by G. K. Brady
Maybe she was being silly, but all of her wanted to wow Quinn. She wanted to know she still had that effect on a man when she put her mind to it. Besides, the poor guy had been subjected to her sloppy, bitchy side since he’d met her, and it was time to flip the switch and show off the feminine version of herself that had been MIA for far too long.
One last look in the mirror, and she pulled on her strappy black high-heeled sandals and snagged her leather jacket. As she came out of her room, Liz and Archer were waiting for her. Liz’s eyes danced with delight.
“Oh, doll, look at you! You are stunning!” She wrapped her hands around Sarah’s arms and pulled her in for a better look. “It’ll be a miracle if your date can keep his tongue in his head.”
Sarah grinned. “You heard, huh?”
“Yes, and I told Quinnie I need rest and some ‘me’ time. I’m turning in early tonight, so you kids will have the house to yourselves.” She sent Sarah a conspiratorial wink.
A blush raced up Sarah’s neck and spread from her cheeks to her scalp. She felt like a seventeen-year-old going to the prom with the school’s hockey team captain.
“Thank you, Liz. Um, do you need anything?”
“All set. Don’t you worry about me. Just enjoy yourselves.” Liz pecked her cheek, catching Sarah by surprise. Sarah hugged her back, then headed for the family room, where Quinn was waiting for her, rocking on his heels, his back to her, his hands in the front pockets of his black dress slacks as he looked somewhere beyond the newly repaired glass. She paused for a moment, taking in his broad back in a fitted white shirt before her gaze roved over the rest of him, appreciating all she saw—down to his mouthwatering tush. Her feet hit the stone floor, and the click-clack of her heels had him pivoting toward her. And dropping his jaw. A most gratifying reaction indeed.
He swallowed, and his eyes swept over her. “Hey, uh, you look … you look … amazing.”
She could feel the blush intensify and heat her face. “Thank you. You cleaned up rather nicely yourself. So I didn’t overdress?”
His short hair was combed back, and he was freshly shaved. The combination of the dressy-casual clothes and the impeccable grooming made him devastatingly handsome. Did he do this for all his dates? He hadn’t for Dory. Sarah put the thought out of her head because it didn’t matter. Tonight, he’d done it for her, and that’s what counted.
A slow smile spread over his face, brightened by his dimples. “Not at all. You’re perfect.” He held out his hand to her, and she took it. The warmth of his big hand as it captured hers was reassuring, like coming home to a safe haven. Interlacing their fingers, he drew her beside him. “This way.”
In the garage, he pulled the cover off a dazzling white Mercedes AMG GT coupe, opened the passenger door, and got her settled before sliding behind the steering wheel.
Her eyes took a spin around the sleek interior. “Nice jalopy.”
“I only drive it for special occasions.” One corner of his mouth quirked, and his dimple deepened.
Traffic was light, and they glided north up I-25. Sarah soaked in the sights streaking past her. How long had it been since she’d been beyond the confines of Quinn’s neighborhood? The skies were clear, the temperature hovering at a pleasant seventy-two, and the approaching skyline seemed to sparkle in the late afternoon sun.
When Quinn exited on Colfax heading east, she gave him a puzzled sidelong glance. “Where are we going?”
He lowered his sunglasses and side-eyed her. “Be patient. We’re almost there.”
Another turn, and he nosed the car beside a parking meter across from the Colorado Convention Center.
“We’re going to a convention?” She was truly puzzled.
“Nope. No conventions right now. It’s something better.” He helped her out of the car and into her jacket, fed the meter, then took her hand and crossed the street. “Ever seen Denver’s Big Blue Bear in person?”
Her eyes lit on and traveled up a towering lapis bear sculpture that seemed to be peeking through the convention center’s windows. “No,” she whispered reverently, “but I heard a lead engineer give a talk on it once, and I’ve always wanted to see it.” She kept her wide gaze riveted on the colossus as they approached.
Quinn gave her hand a squeeze. “It weighs ten thousand pounds and stands forty feet high. The steel structure holding it up inside is nearly two-thirds the height of the bear.”
The closer they drew, the more she gawked. “Amazing.”
