Chapter 32 #2
He rubbed his forehead, and his mouth turned down as though melancholy tugged at it.
“I’m guessing not, by the look on your face.
” A pause and a head shake. “Forget I said anything. Besides, we have to be practical. Telling your mom would mean telling your brother too.” He let out an extended, lung-emptying sigh that plucked her heartstrings.
When she climbed into her own empty bed, she was more confused than ever.
A solid night’s sleep. That’s what she needed, and she’d sort out the meaning behind Quinn’s words and her tangled feelings with fresh brain power.
Liz had promised to let Archer into Sarah’s room on her way to bed, and Sarah drifted off.
Sometime later, she woke when the door opened and Archer padded in.
Consciousness winked on just enough to remind her she’d fallen asleep troubled, that she had questions to resolve.
With a grumble, she settled back into her pillows, chasing oblivion.
A rustle of clothes, and the covers were lifted.
As alarms began sounding in her head, a familiar scent she loved and the big body it belonged to slid against her back.
Strong arms banded around her, pulling her close. Quinn’s warm breath ruffled her hair.
“What about your mom?” she whispered in the dark.
“Don’t care,” he whispered back. “I need to hold you.”
A long, contented sigh escaped her, and she relaxed in the warm cradle of his arms. A thought rocketed to the surface, where it bobbed. “Wolf must have thrown the rock,” she mumbled.
“Mmm … but the cops said he wasn’t in town then. Plus, he didn’t know anything about me or where I live.”
That’s true. But she wanted the whole mess tied up with a neat little bow so she could descend into untroubled sleep. “Kids.”
“Or the wind,” Quinn agreed in a voice thick with fatigue.
When she next stirred, light seeped through the windows and Archer whimpered softly to go out.
She slid from Quinn’s hold, let Archer out, and hit the bathroom.
Quinn’s hulking frame had barely moved when she slipped back under the covers and faced him.
Eyes shut, a dozy half-smile on his face, he wordlessly encircled her and drew her against him.
Heavy and hard, his shaft pressed against her abdomen.
“Someone’s happy to see me,” she purred.
He hummed his agreement.
She dropped her hand between them, and her fingertips traced the head cresting the waistband of his boxers. He let out a growl, and she slipped her hand inside, wrapped it around his thick length, and began a slow, sensual pumping.
The growl became a long, low groan.
“Do you want me to stop?” she whispered.
“Fuck no,” he muttered.
A knock sounded on her door, followed by Liz’s voice. “Sarah? You awake, doll?”
Another groan, and Quinn flopped onto his back. “Great timing, Mom,” he grumbled under his breath.
“Just getting up, Liz,” Sarah called, trying not to giggle. “Be out in a minute.”
“Okay. I’ll make some coffee.”
Quinn blinked at the ceiling, then turned his head to Sarah with a devilish smile. “Morning, Sunshine. How’d you sleep?”
She propped up on an elbow and leaned her head into her palm. “Much better after someone climbed into my bed.”
His look turned tender, and he ran the back of his hand along the side of her face. “Me too. I didn’t like you being so far away.”
“A little risky with your mom next door, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, but totally worth it.” He rolled to his side and mimicked her pose. “Let’s just tell her already.”
Sarah darted her eyes to the ceiling and fixed on a wrinkle in the texture. “Too soon, I think. Gage might find out.”
“From my mom? How?”
“I don’t know. Besides, she’s got a lot on her plate right now.”
He tapped Sarah’s nose. “Okay. But I want to tell her soon. I’m tired of sneaking around.”
Sarah feigned shock. “I thought sneaking around added to the excitement.”
“I can think of waaay more exciting things we could be doing if we weren’t sneaking.” He waggled his eyebrows.
A series of tingles raced up from her core and puckered her nipples. “Such as?”
“Guess you’ll have to find out.” With that, he hoisted himself out of bed, plucked a T-shirt from the floor, and pulled it on. His morning wood hadn’t diminished, and the tenting in his knit boxers left little to the imagination—a fact Sarah wholly appreciated.
