***
Quinn's phone rang and he reached for it on his nightstand, but all he felt was a book he didn't remember leaving there and a box of tissues that was also out of place.
Then he registered a warm female body snuggled into his and he remembered – he was in Tessa's bed. They'd made love most of the night, falling into an exhausted sleep in a tangle of arms and legs just before dawn. Clearly, neither of them had moved, because his legs were still entwined with hers, and she lay half across his chest.
His phone rang again, and he eased away from her and reached for his pants on the floor. Fumbling it out of his pocket, he pressed the red button and said, "Yeah?"
"Where the hell are you?" It was his twin Connor.
"Asleep. What do you want?"
"You forget lunch?"
Hell. He closed his eyes. He'd forgotten all about it. "Guess I did. I'll be there in about twenty."
"You sound funny. What's going on?"
"Nothing. Late night."
Tessa turned over and snuggled into him. "Hmmmm," she murmured.
Connor laughed. "Yeah, I can hear your 'late night'. Come prepared to tell us all about it."
"Go to hell, Con." He ended the call and dropped the phone on the nightstand. Tessa's long, wavy red hair was spread across his chest, and her face was nestled in his neck. He didn't want to have lunch with his siblings. He wanted to stay here with Tessa and make love with her again. Maybe twice before they both had to go to work.
Brushing her hair to the side, he kissed her, and she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. As their kiss deepened, he briefly considered blowing off lunch with his family. But finally he eased away from her. If he didn't show up, they'd give him endless amounts of shit.
Plus his sister would tell his mother. His brothers were bad enough. But let the women in his life find out he'd missed one of the sacred lunches? His mother would start planning a wedding. And Mia would give him that 'you are going to tell me everything or you will regret it' look that never boded well.
"I have to go," he murmured. "Lunch with my brothers and sister. I'm already late."
Tessa sat up, shaking her hair away from her face. "Okay. I only have yogurt for breakfast anyway, so you probably wouldn't have wanted to stick around."
"Oh, I would have stuck around." Just thinking about making love with Tessa again had him hard. "But this is kind of a tradition with the five of us. If I didn't make it because I stayed here with you? They'd grill me mercilessly. And so would my mother, because my sister can't keep her mouth shut."
Tessa gave him a sleepy smile and shooed him out of the bed. "Wouldn't want that to happen."
He hesitated. "Don't you want me to stay?"
"Of course I do. But it sounds like you need to go."
She didn't have to be so damn accommodating. In spite of the grief it would cause him, if Tessa asked him to stay, he'd blow off Connor and Brendan and Mac and Mia. But she smiled at him, slid out of bed and grabbed for a robe on the back of the door.
Quinn threw on his clothes and kissed her goodbye at her front door. "I'll call you," he said.
"Okay." She leaned toward him and kissed him once more. "Have fun at lunch."
He was out the door and standing in the hall, staring at her door, before he could gather his wits. Had she wanted him to stay? Did she care one way or the other? Shoving his hand through his hair, he reviewed the last few minutes in his mind. She'd smiled at him, kissed him, but hadn't begged him to stay. Hadn't even asked.
Most men would be thrilled if a woman didn't cling, didn't lay on a guilt trip, just smiled and said goodbye. But even knowing he had no right to be irritated, he was. Would it have killed her to act just a little disappointed?
He clattered down the stairs and into the sunlight. He didn't look up at her window as he was leaving.
Chapter 10
By the time Quinn walked into Inspiration Kitchen, his brothers were sitting at a table, drinking coffee, laughing and exchanging stories. When he slid into the last chair at the table, everyone stopped and turned to him.
"Who is she, bro?" Brendan asked.
"Where's Mia?" he retorted.
"Captain called her," Connor said. "Needed her for the morning shift." He grinned. "She's going to be real sorry she missed lunch."
"Speaking of which," Mac said, "who is she?"
"Mia?" Quinn turned his coffee cup over. He needed an infusion of caffeine. "Hell, Mac, I know you live for your job, but have you forgotten your only sister?"