Quinn released her hand, and they circled the sculpture. “Think of the size of the footings that are holding this thing up,” he said. “I wish I could’ve gotten us inside so you could check out the support structure, but with the COVID restrictions, it wasn’t gonna happen.”
She glanced at him, his expression like a hopeful kid, and something warm bloomed in her chest. Tears unexpectedly stung her eyes, and she quickly averted her gaze to the bear. “No, this is perfect. It’s beautiful.”
A few more turns, and they plopped on a stone bench at the bear’s feet. Her neck muscles began cramping from looking up.
He took her hand and cradled it on his thigh. “When you’ve had your fill, we can stroll to Sculpture Park and check out the Dancers.”
Soon they were walking around the tall, lithe statues, their white bodies in stark contrast against Colorado’s blue vault. The sun was dipping behind buildings, throwing long shadows. Soon the sky would turn a deeper shade, and Sarah felt a chill in the spring air.
Quinn dropped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him, his body hard and full of heat. “You cold, Sunshine?”
“Getting there, but I’d like to see the bear one more time.”
He grinned. “Absolutely.”
After one last lingering look at the bear, Sarah said she was ready to go, and Quinn took her arm and led her back to the car.
She inhaled a deep breath. “Thank you. That was … really special.” A simple outing, but the thought behind it touched her deep inside.
“I’m glad you liked it. Hungry?”
She laughed. “I could eat. But I thought restaurant dining rooms were still closed?”
“I have a special restaurant lined up.” Mischief danced in his mocha-brown eyes.
When Quinn pulled back into his own driveway, Sarah shot him a bewildered look. “Are we getting changed before we eat?”
“Nope.” He parked the car and helped her out. A smile played on his face, but he said nothing as he guided her inside the house.
A few twists and turns, and they stood at the entrance to the dark solarium. Quinn flipped a switch, and soft light winked on. Sarah gaped at what had once been the solarium. The 3-D puzzle projects had been moved out of sight, and the space had been transfigured into a fairyland. A table for two sat beside a floor-to-ceiling window, and plants had been rearranged to give it a cozy feel. Overhead, strands of twinkly lights were suspended like stars.
She turned her head, taking in the sparkling curtain above. “This is beautiful! Did you do all this?”
“Yep.” He seemed embarrassed, which turned her heart into softened butter. His hand still held hers, and he gave it a tug, leading them toward the table.
“Where’d you get the lights?”
He smoothed the back of his head. “I ducked into a Super Target.”
She stared up at him. “Today? I thought they were only selling food right now.”
“They are, but I talked a clerk into—”
“Don’t tell me,” she laughed. “Was the clerk a woman?”
“Uh, kinda. I think she’s got a few years to go before she qualifies.” He pulled out a chair for her, but rather than take a seat, she took in the beautifully decorated table before her: white linen, votives and sprigs of greenery, stacked plates flanked by varying sizes of silverware, just like in high-end restaurants. At each place setting was a wine goblet ready to be filled.
I’m a little blown away here.
“You really outdid y
ourself.” She paused a moment to catch her breath, hyperaware of his body beside hers, not quite touching, but so close she could feel the heat radiating from him. “You enlisted your mom’s help with all this, right?”
He scoffed. “This was me and Pinterest all the way. I have talents beyond hockey player playboy, you know.”
“You looked at Pinterest boards?” I’m a lot blown away now.
“Yep. I had no clue what I was doing—this is a first for me—so I researched. Pinterest is great.” He shrugged. This is when she noticed his silverware placement was ass-backward, which warmed her all over. He really had done it on his own.
“Yeah,” she said dumbly, “Pinterest is great.” A wild tickle in her belly suddenly annihilated her appetite. A thought pierced her romance-addled brain. “Are you cooking?”
He shook his head. “No. I ordered a dinner from Elway’s that got here just before we did. Mom knew it was coming, so she stashed it in the warming oven and texted me.”
