Chapter 18
Quinn
Oh. My. God.
I’m so excited, I’m shaking. It’s nothing short of a miracle I made it to the printers and back without receiving a ticket. I knew I’d get emotional finally having this calendar in my hot little hands, so I delayed opening the box until returning home. Shelby, at the print shop, was disappointed. Yet, my gut tells me she’s already seen the completed product and simply wanted to witness my reaction.
Carefully lifting the top with shaky hands, I separate the protective paper. This calendar could make or break the success of these fundraising efforts. Grasping the one on top, I lift it out, biting my lower lip to contain my excitement. My eyes fill with tears at the glossy group photo of the members of station 803. You’d never know this was amateur hour for these guys.
“It looks so professional,” I squeal. Carefully turning from one page to the next, I take in every detail. Each of the shots is so vibrant atop it’s assigned month. Holly has such a gift, capturing such candid moments.
When I reach December, my mouth drops open. I may or may not have to purchase multiple calendars, so I can hang this shot in every room of my apartment. Jason is shirtless, his head thrown back mid laugh. His beautiful blue eyes jump off the page. But it’s not the firm build, the smoking hot tattoos, the chiseled jaw, or the hypnotic eyes that take my breath away. It’s the pure joy emanating from him.
Reaching out, I run my fingertip over his cheek. It reminds me of the boy I knew so long ago, before the world taught him to disconnect, protecting himself from anyone and anything that could harm him. Pushing my melancholy aside, I refocus on Mr. December, and my face nearly splits in two from my smile. Unable to keep this exhilaration to myself, I search for my phone to call Dad.
“Well, hello there.”
“Dad. I just picked up the calendars from the printer. Eeek! They’re even better than I hoped. Can I come over and show you? Pleeeeease?” I’m dancing in place, champing at the bit to show someone.
“Come on over. But I’m at Calvin’s place. If you’re okay sharing with both of us, I’d love to see it.”
“Of course. I’m on the way.”
* * *
“Quinn, come in,” Calvin greets with a big smile. “Your excitement is contagious.”
“Oh, I can’t help it. I’m so proud of how it turned out.”
“Bring ’em over here,” my dad yells from the den.
I practically dance over to him, before sitting on the oversized ottoman and handing him and Calvin each a calendar.
“Oh, Quinn. These are amazing.”
“Right? Oh, Dad. I know a calendar won’t change everyone’s opinion of the fire department after everything that happened, but even if we can bring some much-needed positivity, I’ll take it.”
“Would ya look at that?” My gaze shifts over to Calvin. The sight of him makes my heart swell. I can tell by his delighted glow that he’s made it to December. “I haven’t seen my boy smile like that in years.” His voice cracks a little under the strain of his fatherly pride.
I have to push down the lump in my throat.
“What’s going on in here?” My grays instantly connect with Jason’s bright azure blues, and I shake with nerves. His approval means more to me than I’d like to admit.
“Quinn let us have the first look at 803’s finest,” Calvin says, grinning up at his son with unshed tears in his eyes. “You may only be temporarily filling in there, but you’ve made your old dad mighty proud, son.”
Jason comes closer, a kitchen towel draped over his shoulder. He’s wearing dark jeans, a red and blue flannel button up, and the scent of Italian herbs and teenage dreams. It’s hard to imagine this version could make my mouth water as much as that shirtless photo in the calendar.
He wipes his hands carefully on the towel before reaching for a calendar. His expression is bright, his eyes shining as he turns each page. Once he makes it to the end, his expression doesn’t waver. It’s hard to know what he’s thinking. My heart’s racing a mile a minute in nervous anticipation. “You did a mighty fine job, short stuff.”
I let out a shaky exhale, but it does little to calm the constant humming of electricity in my limbs.
“Hey, you two. Dinner’s on the table.”
I take a step back, giving Dad and Calvin space to make it into the dining room as Jason leans in, dropping his voice, “Have you eaten?”
“Uh, no.” I will my chattering teeth to relax. Jeez, why can’t I calm down? “I was too excited to eat.”
“Let me make sure these two have everything they need. I’ll pack up the rest, and we can go somewhere quiet.”
Blinking up at him in shock, I simply nod.
Moments later, Jason returns to the den with a bag slung over his shoulder and reaches for my hand. My jumpiness has subsided a bit, but the surreal feeling of my hand in his has me questioning if I’m really wide awake. He leads me to his truck, opening the door for me.
“Where are we going?”
The truck rumbles to life, and he gives me a saucy wink. “One of my favorite places.” He takes the familiar path past the greenhouse before turning toward the Christmas tree farm. Oh, the very thought of it causes me to swoon. He puts the car in reverse before parking near the entrance to the rows and rows of trees. “Come on.”
I hop out of the truck and meet him at the tailgate, which he swiftly lowers. Jason leaps up, extending a hand to me before catapulting me into the bed of the truck, where he has what appears to be an air mattress, blankets, and pillows.
