Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
QUENTIN
I didn’t think Joey would ever let me live down the fact that I practically begged him and bribed him with cash to stay out of the apartment tonight.
But after last night’s fun little mission, and another potential one tonight, the fewer people around, the better. Not to mention I was way better at sneaking around my apartment than Anora’s. Something I knew bothered her.
But I planned on making up for it tonight when I literally fucked her into next week. Patience had been my goal, trying not to rush things, yet resisting the urge to have her in every way possible each night proved to be one of the hardest challenges I’d ever faced.
She was like a drug, and I was an addict.
Obsessed.
Enamored.
I thought when I first saw her that I was in over my head. But now I really felt out of my element. I didn’t think I’d ever let myself get close to someone. Not after my sister was murdered, and not with my nighttime activities.
I still felt so unsure about my relationship with Anora, and whether it was the right decision. I didn’t think I’d ever forgive myself if something happened to her.
I was feeling things for her I never had before for anyone .
I didn’t know what to do with these feelings. I didn’t even know what the hell to call them. Was this love? Or just obsession?
Whether I was at work during the day or killing scumbags at night, she was always on my mind. I knew my actions hadn’t exactly shown that lately, but I’d never been good at showing how I felt.
I was a firm believer in actions speaking louder than words.
That was all going to change tonight. No matter what this feeling was, I was going to let Anora know. I was going to work her body in ways she’d never experienced before and watch as she lost control under my hand.
Just thinking about her writhing underneath me was enough to make me hard, which wasn’t ideal while I sat in a cubicle surrounded by my coworkers and pale gray walls that were beginning to remind me of said silver-haired girl. I was friendly enough to my coworkers but tried my best to keep my head down, so they’d leave me the fuck alone. I think they eventually got the hint when I continued to decline every golfing invitation they extended.
All day, I’d anxiously awaited a text from Brendan, my eyes and ears, about the next target. Silently, I hoped and prayed tonight’s operation would fall through. The city’s filth could wait one more night while I spent time with Anora.
Brendan
Things are a go for tonight. Chop Suey’s @ midnight.
Of course I wouldn’t be that lucky.
* * *
I could count on one hand the number of times I’d ever put this much effort into another woman—hell, another human being—who wasn’t my sister or my grandma, who’d practically raised us after my mom left town.
So, the fact that I was currently standing in my apartment, preparing a candlelit dinner for my little moon, was a big deal. But I wanted to show her I cared. I didn’t want her to have to wonder what was happening between us. When we decided to give this a shot, I wanted her to know that not only was she mine, but I was hers. I knew I’d failed at making that clear on both ends. Tonight, she’d get a little reminder of that.
A soft knock was the only indication that she had arrived, and, after wiping my sweaty palms over my pants, I made my way toward the front door, trying not to run to greet her.
I unlocked the deadbolt and revealed the most beautiful woman my eyes would ever land on. Her silver hair was curled lightly, and she’d even worn a new shade of lipstick that I already couldn’t wait to see wrapped around my cock. The little green dress hugging her curves was the cherry on top of the fuckable cake.
She just got here, for fuck’s sake. Control yourself.
But with Anora, I felt anything but control.
Which is probably why I didn’t hesitate to close the gap between us, grab her face, and claim her mouth with mine, catching her off guard and swallowing whatever greeting she was about to give me.
I wanted to memorize every dip and curve of her tongue in my mouth, so I’d never forget how it felt.
Anora gently pushed against my chest, breaking our kiss, and peered deep into my eyes. It was as if those emerald orbs could see into my blackened soul. She bit her bottom lip as she gathered herself, and I wanted to claim her mouth again just at the sight of it. I sent a silent thank-you to whoever created that lipstick because there wasn’t a single smudge on her pretty lips.
I’m going to smear it all over that pretty face later.
“Quentin,” she greeted breathlessly. The way she said it made the one-word sound so full of promise.
“Little moon,” I said with a grin, already envisioning how incredible tonight was going to be. I’d waited so long for this, and I planned to take my time and give her every single piece of me all in one go.
“We need to talk,” she mumbled. Sadness filled her eyes, and something heavy formed in my chest.
Everyone’s least favorite words.
I wanted to punch myself in the face. The way she was looking at me told me this wasn’t good.
