25. Quinn
quinn
. . .
N ola sits beside me, her arm tucked into mine, and my hand rests between her thighs. Her fingers are playing with my necklace. The medallion that hangs from the chain was a gift from my mom after she adopted me.
Tonight, I feel like I’ve won the lottery. Not only did our gig go amazingly well, but I also ran into this woman, who I’ve desperately wanted to see, but figured too much time had passed. I’m an idiot for not calling her back and putting in an effort to stay in touch. Having her pressed against me like this, it feels natural. It’s not forced or an eager attempt to get laid. Right now, I’m content with just holding her if that’s all she wants. It’s honestly not what I expect after the way I pushed her aside.
The cabbie pulls into my complex. I toss him a few twenties and take Nola by her hand, pulling her behind me. “You’ll have to excuse the mess. I’ve been busy.”
I let her in, turning on the light. She stands there, looking at my bachelor pad, making me wonder what she’s thinking. Most of the stuff is new after Elle moved out, but it’s still a guy’s place. The painting on the wall is crooked; there are beer bottles on my coffee table, dirty socks on the floor and a nudie magazine sitting on the couch.
Of course, the magazine grabs her attention. “You look at this stuff?” She holds it up with two fingers as if the pages are contaminated.
“It’s not what you think.” As soon as the words are out, I wish I could take them back. Stepping forward, I take the magazine from her and put it back in the drawer where it belongs. “A long time ago, the magazine did a spread…”
Nola raises her eyebrow at me. “Okay, wrong choice of word. They did an article on my family, like really dug deep and tried to expose the skeletons in our closets, but my dad, he turned the tables on them and the article was this masterpiece of how to achieve goals by working hard and how to survive in the industry. I was reading it before tonight’s gig, for inspiration…” I let my words trail off. I should probably order her a taxi to go home and just lose her number at this point.
“Did you play tonight?”
I nod. “Before my dad’s band. They let us open for them. That’s why the crowd was so huge tonight.”
“They’re popular.” It’s either a question or a statement, I’m not sure, which.
“Do you want to sit down, or I can order you a taxi to take you back to your place. I’m sure the magazine…”
“The magazine’s fine, just caught me off guard. Most guys I know hide them in their room.”
Slowly, I shake my head. “That’s my only one. You can look around if you want.”
“I trust you.”
She trusts me . Those words, I definitely love to hear. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’d love a beer,” she says, looking up at me. Screw beer, I want to sit down next to her and get to know her some more. However, I do as she asks and bring back two cold ones and pop the top for her. Nola takes a drink and makes the cutest and sorriest bitter beer face. “This is gross.”
“Sorry, it’s all I have.” I look down at my bottle, wondering why she doesn’t like it, especially as she asked for it. I happen to think it taste damn good.
She sets the bottle on the table and buries her face in her hands. My hand instantly goes to her back and starts rubbing. “I’m sorry,” she says.
“For what?”
Nola shakes her head, pushes her hair back and rearranges the way she’s sitting so she can face me. “I’m not a huge beer fan. I don’t know why I asked for it.”
“What do you like?”
“Wine.”
“I have wine.” I get up and grab the bottle and a glass. I’m pouring it into the glass as I walk back into the living room. “Before you ask, my sister left it the other day.” I hand her the glass of red something or other. Elle told me what it was, but I wasn’t paying any attention.
“Oh, this is good.” She takes another sip. “Shit, it’s really good. I’ve never had cranberry wine before.” Leaning forward, Nola refills her glass. “Do you want to try?” she asks as the glass is poised to touch her lips.
“Yes.” I take the glass from her, only to set it down on the table, and reach for her. She comes willingly, straddling my hips. My hand rests against her cheek and my thumb brushes lightly over her cheekbone. She turns slightly, kissing the palm of my hand. I bite my lower lip to keep some control over this situation. I want to pounce, to pick her up and carry her to my bedroom so I can devour her, make love to her until the sun comes up, but I don’t deserve her. Not after the way I treated her.
Nola grinds into me, pushing herself deeper into my groin. My response is immediate, and I let her know what she’s doing to me. Her hips start to move back and forth, creating the smallest amount of friction, but it’s enough to send shockwaves through me.
My thumb moves over her lower lip. Her tongue darts out, wetting the pad of my skin. There’s a shift in the air, both of us know it. For me, it’s in the way she’s looking at me, with hooded eyes and a devilish smirk. “What are we doing here, Nola?”
She grinds her hips into mine. “I don’t know, but I like it.”
“So, do I. Can I take you to my room?” My hands move under her shirt. She tenses for a moment, but smiles.
“I’m ticklish.”
“Good to know.”
“About your bedroom…” She pauses. This is where she tells me we’re just going to make out and I’m okay with it. Nola’s hands find the hem of her shirt. She lifts it over her head and tosses it behind her. I swallow hard at the sight of her plump breasts covered by the lace of her bra. I swallow hard as an unsteady hand reaches out to touch her. “Quinn,” she says my name quietly. “Bedroom.”
