by Jemi Fraser
She blinked a few times then stuck her tongue out at him, turning but not before he caught the smirk. Better than the worry. Especially since the worry hadn’t been about him.
“You’re a man. You don’t understand. I’ve only been out once and that was a total disaster.”
She was all worked up, hands flapping, voice strained, movements jerky.
“It’s just dinner. At a place you’ve been dozens of times.”
Darby sighed and moved past him to head up the back stairs. He followed her to her room and watched her go to her closet and rifle through the hangers. She shoved everything aside then started again.
“Talk to me, Darby. Why are you so freaked out over dinner?”
She spared him a look over her shoulder that told him she thought he was nuts to even ask the question. He honestly didn’t have a clue. She was gorgeous and sexy. With her new look, even more gorgeous and sexier. Why was that a bad thing?
She moved to the dresser and pawed through it. “This will be the first time I’m officially out with my new look. If we go to Fortini’s Mario will have texted everyone in town that I look different. Everyone will stare at me. What if it’s awful? What if I flake out again?”
Panic widened her eyes and he moved over to take her hands out of the drawer. He wanted to tell her she was ridiculous but he didn’t think that would go over well. Better to show her. “Come here.” He tugged her over to the full-length mirror in the corner of the room.
He stood behind her and watched as her eyes skittered everywhere but at herself. “Start here Darby and really look.” His hands lifted her hair away from her face then let it fall through his fingers. “Thick, beautiful hair. Do you realize every man we see will want to run his hands through it?”
Darby laughed and rolled her eyes so Quinn lifted her hair enough that he could lean down and kiss her earlobe. “Every one of them will want to do this.” She shivered under his touch. “You’re beautiful, Darby. Always have been. When men look at you, they want to delve into the secrets in your eyes.”
Those eyes glowed at him in the mirror, still full of disbelief but a spark of wonder, too. “Then the eyes travel down, find those lips begging for a kiss, to that pulse that beats right here.” His fingers tapped the pulse in her neck and watched it jump then pick up speed.
Quinn’s hand ran over her shoulders, down her arms and up her torso to graze the sides of her breasts. She sighed softly and he swallowed hard before continuing. “After thinking about that kiss, our eyes travel down caressing all these beautiful curves along the way.” His hands ran over those curves then back up, all the way to her hair which he pulled aside to kiss her neck again. “Then we’re back here. To the top. To see if there’s any returning interest.”
He looked back to capture her eyes in the mirror. “And those poor bastards won’t find a flicker of it because all of that interest will be directed squarely at me.”
A laugh choked out of her and he wrapped her arms around her. “You’re beautiful, Darby. It doesn’t matter what you wear or how you fuss with your hair. Don’t ever give a shit what anyone else thinks. If they don’t appreciate you that’s their loss. Now, will you go out to dinner with me?”
Another laugh. Keeping her eyes on his in the mirror, she ran her fingers over his arms that encircled her. “Nope. No can do, Quinn.”
He’d have worried if she hadn’t been smiling one of those smiles at him. “Any particular reason?”
She reached her hands up and looped them around his neck, lifting her breasts and pushing her ass back into his groin. “I thought we might talk a little more about that interest that is aimed squarely at you. But if you’d rather go for supper...”
Her sentence trailed off as her eyes watched his hands lift her shirt until her sexy bra was visible. Keeping her tight in front of him, he cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples through the bra—a deep blue this time—and watched her eyes go hazy. When they started to drift shut he nipped at her ear lobe. “Eyes open, honey. Watch. See how beautiful you are.”
Her head started to shake in denial but she stopped when his hands started working again, cruising down to dip beneath the edge of her jeans. As she watched, he flipped open the button and eased down the zipper to reveal a pair of deep blue panties, perfectly matching the bra. “You’re killing me, Darby.” His voice had dropped about an octave but there was no helping it. She completely undid him. He slid the jeans over her hips and let them drop to the floor.
