Jules
Quinton watched as I reached down and grabbed my shirt and undergarments from the floor.
After two rounds of sex, I had no doubt that he had seen every inch of my body, but I still felt the need to hold the fabric against my chest, hoping it would be enough to cover my body as I darted for the bathroom.
I hadn’t gotten far when he growled, “What the hell is that?”
“What?” Startled, I whipped around, and the second I saw his face, I knew he’d seen my scars. “Who did that to you?”
“It’s nothing, Quinton.”
“It’s not nothing!” He got up from the bed and charged over to me, wrapping me tightly in his arms. The anguish in his voice broke my heart as he asked, “How in the hell did I miss it?”
“We were both a little distracted.”
“It’s no excuse.” He looked down at me with a horrified expression. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know.” I knew they looked horrible. It was why I’d worked so hard to hide them. “I guess I was embarrassed.”
“Embarrassed? You’ve got no reason to be embarrassed, baby.”
It pained me to see the way he was looking at me, especially after the incredible sex we’d just had. I didn’t want to tarnish the moment, so I asked, “Can we please not talk about this right now?”
“Jules.”
“Please,” I begged. “I’ll tell you all about it. Just not right now.”
“Okay, but I’m not going to let this go.”
“I didn’t expect you to.”
I held his gaze for a moment, then turned and slipped into the bathroom. When I saw that there was a shower, I placed my clothes on the counter and turned on the water. I’d barely stepped under the water when I felt Quinton get in behind me.
He didn’t say a word.
Instead, he put some shower gel on a sponge, then ran it carefully down my arm.
Without ever saying a word, he washed my chest, my neck, and every inch of my body, paying careful attention to my back.
After every brush of the sponge, he’d let the water wash away the soap, and then repeat the process all over again.
It was the sweetest, most sensual, erotic thing anyone had ever done for me.
When he was done, he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.
His hands slowly reached up to the sides of my face as I opened my mouth to him.
The kiss became demanding, sending an involuntary shudder down my spine.
This man had consumed my thoughts, my dreams, my very existence, and now, in this moment, he was consuming my heart.
My hands roamed across his broad, wet chest, feeling his muscles tighten as he continued to claim me with his mouth.
I loved the feeling of his hands against my body.
The taste of him against my tongue. The scent of his cologne.
Every miniscule detail about this moment would be locked away forever in my memory.
After several moments, he released my mouth, and I eased the door open. As I grabbed a towel, he told me, “I’ll be out in a minute.”
After a quick nod, I stepped out, and dried off. While he finished showering, I went back to the bedroom and got dressed. I’d just finished putting back on my pants when he stepped into the room wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, and my God, he was a sight to behold.
The muscles on his chest were perfectly defined and lined with intricate tattoos, and he had a six-pack that rippled down to his oh, so sexy V. Add in his wet, tousled hair and panty-melting eyes, and you have an absolute dream of a man. “It’s just not fair.”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed and enjoyed the view as Quinton started getting dressed. As he put on his boots, he asked, “You hungry?”
“Yeah, I could eat a bite. What do you have in mind?”
“I’m thinking it’s time you try my famous pasta.”
“Um-kay. Are we going to have this amazing pasta at your place or mine?”
“Yours. I just need to drop by the store to grab a few things first.”
“I think we can manage that.”
He grabbed his keys from the dresser, then took my hand in his and led me out to the parking lot.
Since we had to get groceries, we took my car and headed to the store.
Once we’d bought all the ingredients he needed for dinner, we drove over to my place.
I helped Quinton carry the groceries upstairs and put them on the counter.
“Okay, what do we need to do to make this famous pasta of yours?”
“There is no we.” He leaned over and kissed me on the temple. “I’m making dinner for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. Now, go get comfortable and find something to watch on TV.”
“Okay. Just let me know if you need a hand.”
He’d already started cooking when he mumbled, “Um-hmm.”
Seeing that he was intent on cooking alone, I did as he’d requested, and I went over to the sofa and looked for a show to watch. I felt a little strange just sitting there while Quinton was in the kitchen slaving over a hot stove, but at the same time, I found it extremely endearing.
