don’t want you to fucking appreciate it. I want you to enjoy it, damn it. I want you to stop thinking that you have to do things for me to make me happy.”
But his harsh words and the way he screamed brought tears to her eyes, and that was something that he couldn’t handle. He instantly apologized, and held her close as he told her how sorry he was. She sniffled a little before accepting it, but it still tore through his heart to hear her cry, especially since he was the one that had caused it.
And the real kicker to the whole thing was that while he was battling her in her constant efforts to do nice things for him, he was dying to do the same. He wanted to be the one to do the nice things, to take care of her and sweep her off of her feet until she fell hopelessly in love with him.
“No, don’t make anything. We’ll pick up some fried chicken on the way. Let’s not worry about anything today and just relax.” He held her a little tighter and closer to her body. “Let’s go get ready okay?” And he swiftly patted her butt as she stood up.
“You go ahead. I want to get these dishes done before we leave.” She wasn’t looking at him; she was already soaping up the sponge and preparing to wash the pan that she had made the eggs in.
Intimate Persuasions Page 6