Her hands started to drop from his neck but he brought them back up and squeezed. “Keep them there, Darby. Watch how gorgeous you are.”
Her breath shuddered out as he let one hand go back to her breast while the other one followed the edge of her panties. In the mirror, her eyes glowed as they followed his hands then flicked back up to him. It was the most erotic experience of his life. No hidden agenda in those eyes. Open, honest, trusting. And full of sensuality.
He could watch her endlessly as she learned to appreciate her body and its power. When he slipped his hand beneath the silk to tease her she gasped again and her hands tightened in his hair. His body was hard and more than ready but he kept up the slow onslaught. Watching her was better.
Every time her eyes started to drift shut he urged her to open them, to watch. Each time she did, smiling at him with a smile aimed to bring him to his knees.
Maybe later.
He pushed her higher, harder and his name whispered from her lips again and again. Nothing ever sounded so sweet. “Almost there, Darby. Get ready to watch yourself go over.” He kissed her neck, trailed his tongue along her earlobe. “It’s the sexiest, most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen. Watch.” He changed the pace and her eyes took on the glaze. “Go over, honey, go over for me. For us.”
And she did. He tightened an arm around her waist when her knees weakened and held her steady as shudders wracked her. And him.
“Hell, Darby, that was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” Then he swept her up in his arms and took her to the shower to prove it to her.
Open The Door
Darby couldn’t pass her antique mirror without smiling. Heck, she was grinning like a fool—a happy, satisfied fool. It had always been a favorite piece but now it was destined to be her most treasured possession.
Hard to believe only a week ago, she’d wanted to take a huge risk and buy some sexy lingerie. Now she was in the middle of an incredible fling with a man she’d been attracted to for years.
While the sex was beyond her wildest dreams, the fling was more. So much more. She enjoyed working on the B&B with him and preparing for her brother’s wedding with him. He made her laugh. He made her think.
He’d made her fall in love.
Completely. Totally. Forever.
She laughed as she hugged herself and spun around in a circle. The emotions were big. So big. Bigger than she’d ever imagined.
She wanted to tell him.
And she was terrified to tell him at the same time.
What if he didn’t feel the same? How would he react? He might freak out or back away from her and she didn’t want to risk that. She’d never been in love and it filled her up. Every nook and cranny.
It made her more herself. Which sounded sappy and ridiculous but was absolutely true. So she’d hang on to the feeling for a while, hug it to herself and savor it. Build up the courage to tell him.
Darby grabbed her purse, headed down the stairs and out the door. Quinn and Rayce were working at CharterGear, putting finishing touches on the upstairs space. After having lunch with Myla, she was going to stop by and see the progress.
Would progress mean he wanted to move back? He didn’t have a whole apartment atop the store anymore but the basics were there. Should she ask him to stay with her at the B&B? Was it too soon?
Outside she waved at Mrs. Ritchie and headed down to the boardwalk. The sun was trying to peek through the dark clouds but it wasn’t having much success.
The Lucky—the l
ocal coffee shop owned by another LaChance brother, Jaz—smelled like paradise. Freshly baked bread, cinnamon, coffee. Darby bought a turkey on rye sandwich along with a—have mercy—raspberry chocolate coffee and sat at a table to wait for Myla who flew in moments later and grabbed her own lunch.
“Sorry, I’m late.” Then her face flushed and she peeked around to see if anyone was listening. “Actually I’m not sorry. Not even a little bit. Sawyer didn’t get back from his camping excursion until a few hours ago. We needed to catch up.”
Myla’s giggle and her blush told Darby exactly how they’d been catching up. Which made her blush in return as she and Quinn had been doing the exact same kind of catching up earlier and they hadn’t been apart.
It took Myla about three seconds to latch on to Darby’s expression. “Oh. My. God. You’ve done it. You’ve checked off the biggest item on the List. Is it Quinn? Of course, it’s Quinn. Yay, it’s Quinn!”
