Chapter 27
Quinn
Her small suitcase sat beside her on the seat, the handle slick with rain, and her laptop bag rested against her knee. She hadn’t even stopped at the hotel. She’d landed, checked her watch, and told the driver to take her straight here.
Five days without her. Two days replaying that phone call in her head, picking apart every sharp word, every pause that stretched too long.
Quinn wasn’t used to this feeling, raw, unarmored, unsure if the ground she stood on was solid.
She’d built her career on never walking into a room without leverage.
Now she was here, ready to hand it all over.
When Avery opened the door, Quinn was half-soaked despite the awning.
Her suitcase and bag thudded softly against the wall as she stepped inside and shut the door behind her.
The sound of the rain faded to a dull patter against the windows far above the street, city noise pulsing faintly beneath it.
Avery’s hair was mussed from sleep, eyes soft-edged from being pulled awake too soon. She wore one of Quinn’s old sweatshirts, left behind on purpose the last time she’d stayed, and a pair of shorts that bared her legs. She looked warm, familiar, and dangerous all at once.
“Quinn?” Her voice was thick with sleep and something else—wariness.
Quinn ran a hand through her damp hair, feeling the cool drip at the nape of her neck. She wanted to start with something easy, but there was no easy way to say what she’d come here to say. “I can’t do two more days like the last two,” she said.
Avery’s brow furrowed. “You could’ve called.”
“I didn’t want to call.” Her throat tightened. “I needed to see you. And I needed to say something without you thinking it was a line, or a pitch, or me trying to win.”
Avery’s arms crossed, but her eyes didn’t leave hers. “Okay. Say it.”
Quinn stepped closer, her pulse a steady drumbeat. “I meant it when I said I wasn’t trying to acquire Lilith. And if the way we structure this deal is going to cost me you, then I’m not doing it that way. We merge. Partners. Equal. Not you under me. Not me over you. Together.”
Avery blinked like she wasn’t sure she’d heard right.
“This is me telling you I’m all in,” Quinn said, softer now. “Even if it means giving up control. Because the truth is, I want us more than I want to own anything.”
Something shifted in Avery’s face, not suspicion or doubt, but something unguarded. She stepped forward until Quinn could feel the warmth of her, close enough for her heartbeat to sync to Avery’s.
“I didn’t want to lose myself in you,” Avery softly. “But I think I found a version of me I like better when I’m with you.”
The words landed deep, low in Quinn’s chest, pulling at something she didn’t let many people touch.
Avery’s hands slid up, cupping her jaw, and then her mouth was on hers—hungry, certain.
Quinn kissed back with everything she’d been holding for the past two days, hands gripping Avery’s waist, pulling her flush until there was no space left between them.
When they broke, foreheads pressed together, Quinn heard the rain still drumming outside, but in here there was only their breath.
“Together,” Avery murmured.
“Together,” Quinn echoed. And for the first time in days, it felt like the only truth that mattered.
Avery’s fingers toyed with the damp collar of her blouse. “Come on. You’re freezing. Let’s get in the shower.”
Quinn let her lead the way, following into the bathroom’s warm glow.
Avery twisted the knobs until steam began to curl around them, then turned and peeled Quinn’s jacket from her shoulders.
Her fingers worked at each button, pushing the wet fabric away before skimming the thin straps of Quinn’s camisole.
She stripped her layer by layer until Quinn was bare, shivering from more than the cold.
Avery closed the distance, hands firm at Quinn’s hips, and kissed her with a certainty that left no room for doubt.
The shower welcomed them with a rush of heat, water splattering across their shoulders as Quinn let Avery guide her back until the tile was cool against her spine. Avery’s mouth was insistent on hers, her tongue teasing, claiming.
When Avery’s thigh slid between hers, pressing up, Quinn moaned into her mouth. She shifted, settling onto the muscle, letting the friction build until it was sharp and maddening.
“I missed you, baby,” Quinn breathed into Avery’s ear before she could stop herself.
She felt Avery stiffen for half a beat, then melt, arms winding tighter around her.
“I missed you so much, too,” Avery said, voice low and certain. Her hands slid up Quinn’s sides to cup her breasts, her thumbs brushing over sensitive peaks. “You’re so wet for me. I can feel you all over my thigh.”