Blown away and bowled over. She slid her hand from his and gazed up into those soft brown eyes that were roaming over her face. Overcome, she infused her voice and her expression with every emotion swelling inside of her, hoping he’d understand the unformed thoughts she was trying to communicate. “The bear, this beautiful setting … It’s all so incredibly thoughtful. I’m overwhelmed.” She pulled in a breath. “Would you be offended if we put off dinner for a little while?”
Confusion played across his face.
“It’s not that I don’t want dinner,” she murmured. “I do. Very much. But right now, my mind’s moved on to … other things.” Like jumping your bones.
His mouth and eyes went round as understanding seemed to dawn. Another smile formed, and he dropped his gaze to her mouth.
She turned, facing him fully, and rested her hands on his chest.
He swallowed, then rasped, “Whatever Sunshine wants.” Wordlessly, he drew her in, his eyes never leaving hers. He cupped her face, dipped his head, and anchored his arms around her, cinching her against him, igniting small blazes deep inside her. An instant later, his mouth was on hers, moving languidly, as if he were savoring morsels. She locked her knees to keep them from buckling.
The kiss heated quickly, their mouths and bodies merging together in a frenetic bid to meld into one. He felt so good under her hands, so powerful, so right. He engulfed her, surrounded her, and she surrendered herself to him.
He broke the connection, trailing nibbling kisses along her jaw and neck that radiated out like miniature shock waves. “I’m happy to keep doing this here, Sunshine,” he mumbled against her skin, “but how about someplace a little more private?”
A laugh rose in her throat. “Not my room. It’s too close to your mom’s.”
He pulled back and grinned. “Mine, then?”
When she nodded her answer, he drew her away from the wonderland with urgency. Like a couple of naughty kids, they raced to his bedroom, giggles spilling from them both. But when they burst into the room and he locked the doors behind them, he spun her and pinned her in place so fast she lost her breath. The teasing, the lightheartedness screeched to an abrupt halt, transforming into unbridled passion. Eager mouths feasted on one another, hands rushed to tear at clothes, bodies moved in sync toward one overriding purpose.
And she was utterly, joyfully lost.
Quinn had been ready to fly when he realized how happy he’d made Sarah. Now he bracketed her against the door, reluctant to shift should the swirling storm of magic binding them diminish. But she was right there with him, caught up like he was, and he could let himself go. Lines blurred. He didn’t give a damn about age, her brother, or their pasts. Their differences dissolved into a buzz he pushed to the back of his mind.
He’d never been here before, standing on a precipice and ready to lose himself. In her.
Between tongue-filled kisses, he became aware she was unbuttoning his shirt. He pulled away to tear it from his body, then landed back against her, groaning with the feel of her fingers digging into his back and shoulders.
“Your turn,” he growled against her mouth. Faint light from somewhere illuminated the tiny buttons on her dress, and his fingers were on them, fumbling to get them undone. The buttons seemed to go on and on, and when he thought he’d reached the last one, he yanked and heard fabric rip.
Wide-eyed, he jerked backward. “I’ll get you a new one,” he panted. If the tearing bothered her, she didn’t show it. No, she was panting too, and her heaving chest yanked his eyes to her burgundy-and-black lace bra and the sweet little bow between the cups, right where he wanted to plant his mouth. Creamy flesh crested the tops and peeked enticingly through the lace. He cupped one breast and kneaded it with a little more roughness than he’d intended. She let out a provocative sound that made his rock-hard dick throb painfully against his fly. Slowly raising his eyes, he was momentarily trapped in her molten hazel gaze.
She wanted this as much as he did—a fact her hands were making abundantly clear as they worked at loosening his belt.
His mouth took hers again, and he pushed the dress from her shoulders, letting it slide down her body and drop to her feet. Lips and tongues locked in a torrid tango, he pivoted their bodies again, moving toward the bed.
God, he wanted all her clothes on the floor. Now.
He unclasped her bra and didn’t bother taking it off before filling his hands. So damn soft, so …
She got his belt unfastened and shoved his pants and boxer briefs over his hips, but the briefs got hung up on his shaft, as hard and erect as a flagpole. Wordlessly, they switched, him getting untangled while she yanked off her bra.