"Screw you, Q." Mac pointed his spoon at him. "You know who we're asking about."
"She's a friend." He grabbed a menu and pretended to study the meals he could have listed with his eyes closed.
"A 'friend'?" Brendan's voice was incredulous. "That's all you have to say for yourself after forgetting about us? When we've done the same thing at the same time every month for years? Must be some amazing friend."
"Yeah." The words on the menu were a meaningless jumble of letters. All he could see was Tessa's face, smiling as she kissed him goodbye and shut the door in his face.
"Where did you meet this friend?" Mac asked, leaning back in his chair and lifting his coffee cup.
Quinn's gaze slid to his twin, sitting next to Mac, who knew exactly where he'd met Tessa. Connor's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything. His twin had his back. Thank you, Con.
Quinn snapped his menu on the table and turned his attention to his oldest brother. Those ice-blue eyes of Mac's drilled a hole into him. It felt as if his brother was reaching into his head to grab all his secrets and display them in the light.
That icy gaze and rock-hard expression worked on the suspects his brother interrogated as a special agent for the FBI. Quinn, however, was immune to 'the look' from Mac. And he was not about to reveal that he'd met Tessa on a call. "Around," Quinn finally said.
"Around." Mac's voice was flat. "That tells us a lot."
"You keeping a log on me, Mac? Do the Fibbies have me under surveillance?"
"Just curious. As Brendan said, you haven't missed a lunch in years. Probably ever. And as the oldest one in the family, it's my job to..."
"It's your job to stick your head up your ass and drop this. Not your business, Cormac. No one's business but mine."
"That answer everyone's questions?" Connor asked, one eyebrow raised. "Because, unlike the rest of you nancies, I have a job to do. I need to eat and get going."
Quinn owed his twin. Big time. And as everyone slid their menus to the end of the table as a signal to the waitress they were ready, he glanced at his twin and nodded once. It was a debt he'd gladly pay.
He didn't want to talk about Tessa. Didn't want to talk about the confusing emotions she stirred. He especially didn't want to talk about how hollow he'd felt after he left her this morning.
He was not going to discuss his feelings.
So when Connor asked Mac about a case he'd been working on for a long time, involving a criminal who'd vanished into thin air, Quinn leaned forward and pretended to be interested in Mac's new lead. Even though the only person on his mind was Tessa.
***
Tessa checked her phone one last time as she walked into the hospital that afternoon for her shift. No, she hadn't missed any calls or texts in the last ten minutes. Quinn hadn't tried to contact her.
Slipping the phone into her pocket, she pressed the elevator call button a little harder than necessary. She thought Quinn had been just as involved last night as she had been. Just as eager to see her again.
Maybe not.
It was just as well, she thought, glad the elevator was empty and she wouldn't have to make small talk. Yeah, she'd felt an instant connection with Quinn. Yeah, the sex had been amazing. Unbelievable. But he was a cop. There was no long-term potential there. So maybe it was better to make a clean break now than to get attached and have a messy, painful break-up in the future.
As she stepped onto her floor, she spotted her friend Abby,
who'd been on vacation. The blond woman smiled when she saw Tessa and hurried toward her.
"Hey, Tess," Abby said, hugging her.
Tess held on for a moment, then stepped away. "Abs. How was the trip?"
"It was fabulous." Abby got a dreamy look on her face. "Seattle is a beautiful city. And Jason was wonderful. It was a perfect trip."
"I'm so glad, Ab. I'm really happy for you." Abby had been dating Jason for about six months, and she'd been nervous about taking their first trip together. "Clearly, you worried for nothing."
"Yeah." Abby laughed. "It's a let-down to come back to work, though. Back to my real world. It was a fairy tale trip."
Tessa hugged Abby hard. "Hope it works out for you with Jason."
Abby leaned away. "You sound so sad. What's going on?"
