He wanted to tell her no. That she wasn’t going to do the dishes and she was going to come to the shower with him right now. But he didn’t. There was no way that he was going to do anything to ruin their day together. So instead he left the room and headed toward the bedroom. He wished he could make her get over the need to take care of him and do things for him. But he wouldn’t force the issue today. Today, they would just enjoy themselves. They would be able to stay all day if they wanted. His assistant manager was covering for him at the Roadhouse tonight, and there was nothing standing in their way of just simply enjoying each other.
Two and a half hours later Quinn pulled up alongside the lake. He watched her reaction as she took in her surroundings. “What do you think?”
She looked over at him and smiled. “It’s breathtaking. How did you ever find it?”
Quinn shrugged as he put the truck in park. “Our dad used to take Derek and I here when we were kids. We would stand over there on the shore and fish for hours.” He laughed a little as he remembered those days. “It’s weird you know, he was a horrible, rotten husband. Geez, he was as absolute asshole to our mothers, with the way he constantly broke both of their hearts with empty promises, but he was such a good dad.”
Ann reached over and touched his arm. She needed to give him comfort. He was clearly not only remembering his father but missing him as well.
Quinn placed his hand over hers. “It’s a strange contradiction. In some ways he was a great person, but in others ways he just sucked.”
“Quinn, I don’t mean to appear insensitive. But you’ve told me, and so has Derek, that both of your mothers knew. That they both knew and loved him anyway.” She stared back at him when he turned towards her. “I’m not saying what he did was right, but it seems like they sort of enabled him to treat them that way. He knew neither one of them would turn him away. Maybe that’s why he kept doing it.”
Quinn was surprised at how well she had summed up the numerous conversations him and Derek had had in the past. Everything she said was true, he knew that. But deep down Derek and Quinn had always hoped that he would just choose one of them and stop hurting the other, instead of hurting both of them, all the time.
She looked away nervously. Why had she said that? She should have kept her opinion to herself. “I’m sorry, that probably sounded cold and unfeeling.”
“Not at all, honey. I was just thinking how right you were.” He lifted his hand and brushed his fingers against her cheek. “Come on. Let’s go have our picnic.”
Minutes later they had the blanket laid out and then Quinn had sat down and leaned up against a tree trunk. He motioned for her to join him, and she did, happily. She sat down in between his legs and leaned into the warmth of his solid chest. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
“Are you hungry? Because I’m not.” She told him as she leaned further into his embrace, loving the way that it felt to be wrapped up in his arms.
“No, I’m not hungry. Let’s just sit here, I want to hold you honey.” He all but whispered the words, he was so quiet.
Ann loved it when he would become so attentive and treat her with such tenderness. She wished she didn’t have these underlying insecurities. Quinn was wonderful to her. It was silly to worry that she might lose him. And yet that was still her greatest fear. Neither Larry nor Brett were half the man that Quinn was. She knew she shouldn’t hold him accountable for how they treated her.
She tried to erase the anxiety from her mind. She wanted to enjoy being here with him in such a beautiful place. That’s what she was concentrating on when she fell asleep.
Quinn was talking for a minute or so when he realized that she wasn’t listening intently to every word that he said because she was sleeping. He rested his head against the side of hers and breathed in her scent. She always smelled so feminine and pretty.
So Quinn sat and held her, listening to her even breathing. She even breathed beautifully. How any one woman could be so amazing completely fathomed him. He was becoming utterly consumed by her. In such a short time, she had become the most important person in the entire world. Hell, she was his world.
Close to an hour later, Quinn felt her stirring in his arms. He had to admit that he was getting stiff from holding her so still for so long. But a part of him was disappointed that she was waking up.
Ann blinked as she opened her eyes. Had she fallen asleep? And where was—oh, he was still here holding her. She looked over her shoulder up at him.
Quinn gave her a huge grin and winked at her. “Sleep well, honey?”
