Chapter 28 #2
“No problem. I sure as hell have no use for suits these days, except when Lizzie puts me to work at weddings.”
“What’re you hearing from Mom and Dad?”
“Dad has a cold, so they’re postponing their trip to July. You’re off the hook for another month.”
“I’m going to talk to them about my leg.”
“When?”
“Soon. I’ve been a little busy recovering from a concussion.”
“Just tell them and get it over with. What do you think they’re going to say? They’ll be sorry you didn’t tell them sooner, and they’ll want to know how you are. Beyond that, you’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“You’re right, and I’ll tell them in the next few days.”
“How’s it going with Mallory?”
“Great.”
“That’s it? Just great?”
“Just great.”
“Are you moving back to the boat or staying here?”
“I’m not sure yet. I need to talk to Mallory about that. Brutus likes it here.”
“Brutus does, huh?”
“Uh-huh.”
“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?”
“Why? Because I don’t feel the need to share every detail of my life with you?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Quinn snorted out a laugh. “Tough shit, little brother.”
“Lizzie and I are trying to have a baby, and it’s not happening,” Jared said.
Still wearing the suit jacket, Quinn sat across from his brother. “Oh, um…”
“After the wedding this weekend, we’re going to New York for a few days to see a specialist.”
“I’m sorry to hear it’s come to that.”
“Don’t let on that I told you. She’s really tender on this topic.”
“Of course. No worries. Will you let me know how it goes?”
“Sure.”
When Mallory came breezing through the door, her face flushed from being in the sun, Quinn couldn’t help the smile that stretched across his face.
God, he loved the way her eyes lit up at the sight of him and how she didn’t try to hide her feelings from him.
There were no games with Mallory. What you saw was what you got, and he found that incredibly refreshing.
“Hi, Jared,” she said as she bent to kiss Quinn.
“I’ve got your wedding date set up with proper attire,” Jared said.
“I like it,” she said. “Will you be there, too?”
“Yep. Lizzie’s running the show, and I’m her faithful servant.”
“AKA bitch,” Quinn said.
Jared laughed. “That, too.” He stood to leave. “I’ll see you there.”
“Thanks again, Jared.”
“Any time.”
Quinn stood and took a second to get his balance. The pain radiating from his head and leg was better than it had been, but he was frustrated to still be dealing with both a week after his fall.
“I like the way this looks on you,” Mallory said, running her hands down his arms. “Very sexy.”
He hooked an arm around her waist and brought her into his embrace. “I like the way everything looks on you, but I’m a particular fan of the way absolutely nothing looks on you, too.”
“Are you flirting with me, Dr. James?”
“Yes, definitely.”
Mallory laughed and pressed a kiss to his jaw, which was prickly with stubble.
“How was the lunch with your folks?”
“It was great.”
“What did they think of the letter?”
“They liked it a lot.”
“It’s a good letter. I’m glad they liked it. How do you feel now that you’ve shared it with them?”
“Unburdened.”
“I’m happy to hear that.”
“The Summer of Mallory is turning out far better than I ever could’ve hoped for.”
“Is that so?”
She made herself right at home in his arms. “Mmm-hmm.”
“Have I mentioned that I’m feeling a lot better? Like ninety-nine percent better?” As he said the words, he rubbed his erection against her belly.
“That much better, huh?”
“You know what would make me feel even more better?”
She chuckled at his terminology. “I can’t imagine.”
“Spending the rest of this afternoon naked in bed with you.”
“Are you sure you’re up for that?”
He pressed against her again. “Positive.”
“I’ll only agree to this plan of yours if I can do all the work.”
Quinn’s brain went completely blank except for a series of images that featured her naked and on top of him. “I’m completely fine with that.”
She laughed as she took him by the hand to lead him into the bedroom that had become theirs over the last week.
His laptop was on her desk, his sweatshirt hung from a hook behind the door, and his shoes were on the floor by the bed.
He liked having his stuff mixed in with hers.
He liked the way it felt to spend all his spare time with her, and he loved, absolutely loved, the way she looked at him with such affection.
“Hey, Mallory.”
After closing the blinds, she turned to him. “Hmm?”
“Thanks for everything over the last week.”
“Having you here has been a terrible hardship,” she said with a teasing glint of humor in her eyes.
“I’ll be out of your hair soon.” Only because he was watching her so closely did he notice her face fall with disappointment.
“Really?”
“Brutus and I don’t want to outstay our welcome.”
“That’s not possible. I like having you guys here. In fact… If you want to stay indefinitely, that would be fine with me.”
“Would it?”
“Yes, it would.” She helped him remove the suit jacket and laid it carefully over a chair. Then she dragged his T-shirt up and over his head. “I could look at this sexy man chest every day and never get tired of the view. You wouldn’t want to deprive me of my favorite view, would you?”
“I wouldn’t want to deprive you of anything.”
“Good answer.” She ran her hands from his well-developed pectorals to his broad shoulders. “You and Brutus are fun to have around. I’d be sad if you left.”
“We can’t have that.”
“Unless you miss living on the boat and would rather be there. The star-gazing is so much better out there.”
He looked down at her. “The overall view is way nicer here.”
“So you’ll stay?”
“I’ll stay.”