by Karin Baine
‘He’s not here today. I wanted to show him my new tiara but Rebecca says he’s off today.’ She patted the pretty plastic band perched on her head as if it was a perfectly good reason for Matt to make time to see her—though knowing him, he probably would.
‘Penny, I’m sure you’re supposed to be doing something other than gossiping in the corridor. Come on and let Quinn get on with her job.’
‘Okay, okay.’ She spun her chair around towards the elevator.
Quinn gave her thanks again and waved goodbye. The news about Matt’s sudden absence had unsettled her all over again.
He hadn’t said anything that night about taking time off. In hindsight, he hadn’t said much after Simon had woken up. She’d been too caught up in her own orgasmic euphoria and subsequent worry about getting Simon home without disturbing him too much to contemplate Matt’s state of mind. He’d given so much without taking anything for himself. Whilst she’d taken so much pleasure in his unselfishness in the moment, now she was scrutinising his motives. Very few men would’ve been happy to be left unattended to and it wasn’t because he’d been immune to the heat of the moment. She’d seen and felt the hard evidence of his arousal against her.
They could’ve found a way to be together. If Matt had suggested she and Simon stayed the night she would’ve jumped at the chance. His readiness to get rid of all traces of them from his apartment didn’t marry with her idea of carrying on where they’d left off.
Okay, he was never going to declare his undying love and set up house with them but it didn’t bode well if he needed time off to recover after only a few hours in their company.
It wasn’t as if he lived a million miles away. Her brain flashed through all the possibilities his actions could mean. She wanted to make it clear she wasn’t expecting anything from him other than what they already had together.
All she wanted was a little more time together to explore what was happening between them and the effect it was having on her. Emotional significance aside, if they focused on the physical progression of their relationship they could have a good time together before his contract ended and he disappeared for good. If nothing else, she needed to return the favour he’d done her. She didn’t like to be in anyone’s debt.
She started off at a brisk pace towards the shiny, modern apartment block with her sights set on ripping Matt’s clothes off and seducing him. Unfortunately, the doubt crows soon caught up with her, flapping their wings in her face to slow her down.
Did she really have the right to turn up, unannounced, on his doorstep? He could be sick, or perhaps this wasn’t about her at all. There were a multitude of reasons he might not want to see her right now.
She could stand outside staring through the glass of the lobby like a child at a toy shop window on Christmas Eve, or she could stop wasting her precious time and find out the answer.
With her finger poised to buzz him, she braced herself to start overanalysing the tone of his voice over the intercom. The door suddenly swung open and one of the residents held it open for her. Clearly she wasn’t a threat to anyone’s security—except, perhaps, her own.
‘Thanks,’ she said as Mr Suit rushed on to whatever meeting he was going to, paying no mind to who he’d let into his building.
Every crisp step along the marble hallway towards Matt’s apartment made her stomach roll more violently. If anyone from the hospital was aware she was here they’d probably advise him to get a restraining order. He was Simon’s surgeon. Then again, what they’d shared that night broke whatever rules and boundaries long before she’d walked in off the street.
She took a deep breath before she knocked on the door, not knowing what to expect from this encounter. He mightn’t even be home. After all, he had family and doctor commitments she wasn’t party to. It wasn’t likely he’d take time off at short notice to sit at home in the shadows to avoid running into a one-night stand, or whatever she was to him. If he wasn’t in she could pretend this had never happened and let him make the next move.
Suddenly, the door whooshed open and her breath was sucked into a vacuum.
‘Quinn! The very person I need to speak to.’
Not the welcome she’d expected, particularly as he was slamming his front door shut behind him and jangling his car keys.
‘I...er...you haven’t been around much—’
‘I know. I know. Wait, where’s Simon?’
‘He’s staying with a neighbour. I thought we could both do with a playdate this morning.’ With one obviously going better than the other.
‘Good idea,’ he said, but he was still walking away from his apartment rather than dragging her back inside.
‘I can see you’re busy. Maybe we’ll catch up another time.’ She could salvage some dignity if she walked away now without forcing a conversation about what significance she held in his life. She had her answer right here with a closed door in her face.
Matt slowed his brisk pace as if it had only occurred to him how odd her visit was. ‘You didn’t make the journey all the way here just to see me, did you?’
It sounded such a desperate act when he put it that way that she immediately had to deny it. ‘No. I was at the hospital anyway helping the committee. Young Penny said she’d heard you’d taken some leave. I thought I’d call in and see if you were sick or something.’ If she’d stopped to buy grapes on the way here she might’ve made that more plausible.
He laughed. ‘Ah, yes. Penny. There are no secrets where she’s concerned.’
‘I was collecting statements from the parents.’ That was right up there with ‘I carried a watermelon’ in lame excuses but she didn’t want him to think she’d been stalking the corridors seeking him out.
‘They’re definitely one of the most familiar families at Paddington’s and Penny is such a live wire despite her condition.’ He was clearly fond of the little girl even though she wasn’t one of his own patients. Another indication that his devotion went far beyond the parameters of his job description.