She sighed at his sweetness. “Yes, how long was I sleeping for?”
He shrugged and kissed her on her forehead. “Almost an hour.”
Ann shook her head. “You should have woken me. You didn’t have to hold me the whole time. Gosh, Quinn, you must be so sore.”
He was, but not just his arms. He had been aching in a different way for her for at least half of the time she was asleep. Because the feel of her soft round bottom pressed firmly against him almost drove him insane. Somehow he was going to have to get this fantasy of his in check. He knew there was no way that Ann would ever want to. It was amazing she was able to handle him at all. The sheer idea that she would be able to take him into her body there didn’t seem realistic. But oh Lord, how he wanted to. . He wanted to sink into her tiny whole and fill her with himself.
“Yoo hoo, Quinn?” She laughed. “Where’d you go?”
“Nowhere, honey. I’m right here.” And he kissed her. He kissed her long and hard until she was just as urgent for him. He might not get his fantasy, but he had her. And he wouldn’t take that for granted.
Quinn laid her down on the blanket and unbuttoned the top of the pretty yellow and white sundress she was wearing. He loved how her pale skin seemed almost tan against the light pastel of the dress. Once he had the buttons undone down to her waist he used his hands to pull the two sides of the dress open, exposing her to him.
“Lord, honey. I never get used to how beautiful you are.”
Ann loved when he talked to her like that. Like she truly was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. “I want you, Quinn.”
Quinn loved when she talked to him like that. Like he was the most amazing lover in the entire world. “I want you too, babe. But not yet. I want to kiss every inch of you.”
Ann’s skin heated at his words. And just like before, she could feel and hear her skin sizzling with every gentle glide of his tongue.
Quinn leaned over her and hungrily grabbed onto a nipple with his mouth. Suckling on it, he laved it with his tongue and gently bit down with his teeth. She was so responsive to his touches that he couldn’t help himself from exploring more of her. He reached his hands under her dress and yanked her panties down. Lifting her dress completely and bunching it up at her waist, Quinn kissed her where he really wanted to.
Ann moaned and arched into him as he kissed her passionately at the apex of her thighs. Her body was humming and her pussy was throbbing with need for him. The feel of his tongue laving around her throbbing lips was causing a heat to course through her veins and shoot straight down to her aching sex. She had to have him inside of her. She would surely die if she couldn’t hold him to her body while he was buried deep inside of her. Her saturated folds were clinging and sucking on him as he thrust into her.
“Quinn, please I can’t wait anymore.”
He chuckled at her urgent request. He loved driving her crazy. “Soon, babe. Just relax, let me please you.”
“Quinn if you don’t stop soon I’m—” Too late. Ann just smiled and screamed his name when the orgasm swept through her body.
He lapped up every drop that poured from her. He continued to feast on her, ravenous for more of her sweetness, until he also could take no more. Quinn sat up and unbuttoned his jeans. Gazing into her eyes he slid his zipper down and pulled his pants down to his knees.
“Now, honey.”
Ann s
tretched her arms out to him as she spread her legs further apart to welcome him into her. “Now. Take me Quinn. Do it like you do when you can’t get enough of me.”
No problem there, he thought to himself. He smiled at her as he positioned himself and took her, sliding into the liquid heat of her. “Oh fuck, babe. Damn, I can’t get enough of you.”
Ann almost cried at his words. Sure they weren’t the prettiest, but they were his and they surmised everything that she felt. Because she couldn’t get enough of him either.
“Are you ready, honey?”
She smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. He always started off slow, but then he would lose control and fuck her with such zeal she would swear that he needed it just as much as he needed air. She nodded because she loved when this part came.
Quinn pounded into her, hard and fast. He could hear his balls hitting against the back of her ass. Oh sweet Jesus, her ass. He wanted to take her there so badly. He wanted to spread a slippery lubricant all over her tiny hole and sink way deep down inside of her. Damn, he had to stop thinking about this. It was never going to happen.
