"Night, sleep well," Quinn added, smiling warmly at me.
Lying in the dark, I thought about Quinn. He hadn't attempted to touch me at all, no hug when I arrived, he never reached for my hand. Even his goodnight seemed almost brotherly. I was so confused. He had been so intense earlier today, though now it felt like a long time ago, and there had been no sign of it tonight.
I had shown up to meet him, and gone to a strange place when he said he needed me. Had he changed his mind? Or did he just need a friend?
"It's just me, relax," Quinn whispered as he slipped into bed with me, rousing me from a fitful sleep.
"But Jordie-"
He laughed softly. "No, it's Quinn. Sorry to disappoint you," he whispered, running his hand up the side of my leg. "I'd go get Jordie for you but he just left. He has an early call."
"No, I don't want Jordie, I just didn't know if-"
He stopped me by kissing me, slowly and softly. He bit my bottom lip gently, as he had before, and I felt it everywhere. His tongue tangled with mine, then he groaned and inched closer, pressing against me. It was so dark I could barely see him, but I felt his bare chest and legs, cool against my skin. He was wearing just boxer briefs.
"God, you feel so good," he sighed.
He sat me up, pulled Jordie's shirt off me in one swift movement and gently laid me back down, settling on top of me. He supported himself on his elbows and ran his hands over my face and through my hair, kissing me fiercely.
As he shifted down, kissing my neck, nibbling on my earlobe, I pushed my hips up against his. He exhaled sharply.
"Em," he cupped my breasts and looked up at me. "You're so beautiful. Jesus, I never thought I'd get you alone."
"Now that you have, what will you do with me?" I whispered.
He smiled as he bent to give my lips the softest kiss. "I'm sure I'll think of something."
Squeezing my breasts gently and pressing them together, he lowered his head and licked one of my nipples. Pleasure shot through me and my back arched. Brushing his thumbs over my nipples, he bent to lick the other one, then wrapped his lips around it and sucked. I slid my hands down his back, drawing my legs up around his hips so I could press harder against him.
Moving back and forth from one breast to the other, he nibbled and kissed and licked my nipples, over and over. After several long minutes that had me writhing and panting beneath him, he finally broke away to move back up and kiss my lips. I gasped for breath, so turned on I tingled all over. Gripping Quinn's shoulders, I kissed him back with everything I had, wanting him to feel the same urgency that I felt.
"I want you so much. I've wanted you like this since the day I met you," he whispered.
"Me too," I whispered back. I saw his smile flash in the dark.
"You hid it well. I'm going to have to get you back for that." I felt his soft skin, so hot now, and his hard body slide lower, until he reached the waistband of my nude lace boy shorts. I had worn them hoping, just in case, for good luck.
He hissed out a sharp breath when he saw them. They were now my favorite panties ever.
"You're going to kill me, Em. How am I supposed to have polite conversations with you at the Beach House knowing how sexy you are under your little baker's outfit?" He slid his finger under the waistband.
I stiffened at the mention of the Beach House.
"Hey, hey, don't tense up on me," he whispered, kissing me in the sensitive spot where the material met my skin, eyes locked with mine. "Let's see if we can get you relaxed again."
The dark promise in his words were all it took. I was hot for him again, so ready.
He slid off my undies and nuzzled between my legs, kissing the very tops of my inner thighs, teasing me. I tried to get my breath under control.
"So beautiful," he crooned, then opened me gently with his fingers and licked me, a long, slow path from the bottom of my folds to the top. I whimpered, reaching for his silky hair.
After licking all over, slowly and gently, he was done playing with me. He tilted his head and thrust his tongue inside me, softly at first but then harder, faster, more insistently, again and again as I felt the pressure build. Arching and squirming beneath him, I let out some soft "Mmmms."
"So sweet," he breathed. He didn’t let up, growling softly as he explored me with his tongue. I stretched my hands over my head, my head tilting back and my mouth opening into a silent scream.
Suddenly Quinn shifted, pulling back and looking up at me, hands gripping my hips.