"Nothing." When Abby raised an eyebrow and waited, Tessa sighed. "Long story." Tessa spotted Dr. Hunter and his intern James at the nurse's station, staring at her and Abby. "Looks like Hunter and Silent James are looking for one of us. I'll fill you in on our break."
"Back to reality." Abby rolled her eyes. "Dealing with the asshole and the weirdo."
"It could be worse," Tessa said. "You could have Kyle Nolan hitting on you."
"Never thought of it that way." Abby grinned, her good humor restored. "I'll expect you to spill everything on our break."
"If we can go at the same time."
Abby pointed at her. "No excuses, Porter."
"Just saying."
She'd tell Abby all that had happened, and she'd confess that Quinn was a cop. Abby knew how she felt about a relationship with a police officer. She'd tell
Tessa it was good he hadn't called.
But four hours later, as they sat together in the cafeteria after Tessa filled her friend in on what had happened in the past two days, Abby surprised her.
"Why are you refusing to even consider getting involved with him? He sounds like a great guy."
Tessa's heart twisted a little. "He is. And I am involved with him. Four times in one night is about as involved as you can get."
"You know what I mean." Abby reached across the table and squeezed Tessa's hand. "What happened to Brian was horrible. And it was horrible that it played out right in front of you. But sometimes you have to take a chance, Tess. You can't let one bad thing keep you from falling in love again."
"'One bad thing'? My fiance bled out in front of me. In the emergency room. After he was shot by the guy he was trying to arrest." After they'd had a fight and she'd told him to get lost. Which she'd never confided to anyone. She'd always wondered if he'd been distracted that day. Not as alert as he should have been.
She'd always wondered if his death was her fault.
If it had happened because she fell in love with him. Because they’d gotten too close.
She’d known allowing herself to fall in love was dangerous, but she’d done it anyway. And Brian had died.
A few people sitting near by glanced at their table, and Tessa lowered her voice. "It's a dangerous job. Bad things happen to police officers. I don't want to risk that again."
"Would you have gotten involved with Brian if you knew how it would end up?"
Tessa hesitated, and Abby pounced. "I knew it. You loved him, but you weren't 'in love' with him. If you were in love with him, you wouldn't have to think about it. You'd say 'yes' in a heartbeat."
She leaned across the table. "Tess, you felt like you needed to marry him because you'd known each other for a long time and Brian wanted to settle down. He was pushing you toward marriage, and in your heart, you knew it wasn't the right decision." She pointed her fork at her friend. "Was sex with Brian as good as with Quinn?"
"Not even close," Tessa answered without thinking.
"There you go. I rest my case." Abby ate another piece of her apple pie. "So why are you letting Brian's death, as tragic and horrible as it was, get in the way of a relationship with Quinn?"
"I just met the guy. It's a little early to be talking 'relationship'."
"Maybe. But you're not even letting yourself consider it. You're saying no. Period."
"Fine, Ab. I'll think about it. Okay?" She glanced at the clock. "We need to get back to work."
She started to rise from the table, but Abby stopped her with a hand on her arm. "I haven't seen you so happy in a long time, Tess. Give this guy a chance. Don't give him the Tess Porter cold shoulder."
"He hasn't called me," Tessa blurted. "He said he would." She pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at the screen. Nothing. "So maybe that won't even be an issue."
"He's a homicide detective," Abby said, pushing away from the table and grabbing her tray. "Maybe he caught a case." She tossed a glance over her shoulder as Tess followed her to the garbage can. "You remember that from Brian, don't you?"
"He could have found a minute to send a text," Tess muttered.
Abby dumped her trash and grinned at Tess. "Honey, you have it bad. And I'm so happy for you."
Yeah, Tess would freely admit she was in lust with Quinn. But that was as far as she'd go. Abby was right. She needed to get past what had happened with Brian. But it would be so much easier to do that with a guy who wasn't a cop. She'd keep her heart intact, have fun with Quinn, and wait to fall in love with someone safer.
***
Her ringing phone startled Tessa awake. Heart pounding, she grabbed it and peered at the screen. 4:03 in the morning. Nothing good ever came of a phone call at four AM.