‘She is and I can report back and tell her you’re fine and there’s no need for her to worry.’ Quinn scooted outside into the sunlight first, taking the path back to the hospital so she didn’t trip on her lies. It was her who’d wanted to know why he wasn’t at work and her who’d stumble back home with her tail tucked between her legs for thinking she could simply turn up here and take what she wanted from Matt, ignoring his wishes, which clearly included being left alone.
That heavy weight was back on her shoulders, almost doubling her over with the effort of having to carry it again.
‘Aren’t you coming with me?’
It took a strong hand wrapped around her waist for the words to register.
‘Do you want me to? I mean, you were on your way out before I got here.’ Without me.
‘It will make this easier. I would’ve had to contact you anyway to make the final decision.’ He practically bounced into the front seat of his car, pumped up by whatever he had planned.
‘That sounds ominous. Where are we going?’
‘It’s a surprise. Relax. It’s nothing bad. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.’
The car purred to life at his touch, much the way she had.
They stopped and started their way out of the city until eventually they made their way onto the quieter roads. She had no clue how long they were going to be in the car or how far they’d be driving but she didn’t care. For now, she was content to sit back and relax in his company as he’d suggested. It wasn’t what she’d planned but it was preferable to the scenario where he told her he didn’t want to see her again.
She trusted him to give her a good time. He hadn’t let her down yet.
Matt was in the dark about what had brought Quinn to his door but her visit was providential. He’d been contemplating a major commitment fo
r her and Simon so it was only polite he should seek her opinion on the matter.
Since that day he’d spent with them, and most of the evening, he’d been trying to concoct a plan to keep them in his life without stepping into the role of surrogate dad again. It would be easy to get carried away, especially when a different part of his body other than his brain was trying to make decisions for him.
If he’d given in to what it was he’d really wanted he’d be in an ever bigger mess where Quinn was concerned. That first-hand experience of bringing up a family was the only thing which had prevented him from taking her to his bed, letting Simon sleep the night in his spare room and waking up to a new domesticity he hadn’t asked for. His fear of that had somehow won out over his libido. He couldn’t promise that would always be the case so he’d hit on the idea of a third wheel in their relationship, or a fourth if he included Simon.
‘A dog pound?’ Quinn’s raised eyebrows drew into a frown as they pulled up outside the animal rescue centre in a blend of undisguised curiosity and disappointment. Exactly what he’d been trying to avoid.
He’d delayed getting back in touch when he knew nothing he said or did could possibly match up to any expectations she might have had after that night. Now, he was counting on the tried and tested distraction technique of canine cuteness.
‘It’s an idea I’ve been toying with. Pet companions are known to be very therapeutic, loving unconditionally without judging people’s appearances or background. You saw what a great time Simon had at the zoo. He loves animals and this could really help build his confidence.’ It would also give them the sort of close companionship that they were both craving on a long-term basis.
Quinn was silent as they entered the reception and he hoped it was because she was mulling over the idea of adopting a dog, not that she was filled with quiet rage at him.
‘It’s a nice idea, in theory, but it’s not very practical. I have enough to deal with without adding house-training a puppy to the list.’
‘This one’s a year old, fully trained. No extra work.’ A puppy would’ve secured the deal because who wouldn’t fall in love with a bundle of fur but she wouldn’t have thanked him for the puddles around the house or using her furniture for oversized chew sticks. He’d been there when Siobhan, his middle sister, had suckered him into housing one of a litter of unwanted pups. Thankfully, she’d taken the little poop machine with her when she’d moved out soon after.
‘This one?’ She raised an eyebrow, seemingly unimpressed as he showed her the computer printout of his research subject.
‘Frankie. She’s a collie cross. I saw her online and made this appointment to come and see her before I spoke to you. You know, to make sure she’s suitable for you and Simon.’ He gave his details to the receptionist and waited for them to bring out the dog he thought could be the answer to everyone’s prayers.
‘How very thoughtful of you.’ The sarcasm wasn’t lost on him. It had been very presumptuous of him to make these arrangements, supposedly on her behalf, without giving her the heads-up. He preferred to think of it as being proactive.
‘She’s supposed to be a lovely wee thing.’ He’d made sure this was a dog they could be satisfied was comfortable around children, and from everyone he’d spoken to, she was very good-natured.
‘Wee?’ Quinn was nearly knocked off her feet by the black-and-tan slobber monster which accosted her.
‘Well, those handbag dogs aren’t for boys. She’s a good sturdy size for cuddling.’
It was his turn to pet the reason they were here and he was rewarded with a rough doggie tongue licking his face.
‘What’s wrong with her neck?’ Quinn hunkered down to inspect the patch of shaved fur and jagged scars zigzagging around her throat.
‘They found her wandering the streets. Someone had let the skin grow over her puppy collar and the vet had to operate to remove it. Hence the name “Frankie,” after Frankenstein’s monster.’ He’d seen the pictures and read the case file so she’d already claimed a place in his affections. Quinn’s too, by all accounts, as she stroked and cuddled the pooch.
‘Poor girl. You deserve a pretty name. If you were mine I’d call you Maisie.’