“Annie, I’m already so close. Touch yourself honey. Rub your clit for me.” When she didn’t do what he asked, Quinn took her hand and guided it down to meet with her soaking pussy.
“Mmm.” She moaned her approval.
“That’s my girl, yeah baby. Rub it. Make yourself come. Oh Jesus babe.” Quinn was like a caged animal suddenly free for the very first time. Watching her touch herself, and thinking about what he wanted to do to her sent him over the edge.
“I’m gonna come, honey.”
Ann got there first and lost herself in her second orgasm in mere minutes. The convulsing muscles of her pussy sucked and stroked his cock and sent Quinn over into oblivion to join her. He flung his head back and shouted her name as his hot seed squirted deep inside of her.
This was absolute utopia, Quinn thought. She had better fall in love with him soon because he was dying to tell her everything that she meant to him.
Chapter Eight
Ann had just finished bussing a table when Derek came up behind her and startled her.
“What are you doing?” He asked her with anger in his voice.
After she calmed her racing pulse she picked up the tray of dishes and headed back to the kitchen. All the while rolling her eyes because she knew what he was upset about and she really didn’t feel like rehashing it again. The argument was getting old.
“Ann, answer me.” He stormed into the kitchen behind her.
Luckily, the restaurant was empty with customers but the kitchen staff stood there wide eyed as they watched their boss yell at her. A custom that they were not used to seeing from him.
After setting the tray of dishes down next to the dishwashing station she turned to him. Placing her hands on her hips she took a deep breath and sighed. “Derek, why do we always have to fight about this?”
This time Derek placed his hands on his hips. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m the boss and you are my employee and you never do as I tell you.”
That made her laugh. Derek really wasn’t the assertive type. He was in fact the exact opposite of Quinn. It was one of the reasons it was so easy to talk to him. But listening to him now as he tried to take charge was more than a little funny.
“This isn’t funny, Ann. I told you to go home. You’ve been here for ten hours.” He pointed out to her.
Ann expelled a large breath and looked at the kitchen staff who she knew also thought she was insane. “Derek, please. You know I hate going home and sitting there while Quinn is still at the Roadhouse. I’m too wound up after work and I just end up sitting there and staring at the walls.”
He was about to say something, but she quickly cut him off. “And besides, you needed the extra help tonight, what with Claire being out with the flu and all. So, rather than yelling at me you should be thanking me.”
Derek hated when she applied reason to their arguments. “Maybe I did need your help but that doesn’t change the fact that you were insubordinate and I could fire you for that alone.”
That statement brought the entire kitchen to hysterical laughter. He was the most easy going boss there was. He never yelled, wasn’t demanding, didn’t expect unreasonable results and treated everyone like they were more family then employee.
“Ha ha very funny.” Derek told everyone in the kitchen. “I could fire her right now if I wanted to.”
“But you wouldn’t, boss.” Leo their head cook told him.
“Wouldn’t? Heck, he couldn’t, he’s too damn nice. That’s the only reason we were stuck with that other god awful hostess for so long. If she hadn’t quit we’d still be stuck with her and we wouldn’t have Ann here.” This was from Frances, one of their waitresses.
Derek looked at Ann and turned about six shades of pink. He had told Ann that he had fired the girl. He hadn’t meant to lie to her, but after he had gone on and on about how horrible she was, she had said, ‘so naturally you fired her’ to which he responded ‘of course.’ Because what was he going to say? That he was just too nice to do it and he always thought that everyone deserved the benefit of the doubt and a second chance?
“I thought you fired her.” Ann said.
This only made the staff laugh louder.
“Fine. You think I’m too nice? Well how about this, you’re all fired!” Derek stormed out of the kitchen and left the door swinging back and forth.
Ann stared at the door, feeling horrible for the embarrassment she saw on Derek’s face. “You guys, it’s not funny. He looked really upset.”
