16. To Sparkles
To Sparkles
Kellan
I leaned against the counter, watching Quinn dance around the kitchen in full hostess mode.
After she’d returned from her afternoon shopping, taken a nap, and helped with some chores, she’d commandeered the kitchen and kicked us all out, insisting she wanted to cook for us.
I’d tried to argue that it was literally our job to feed her as part of our room and board agreement, but she’d shooed me away with a wooden spoon.
Now, pasta bake in hand, she moved like she’d cooked us a million meals as she set the dish on the table with a flourish. “Dinner is served, gentlemen.”
Her smile was infectious, lighting up her whole face with a glow that reached her eyes and softened every feature. It was the kind of smile that made my pulse do weird things.
I’d seen plenty of gorgeous women smile before, but there was something about Quinn’s that felt genuine in a way that cut through my usual defenses. Maybe it was how proud she looked of her pasta creation or how at home she seemed in our kitchen. Whatever it was, I found myself smiling back.
Reid leaned forward, inspecting the pasta. “This looks edible.”
“Such high praise.” Quinn raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know I’m an excellent cook.”
Enzo grabbed his fork. “Let’s put that to the test, then.”
I watched their expressions carefully as they took their first bites. Reid’s eyes widened slightly, and Enzo paused mid-chew, looking pleasantly surprised.
I took a bite, savoring the perfect balance of cheese, meat, and pasta. “This is amazing.”
Quinn rolled her eyes, but her pleased smile gave her away. “The bar for impressing men is literally on the floor.”
“The bar for impressing hungry ranchers is pretty high.” Reid helped himself to a second serving, which said more than any compliment could.
Dinner passed with easy conversation, the four of us falling into a rhythm that was surprisingly natural, like Quinn had always been part of our nightly routine instead of someone who’d barely moved in.
I watched her reactions to Enzo’s dry comments and Reid’s perfectly timed observations, enjoying how she gave as good as she got.
Something about her presence at our table filled a space I hadn’t realized was empty.
After we finished, I went up to my room, where I’d stashed my surprise for her. I’d spent my lunch break and a little downtime at the end of the day working on it. When I returned, I watched her for a moment from the doorway, struck by how much I wanted all of our nights to include her.
Dangerous thoughts.
I approached her from behind, keeping my hands carefully hidden. Enzo caught my eye from the table, his expression turning curious.
“Quinn.”
She turned, bubbles clinging to her forearms from washing the casserole dish. “What’s up?”
I pulled Thunderbolt from behind my back, and her mouth fell open, eyes going wide as she took in her resurrected hobby horse.
I’d picked up all the stuffing from around the living room and carefully stitched the head back together.
I’d even added a few embellishments with a bedazzled bridle and some sparkly flower barrettes I’d picked up from the store.
“You saved him!” Quinn squealed, quickly wiping her hands on a dish towel before reaching for him.
“I might have gone a little overboard with the accessories.”
Quinn clutched the hobby horse to her chest, her eyes shiny as she looked at me. “He’s perfect.”
“Where did you even get butterfly hair clips?” Enzo shook his head, taking a pull from his beer.
“Kellan is secretly a fourteen-year-old girl.” Reid smirked.
“Kellan is dangerously good at crafting. Should we be concerned?” Enzo tried to hide his smirk and failed.
I flipped them both off cheerfully. “You’re just jealous of my skills. It’s not my fault you two haven’t fully grown out of your toxic masculinity.”
“He has a point.” Enzo raised his beer in a toast. “To sparkles.”
Reid clicked his beer to Enzo’s. “To pink.”
Quinn stared at the three of us, her mouth opening like she might say something, then closing again. She shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. “Thank you, Kellen. You were already sexy, but this made you ten times as much.”
“Do you have any more of those barrettes? I think I might start wearing a few in my hair.” Reid grinned as Quinn giggled.
The three of us lingered in the kitchen despite Quinn refusing to let us help clean up. Reid and Enzo nursed beers while I mixed myself a Jack and Coke. The four of us sharing space was easier than it should have been.
I glanced at Reid and Enzo, wondering if they felt it too. This was something unexpected and probably complicated as hell. Because there wasn’t just me and Quinn. There was Reid and Quinn. Enzo and Quinn. Whatever this was becoming, it wasn’t conventional.