‘Maisie?’ He tried to suppress a grin and failed. The scarred, scrawny mutt looked as girlie as he did.
‘Every girl should be treated like a princess. Calling her after a monster will do nothing for her self-esteem. If I’d ever had a daughter, Maisie’s the name I would’ve chosen.’ For such a young woman, she sounded as though she’d given up on the idea of ever having kids of her own. Fostering probably seemed enough of a challenge without bringing up her own children minus a partner. Still, if Maisie filled that particular void too, then Matt’s job here was done.
‘We’ll have to bring Simon up for a visit but I can register our interest now in case someone else wants her in the meantime.’
‘I’m sure he’ll love her, Matt, but would it really be fair to give him a dog only to take it off him when he moves on? I couldn’t break his heart again.’ She was already distancing herself from the mongrel, who just wanted to be loved too.
Matt hadn’t considered the long-term consequences. It was so unlike him to go for the temporary solution, but she was right—he couldn’t use the dog as a sticking plaster. The moment Simon had to leave her behind would devastate him all over again and who was to say Quinn would want to be tied down to a pet once Simon had gone.
There was no other option but for him to take her on if he wanted this adoption to go ahead. It was a commitment he’d never anticipated making but a dog had to be less trouble than raising kids, surely?
‘What if I adopt her? You and Simon could help with her when I’m at work. He can still bond with her but technically she’ll be my dog.’ A single man was still a single man with a pet. It would be company for him instead of coming home to that empty apartment at the end of every shift. He’d hate to let this opportunity pass for Simon and Maisie to find some comfort in each other.
‘You mean joint custody?’ Naturally, Quinn wanted clarification. She was a woman who didn’t like to leave room for misunderstandings.
It was surprising, then, that she’d yet to quiz him on his intentions as far as she was concerned. It was the main reason he’d maintained a little distance because he genuinely didn’t know what either of them wanted to come from this relationship. If Quinn in her usual forthright manner told him she expected some sort of commitment to her and Simon, he’d be forced to walk away and he wasn’t ready for that yet.
‘I guess...’ Adopting a stray dog was more than he’d committed to in a long time, stretching the boundaries of his comfort zone and the best promise he could give in regards of a future together.
For the duration of Simon’s stay with her, he and Maisie would be a part of their lives and that was the most he could give of himself without compromising his own plans. He’d still be moving on to pastures new someday, except now he’d have a slobbery hound in tow.
‘Simon’s going to be so excited.’ Quinn dropped down to hug the new family friend and Matt didn’t know if she or the dog had the biggest smile on their face.
He had to admit he felt good to have been the one to have orchestrated this. Quinn’s happiness was his weakness and most likely guaranteed to be his greatest downfall but he reminded himself he was a live-in-the-moment guy and bundled in on the fun. As he joined the group hug, the excitement proved too much for Maisie, who slipped out of their hold for a mad dash around the room.
‘Thank you for this.’ Quinn dropped a kiss on his mouth as they tumbled to the ground. He wanted to freeze time, keep her there for ever so they didn’t have to worry about anything except keeping that simple contact between them.
When she was with him, touching him, happy to be with him, he wanted to give her the world. He’d already broken all the si
ngleton rules and was about to adopt a stray dog just so this feeling would last. He was afraid of what he would do next in the name of love.
There was no doubt about it. Given the lengths he’d gone to and his wish to lie here with her for ever, he was totally head over heels for Quinn Grady. It should’ve made him want to bolt from the room, pack his bags and catch the first flight back to Dublin but that wouldn’t solve the problem. Wherever he went he knew he’d be thinking of her. The only way to get this out of his system was to let it run its course until they reached some sort of crisis point where having him in her life was no longer tenable. She was going to have to be the one to make that decision because, for once, Matt wasn’t the one in charge. His heart was.
CHAPTER TEN
‘WE HAVE A small communal garden she can use, and of course there’s the nearby park.’ Matt’s application for Maisie-homing hadn’t been as easy as simply signing a form, and rightly so. The animal shelter had insisted on doing a home visit to see for themselves that the ground-floor apartment was a suitable environment for her, and Quinn had agreed to be here for it.
She was still in shock he’d come up with the idea in the first place, never mind taken on primary responsibility of a dog to aid Simon’s recovery. An act which certainly wouldn’t have been part of his Hippocratic oath. This level of kindness couldn’t be taught; it was pure Matt.
She didn’t want to get her hopes up, much like she didn’t want Simon to get too attached to him, or Maisie. At least by getting Matt to adopt the dog she’d managed to put some sort of safety prevention in place. When their dalliance inevitably came to its unsatisfactory conclusion they could go their separate ways without any ill will or duty to the other. The dog would be his responsibility, and Simon was hers.
‘And where will doggie sleep?’ The lady with the clipboard peered in the various rooms sussing out what preparations Matt had made for his new house companion.
‘This is her bed here and Quinn’s going to let her in and out while I’m at work.’ Matt proudly showed off the comfy new dog bed full of new toys and treats he and Simon had picked out at the pet store.