For a moment, they faced one another, frozen in place. The sound of their ragged breathing surrounded them. His eyes blazed a path from her face to her stiletto sandals and back up again, and unbearable need consumed him. He dropped on the edge of the mattress, taking pants, underwear, socks, and shoes off in one wild flourish, then tugged her to him and wrestled her panties down her legs. She bent her leg behind her, reaching to undo one of her shoes, giving him a glorious view of her body gilded in the soft light.
She was utter perfection, a masterpiece, and his slim hold on patience dissolved. He wanted all of her.
He grasped the hand loosening her shoe, and she gave him a curious look. “Leave them on,” he said as he fell back on the bed, pulling her on top of him, eliciting a lusty giggle from her. Soon he’d rolled them onto their sides, his arms encircling her, her hands laced behind his neck and her silky thigh draped over his hip. Her pointy heel grazed his ass.
Flipping her on her back, he bent his head and sucked a nipple into his mouth, hard. Meanwhile, his free hand massaged her other breast, strumming her nipple, and she arched her back off the bed with a throaty moan that scattered his coherent thoughts, letting them fall among the discarded clothes on the floor.
What remained in his head was unformed, primal, carnal.
Her tongue traced the seam of his lips, and he opened, letting her dance in and explore. He might have let out a long, thunderous sigh when she dragged the edge of her heel across the back of his thigh. While she kissed him, her fingers plowed through his hair, shooting tingles to his blazing groin. Her nails raked his shoulders and arms, pain and pleasure entwined together, and he rode the explosion of sensations like a white-water kayaker.
Fuck, she felt good! What she was doing to him, how she felt beneath him. The real Sarah blew his fantasy Sarah out of the water.
He ran the tip of his tongue along her throat, over her collarbone, pausing to suck on her sweet skin, then latching on to a breast, licking, nipping, suckling, tasting. The more pressure he used, the more her body seemed to spark and hum to some erotic rhythm he could actually feel coursing through him too. He was transported, moving without strategy, simply tuned into her cadence like he was part of an amorphous, heaving sea without boundaries.
He trailed a free hand over her smooth flank, digging his fingers into her conto
urs, relishing the silky skin along her inner thighs as he worked his way up. She was all wetness and heat, and when his finger entered her, her body bowed again and she gasped out, “God, yes!”
He lost what was left of his mind.
Her fingers were on him, his were inside her, their mouths locked in a blazing kiss. A connection like an electric lasso bound him to her, its twisted strands made up of need, desire, and impassioned desperation.
What could have been seconds or minutes later, he was tearing open a packet and rolling on a condom without recalling taking it from the nightstand. No words were exchanged between them—just sensual susurrations and the undulations in her body spurring him on. As he paused between her legs, she clung harder, urging him inside.
At first graze, her hips rose to meet him, and her legs wrapped around his hips, her heels prodding his ass while her nails bit into his back. He eased inside her, inch by inch, struggling to hold himself back. She took all of him in with stuttered moans. Measured strokes at first, barely controlled, quickly transformed into powerful, penetrating thrusts. As he slammed into her, heat flashed and pooled at the base of his spine, and he fought the wave overtaking him.
Her body seized. She clenched and shuddered and shook around him, and he toppled over the edge and followed her with a thundering release.
Chapter 28
I’ve Never Been to This Restaurant
Sarah’s legs slid off his hips, which was when Quinn realized he was still buried deep inside her, his hands tangled in her hair, and he was panting against her neck as he floated down from unparalleled nirvana.
His synapses began firing in sync once more.
Hooooly shit!
The only way he could describe their coupling was by visualizing a space missile launch. Fire, detonation, a climb to a stratospheric height, an unimaginable explosion, ending with a softly rocking parachute ride back to the earthly plane.
One of her hands caressed his head while the other soothed his back, her touch featherlight, a counterbalance to her clawing and the heated, untamed sex they’d just shared. Fuck, he’d come faster and harder than he could ever remember—not what he’d wanted to do his first time with Sarah. He’d planned to take his time bringing her to the brink and reeling her back, making her come again and again, showing her he was capable of being a good lover, but those fantasies had been hijacked by a force he couldn’t comprehend.
