Chapter 21
The first thing Mallory felt when she woke up was heat, the kind that came from either a furnace or the body of a sexy man pressed up against her, a heavy arm around her waist and warm lips against her shoulder.
Not a terrible way to wake up, she thought, smiling at the realization that Quinn had sought her out in his sleep.
For the longest time, she lay there enjoying the feel of his body against hers, the comfort that came from his company—even when he was asleep—and anticipation for the day ahead.
She hadn’t lived here long, and already she could feel her life changing in ways that she not only welcomed but embraced with open arms. More of her big boisterous family, one-on-one moments with her father, stepmother and siblings, a fun new job to keep her occupied during the summer and now this, whatever it was, with Quinn.
This was what she’d needed—a fresh new start and the time to really get to know her new family.
For the first time since she lost Ryan so many years ago, she didn’t feel rootless or detached from herself as much as the people around her. She didn’t feel like her wheels were spinning while she stood in place letting her life happen to her rather than the other way around.
Her young, dynamic husband would surely approve of these developments, as he’d wanted nothing more than for her to be happy and content.
She let her gaze shift to the photo of him on her bedside table, drinking in the sight of his adorable face and the big smile he’d worn for their entire wedding day.
“Is that Ryan?” Quinn asked, his voice gruff with sleep.
Startled to realize he was awake, she said, “Uh-huh.”
“Handsome guy.”
“Yes, he was.”
“Gorgeous bride.”
“I clean up well.”
“Yes, you do, but you don’t need to clean up to be gorgeous.”
“Are you always this charming first thing in the morning, Dr. James?”
“When I have the proper inspiration.”
Mallory’s heart fluttered in approval of his reply.
Handsome, sexy and charming—a deadly combination, at least as far as she was concerned.
“How’s your leg?” During the night, she’d heard him get up once to use the bathroom and had forced herself to refrain from offering help.
He’d gotten around okay on the crutches, and she’d breathed a sigh of relief when he got back in bed.
“Hurts like a motherfucker.”
“Let me get you some pain meds.”
“In a minute.” He nuzzled her neck and drew her in tighter against his body—and the erection that pressed against her ass.
A flash of heat lit up her body. “Quinn…”
“Hmm?”
“What’re you doing? You’re injured. You shouldn’t be…”
“What? Hard as a rock after waking up with you in my arms?”
“Yes. That.”
He laughed. “Sorry, babe. It’s basic biology, as you well know. A hot woman who smells like a dream and feels like heaven leads to a natural reaction in the helpless man who can’t seem to resist her.”
“He can’t resist her?”
“Nope.”
“I need to get up and get going. I have to work today, and before that I want to go to the boat and get what you need. I can get a ride out with Kara on the launch, right?”
“Don’t worry about it. Jared will do it for me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Uh-huh. So does that mean you have time for more snuggling?”
“A little.” She swallowed hard. “Maybe.”
“Maybe or definitely?” His hand ducked under her T-shirt and left a heated path on the way to her breast, which he cupped as he ran his thumb back and forth over her nipple.
Mallory gasped and pushed back against him, her hips moving without her making a conscious decision to encourage him.
“I’ll take that as a definitely,” he whispered. He worked his other arm under her shoulders to hold her tight against him as his hand slid down the front of her into her pajama pants.
She sucked in a deep breath when he continued down, his fingers delving inside her panties. Mallory had to force herself to remain still so she wouldn’t move wrong and add to his pain—not that he seemed to be worried about his pain at the moment.
“Turn onto your back,” he said.
She moved carefully and found him propped up on an upturned arm, looking down at her with those brown eyes that she found so compelling.
“Mmm, much better.”
In the new position, he could reach between her legs and slide his fingers through her slick heat.
Groaning, he dropped his head to her shoulder and drove two fingers deep inside her. “So hot and so sexy.”
Between his words and the movement of his fingers, Mallory felt herself climbing toward the inevitable conclusion. Then he hooked his fingers, found her G-spot and took her from climbing to soaring. She came hard, her hips rising as her internal muscles clamped down on his fingers.
“Ah, damn,” he said gruffly. “I can’t wait to feel that happen with my cock instead of my fingers.”
Mallory shivered from the aftershocks as much as the promise she heard in his words. She couldn’t wait either. When she’d recovered her composure, she reached for him, flattening her hand over his erection. “What about you?”
