4. Quinn
Chapter 4
Quinn
Lottie’s office door swings open with a creak that begs for oil, a sound I’ve become accustomed to in the last week. The woman herself is at her desk, buried under a mountain of paperwork that seems to multiply every time she blinks. But it doesn’t faze her; nothing does. It’s something I’ve grown to know and admire about her.
I’ve made discreet enquiries about Sunset Bay’s newest social worker, and I’m yet to find anyone who doesn’t hold her in high regard. She goes out of her way to engage with people and make them feel important. The eternal cheeriness she radiates should be annoying, but somehow, it isn’t. No, my little coffee-tossing goddess throws out optimism like confetti and brings color to everyone she interacts with.
Lottie looks up, surprise in her eyes, before she smiles. It lights up the room like summer in the dead of winter. She thaws parts of me I thought had frozen over for good and wakes up parts I thought were long dead—parts I’d almost forgotten existed.
“Hey, Quinn,” she greets me before she looks down at her paperwork, her pen dancing across a form. “What brings you by? Not bad news, I hope?”
“Actually, I’m here on a different kind of mission today.” I pause, waiting for her to look up, her golden eyes curious.
“Oh?” She caps her pen, leaning back. “Do tell.”
“Heard the little guy was here. Thought I’d come in and see him. Check he’s okay.” The words feel awkward, like they’re borrowed from someone else’s mouth. It’s not like me to get personally involved, but something about this kid has gotten under my skin. Maybe it’s that he’s a local, or maybe it’s the things I read in his file.
Lottie’s expression softens, and the sparkle in her eyes says she knows exactly why I’m here. She’s only half-right. I am here to see Aiden again, but is it wrong if I get to see her again in the process? “He’s adorable, isn’t he? And I’m sure he’d love to see the big, bad sheriff who rescued him.”
“Big and bad, huh?” I can’t help but smirk. Lottie makes me feel less like the tough-as-nails lawman and more like a knight from a damn fairy tale.
“Come on.” She stands, gesturing for me to follow. “He’s in the playroom with Sandy, waiting to meet up with the psychologist.”
Lottie precedes me down the hall, her lush hips swaying in her jeans which mold to her rounded ass. Fuck, she’s my ideal woman with her thick thighs, wide hips, and heavy breasts.
I’m no Casanova—I had one relationship back in high school, which fizzled out when we graduated and went to different colleges. I had a fling or two over the next few years but quickly learned that one-night stands and casual sex weren’t for me. I’ve been celibate for… fuck, it must be going on eight or nine years.
Work has been my sole focus during those years, and my only companion has been my hand when I need release. I’m thirty-two now, and relationships have been low on my list of priorities… until a curvy little whirlwind blew into my life and spilled hot coffee all over me. It wasn’t only my shirt she ruined that day—she ruined me for any woman but her.
I want her. I want to bask in the liveliness of her mind and spirit and lose myself in her soft curves.
Sandy, the receptionist, sits with a solitary boy as we enter the colorful playroom. Aiden is piecing together a jigsaw puzzle with a concentration that’s heartbreaking and impressive all at once.
“Hey, Aiden,” Lottie says softly, bending down to his level.
The boy looks up, and there it is, the sweet, innocent smile that makes you want to move mountains to keep it there. His brown hair is a tousled mess, and his dark brown eyes hold a wisdom no child should have. It breaks my heart for the poor kid, and I want to put his parents’ heads in a vise lock and squeeze until they beg me to stop. I hate them both with a fierceness that takes my breath away.
“Hi,” Aiden responds after a long pause to look up at me, shyly pushing a lock of hair from his face.
“This is Sheriff Quinn. He’s a friend. Do you remember him?”
Aiden’s gaze shifts to me once more, sizing me up.
I kneel beside him, extending a hand. “Nice to see you again, buddy.”
His tiny hand slips into mine, and it’s like a charge of energy to my heart. “You da policeman fwom da night when…” His voice trails off as shadows slide across his eyes.
“Yep. I make sure people are safe.” I want to reach out and ruffle his hair, but the way he leans back slightly, away from me, tells me he’s afraid of being touched.
“Like me?” His questioning look is probing, demanding I tell him the truth and not lie.
“Exactly like you.” I nod, and at that moment, I swear I’d take on the world for this kid. Everything about his situation resonates with me, with my childhood.
“Sheriff Quinn is going to make sure nothing bad happens again,” Lottie adds, her voice filled with a promise I intend to keep.
“Okay.” Aiden smiles and turns back to his puzzle, adding another piece. Has he heard that promise before? Maybe he doesn’t believe it anymore? My mouth tightens before I force myself to relax. I’ll deal with his parents later.
“See, not so scary,” Lottie teases as we stand and step away to give Aiden space.
“Never been accused of being the friendly type before,” I grumble.
“First time for everything.” Her grin widens. “There it is. I’ve been waiting for that.”
“Waiting for what?”
She nudges my shoulder playfully. “Your first real smile.”
And I suddenly realize I’m doing precisely that—smiling at her. It’s the first genuine smile I’ve given in a long time.