I’d never had anyone in my life who was so kind and thoughtful. I’d also never been with anyone who’d rocked my world like he’d done earlier. I won’t deny that I liked the way things were going with us.
I liked it a lot.
At the same time, it scared the living hell out of me.
I’d spent years living in fear. I’d been called names and threatened.
I’d had knock-down-drag-out fights, had bones broken, and wounds I thought would never heal.
I’d spent nights pleading with the Lord to put an end to it all—even if it meant ending my life, but when it was all said and done, I stood strong. I hadn’t let them break me.
I’d survived.
But I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to survive Quinton. If things ended badly—if he broke my heart, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to move past it. I was caught in the crossfire between my head and my heart, and I had no idea what to do about it.
It was a thought that had me looking over to the kitchen, and as I sat there watching Quinton work so hard to make me a nice dinner, I knew I would never be able to walk away from him. Heart be damned, I was going to let the cards fall where they may.
My focus was still on him when he glanced over his shoulder and said, “You’re supposed to be watching the TV. Not me.”
“But I like watching you more than some silly movie.”
“You better be careful, or I might think you like me a little.”
“Oh, we can’t be having that.” I giggled as I told him, “What would the neighbors think?”
“It would be quite the scandal.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“That’s good, 'cause you’re kind of stuck with me.” He lifted the bowl of pasta as he said, “At least until dinner is over.”
“I think I can handle that.”
“Well, in that case, get your cute ass over here and make yourself a plate.”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
I walked over, and with Quinton’s help, I made us both a plate.
He followed me over to the table, and we spent the next hour talking as we ate his incredible pasta dinner.
When we were done, Quinton helped me clean up the kitchen, and then we went over to the living room area and piled up on the sofa.
He picked out an old western for us to watch, and while I wasn’t a huge fan of the movie, I enjoyed spending time with Quinton. So much so I didn’t want our time together to end. “Are you staying here tonight?”
“Do you want me to?”
“My place isn’t as nice as yours.”
“Your place is great, but that’s not what I asked.”
A smile swept over my face as I told him, “Yes, I’d like you to stay.”
“Then, I’m staying.” He inched up on the sofa and took a good look at my bed, then smiled one of his sexy smiles. “Looks sturdy enough.”
“Quinton!”
“What? I was just making an observation.”
“We’ve already...” I gave him a look, “You know. I would’ve thought you had your fill.”
“Baby, I don’t think I’ll ever get my fill of you.”
There was something about the way he said those words that had me believing he meant them.
I held on to that thought as he and I got up from the sofa and headed to bed.
While Quinton dropped down to his boxers, I put on my favorite pjs and slipped under the covers.
I was waiting for him to join me when he stepped into the bathroom.
He was in there for a minute or two, and when he came out, I asked, “You mind leaving the light on?”
“Huh?”
“The bathroom light.” I motioned my hand behind him. “Turn it back on and crack the door behind you.”
“Wait.” Quinton’s handsome face was marked with confusion as he asked, “You saying you sleep with the lights on?”
“May-be.”
He just stood there staring at me like I’d lost my mind, so I added, “I get in my head when I’m in the dark. Can’t seem to quit thinking about things I don’t wanna think about. The lights help.”
“I see.”
His eyes filled with emotion when I told him, “You help, too.”
“I do?”
“Um-hmm. When I’m with you, I don’t think about the past, only the here and now. That’s something I haven’t been able to do in a very long time.”
“Ah, damn, Jules. You’re killing me.”
“Well, it’s true.” I didn’t tell him that I didn’t think the nightmares would ever truly go away.
They would change from time to time, but they weren’t going anywhere.
They were a part of me, and I was okay with that.
I was also okay with the fact that they’d been better since Quinton came into my life.
“Lots of things have been better since you’ve been around.
Hopefully, they’ll keep gettin’ better.”
“If I have anything to say about it, they will.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed, then slipped his arm behind me, pulling me closer.
When he looked down at me with those dark, piercing eyes, my world stopped turning.
The only thing left between us was the anticipation of his lips meeting mine in a heated kiss, but there was no kiss.
Instead, he smiled and said, “So, about the lights.”
“You can turn them off.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
He nodded, then stood and headed back for the bathroom. He hadn’t gotten far when he asked, “What’s that?”
“What’s what?”