“You have to go to work. Can’t be late on your first day.”
“I won’t be late.” She tugged at the button to the khakis he’d slept in and unzipped him, moving carefully in light of the huge bulge that made unzipping difficult.
Then she gave him a taste of his own medicine by caressing his bare chest and abdomen before letting her fingers wander inside his boxers to stroke his cock.
He gasped from the first contact of her skin against his.
Mallory took great pleasure in the feel of his long, thick, hot shaft as she stroked him and learned what made him shudder, and that was attention to the sensitive head, where she used her thumb to spread around a bead of fluid.
His fingers dug into the flesh on the top of her arm. “Ahhh, fuck, you’re going to make me come so hard.”
“Do it. I want to see that.” She stroked him from base to tip, keeping a tight grip as she moved from top to bottom.
Keeping his eyes closed, he moved with her, pushing into her hand until he came with a sharp cry that made Brutus bark and both of them laugh. “Now look what you’ve done,” he said a full minute later. “You’ve made a big mess.”
“That doesn’t count as a mess.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, mindful not to touch the cut on his bottom lip. “Don’t move.”
Feeling him watching her, she got up and went into the bathroom to retrieve a towel that she brought back to the bed to clean him up. Then she let Brutus out into the backyard, filled his bowl with food and got Quinn some pain pills and a glass of ice water.
“Thanks for taking care of me and Brutus.”
“My pleasure,” she said.
He took both from her with a grateful smile. “That was the best wakeup call I’ve had in years.”
Mallory smiled down at him. “Me, too.”
“I need to get hurt more often.”
“Please don’t. How about some more ice?”
“That’d be good. Thanks.”
With her body still tingling from the orgasm, she refilled the ice bag, got him settled and then headed for the bathroom to shower and get herself together for her first day of work on the rescue.
Mason had sent over a uniform that consisted of navy-blue pants and a light blue button-down shirt with the Gansett Island Fire Department patch on one short sleeve and a paramedic patch on the other.
As she buttoned the shirt and tucked it into the pants, her new job began to feel official.
After she dried her hair, she put it up into a ponytail and applied sunscreen and a light layer of makeup that included mascara. When she emerged from the bathroom, Quinn let out a low whistle.
“That is one sexy paramedic.”
Mallory felt her face heat with embarrassment. “Stop.”
“What can I say? I have a thing for a smart, sexy babe in a uniform.”
“Any babe, or one in particular?”
He reached out a hand to her.
Mallory crossed the room to take his hand.
He brought her hand to his lips and brushed them over her knuckles. “Definitely one in particular. You’ll be careful, right?”
“I hardly think there’s anything to worry about around here, but I’ll be careful.”
“Good.”
“You want me to make you something to eat before I go?”
“Nah, I’ll be fine.”
“Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. There’s eggs, cereal, yogurt, fruit. Whatever you want. How about coffee? Should I make some?”
“I wouldn’t say no to that.”
“You got it.” She bent over to kiss him. “Take it easy today. Let’s get that leg healed so you can get back to normal, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. Whatever my nurse tells me to do.”
She waggled her brows at him. “That’s good to know. I’ll text you later to check on you.”
“I’ll look forward to that. What time are you off?”
“Four.”
“I’ll see you then.”
Mallory started to leave the room, but then turned back. “Are you sure you’ll be okay? I can tell Mason that today’s not a good day—”
“I’m totally fine. I did the crutches for months before I was ready for the prosthesis. I’m used to them.”
“Okay, then, but if you need anything, call me. I won’t be far away.”
“You got it.”
Mallory left the bedroom, made the coffee and downed a container of yogurt before grabbing her keys and cell phone and heading for the barn with ten minutes to spare before her first shift began. As she left the house, she hoped Quinn would be okay on his own.
Lying in Mallory’s bed, Quinn reached for his cell phone and dashed off a text to Jared. I need a favor. Are you around today?
Sure, what do you need?
A run to the boat for some clothes, and then a ride to work?
You can take a day off, Quinn.
Mac is running through the final punch list today. I need to be there. You still have a key to the boat, right?
Yep. I’ll head out there now and bring your stuff to Mallory’s. It’s off Ocean Road, right?
Yes. He typed in the address. Thanks.
No problem. See you soon.