“You’re so quiet,” he murmured, pausing to press soft kisses just below my belly button. I stroked my fingers through his hair but didn’t say anything.
“Don't hold back. Let me hear you, Em,” he encouraged breathlessly, licking me again, teasing me so delicately with the tip of his tongue, never breaking eye contact. “Please.”
He lowered his head again and began rubbing the flat of his tongue back and forth, reaching up to squeeze my breasts and tug on my nipples. The combination of his words, and his fingers and tongue on me set me on fire. I was trembling all over, my belly fluttering. There was no way I could contain the sounds now and I moaned, softly at first, louder as he moved faster. I clutched his hair, my head thrashing as he worked on me, drove me closer.
My reaction seemed to fuel him and he groaned, ratcheting up the intensity. Climbing, climbing, my legs shaking now, my breath quickening. Then, when I was so close, just about to reach the apex, he seemed to sense it and lightened the pressure, his velvet tongue stroking slower, slower, back and forth in lazier rhythm, bringing me back from the edge.
His hands slid down, over my waist to my hips, squeezing. I arched as he moved his mouth off me, just long enough to slowly press open-mouthed kisses on my inner thighs, his eyes glinting as they stared into mine.
After a long minute he returned to my folds, increasing the pressure of his tongue, lapping at me rhythmically but slowly, so slowly. Just when I was ready to beg him to push me over, he sped up until I climaxed hard, crying out.
He stayed on me, licking lightly, until the tremors began to subside. He wiped his mouth on a corner of the blanket and came up, kissing my lips softly and settling between my legs again.
"Quinn."
I wanted him now, right now, all of him, thought I would lose my mind if he didn’t get inside me. As he moved his lips back to my mouth and gave me a languid, deep kiss, I ran my hands down his lean, hard body, feeling all the ridges and dips from his muscles, finally grabbing his firm backside in both of my hands.
"Whoa, hey now, easy," he said, enjoying how worked up I was.
"You won't be needing these," I whispered, sliding my fingers under the waist of his boxer briefs and tugging them. He pulled them off and lay back down next to me.
I reached for his cock, stroking up and down gently with both hands, teasing him, lightly squeezing the engorged head. I wanted him as turned on as I was, right now. He was big all over and hard, so hard, with satiny soft skin. And he was burning hot. I licked my lips as I explored him.
"Ahh, Em," he panted. "You better stop that now, or this is going to end too fast. I want to be inside you."
"Hurry," I whispered.
He jumped up and disappeared for a second, biting out "condom" over his shoulder. As he strode into the bathroom, I stared after him, appreciating the view. I stretched luxuriously, still tingling all over, and just then Quinn reappeared. His eyes swept over my body as I stretched, and suddenly he seemed frantic, ripping open the wrapper and rolling the condom on.
He got back in bed and pulled one of my legs open, settling himself in between. Placing his hands on either side of my head to support his weight, he pressed the hard tip of his cock against my entrance, and my breathing quickened again. His eyes locked with mine as he began pushing into me.
"Oh God," I whispered. He kissed me as he thrust all the way in. He held still for a minute, his whole body trembling. He was so big, so hard, it almost hurt, but I wanted more, was desperate for it.
My hands slipped from his waist to his ass and I pulled him closer as I pushed my hips forward. Opening my eyes to look into his, I felt a sudden rush of emotion. We stared at each other, resisting the urge to move, letting the reality of the moment sink in.
Then he exhaled sharply, brought his forehead down to mine and began to thrust, gently at first, straining to maintain control. As the intensity built for both of us, his force and speed began to pick up. I moaned and ran my hands all over him, free from all of the earlier restraint and self-consciousness, aching to give myself to him, all of myself, and take him in return.
"Mmmm, you feel so good," I sobbed, pushing my hips to meet his thrusts. I felt every push right in my center, but then the feeling spread all over me as the tension built and built. He put one arm around me and squeezed me tight, burying his face in my neck, supporting most of his weight on the other arm so he didn’t crush me.