“Just wait,” Leo said.
“Yeah,” said Frances. “I’d give it about ten, no make that five, four, three, two, one and here he comes.”
Ann looked at Frances dumbfounded when she saw Derek walk back into the room at the exact moment she had predicted.
“I’m sorry, guys. I didn’t mean that. Of course you’re not all fired. Please accept my apologies.” When Derek left again, he didn’t storm or stomp, he just calmly walked out of the room.
Ann looked to Frances when he left. “What was that about?”
Frances just shrugged. “Sometimes we tease him too much. Every so often he gets a little fired up and threatens to fire us all. He always comes right back and apologizes.”
“That’s horrible,” Ann told them.
“Yeah,” Frances said. “We actually panicked the first couple of times thinking that he really meant it, but we soon learned it’s his way of standing his ground. He must have inherited his mother’s non-confrontational behavior, because he’s nothing like your Quinn.”
Her Quinn. She liked the sound of that. “Well, I think it’s mean and you guys should apologize for laughing at him.”
Leo shook his head. “He would never let us. We’ve tried a few times. It just hurts his pride. It has more to do with Sandi than it does with anything else. Ouch, what’d you hit me for?” He asked Frances.
“That’s not our business to tell.” She told him.
“Who’s Sandi?”
“No one.” Frances answered. “Come on let’s get finished so we can get out of here.”
A little over an hour later Ann watched everyone walk out the back door of the restaurant. She usually walked out with Derek so she saw no reason to make tonight any different. Hesitantly, she walked back to Derek’s office. After his little outburst in the kitchen, he went in there and shut the door, not opening it once, which wouldn’t have been that big of a deal if he didn’t make a habit of helping the staff clean up each and every night. She knocked on the door and waited for him to answer.
“Come in.” Derek’s voice was quiet and barely recognizable.
Ann was ready to greet him with a friendly smile, but then she saw the condition he was in. “Derek? Are you…okay?”
Derek looked up at her and laughed. “I’m great, baby. You?”
Baby? Oh Lord. “How much have you had to drink?” Al
though it was a stupid question. She knew that bottle of Jack Daniels had been completely full only hours ago.
“Oh, not much, just a teensy weensy bit.” He motioned for her to sit down and join him. “Here. Take a load off.” Without even asking her if she wanted any, he put a shot glass in her hand.
“Derek, I’m not much of a drinker.”
“Now Ann, you already embarrassed me in front of everyone. At least do me the honor of having a drink with a pretty lady.” He winked at her and slammed another shot.
Pretty lady? He was obviously drunker than she thought, because he was downright flirting with her and that was something that he never ever did.
“Derek, I think that maybe you should let me drive you home. You know, so you can sleep it off.”
Derek cocked a brow up and looked at her. “Are you trying to take advantage of me? Because I have to say, you don’t need to take advantage, I’d be a willing participant.”
Now that pissed her off. They had become good friends, and now he was going to say something stupid like that and try to ruin things? Well, she wasn’t going to let him.
“Derek, that’s enough.” She slammed her shot glass on his desk causing it to spill over the rim.
“Oh, now what’d you go and do that for? You just wasted some perfectly good whiskey.” Proving his seriousness he picked up her glass and licked the side of it before swallowing its contents.
“Damn it, Derek! Why are you acting this way? What has gotten into you?”
Derek just grinned at her and waggled his brows. “What about you, huh? What’s gotten into you? How about me? You want me to get into you?”
Whap! Ann couldn’t help it, she was angry with him for his blatant remarks. He knew how she felt about Quinn and this wasn’t him. Derek didn’t act like this. He didn’t hit on her. He had too much love and respect for his brother. She knew it was the alcohol talking, but it didn’t stop her from being mad enough to strike him.
“Shit! What the hell did you do that for?” Derek was rubbing his jaw and wincing.
Intimate Persuasions Page 7