“I like to come out here at night. Especially at the end of a long day. Lying here under the stars reminds me of Sycamore Mountain. It’s so peaceful it drowns out… well, anything I don’t want to think about.” He peers over at me, lowering himself to the mattress before helping me do the same. “You kind of have the same effect on me.”
I nearly gasp at his statement; it catches me so off guard. Taking in Jason’s profile, he seems relaxed. It’s not something I witness often.
Reaching into the bag, he removes a container of pasta and some bread. Handing me a fork, he grins. “Super fancy, huh?” Retrieving a small container of butter and a knife, he prepares a serving of bread for me. “Water okay?”
“Yes. This is perfect.” And it is. I’m still coming down off of the adrenalin from earlier, so I don’t have much of an appetite. Mimicking his actions, I twirl the tines of my fork through the buttery angel hair pasta in the container before popping it into my mouth. We continue to alternate swirling portions before slurping like a scene from Lady and the Tramp .
Once we’ve finished, I rub my belly and lean back onto the pillows, letting out a moan. “That was amazing.”
“You barely ate anything.” Out of the blue, he’s hovering over me. My eyes widen, and I blink rapidly, shocked by his proximity. He reaches over, swiping something from the corner of my mouth. “You had a… crumb,” his voice sounds velvety as it lingers above.
Plopping down on his back, he rests his head on his arm and looks up at the stars. “I feel like you grew up when I wasn’t looking. Fill me in, short stuff. I know about school and your job. Tell me more about you.”
I giggle nervously. “There’s not much to tell.”
“Oh, I don’t buy that. What do you like to do for fun?”
I tap the tip of my index finger on my lower lip. “Probably spending time with Joy. She and Callie tend to make me laugh and smile enough to forget about any stress in my life.”
Jason rolls on his side to face me. “I can see that. In the brief time I spent with her, she had the same effect on me.” I avoid eye contact with him, hoping he’ll move on from any further inquiries about her. It doesn’t feel like the right moment for that. As if he can sense the need for a lighter topic, he asks, “What’s your favorite cold weather drink? Are you a coffee or tea girl?”
I laugh. “Both actually. I drink coffee every morning, occasionally tea in the afternoon. I save apple cider and hot cocoa for when it’s cooler. Which in Magnolia Point doesn’t happen too often. How about you?”
“Don’t know why, but I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker. I think it’s because my mother made hot cocoa for me when everyone else was drinking coffee or tea.” He chuckles. “She knew I only drank it as an excuse to eat the marshmallows.”
I laugh, picturing him as a precocious child with a chocolate mustache fishing marshmallows out of his mug.
“It was the same with cupcakes. I’d hold the wrapped cake portion like it was a handle so I could lick off the icing.” He demonstrates with his tongue.
This visual has my lower belly doing flips.
“Favorite Christmas movie?”
I clear my throat. “Easy. It’s a Wonderful Life . You?”
“ Die Hard .” I can’t help but roll my eyes in response. “What? It is a Christmas movie.”
Turning my head, I look at him. If it’s possible, he’s even more handsome in the moonlight. The air seems to crackle between us as my eyes hold his. I can practically see the stars reflected back at me in his mesmerizing blue irises.
“Is there someone special in your life?”
“Yes,” I blurt before I think better of it. His face seems to morph from playful to pensive, a deep V developing between his brows before he turns away.
How can he not see it’s him?
Unsure where this sudden jolt of confidence is coming from, I turn on my side facing him and ask, “How about you?” As the silence permeates the air between us, my confidence wanes and the familiar quaking of my limbs from earlier returns.
“No.” He turns to me as my face falls. Reaching over, he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “Why the long face, short stuff?”
Be brave, Quinn. You’re not a kid anymore. No regrets. “I thought you could feel it, too.”
A stunned expression takes over his face. But unlike in my fantasies, he doesn’t move. He doesn’t pounce and take me in his arms. There’s no passionate kiss.
Have I read this all wrong? An internal battle starts to war within me. He’s leaving soon, just go for it. You’ll never know unless you try.
So, I do.
Pushing aside rational thought, I lunge for him, covering his mouth with mine. Straddling his hips, I feel my body shake, overtaken with nervousness. I dig my fingers into his hair to anchor myself. It takes a moment before I realize he’s kissing me back.
All of a sudden, I’m on my back, and he’s leaning over me. “I thought you were… that you had a…” Of course, this man, of all men, would never make a move if he thought I was involved with someone.
“Only you.”
With that, he cups my cheek with one hand and dips down to kiss the corners of my mouth before diving back in for a long, languid kiss. It’s the type of kiss dreams are made of where teeth clash as tongues dance. He pulls back, nibbling on my lower lip before dropping his lips to my throat.
I arch my back as he trails open mouth kisses down my collarbone and between my breasts. The temperature has dropped, but it’s barely noticeable as his mouth on my skin has set my body aflame.
“Is this okay?” he murmurs as he teases the top button of my blouse. He’s being so sweet and gentle when all I want is to rip every piece of clothing to shreds until there’s nothing between us.