"Em. You feel amazing, I can't, uhhh..." His thrusts grew harder and faster and I grasped at him, wanting him closer, closer.
Then Quinn slowed his pace and held himself up again. I opened my eyes and found him looking at me, searching my face. All the tension of the last few weeks slipped away. Smiling, I reached up, touched his face, kissed his lips softly.
“Em,” he whispered, leaning on his elbows, brushing his thumbs over my cheeks.
Then he thrust again, just once but harder.
“Ahhh,” we both groaned in unison. He released my face and came closer, holding his cheek next to mine. He began to speed up, and I felt him harden even more inside me as he bucked, his rhythm and intensity growing. We both pushed and pulled, kissed and nipped, whispered and panted.
Suddenly everything tensed violently and I climaxed, squeezing so hard inside that Quinn gasped.
"Em! Uhhh, God!" Quinn called out, giving one more deep, hard thrust that made me cry out as he shuddered against me.
CHAPTER 17
I woke a short time later to Quinn, spooned behind me, arms around my waist, pressing kisses to my neck and shoulder, positioning a raging erection between my legs. I could see through the window that the sky was just beginning to go from black to dawn's navy blue.
"Well, good morning to you," I murmured, squeezing his arms. He thrust more insistently between my legs, then rolled me over to face him. I was about to protest, fearful of my morning breath, but he kissed me and I forgot whatever hesitation I had.
Quinn ran his hands all over me, settling on my backside. He kneaded it in both hands, letting his fingers slip into the seam, which made me moan.
"Hmm, you like that," he said, flicking the tip of his tongue into my ear. Chills raced across my skin. "We're going to have to spend some time exploring that."
"I have other plans for you," I said, pushing his shoulders until he was on his back. I climbed on top of him and felt his hands circle my hips.
"Your body is incredible, Em," he sighed, running one hand over my lower belly. "What was that stupid word you used for it?"
I had to think for a minute.
"Compact?"
“Compact!” he laughed. “'Like a rental car,' you said. Ha.”
“But it’s true!” I protested.
"That's the last word I would use. Tight. Strong. Smoking. Fit..."
"OK, OK-"
"Are you embarrassed?" He was incredulous. "Why?"
I blushed. “I’m fine. But I’m not Maya. Or any of the other girls you work with. They’re so perfect, I could never-"
“Stop,” he said, pulling me back down next to him.
“What?”
“Em, I told you, there was never anything between Maya and me.”
“I know. But you’re around all these amazing-looking women all the time, actresses and models. I could never compete with that.”
He shook his head. “You have to be kidding me.”
I shot him a look. “Do not even for one second pretend that I look anything like those women. For one thing-”
“No, you listen," he placed one finger over my lips, and raised his eyebrows when I nipped at it with my teeth. "Yes, I work with a lot of actresses who are very beautiful. And I see models at photo shoots and parties. Many of them are hot, I won’t deny it. But I’m not looking for that. I mean, I think you are so beautiful and hot, obviously. In a different way from those women. I don’t want to be with any of them.”
“Come on, Quinn. I'm not an idiot. Why wouldn’t you want to be with a gorgeous, perfect model? Or an actress, someone beautiful and complicated and mysterious?”
“Complicated and mysterious? Really?" he laughed. "Look, I don’t have to tell you about my dating history. It’s been all over the tabloids. Even if you don’t read them it’s easy enough to find out. When I first got to L.A., I did that whole scene. I dated costars, hooked up with models. It was fun, but after a couple years, I realized the more I did that, the lonelier I got.”
“What does that mean?” I asked suspiciously.
“With other actors, it’s always the same pattern," he explained. "You meet working on a movie, and you spend all this time together, you’re on the same schedule, dealing with the same shit. You form a fast, tight friendship, there’s a flirtation, and before long you end up fucking. That turns into a ‘relationship’”—air quotes around that—“if you can call it that. It’s very intense, because actors tend to be passionate anyway. And we love the drama.”