“I made dinner. Why don’t we eat and then we can talk after?” I suggested, hoping she’d give me that, at least. As far as I knew, she had come over with the intention of staying the night, so I hoped that was still true.
The only response she gave me was a gentle nod, and I finally released her face from my hands, already missing the feel of her skin.
She moved around me and into the apartment, and I could hear the small intake of breath as she took in the scene before her.
I’d made sure Joey and Rory would not be here at any point tonight to mess it up, and I’d never been more thankful to have a roommate who didn’t care where he banged his girlfriend.
Rose petals trailed from the front door all the way to the dining room table, which was lit by candles and adorned with a vase full of light gray roses, a color I’d come to associate with Anora and her hair. It had been somewhat of a pain to find gray roses, but Brendan seemed to have more than just impressive hacking skills.
“Quentin…” She said my name again like a prayer, and it killed me to know she had any doubt in her mind about my feelings for her. I could also tell that she was warring with the emotions inside her head. She wasn’t easy to read when I first met her, but I’d made it my personal mission to know everything about her, inside and out.
The things we do for love.
An icy wave of awareness and fear washed over me as I realized where my thoughts were headed.
Was this love? I’d known Anora for so long, longer than she even realized, but it still felt like too brief of a time for feelings this big. Did I even know what love felt like? It had been so long since I’d loved someone, or allowed myself to be loved, that I wasn’t so sure anymore.
“Anora,” was all I could say in reply, trying to claw my way out of my spiraling thoughts. Trying to focus on the woman in front of me and whatever it was she seemed so desperate to tell me.
“I didn’t really realize I wanted to talk to you until I was on my way here, and somehow built up the courage,” she began, laughing nervously as she fiddled with her fingers. “You’ve been acting weird towards me lately. You’re not really around.” She looked away from me, and I fought the urge to turn her chin back to me. “I always seem to fall asleep and wake up alone. If you’re having regrets about being with me, you can just tell me. I’m giving you an out,” she whispered. She still couldn’t look at me.
Anger bubbled up inside me, and I was surprised my molars weren’t ground to dust. I felt angry at myself for letting her feel this way, for making her think I didn’t care about her. Angry that I hadn’t been around to show how much I cared about her.
“ Fuck , Anora. I have zero regrets about being with you. I haven’t been in a relationship in…I don’t even remember how long, but that’s no excuse. I just need to be better about my time, and I promise I’ll make it up to you. That’s sort of why I threw all of this together tonight.” I gestured toward the table, trying not to let my nervousness show. I didn’t usually get nervous.
“This is all so new to me, little moon. I’ve never tried this hard for anyone before. I’ve never had these feelings for anyone before. I don’t know what to do with myself here, or how to show you how badly I need and want you in my life.”
“Well, when you put it like that,” she said, a shy smile gracing the lips I was dying to claim. “I’m new at this too, so I guess we need to give each other a little slack, huh?”
“Work has been insane lately, but I will stop at nothing to use the spare time I have for you, baby,” I vowed. I tightened my fists at my sides to keep myself from reaching out to touch her, waiting until she was ready and gave me the go-ahead.
“Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to kiss me again?”
“With pleasure, little moon,” I growled, closing what little distance there was between us and crushing my lips to hers, practically breathing her in and swallowing the little moan she released. I traced the seam of her lips with my tongue, wanting to invade her mouth and intertwine it with hers. She went limp in my arms, and I had to restrain myself from skipping dinner entirely and taking her back into the bedroom.
“You have to keep your hands to yourself, or we’ll never make it to dinner,” she murmured against my lips, her legs finally seeming to strengthen again.
“We could always skip the dinner now, and get Chinese from your favorite takeout place later,” I teased, only partially kidding as my hands rested on her hips, longing to grip them.
I watched as she slowly and torturously peeled her dress down, leaving her perfect tits on full display. They looked delicious because of her push-up bra, begging to be bitten. Begging for my mouth on them.
“You are a wicked thing, you know that, little moon?” I rumbled, trailing my eyes up and down her body and drinking her in, wanting to take my time with her.
“Only for you,” she whispered, her voice dripping with lust.
We both stood there, staring at each other, neither of us making a move. It was like we were both dying to see who broke first. Who was thirstier for the other’s touch.
I liked to win in every aspect of my life, but as I broke our staring contest first and brought my hands close to her skin, I’d never been happier to lose.