And the weirdest part? I didn’t mind. Not even a little bit.
My parents would have lost their minds over something like this. Their toxic marriage had been a masterclass in possession and jealousy. They would both go ballistic if either one of them so much as smiled at someone else. It was why I tended to keep things casual and short.
But this was different. Watching Quinn laugh at something Reid said and seeing the way Enzo’s eyes followed her around the kitchen didn’t spark jealousy. It felt right somehow, like we each brought something different to the table—different pieces of a whole.
The thought of her leaving in a few weeks left me feeling hollow. But it didn’t have to be that way, did it? She’d already extended her stay once.
She was a teacher. Teachers could work anywhere. And it was summer, which was the perfect time for transitions and for someone to fall in love with a place.
Or with people.
I shut that thought down fast. I wasn’t ready to examine what was happening in my chest every time she smiled.
Grabbing my drink, I wandered to the window, looking out at the hills separating us from the ocean. “It’s going to be a killer sunset tonight.” I turned to her, suddenly nervous. “Want to ride out to the beach and watch the sun go down?”
Her eyes lit up, then dimmed. “I don’t think I’m confident enough to ride that far on my own. Or that fast.”
I grinned. “We can share a horse. Tater Tot can easily carry both of us.”
Quinn bit her lip, glancing at Reid and Enzo. Something unspoken passed between them, and my stomach twisted with unexpected uncertainty.
“You guys could come too.” I wasn’t even sure if I wanted them to accept, but it felt important to acknowledge whatever was forming between all of us.
Enzo finished his beer and stood. “Can’t. I’ve got evening horse duty.”
Reid set down his empty beer bottle. “I need to check the lodge now that we’ve got more guests coming in. Plus, there’s that reservation paperwork I’ve been putting off.”
I nodded, feeling oddly relieved and disappointed at the same time. “Guess it’s just you and me, Quinn. You game?”
Quinn’s smile returned. “Absolutely. Let me grab a sweater.”
As she disappeared up the stairs, Reid gave me a look. “That hobby horse thing was smooth, Brooks.”
“Just doing my part to keep our guest happy.” I shrugged, trying to play it cool.
Enzo snorted. “Is she even still considered a guest at this point?”
“I have no idea,” I admitted.
Reid’s expression softened. “Yeah. Welcome to the club.”
“She leaves soon,” Enzo reminded us, his voice carefully neutral.
I tucked that thought away, unwilling to dwell on it. “Not tonight she doesn’t.”
The sound of Quinn’s footsteps sent us all into casual poses, like teenagers caught plotting something.
“Ready to saddle up?” I offered her my arm.
She took it with mock formality. “Lead the way, cowboy.”
I guided Tater Tot along the winding path that led toward the beach, with Quinn settled in front of me, her back pressed against my chest. Having her nestled between my thighs was both sweet torture and absolute perfection. Every bump in the trail pushed her body more firmly against mine.
“You doing okay?” I shifted slightly, careful not to disturb her balance.
Quinn leaned back, tilting her face upward to look at me. “More than okay. I feel... safe.”
The simple admission punched me straight in the gut. For someone who made a living crafting clever comebacks, I found myself speechless. I tightened my arms around her, an instinctive response I couldn’t have stopped if I tried.
The trail crested a hill, and the Pacific stretched out before us, a vast expanse of blue-gray water that had a touch of turquoise where it met the shore. The sun was almost set and made everything glow in a golden color. Quinn gasped, her body going still against mine.
“Wait until it’s down all the way.” The best part was yet to come, hopefully.
I guided Tater Tot off the main trail toward a quieter stretch of beach near the dunes where we’d be alone. The massive horse plodded steadily downward, unbothered by the extra passenger or the shifting sand beneath his hooves.
When we reached the flat stretch of sand, I swung my leg over and dismounted first, keeping a hand on Tot’s bridle to steady him.
Quinn slid down after me, and even though she’d mastered mounting and dismounting since our first lesson together, I still grabbed her waist to steady her as her feet touched the sand.
I didn’t let go immediately, and her hands rested on my shoulders, our faces inches apart. My fingers lingered before I reluctantly released her. “It’s a little different dismounting on sand.”