Her hand trembled as she touched the screen to see who was calling.
Quinn.
She swallowed and hit the green icon. Maybe he hadn't called earlier because he'd been hurt. Maybe he was in a hospital somewhere. Injured. Maybe someone was using his phone to call her because he was unconscious. Or worse.
"Hello?" Her voice shook as she finally managed to press the green 'accept' icon.
"Tess? This is Quinn. Are you okay? You sound funny."
Tess cleared her throat. "I'm fine. Just woke up. Are you okay?" She heard her voice rise with the last words and hoped Quinn wasn't the observant kind.
"What's wrong?” he asked.
Apparently he was. "It's four in the morning. Everyone gets nervous about late night or early morning phone calls."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
She heard the weariness in his voice. "It's okay. What's up?" she asked softly.
"I just finished my shift. I told you I'd call, but this was the first chance I got." There was a silence, and she heard his breath shudder out. "I should have waited until the morning," he finally said.
"No." Tess sat up in bed and glanced toward Quinn's apartment. Dark. "You're not home yet?"
"I'm on my way. I...I wanted to talk to you."
"About what?"
"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to hear your voice."
The lump of ice that had lived in her stomach most of the day began to melt. "Sounds like you had a long day. You want to come over? I still have most of that pizza from last night. I could heat it up."
"You were asleep. I wasn't thinking. Maybe I'll catch you tomorrow."
She heard the strain in his voice. The tightness. "No. I'm awake now, and I'd like you to come over."
"You sure?"
"Positive." She swung her legs out of bed and reached for her robe. "How far away are you? I'll put the pizza in the oven."
"Ten minutes. Maybe less. There's not much traffic this time of night."
"Come over. Please."
He sighed. "God, Tess. Thank you. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Okay. Bye," she whispered.
She must be out of her mind. She flicked on the lights and hurried into the kitchen. She should have said goodnight, rolled over and gone back to sleep.
But she'd barely recognized his voice at first. Something had happened today. And he'd called her.
The aroma of tomato sauce, oregano and pepperoni filled the air when her doorbell finally rang fifteen m
inutes later. She turned off the oven, buzzed him in, then waited at the door. She was careful to look out the peephole before opening it.
"Hey," she said as she threw open the door. "Come in."
He walked through the door, kicked it shut and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. "You smell so good," he whispered against her head.
She held him tight and stroked his back, not sure what was wrong, but knowing he needed comfort. Finally he eased away from her.
"I'm sorry, Tessa. I shouldn't have called. All day today, all I could think about was talking to you. And I never had a chance to even send a fucking text message."
She took his hands. "What happened?"
Quinn closed his eyes, as if blocking out the sight of something he didn't want to see. "Is that pizza ready yet? I need to eat something."
"Sure. Come into the kitchen."
He slid onto one of the two chairs at her tiny table, and she pulled the pizza out of the over and set it on a hot pad on the table, then gave him a plate, a fork and a knife. "You want a beer?"
"I would love one."
After putting the bottle of 312 on the table, she slid into the chair across from him and watched him eat. Finally, after he'd practically inhaled a couple of pieces of pizza, he took a long drink of beer and slumped in his chair.
"We caught a case today," he said quietly. "It was..." He swallowed and looked away. "It was a tough one."
"You want to talk about it?" she asked.
He scrubbed his hands over his face. "I don't want those images in your head, too."
She reached across the table and gripped his hand, and he twisted so their fingers twined together. "I see a lot of stuff on my job, too. Sometimes it helps to talk about it."
"It was a domestic. A woman." He swallowed. "And her two kids. Four and two. Boy and a girl. He cut their throats. God!"
He gulped down the beer. "The kids were in bed. Asleep, thank God, so they didn't see it coming. But the woman fought. For her kids, then for herself." He closed his eyes and his hand tightened on hers. "There was so much blood. The walls, the floors, the furniture. The kids' beds."
Watch Me (The Donovan Family Book 2) Page 9