“OK…”
“OK. Then the movie ends, and everyone goes their separate ways. You profess to each other that you’ll stay together, but soon enough one of you gets on a project that takes up all of your time or actually takes you far away for months, and you end up meeting someone else. So the 'relationship'"—air quotes again—"or whatever it was, ends.”
He looked at me. “Does this make any sense at all?”
“Yeah, of course. I get it. But it's fun while it's going on, isn't it?"
He shrugged. "Sometimes it is. But how many times can you do that before you go into it realizing it isn't going anywhere? Plus, you don't want to be that guy, the one who hooks up with all of his costars. It's unprofessional and distracting."
I was quiet for a moment, considering what he'd said.
"Tell me, what is going on in that mind of yours?" Quinn asked, brushing a stray lock of hair off my face.
I smiled at him. "Just thinking about what you said, trying to process it."
"You see, Em? This is part of the attraction for me," he said.
"What do you mean? What is?"
"Just- the way you think about things. You don't just react, you're thoughtful. And smart. And ambitious. You have your own life, your own plans. I don't ever think that you're using me, that you like me because I'm, you know, what I am."
"Thank you," I murmured, blushing and smiling, flattered but still hanging on to thoughts of the insanely gorgeous women he's surrounded with most of the time.
He shook his head. "You still don't get it, do you?" He chuckled.
I gave his shoulder a shove.
"Get what, you jerk?"
"All that stuff is part of the attraction. Mostly I just lust after you. You really have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?"
I shot him a wry look. "You mean cute, right?"
He took my face in his hands. "No. I mean exactly what I said. You are beautiful, Em. When you study me with those enigmatic gray eyes, I'm fucking undone."
His eyes flicked down as he ran a thumb over my bottom lip. "And your lips, damn. When we first met I had to remind myself not to stare at them." He kissed me softly, lingering. "And your tight, sweet little body-" he blew out a breath.
I shook my head. "How can you say that when you're surrounded by willowy blonde models all the time?"
He tightened his hold on my face, giving it a light squeeze.
"Em, I am not surrounded by models all the time," he chuckled. "Plus, I mean, that isn't the only type of woman that's beautiful. Right? Has every guy you've ever been hot for looked the s
ame?"
"Well, no..."
"Of course not. And if you met a completely hot guy but he was an asshole, or not smart, or boring, would you still be attracted to him?"
"No, I guess not."
"OK then. So is it really that hard to imagine that I'm fucking crazy about you and that I want you, even though you're not a 6-foot blonde?"
"Yes," I joked, grinning at him.
"Aargh!" He smacked his head in mock exasperation.
"OK, but... So how do you keep up a relationship with a regular person? I mean, someone who’s not in movies or whatever, with the demands of your job and your lifestyle being what it is?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never done it. Not really. But I want to. My sister has a theory that since we lost my mom so young, we’re always searching for some kind of stability,” he sighed. “I used to blow her off, but when I turned 30 this year, I started thinking maybe she’s right.”
“So that’s what you’re looking for? Stability”
He hesitated. “I don’t know, Em. I don’t know exactly what this is and where it’s going. Is that OK? Can we just go with it and see where it takes us?”
I smiled and reached out to caress his cheek. “Of course. I wasn’t asking because I need all the answers right now, tonight. I’m just trying to understand you better, get to really know you.”
He hugged me. “You do. You are. Ever since I met you, I’ve been able to talk to you, tell you things. That's pretty rare for me. I know a lot of people, but almost no one is really close to me. And I’m not close to them. I don’t know, people always seem to have an angle, something they want. I just hardly ever feel safe with anyone. When you used that word at dinner, talking about directors, I realized it was true about everything. But I do feel safe with you, Em. I want you to feel that way with me, too.”
He pulled away enough to kiss me. “Wow, how did we get here?” he laughed. “Weren’t we just talking about how sexy you are, how much I love your hot little body?”
"Ha! Right. Yeah,” I blushed.
“Seriously, what is this whole insecurity thing about with you, Em?” he asked. He rolled onto his back and pulled me on top of him. “I mean, come on. Have you-”
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