Quinn smoothed her sweater, looking flustered in the most endearing way. “Sand or no sand, dismounting is way more intimidating than mounting.”
I tugged open the saddlebag. “Toss your boots in; Tater Tot can play pack mule while we walk.”
After slipping off our boots and socks and burying my toes in the texture of the cool sand, I clipped on Tater Tot’s lead.
I kept a loose hold as we made our way down the beach, the massive horse ambling contentedly behind us like an overgrown puppy.
The air carried the scent of salt and seaweed, and the waves provided a soothing soundtrack.
With my free hand, I reached for Quinn’s, my fingers brushing against hers in a silent question. When she didn’t pull away, I threaded our fingers together. I resisted the urge to stroke my thumb over her knuckles, but I couldn’t stop myself from giving her hand the gentlest squeeze.
“Are you sure we can bring him this close to the water?” Quinn glanced at the incoming tide as it inched closer to us with each wave. There was a touch of concern in her voice.
“He’d be running along the edge if I let him,” I assured her with a soft laugh. “He has absolutely no fear of the ocean, which is somewhat miraculous considering he’s terrified of puddles back at the ranch. Animals contain multitudes of contradictions, just like people.”
“And what contradictions do you have?” She looked up at me, her head tilting slightly. There was curiosity in her expression, but also something more probing, as if she were trying to solve a puzzle.
The question caught me off guard, and my gaze drifted toward the bluffs the sun was sinking behind. How to answer without revealing too much or too little?
“Well… I can talk to a crowd of fifty strangers without breaking a sweat, but sometimes struggle with one-on-one conversations that matter.” My thumb finally gave in to temptation, brushing lightly across her knuckles.
“I’m terrified of commitment but hate being alone.
I memorize jokes to make other people laugh but can’t remember to buy milk.
” I paused, feeling unusually vulnerable under her steady gaze.
“And apparently I’m brave enough to ride a thousand-pound animal at full gallop but nervous as hell holding your hand right now. ”
Her eyes softened. “That’s surprisingly honest.”
I shrugged, playing it off. “I’m a surprising guy. Full of mystery and intrigue.”
“And yet somehow not mysterious at all.”
“Ouch. There goes my enigmatic cowboy persona.” I tugged gently on her hand, nodding toward a smooth stretch of beach where the sand formed a natural seat.
I wrapped the lead loosely around my wrist as we sat, Tot standing quietly behind us with the breeze ruffling his mane. He snorted softly, content to be near.
“Kellan?” Her voice was soft, almost getting lost in the sound of the waves.
“Hmm?” I turned to look at her, struck by how her profile was silhouetted against the darkening sky.
“What are we doing?”
The million-dollar question. I took a deep breath, watching the last sliver of sun disappear into the horizon before answering. “Honestly? I have no idea. But I like it. I like it a lot.”
Quinn shifted to face me fully. “I’m leaving in a few weeks.”
“I know.”
“And there’s also...” She trailed off, eyes darting away.
“Reid and Enzo,” I finished for her. “I know that too.”
Her eyes met mine, searching. “And that doesn’t bother you?”
I considered her question carefully, wanting my answer to be honest. “It probably should. But it doesn’t.” I brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I don’t know what the hell is happening, Quinn. But I want to see where it goes. With all of us.”
“Me too.”
I cupped her cheek, feeling something powerful and terrifying building in my chest. “So where does that leave us tonight?”
“Kiss me, Kellan,” she whispered, leaning toward me.
I leaned forward, closing the distance between us. Our lips met softly at first, then with growing intensity as Quinn’s fingers tangled in my hair. My heart hammered as she sighed into my mouth, making every coherent thought dissolve into nothing but sensation.
A loud, rumbling chuff interrupted us. Quinn broke away with a laugh that died on her lips as her gaze fixed on something over my shoulder. I turned, following her line of sight.
Not too far down the beach, silhouetted against the darkening sky, Reid sat motionless astride his horse, watching us. The distance was too great to make out his expression, but there was something about his posture that was both relaxed and intensely focused.
Reid remained motionless for a long moment before giving us a slow nod.
Quinn’s breath caught, and before I even processed what was happening, our lips met with a hunger that said this kiss was only the beginning.