Quinn’s head tipped back, her lips parting on a gasp. “Uh-huh,” she managed before Avery kissed her again.
Avery caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and the sharp little bite had Quinn moaning loud, her hips rolling harder.
“You look so pretty like this,” Avery murmured against her mouth, “naked and wet, riding my thigh like such a good girl.”
The words sent Quinn’s pulse spiking. She whimpered, hips jerking.
“You like that, don’t you?” Avery teased, a glint in her eyes even in the steam.
“So much,” Quinn panted. “Fuck, baby, that feels so good. I need more.”
Avery didn’t hesitate. She sank to her knees in one smooth motion. The heat in her gaze nearly unraveled Quinn right there.
Avery’s hands parted her thighs, thumbs stroking lightly over her skin. She kissed the inside of one thigh, then the other, slow and deliberate.
“Please,” Quinn heard herself beg, hips tipping forward.
“So ready for me, hmm?” Avery’s breath was warm against her.
Quinn barely managed a nod before Avery’s mouth was on her, tongue and lips working in perfect rhythm over her clit.
Her head fell back against the tile with a soft thud, the moan tearing from her throat before she could stop it. “Baby, Avery—fuck, yes.”
Steam curled around them, the sound of the shower a low roar against the sharp, wet sounds of Avery’s mouth. Quinn’s thighs trembled under the steady pressure of Avery’s hands, thumbs anchoring her in place as if she might try to run from the pleasure.
But she couldn’t run. Didn’t want to.
Every stroke of Avery’s tongue sent heat spiraling through her, gathering low and tight. Her hips rolled without conscious thought, chasing more, needing more. She tugged gently at Avery’s hair, not to pull her away but to feel the grounding strength of that connection.
“God—just like that,” Quinn gasped, voice breaking. Her knees threatened to give, but Avery’s grip was unyielding, holding her steady against the wall.
Avery hummed against her, the vibration lighting her up. Her tongue dragged upward with intention, then settled into a focused rhythm that had Quinn’s vision blurring.
Her breath came fast now, her chest rising and falling against the steam-thick air. She wanted to tell Avery everything she was feeling—that this wasn’t just sex, that every flick of her tongue felt like a promise—but all that came out was a broken moan.
“You taste so good,” Avery murmured between kisses, her mouth glistening as she glanced up, eyes dark and locked on Quinn’s. “Come for me, baby.”
The words hit harder than the heat between her thighs. Quinn’s head tipped back again, the tiles cool against her scalp. “I—fuck. I’m so close.”
Avery’s lips sealed around her clit, sucking gently but with just enough pull to push her over. The world went white-hot, her whole body tightening as the orgasm ripped through her. Her voice broke on Avery’s name, a raw, desperate sound swallowed by the steam.
Her hands clenched in Avery’s hair, not to guide but to hold on as wave after wave rolled through her until she was shaking, breath ragged.
Avery eased her through it, mouth softening, kisses trailing over tender skin before she finally stood.
Quinn’s back slid down the wall until Avery caught her, pulling her close under the spray. Her forehead rested against Avery’s shoulder, the thud of her own pulse slowly settled.
Avery’s hands rubbed gentle circles over her back. “Still freezing?”
Quinn let out a soft laugh, breathless. “Not even a little.”
Avery kissed her temple. “Good.”
Quinn tilted her head, meeting her eyes through the haze. There was nothing left of their fight in Avery’s expression—only warmth, steady and unguarded.
And for the first time in days, Quinn felt steady.
They stepped out of the shower, water dripping onto the tile.
Avery reached for a towel first, settling it around Quinn’s shoulders before grabbing one for herself.
The room was warm, but Quinn still shivered, not from the cold, but from the way Avery’s fingers traced her skin, lingering at her collarbone, down her arms, along the curve of her waist.
They didn’t speak much as they dried off, the silence heavy but soft, filled with the swish of fabric and the occasional slide of damp skin against skin. Quinn’s eyes followed Avery as she padded toward the bedroom, still toweling her hair.
By the time Quinn joined her, Avery was half-sprawled across the bed in one of Quinn’s T-shirts, bare legs, hair mussed from the towel. She looked flushed, warm, and entirely too tempting.
Quinn moved to the side of the bed and leaned over her, catching Avery’s mouth in a slow kiss. “Your turn,” she murmured against her lips.
