by J. H. Croix
When he’d told Amelia and his mother that he’d decided to speed up his return back to Diamond Creek, they’d glanced between each other and grinned.
“Didn’t think you could hold off too much longer without getting back to Lacey,” Amelia had commented with a sly smile.
“How…?”
Amelia arched a brow. “The look in your eyes whenever she comes up.”
His mother had merely leaned over and kissed him on the cheek where they sat at the table in her kitchen. He shook his head now, realizing they knew him so well that they’d known precisely what lay in his heart without him having said a word about it. He turned away from the empty storage space and tugged on the cord to roll the door down. After a quick stop by the storage office to close out his rental, he climbed into his SUV for the drive to Diamond Creek. It was late afternoon, and five hours of driving were between him and Lacey.
By the time he crested the rise above Diamond Creek, he was starting to get weary from the drive. He’d watched a breathtaking sunset along the way, but darkness had fallen hours ago. He’d tracked the rise of the almost full moon above the mountains across the bay as he got closer to Diamond Creek. The town lay glittering at the bottom of the hill, the moon high in the sky, bathing the bay in a silvery glow. He let out a breath and kept driving, turning onto the road that led up toward the lodge and Lacey’s cabin nearby. He quickly tapped the dash screen to call Lacey.
“Hey,” she said immediately after the first ring.
“Hey to you. You said to call when I was close. I’m almost there.”
“Yay! Okay, see you in a few.”
He gunned his SUV and zipped up the winding hill. His pulse was pounding and anticipation was coursing through him. Moments later, he turned into the gravel drive that led through the trees to her cabin. He parked quickly and ran up the steps. Lacey flung the door open, the lights on the deck illuminating her. Her auburn hair fell in a tousle around her shoulders. She wore a pair of fleece leggings and a t-shirt that hugged her generous breasts. He closed the distance between them and lifted her into his arms. She giggled into his neck. It felt so damn good to hold her again, his heart squeezed and his throat tightened. A distant voice cautioned he needed to get a grip, but at the moment he didn’t care to listen.
When she lifted her head and leaned back, her green eyes were bright. “Hey again,” she said, her voice throaty.
A blast of icy wind gusted across the deck, and she shivered in his arms. He was so hot, inside and out, he barely noticed it. “Hey, let’s get inside before you freeze.”
Without letting her go, he stepped through the door. She didn’t seem any more inclined to let go of him and wrapped her legs around his waist. His almost instant arousal when he’d seen her hardened further when he felt the heat of her against him. With a kick, he managed to close the door behind them. He spun around and put her back against the door before catching her lips in a fierce kiss. He poured his longing and pounding need into their kiss. She threaded her hands in his hair, gripping tightly as he plundered her mouth with his lips, tongue and teeth.
He lost all sense of time as their kiss went on and on. Her hands roamed down his back and around to the front before she tore at the buttons on his jeans. Plastered between him and the door, she adroitly managed to slip her hand inside his briefs and curl a hand around his cock. He tore his lips free and groaned.
“Holy hell, Lace. What you do to me…”
He growled into her neck and bit down softly, grinning with satisfaction when she gasped and threw her head back against the door.
“Hold on,” he said as he stepped back and eased her down.
He was beyond the point of finesse and only wanted to be deep inside of her. In one swift move, he shoved her leggings and panties over her hips and to her ankles. She kicked them free where they spun on the floor. He knelt down before her and ran his palms up her legs. She was a pure miracle of strength and softness. His hands reached the juncture of her thighs where her auburn hair graced her. He dropped kisses on the inside of her thighs and ignored her when she threaded a hand in his hair and tugged. He had to taste her. He dragged a finger through her folds, which were drenched. Gripping her hip with one hand, he stroked into her channel with one finger and then another. She clenched around his touch and a low moan broke from her. He brought his mouth to her, swirling his tongue in a circle around the nub of her desire before exploring her folds as he kept up a slow rhythm of strokes into her channel. Her hips arched into his touch and her breath came in ragged pants. He circled his thumb over her clit before sucking it into his mouth, smiling against her when she cried out and stiffened.