She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I scoop her up into my arms, carry her into my bedroom, and set her down on my messy bed. “I’m sorry my bed is a mess.”
“Quinn, I don’t care. What I do care about is the amount of clothes we’re wearing.”
This side of Nola is unexpected, a bit daunting and very welcome. I’m happy to accommodate and do as she asks.
The sun beams through my bedroom window, shining its rays onto Nola. She lays there sleeping, with her hand tucked under the pillow and her blonde hair spread out. About an hour ago, I moved it away from her face, so I could stare at her. I’m probably being a creep, but after last night and earlier this morning, I think we’re past the stage where anything we do to each other could be considered disturbing.
This woman, the one who I made love to all night, the one who screamed out my name in pleasure and dug her nails into my skin, showed me what I’ve been missing. The way she responded to my touch, like her body needed mine to survive, sent me to a whole different level emotionally.
I have never felt so connected to a woman before like I feel with Nola. It’s as if we’ve known each other for years, been in each other’s lives from the beginning. I don’t want to go as far as saying she’s my soul mate, but I feel that she is. The way my heart is beating right now, I think she’s the only one who can tame it.
“You’re staring at me,” she mumbles.
“Your eyes are closed, you know nothing.”
She smiles. It’s soft, genuine and perfect. I lean forward to give her a kiss, but she shies away. “Morning breath.”
“I don’t care,” I tell her. I’m in hot pursuit, trying to pin her down and when I do, the urge to take her again is there. I flex my hips. “Are you sore?”
Her lower lip is nestled between her teeth. It’s her tell. She wants what I’m offering, what I’m ready to give her. I learned this after round two. I watched for signs to make sure I was giving her the pleasure she needed, that she demanded from me.
Her body gives me the answer I seek when it arches into me. Leaning over her, my hand seeks protection in my empty drawer. My face falls as I let out a groan.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“It seems to me that we’ve used my supply.”
“Oh,” she says, but doesn’t stop rubbing up against me. My hand rests on her hip, trying to make her stop, but she doesn’t.
“Nola.”
“I’m on the pill, if that’s any consolation.”
“Yes, it is, but I wouldn’t feel right.”
She holds my face between her hands and raises her hips. I’m right there. I can feel her heat surrounding me, welcoming me. “I need you, Quinn.” Her kiss is urgent. Her desire for me is coming off her in waves. I shift to her side and let my hand do the work, giving her what she needs.
“More,” she urges, gripping my shoulders and pulling me toward her. Does she see the struggle I’m going through? Can she not see how much I want to dive right into her, to feel her clamp down around me? “I’m safe. We’re protected.”
Her words split time between my heart and brain. One is saying go for it, while the other is telling me to back off and take a cold shower. I don’t know which is saying what though because my thoughts are jumbled. They’re mixed up between what’s morally right and what’s pleasurable.
Pleasure wins. Hands down. Consequences be dammed. If this is the one bad thing I do in life, I’m doing pretty good.
I’m in mid-thrust when someone says my name. I look at Nola because she sounded a lot like my mother when she said my name, except she’s looking back at me like a deer caught in headlights.
“Honey, I knocked, but you didn’t answer and the door… Quinn James!”
“Shit, Mom.” I scramble to cover Nola and myself up. “Get out of my room.”
“Oh, my goodness.”
“Fuck,” I say aloud. My fist slams down on my bed multiple times as I continue to swear.
“So, that’s your mom.”
“Yep, and I guarantee she’s picking up my living room, doing my dishes, and waiting for us to come out.”
“Oh.”
I turn to look at the beauty lying next to me. I can’t imagine what she’s going through, although I have to say I’d rather get caught by my mom and not Nola’s Dad. There’s something about a dad catching his daughter getting laid that doesn’t sit well with men.
Sliding next to her, I kiss her temple. “I know it’s early, and we just started this thing between us, but do you want to meet my mom? If not, I’ll send her away.”
“Yeah, sure. I mean, she’s seen my tits, might as well know my name.”
I laugh and pull her on top of me. Like the devil himself, I’m ready to finish the deed, and because I have no self-control, I push my hips into her.
“Stop,” she says, swatting my chest.
“Just the tip? Now that I’ve had you, I can’t resist you.”
Nola sits up. The sheet pools around her naked body and instantly my hands go to her chest. Fuck me. This woman is a goddess and if I play my cards right, she’ll be mine. “How about I tell my mother to go away? This way, I can finish what I started.”
She shakes her head. “First impressions are important and right now, I’m not making a very good one with your mother and I’d really like to.” Nola leans forward, dangling her glorious breasts over my chest. “Quinn, take me to meet your mother.”
“Anything for you.”