He picked up a pair of sweats and smirked at her. “See something you want, Sunshine?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “Meh. Maybe.”
“Well, if you’re not sure, stop ogling me.”
“Or what?”
He dropped onto the mattress, crawled to her, and kissed her stupid.
“Or,” he whispered against her lips, “I’ll shake the peaches from your tree so hard that my mom and the whole fucking neighborhood will know exactly what’s going on.
” He nipped her bottom lip and retreated to pull on his pants. She resisted the urge to tackle him.
A moment passed before she caught her breath and squeaked, “Promise?”
He sent her a wink as he cracked open the door. “Oh yeah. That’s a promise.”
Quinn wasn’t able to keep that promise over the next few days.
In fact, they had little time alone together to even sneak kisses.
The house had exploded with activity, from police follow-up to Mike’s presence early every morning until long after dinner.
Sarah didn’t mind him being there, though she couldn’t say the same for Quinn, who kept an emotional distance from his parents while he watched guardedly.
Sarah had warmed to Mike, who’d relaxed enough to let loose an easy laugh as they talked.
He avidly studied the routines she and Liz practiced and joined them in the gym, gently inserting himself into Sarah’s role with unexpected grace and humor.
“I’m working on earning the backup spot on the roster,” he said to Sarah one day, “so when you’re taking time off, it’s a seamless transition. And maybe, eventually …”
Sarah laid a hand on his arm. “What about her Parkinson’s? She’ll never be cured.”
His eyes quickly misted over. “I know. Which is why it’s so important I spend time with her now—these are the good years. I just wish I’d figured that out sooner.”
Her own eyes brimming, Sarah whispered to herself as he walked away, “I hope you earn that spot.” From there, her mind wandered to the near future.
If Liz and Mike reconciled, there was little need for Sarah.
There’d be no reason for her to live under Quinn’s roof.
She’d find her own place, ramp up her job search in her chosen career, and submerge herself in her new reality.
Quinn would move back into his beloved condo and resume his old lifestyle.
Everyone back on track after the disruptive pandemic’s derailment.
Maybe it was time to send out more resumes and check into rentals.
Her heart sank.
Later, as she was sharing a soak with Liz in the hot tub, Mike appeared wearing trunks and a grin. “May I join you ladies?”
Sarah didn’t miss the twinkle in Liz’s eyes. “Of course,” Sarah answered, shifting so Mike could sit next to his wife. “Have you seen Quinn? He started working out when Liz and I left the gym, and I haven’t seen him since.”
Mike nodded. “As a matter of fact, I have.” A smile lifted a corner of his mouth. “He’s working out his frustrations by smoking a bucket of pucks in the driveway.”
“Frustrations?” Liz echoed. “What’s he frustrated about?”
“Oh, probably a combination of things. He can’t play, he doesn’t know when he’ll be able to play, he’s stir crazy, he doesn’t know how to handle his old man hanging around, and”—his eyes darted to Liz—“he’s none too happy about our family get-together.
Not to mention it’s eating at him that the slimeball who hurt Sarah is free on bail. ”
Sarah tried not to contemplate Wolf on the loose. She told herself she was safe, that he didn’t know where she was, that he wouldn’t hunt her down. But when she was back on her own? A shudder rippled through her.
In a bid to distract herself, she focused on one glaring question and blurted, “What family get-together?”
“Quinn didn’t tell you?” Liz said. “We’re having a virtual family, um … We’re Zooming.” Her eyes landed on her husband. “Is that the right term, Mike?”
“I think so. We’re video-conferencing with Ronan and his family. I guess we’re doing a cocktail hour.”
“When’s this taking place?” And why didn’t Quinn say anything?
Mike shrugged. “In a few hours. We hope you’ll join us. Archer too.” He winked at her.
When Sarah exited the hot tub, she threw on some clothes and went in search of Quinn.