Lacey was shaking, inside and out. She could hardly stand as pleasure rolled through her in waves. If she hadn’t been leaning against the door, she was certain she’d have collapsed. Quinn slowly dragged his fingers out as his mouth went on a meandering exploration of her body on his way up. Her shirt was drawn up slowly as he came to standing. With a yank, he pulled it over her head and tossed it aside. Still reverberating from her climax, need kept clawing at her. She needed him inside of her. Now. She shoved his jeans down around his hips, freeing his cock. There. That’s what she needed. She didn’t have to ask because he stepped closer and lifted her against him again. Her legs reflexively curled around his hips.
With his amber eyes on her, nearly searing her with their intensity, he positioned his cock at her entrance and sheathed himself inside her in one swift motion. She closed her eyes, soaking in the delicious stretching sensation. He held still for a long moment and adjusted his hold on her, curling both hands around her hips. He whispered her name, his voice sending a prickle over her skin.
It took effort, but she managed to open her eyes. The moment his gaze locked to hers again, she couldn’t have looked away if she tried. He started to move with long, deep thrusts into her. She flexed against him, straining to get closer with every stroke. From the echoes of her first climax, another built. The pressure tightened inside. The gathering storm rose to a crescendo within. With another deep surge inside of her, the storm let loose, sending sharp streaks of pleasure through her. She gripped his back and held on as her body rippled, her channel clenching around him. One more stroke, and he threw his head back with a growl, his body going taut as a bow before he shuddered against her. His head fell into the curve of her neck.
They stayed like that for several long moments. Their breath slowed in unison. She gradually became aware of the cold door against her back, a contrast to the warmth of Quinn. She stroked a hand through his hair, and he lifted his head.
“Nice to see you,” he said, his voice gravelly. A corner of his mouth curled in a grin.
She bit her lip. A laugh bubbled out. “You too.”
A while later, after they’d showered together, Quinn rolled his head on the back of the couch to look at Lacey. She’d declared she had a few work things to do online, so she was busy tapping away on her laptop. His stomach growled, and she looked up.
“I bet you’re starving. Should we order pizza?”
He glanced at his watch, which told him it was just past nine. “Kinda late, but I’m pretty hungry.”
She grinned when his stomach announced its agreement. “Hang on. I can order online with Glacier Pizza. What kind do you want?”
“Pepperoni.”
She clicked a few things on the screen. “Done! It says a half hour for delivery. They’re usually quicker, so hang tight.”
Later on, Quinn lay against the pillows on Lacey’s bed and turned his head to look out into the night sky. The moon was sitting fat and round over the mountains and the stars glittered brightly. Lacey was curled up against him with her head tucked into his shoulder. He wondered if his heart could take it if it turned out Lacey didn’t want what he did. He also wondered if his worries about blowing up their friendship were a genuine reality if he couldn’t find his way through this somehow. It was becoming more and more clear that might not be possible,
not with the depth of the feeling held within his heart. With a mental shake, he stroked his palm in a slow circle on her back and gradually fell asleep.
Chapter 15
Lacey kicked a loose pebble across the parking lot as she walked beside Marley to the lab. Quinn had offered to go with her, as she’d guessed he would, but he got a call from Dr. Daniels right when they were discussing it, and Marley stopped by with Holly. As soon as Marley ascertained the situation, she offered to go with Lacey. Quinn had started to insist he’d take her, but Lacey didn’t want him to feel like he had to hover. During a brief verbal tug-of-war, Holly latched onto Lacey’s sleeve and wouldn’t let go, effectively deciding the matter. Quinn had insisted she call him with any updates as he followed them outside.