Avery’s smile was small but knowing. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Quinn said, climbing onto the bed and settling beside her. She let her hand drift to Avery’s thigh, stroking idly, her touch feather-light at first, more a promise than a demand. She kissed her again, letting the heat between them build without hurry.
Her fingers traced lazy paths up the inside of Avery’s thigh, barely brushing where she wanted her most before retreating. Each time Avery shifted toward her, Quinn pulled back just enough to keep her chasing.
“Quinn…” Avery’s voice was already low, needy.
“Shh,” Quinn murmured, her mouth brushing the shell of Avery’s ear. “I’m going to take my time with you.”
She slid her hand higher, cupping Avery through the thin cotton of her underwear, feeling the heat radiating there.
Her thumb pressed gently, drawing a soft gasp from Avery’s lips.
Quinn kissed her cheek, her jaw, down to the hollow of her throat, letting her other hand slip beneath the T-shirt.
She traced the swell of Avery’s breast, the soft skin pebbling under her touch.
Avery arched into her, but Quinn stayed slow, teasing, her thumb circling Avery’s nipple until her breaths came quick and shallow. Only then did she slide her hand down again, pushing the T-shirt higher until she could slip beneath the waistband of her panties.
Avery’s hips lifted instinctively, a quiet plea. Quinn’s fingers found her slick, her thumb brushing over her clit in lazy, deliberate strokes. She kept her pace torturously slow, kissing her all the while, swallowing Avery’s quiet whimpers.
“I love how wet you are for me,” Quinn whispered, dragging her fingers through her folds, teasing the entrance but never pushing in. “I could play with you like this all night.”
Avery’s hand fisted in the sheets. “Please… I need more.”
Quinn smiled against her skin, then slid two fingers inside, the stretch pulling another gasp from Avery’s throat. Her thumb stayed exactly where it was, every motion measured and deliberate, built to keep her right on the edge.
She felt Avery’s muscles start to tense, her breathing quickening. “Don’t rush,” Quinn murmured, her voice low but firm. “Stay with me.”
Avery tried, but the heat coiled tight, trembling on the edge. Quinn leaned down, kissed her deeply, and then let her pace build—just enough, just right—until Avery’s moan broke into something sharp and helpless.
She came hard, clenching around Quinn’s fingers, her whole-body shuddering as Quinn worked her through it, murmuring praise against her mouth. “That’s it… so good for me… I’ve got you.”
When the tremors faded, Quinn eased her hand away, pulling Avery close until she was tucked against her chest, breath warm against her skin.
Neither of them spoke for a while. The rain still tapped at the windows, steady and soft. For Quinn, it felt like the storm between them had finally broken.
They lay tangled in the quiet, Avery’s head resting on Quinn’s shoulder, her breath warm against damp skin. The soft rhythm of rain on the windows filled the room, the only sound between them for long, unhurried minutes.
Quinn smoothed her hand up and down Avery’s bare back, slow and absent, like she didn’t want to stop touching her. She stared at the ceiling for a beat, her chest feeling too full, too warm to keep it in any longer.
“I love you,” she said quietly, the words sliding out as naturally as breathing. No hesitation, no armor, just truth.
Avery’s head lifted, her eyes catching the faint glow from the streetlight outside. She searched Quinn’s face for a heartbeat, and then her mouth curved into something soft, almost disbelieving.
“I love you, too,” Avery murmured, her voice low, certain.
Quinn felt it like a warm rush through her entire body. She leaned in, kissing her—unhurried, deep, the kind of kiss meant to be memorized. Avery kissed her back with the same quiet reverence, fingers curling into Quinn’s hair as if she didn’t plan on letting go.
When they finally pulled apart, it wasn’t because they wanted to, but because they were smiling too much to keep kissing properly.
Quinn rolled onto her side, pulling Avery flush against her until they fit together like they’d been built that way. Avery’s arm draped over her waist, her leg sliding between Quinn’s, grounding her.
“Perfect,” Avery whispered, her lips brushing Quinn’s collarbone.
“Perfect,” Quinn echoed, pressing a kiss into her hair.
They didn’t need to say anything else. Within minutes, the steady rhythm of their breathing matched, the rain still falling beyond the glass, and the world outside faded until it was just them, warm, held, and exactly where they wanted to be.
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