Darby tried hushing her friend but by the time she managed, every eye in the place was on them and her face was the color of a ripe tomato. She hoped no one understood the context of Myla’s words but this was Bloo Moose so she had her doubts.
Myla squirmed in her seat. “Details. I want details.”
Darby laughed. “Not a chance. Especially not here.”
Over lunch, Myla pestered for more information and Darby deflected as much as she could. Myla’s writer’s instincts had Darby divulging more than she’d expected. Probably because along with her fling with Quinn, she’d gained another thing she’d never truly expected to have. A friend. A friend she could trust. And share everything with.
“I bet he’s good at talking dirty. He’s a charmer and he’s good with words in general. I’m right, aren’t I? Tell me I’m right. You’ve got to give me something.”
Darby thought back to the mirror and a smile popped out before she could stop it.
Myla clapped and laughed. “I knew it. I don’t suppose you’re going to share any of his best lines?”
With a shake of her head, she tried changing the subject. Again. “Have you finalized the guest list?”
Myla pouted. “It’s impossible. As soon as we think of one person we think of three more who would be insulted not to be invited if that first one was. At one point we considered stopping traffic on Boardwalk Avenue and having the ceremony right in the middle of the town so whoever wanted to come could show up.” A shudder ran through her. “But I don’t think I could handle that many people.”
Darby reached over and squeezed Myla’s hand. “The wedding’s about you and Sawyer, not anyone else. Forget them. Forget everyone except you two. You’ll know what’s right.”
Myla’s eyes filled with tears. “You’re right, Darby. We’ll figure it out.”
Twenty minutes later, the women headed out the door. The clouds chose that exact moment to open up. Myla squealed and yanked up the hood on her jacket and ran for her car, waving. She and Sawyer lived way out on the lake because until her brother had met Myla he’d been a solitary guy.
Darby opened her umbrella and headed out in the opposite direction. She wanted to pick up a little something for Quinn. Well for her and Quinn. Even the thought of what she was going to buy made her tingle in all the right places.
At the grocery store, she headed to the produce aisle and picked up some strawberries then chocolate syrup in a squeeze bottle. At the dairy shelf, her hand reached out then back a few times before she could pick up the spray can of whipped cream. Would people know what she was planning? She needed more in her cart. Eggs. No one would suspect eggs. And Gouda. Nothing sexy about cheese.
Wait. Wine and cheese. Maybe the Gouda should go back.
“Hello, Darby. I love your new look. I missed you at The Lucky the other day but I’ve heard lots of good things about the changes you’ve made.”
Darby whirled to find Megs Carter, Mario Fortini’s main rival for Gossip Guru of Bloo Moose and head baker at The Lucky. Panic shot through her at the thought of the items in her basket. Why hadn’t she grabbed some vegetables, too? No one would think anything if she had carrots. “Thanks, Megs. How are you?”
Not one for pleasantries, Megs ignored the question. “I hear Quinn’s store is almost finished. Does that mean he won’t be staying with you any longer?”
Wow. Straight to the point. “I don’t know if he’s figured out when he’ll move.” Did that sound okay?
Megs’ smile took twenty years off her. “Then you’re not doing it right, dear.” Her eyes sparkled through her thick glasses as she peered down into Darby’s basket. “I hope that whipped cream helps.” The older woman patted her arm, leaving Darby speechless in the aisle.
When she could move her feet again Darby raced for the checkout. Relief poured through her when no one else mentioned the items in her basket or her red face.
Outside the rain poured down, helping her obscure her embarrassment. Taking a deep breath she put up her umbrella and headed for home.
Boardwalk Avenue ran the whole length of town with few cross streets. The shops and apartments above shared walls and danced in a line along the street.
The original builders had obviously tried to squeeze as much commerce along the lake as possible. Smart planning to attract the tourists to as many shops as possible but annoying when you were hurrying through the rain. The occasional alley gave access to back streets and parking lots but there were few shortcuts on her route home.