I nod, considering it’s probably the more mature way to handle this.
One by one, he painstakingly unbuttons my top and opens it to reveal my red lacy bra. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Quinn.”
My body quivers at his words, overwhelmed at hearing them in real time.
“Baby, are you cold?”
I shake my head rapidly. Please, don’t ever stop calling me baby.
“But you’re shaking.”
“I’m not cold,” I admit and bite my lip to keep my teeth from chattering. At least in my dreams, my anxiety isn’t such a backstabbing shrew.
A salacious grin crosses his handsome face, and he tightens his arms around me, his teeth teasing my nipples through the thin silk. I again scrape my nails against his scalp as my body soars in unbelievable delight. He shifts to lower the cups of my bra, sucking from each peak before moving lower.
His blue eyes are now almost black as he peers up at me, lifting my skirt to reveal my matching red silk panties. “Holy fuck, Quinn,” he groans. My head falls back as he runs his nose along the center of my sex. I’m embarrassingly wet. But if you consider all of the fantasies I’ve had about this man, I’ve endured foreplay for years.
He crawls back over me, grinding his hips into my thinly covered pelvis as he kisses me with unhurried abandon. There’s no mistaking he’s as aroused as I am. Curling one leg around his hip, holding him close to me, I push back against his length.
The kissing stops as he gazes down at me. There’s a reverence there I’ve never seen from anyone. “Can I make love to you?”
What?
Did men say that anymore? Don’t read into this, Quinn. He probably knows exactly what women want to hear.
“Yes.” My answer is so breathy I’m not certain it’s audible. How is this happening? He sits up, removing his shirt and unbuckling his pants. I pray I won’t pass out by the sheer ecstasy of it all before this is over.
Once he’s naked, he carefully removes the rest of my clothes and looks down at me with one strong hand fisted around the base of his thick cock. I gulp as he gives it a firm tug. Yep, this sight alone might make me faint.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Am I dreaming right now?
I blink back the tears. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Quinn. Stay in the moment. If nothing else, once he leaves, you’ll always have this.
Jason reaches for his pants, retrieving his wallet, and withdrawing a condom. I watch as he dons it with an ease I prefer not to consider. His attention returns to me, his hands dusting from my shoulders, over my breasts, my belly, and then teases back and forth over my achy, swollen center. All the while, the moonlight bounces off of his firm pecs, highlighting the beautiful ink adorned there. Jason Bristow is an Adonis. It was one thing to imagine it. But there’s absolutely no denying it now.
“God, you’re so wet.” He dips a finger inside and his head drops back in a groan.
Reaching forward, I wrap my hand around his shaft, but he quickly lifts it off of him. I don’t have time to feel offended. “I’m not going to last long once I’m inside this sweet pussy, baby. I’m having to picture Baxter in his tightie whities to keep from blowing my load just looking at you.”
“Oh, my god.” I snort.
He drops back down for a slow, sensual kiss before lining himself up and slowly gliding inside. My legs instinctively wrap around him, and I dig my nails into his firm ass as I adjust to his size. He’s much bigger than anyone I’ve ever been with. But then again, they were mere college boys. Nothing like this man.
He slowly rocks his pelvis, inching forward until he’s completely filled me. Holding me tight against him, we lie like this for a few glorious moments before he kisses me again. He steals my breath as he starts to thrust his hips back and forth. As the spring starts to tighten within me, he pushes up on his arms, allowing his hips to rock more quickly. The sight is nothing short of erotic. His sensual movements are like pure porn. Yes, I’d watched when I was lonely and needy on occasion. Who hasn’t? But never in my wildest dreams did I think any man would ravage my body in the same way. My experiences have been limited to fumbling in the dark, followed by a quick one-sided finish.
Yet that was definitely not happening here. My thighs start to tighten as his pace picks up, his cock dragging against a spot inside me I didn’t know existed.
“Fuck, baby. Fuck,” he groans above me. “You’re so fucking warm and wet. I never knew anything could feel this damn good.” The look of rapture on his face is as much of a turn on as his magic hips. He starts to come unhinged, and I dig my nails in a little deeper, preparing to fall off the edge. “Oh, Quinn. Baby, you’re going to make me come.”
“Oh, god,” I cry out as white spots cloud my vision. My body shudders as the most intense orgasm of my life slams into me.
“Quinn,” my name on his lips sounds like a prayer as he stills, pulsing into me. Moments later, his body collapses onto mine, the weight of him delicious. Rolling onto his side, he gathers me into his arms as my body again is seized by trembling of epic proportion. Looking down at me with concern, I simply shake my head.
“I’m not cold.”
He chuckles as we hold each other in the moonlight. I know this night will soon have to come to an end. I’ll replay it over and over in the days, months, and years to come. Hopefully, I’ll avoid over analyzing it. Second guessing everything. Questioning his playboy status after reveling in his skilled love making.
Just enjoy this. Whatever happens, you had tonight.