She and Marley walked slowly through the revolving door into the hospital and down the hallway to the lab. The hospital in Diamond Creek could have been any hospital in the world with its neutral décor and sterile vibe. After Lacey gave her name to the receptionist in the lab, she sat beside Marley who carefully set Holly on the beige carpeted floor. Holly set to chewing on her latest favorite stuffed toy, a bright green frog with rubbery feet. Lacey didn’t notice she was tapping her fingers restlessly on the sleek wooden armrest of her chair until Marley glanced her way, her eyes flicking from her tapping fingers to her face.
“So, how are things with Quinn?” Marley asked.
“He just got here last night. I don’t have much of an update,” Lacey replied, slightly annoyed at Marley’s question, in part because she knew Marley was focusing on Quinn to distract her from the lab tests.
Marley reached down to stroke Holly’s hair when Holly carefully pulled herself up onto Marley’s knee. “Yeah, but how are you feeling about things?” Marley asked, undeterred by Lacey’s sidestep.
Lacey sighed. “Same as before. Things feel great when we’re together and every time I try to think past that, I get anxious. I’m not so sure now is the best time to have this conversation though.”
Marley’s eyes lit up when she smiled. “Right. Probably not. But hey, I’ll take it as a bonus that you only got sort of annoyed with me.”
Lacey mock-punched her in the arm and laughed softly. At that moment, the door off the side of the small waiting room opened and a woman wearing a neon green hospital shirt smiled broadly. “Lacey?”
“That’s me,” Lacey replied, standing up quickly.
“I’m Violet,” the woman said, holding a hand out.
Lacey shook it quickly and glanced to Marley. “I think you’ll need to wait out here.”
Violet shrugged. “If you want company, the more, the merrier. We’ll be done inside of a few minutes though. All I have to do is stick a needle in your arm and draw some blood. I do it all day long, so I’m pretty efficient.”
Marley caught her eyes. “Up to you.”
“I’m good. You wait here with Holly, and I’ll be back in a few.”
At that, Violet spun around and gestured to Lacey to follow her. Violet strode quickly ahead of Lacy, her stride confident. Though she was on the short side, she came across as taller than she was by virtue of her strong, no-nonsense presence. Her almost-black hair was tied back with a neon green ribbon to match her shirt. Lacey wondered how come she’d never seen her around town before. “How long have you been in Diamond Creek?” Lacey asked as she followed Violet into a small exam room.
Violet threw a grin over her shoulder. “About a month. People keep asking me that, like they’re confused how come they don’t know me. I figure maybe after I’ve been here a decade, people might consider me local. I decided I wanted to work somewhere different. When I came across the ad here for a phlebotomist, I figured it’d be fun. I moved here from New York City, so this place is different to say the least. So far, so good though.” She patted the seat on a chair. “Have a seat. Are you left handed or right handed?”
“Right handed.”
“Okay, then put your left arm here. I do my best to make sure you won’t walk out of here with soreness, but there’s always a little. Can’t stab someone and have it be completely pain free,” Violet said matter-of-factly.
“What about acupuncture?” Lacey asked with a wink.
“Oh right. They do stab you with needles. I dunno. I’ve heard it doesn’t hurt, but I have to find a vein and draw blood, so that’s a little different.”
Violet turned away and tapped the keyboard on a laptop on a counter just beside Lacey. “Okay, I have to confirm a few incredibly obvious details. I always say they might be obvious to you, but if it turned out we were running the wrong tests on the wrong person and labeled the blood incorrectly, we’d all wish we’d taken a few seconds to discuss the obvious. So, name and date of birth?”
“Lacey Adams. 3/4/1986.”
“It says you’re here for testing related to symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. Is that correct?”
Violet’s tone was calm and matter-of-fact. It contrasted sharply with the turmoil Lacey felt inside. When she didn’t reply promptly, Violet glanced away from the computer screen to her. Her blue eyes, the color almost translucent, softened. She waited a few beats, her eyes watching Lacey carefully. “I’m guessing you’re not too thrilled about this, huh?”
Lacey shrugged and aimed for nonchalant. “Who would be?” she asked rhetorically.