Darby was hurrying past one of the alleys when a hand reached out to grab her. She yelped in surprise and stumbled as the hand yanked her into the alley. Her momentum propelled her backward and she banged into the wall, dropping her grocery bag and umbrella in an effort to keep herself upright.
She scrambled to grab the umbrella but a shove to her back forced her to stumble again. She fell to the asphalt, scraping her hands and knees. Sucking in a breath to steady herself, Darby tried to push to her feet but a foot planted itself onto her back and shoved until she was flat on the ground.
Heart beating a timpani, she tried to think, tried to react but between the rain, the fear and the flashbacks to Philip, she was pretty much paralyzed.
The foot pressed into her back and forced her down further, driving her face into a puddle. “Tell him to do it.”
The hoarse whisper sent shudders down her spine. “What? Who?”
“Don’t be stupid.” The voice carried enough malevolence to have her shaking. “Don’t ask questions. Tell him to do it. He’ll know.”
She started to saying something—she wasn’t sure what—but the foot thumped her back down into the puddle. When the pressure eased off, she started to take a deep breath but a kick to the ribs had her gasping for air.
For about ten seconds the fear kept her still. And then she got mad.
Jumping to her feet, Darby grabbed her umbrella and whirled around prepared to swing.
She was alone.
Closing the umbrella so it acted like a spear, she edged to the front of the alley and peeked around the corner. A half-dozen stores to her left a lone man walked away, dark pants and jacket, hood pulled up against the rain. In the other direction, two men dressed almost identically walked in the other direction several yards apart.
She didn’t know who to follow, who to accuse.
Or who to run from.
Trembling, Darby gathered her groceries back into the bag then approached the front of the alley again. No one walking now. Only the rain filled the streets.
Keeping her umbrella closed and at the ready, Darby ran all the way home.
QUINN cleaned up the last of the mess in the storage room and checked the time again. He’d expected Darby over an hour ago and she wasn’t answering her phone. The woman was so organized he’d be shocked if she’d let the battery die but anything was possible. He’d dialed the landline at the B&B but she hadn’t answered then either.
Quinn tried to push down the worry. Darby was allowed to have a life. Allowed to do her own thing. She didn’t
need to account for every second of her day to him.
But he wanted her to.
Damn.
The thought brought him to a halt.
This wasn’t a short-term affair. He wanted her in his life. In his future. He didn’t want to imagine a future without her. This wasn’t a short term anything. Long term all the way.
Love.
The idea rolled around in his head while he walked down the stairs. Commitment. Love.
He hadn’t thought he’d have it in him with the lack of shining examples he’d had in his life. His parents’ marriage had been one of convenience. A merger, not a blending of two people and their lives. They hadn’t shared a bedroom during Quinn’s memory. Apparently, once they’d secured progeny they’d called quits on that part of their lives.
That sure as hell wouldn’t be happening with him and Darby. He was grinning as he pulled on a ball cap. Sex with her was a constant surprise and full of joy. She was the most sensual woman he’d ever been with. So open and honest about everything. He could see her in her eighties giving him that smile that had his body up and raring to go in about ten seconds flat.
Quinn zipped up the sweatshirt in deference to the rain and jogged the few blocks. He let himself into the B&B hoping to catch her wearing that apron in the kitchen.
No tantalizing aromas this time so he headed upstairs. If she’d gotten caught in the rain, she might have jumped in the shower to warm up. He could join her and afterward he’d tell her. Find out if she loved him back.
That brought him to a halt on the stairs. What if she didn’t? What if he’d misread her feelings?
No. No way. Her eyes showed him her heart and had been for days.
What was between them was too good, too big, not to be reciprocated.
He took the flight to the third floor two stairs at a time and moved to her door, banging into it when he found it locked. She never locked it unless they were making love.
“Darby?” He knocked on the door. He couldn’t hear the shower but he knew she was in there. Just as he knew something was wrong.