I shake my head, trying not to show my embarrassment. “I’m no expert on four-year-olds, but is he a little behind on his speech?”
Lottie nods. “Yeah. I hope to get a speech therapist to work with him once he’s a little more settled. I don’t want to overwhelm him with lots of new faces.”
“Thanks for letting me see him,” I say, feeling oddly vulnerable. It’s a new and uncomfortable emotion, but it’s not about me anymore. It’s about that kid putting the puzzle together with such intense concentration. “Of course.” She brushes off the thanks like it’s nothing, but it’s everything.
“Listen, Lottie...” I hesitate as we reenter her office, closing the door behind me. What I want to say feels too big, too raw. So I abandon words in favor of a more direct approach.
I snag her wrist, halting her as she moves toward her desk.
She turns to face me, a question in her eyes. “Quinn?”
The husky sound of my name makes my groin throb as it leaves her lips. Before I can second-guess myself, I tug her closer, lower my head, and steal an off-center kiss. Shit, I’m rusty at this seduction shit. It’s been too fucking long.
Embarrassed, I start to move away, but then Lottie is cupping my jaw and rising on her toes to bring her mouth to mine again. And I’m lost. Fucking lost.
Working on instinct, I take control, sliding my tongue over her plump bottom lip. “Open for me.”
She does, shivering as my tongue slides into the warm depths of her mouth to slide against hers. I consume her mouth in an endlessly needy act that’s so much more than a mere kiss. Her soft lips, sweet taste, and subtle perfume flood my senses until I’m sure she’s etched into my bones.
With a whimper, Lottie fists her hands in my shirt, pulling me closer. Apparently, she’s as eager for me as I am for her. I turn her, pressing her against the door and fitting my body to hers so she can feel how hard I am, what she does to me. Her legs circle my hips, and a groan rumbles from my chest as she grinds her hot core against my throbbing cock.
My lips moves from her mouth to her jaw to her neck. I nip and suck and kiss my way from her collarbone to her earlobe and back to her mouth. Damn, this woman builds a fire in me hotter than anything I’ve ever experienced. If this is what it’s like to simply kiss her, sliding inside her tight heat will surely incinerate me.
As I finally break the kiss, pressing my forehead to hers, I know one thing for sure—there’s no coming back from Lottie Granger.
“Wow,” she breathes, her breath whispering over my lips.
“Yeah,” I say hoarsely. I clear my throat. “Lottie, I?—”
She puts a finger on my mouth, biting her lip worriedly. “We work together, Quinn. We don’t need to put a label on this, do we?”
Her touch lingers even as she removes her finger. Our eyes meld in a silent communication that says more than any conversation. I know what she’s asking. She wants to pursue this… whatever it is between us, but she’s worried about crossing a professional line and risking Aiden’s case.
I smooth my hand over her hair and cup her cheek. “There’s no reason we can’t enjoy each other’s company, Sunshine. We’re not breaking any protocols or rules. Whatever happens between us is no one’s business but ours. But if it makes you feel better, we can keep things low-key.” I hold her gaze as I slide my thumb across her kiss-swollen mouth. “For now.”
Lottie shivers at the promise in my words. “Okay. Good. That’s… good. Great,” she says huskily. She releases a shaky breath. “I should, um, get back to work.”
I suddenly realize she’s still pinned between me and the door with her legs wrapped around my waist. Shit. I could stay like this forever, pressed against her soft curves. We fit together seamlessly, like I knew we would.
Stepping back a little, I support her weight as Lottie lowers her feet to the floor. She blushes as my hard cock brushes her stomach. I’m still painfully hard, like a fucking teenager with his first erection. I adjust myself in my uniform pants, which are suddenly far too tight. I should be more discreet to save her blushes, but I’m not ashamed of my reaction to her. I want her to know what she does to me.
Smoothing her disheveled hair with a shaky hand, Lottie walks to her desk with a bounce in her step that inexplicably echoes in my heart.
I’m acutely aware of the protective bubble I’ve mentally placed around her. It’s instinctive, fierce, and completely at odds with the lone wolf life I’ve led for years. But Lottie, with her laughter-in-the-face-of-adversity attitude, has done something to me, something unexpected.
She’s made me care.
Not just about the job or the case but about her. About ensuring her smile never dims. And maybe, just maybe, I’m ready to let a little sunshine into my life.
I lean casually against the door, legs and arms crossed as she sits behind her desk. As always, her office is cluttered with the chaos of her world-saving endeavors.
“Got plans for dinner?” I ask, my voice easygoing even though my heart is doing a weird drum solo in my chest.
She tilts her head, an eyebrow arched with curiosity that matches the twinkle in her eyes. “Depends. Are you asking me to go over case files or...”
I push off from the door frame. “No work talk. Just dinner. You and me.”
“Like a date?” Her voice hitches enough to betray a hint of nerves beneath her usual cheer.
“No labels,” I remind her with a wry smile. “Let’s think of it as a not-a-date.”
“Not a date,” she repeats, pursing her lips thoughtfully. “Okay.” A smile blooms on her face that has me momentarily forgetting how to breathe. “I’d like that.”