Violet’s lips quirked. “No one I know, but some people are more used to dealing with medical stuff. If I had to guess, you strike me as the type who’s been healthy as a horse. You’re in great shape, so it’s not hard to figure that out.”
“Honestly, I’ve seen the doctor more in the last month than in the last decade. It’s so frustrating,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Frustrating’s one way to put it. Maybe scary too.” Violet paused and looked beyond Lacey for a long moment before her eyes flicked back. “Look, I just met you, so I hope you don’t mind a little unsolicited feedback.” At Lacey’s subtle shake of her head, Violet continued. “I decided to be a phlebotomist because I had my blood drawn what felt like a million times when I was little. Some of the people who did it were great and some totally sucked at it. I had childhood leukemia, you know, blood cancer. That means blood draws out the wazoo. Anyway, I’m not telling you this because you care about why I do what I do, but because I get what it’s like to wish things were different. Maybe it’s not obvious, but I’m not exactly the laid back type. Being sick and in the hospital sucked, but it made me so much stronger. I can’t say I know what it’s like to have MS, but I know what it’s like to be really damn sick and wish it would all go away. I promise, it won’t make you weaker. You’ll just get stronger in different ways.”
Lacey stared at Violet. For the first time since she’d had an inkling of what might be happening to her, she felt like someone completely understood how she felt. The sense of relief that washed through her was so powerful, she sagged into the chair.
“You okay?” Violet asked. “I didn’t mean to upset…”
“You didn’t. You said just what I needed to hear today. I’m sure I’m still gonna have shitty days and be flat pissed if it turns out I have MS, but it’s nice to feel like someone gets it. You know?”
Violet nodded emphatically.
“My family loves me and I know they’re worried. My boyfriend is a doctor and he’s all worried. It’s not like it doesn’t help, but it’s just…I don’t know. It’s weird. All I know is I want these tests over so my doctor can rule out MS.”
Violet’s broad smile returned, and she patted the wide, flat armrest on the chair. “Then let’s get this done.”
As Violet quickly prepped the area on Lacey’s arm, it occurred to Lacey she’d just called Quinn her boyfriend. It had rolled off her tongue like it was a fact. The prick of the needle brought her attention back to the moment. Violet quickly drew Lacey’s blood and slowly removed the needle. With one hand, she swabbed the tiny pinprick on Lacey’s arm, while she tapped the vial of blood and tightly sealed it with the other.
“You’re all set,” she said as she carefully placed a sticker with Lacey’s name on it around the vial of blood.
Lacey stood up. She started to walk to the door and turned back. “Thanks for…uh…”
“Telling you my mini sob story about having leukemia?” Violet offered helpfully.
Lacey burst out laughing. “Yes, that.”
“Anytime. If I see you again, you might get another pep talk.”
At that, Lacey gave a little wave and turned to leave. As she walked down the hall to the waiting room, she felt much lighter than she’d expected.
Quinn stood in the middle of the office Dr. Daniels had escorted him into. It was dawning on Quinn that he would be working in full swing as a doctor within days. Dr. Daniels had cleared out his office in anticipation of Quinn’s arrival, leaving only the furniture. Quinn spun in a circle, stopping to face the view. Coastal Medical Clinic was situated almost smack in the middle of downtown Diamond Creek on Harborside Road, which was a side street off of Main Street and close to Otter Cove Harbor. The office, about to become Quinn’s, offered a view of a marshy field with Kachemak Bay beyond it. Quinn glanced behind him to notice the desk was facing the view. He grinned, realizing he could at least look up at this when he needed a break.
He strode out of the office and down the hallway. There were two exam rooms, a records room, and a break room that held a tiny refrigerator and a microwave, along with a small table and chairs. When he stepped into the waiting area, Donna Keller glanced up with a wide smile. Donna had been Dr. Daniel’s office manager for twenty years and made the clinic run smoothly. According to Dr. Daniels, she wasn’t planning to go anywhere. She had silver hair and bright brown eyes with a round, motherly presence.
