“So, Three Little Pigs, huh?” he asked, trying to clear his mind.
She picked up her jacket and put it on. “I didn’t choose it on purpose. I didn’t even know you were watching, you creeper. Besides, didn’t I make a convincing wolf?”
“Hmmm … not bad, but you can use some work. You need more growling and bigger teeth, and wolves definitely don’t blow houses down.”
“Well, that’s the point of the story,” she said. “That the blowhard wolf loses in the end,” she added with a twinkle in her eye.
He laughed. “These damn fairy tales. Always making the wolves the bad guys. Don’t they know wolves can be good?”
“You’ll have to take that up with the Brothers Grimm, I’m afraid. I only read them.” She chuckled. “Okay, I’m ready.”
They walked out of the library, and Quinn hailed a cab, despite Selena’s protests that they could take the subway uptown. “My treat,” he said. “For the hot dogs.”
Neither spoke on the ride, but Quinn enjoyed the comfortable silence in the back of the yellow cab. As Selena looked out the window, Quinn watched her, tracing his sight along the milky skin of her cheeks, over the button nose and generous mouth, wondering how…fucking hell, get a hold of yourself. Maybe he did need to get laid if he was starting to think of her that way. A trip to Blood Moon tonight might do the trick.
The cab stopped abruptly, jolting Quinn out of his thoughts. He handed the cabbie some cash and followed Selena out of the vehicle. He couldn’t help but notice how Selena seemed so excited. She was practically bouncing on her feet, and her mouth was forming into a smile as they approached the entrance to the exhibit.
“What kind of exhibit is this, anyway?” he asked.
“They’re showcasing a bunch of stuff from the movies and the books,” she explained. “They’ve got some really cool stuff. Props and costumes from the film and a couple of things from the Tolkien Estate—stuff that’s never left England until now. The organizers received special permission to bring them to New York.”
They gave their tickets to the attendant by the gate and walked into the exhibit.
“Oh! Let’s start here!” Selena said excitedly, tugging his hand as she led him into one of the rooms.
Quinn watched Selena as she oohed and ahhed over the different displays in the various rooms. She was animated as she talked, not really letting Quinn get a word in edgewise, but he didn’t mind as she seemed so happy, just talking about the different costumes and props and various items from the movies and the author himself. And seeing her in good spirits lightened his mood, too. Even Wolf was curled up contentedly inside him.
When they got to the door of the last room, she stopped and turned to him. “Now, we come to the best part. The reason why this exhibit is sold out.” Her eyes sparkled as she drew the curtain aside and they stepped into the final exhibit.
It was dark inside, illuminated only by fairy lights placed all around the room. They seemed to be in a forest at night, surrounded by trees and shrubbery. Giant tree trunks rose around them, giving a feeling of being high up in the canopy of a forest. In the middle was an elaborately carved arch and a set of steps.
“It’s …”
“Lothlorien,” Quinn finished.
“How did you know?” she asked, her jaw dropping. “I thought you said you’ve never seen the movies?”
“I told you I read,” he said smugly. “I’ve read all the books a couple of times. I didn’t want to see the movies because I had this vision in my head and didn’t want to ruin it.” He looked around. “Hmmm … not bad.”
Selena snorted. “They recreated the entire set from the movie in here. I think it deserves more than a ‘not bad.'” She walked up the steps, her gaze transfixed on the delicately carved arches, examining the details.
Quinn thought it really was amazing, and aside from a few details here and there, it was close to what he had imagined all those years ago when he first read the book while huddled in one of Archie’s leather armchairs. However, even the amazing set couldn't stop him from glancing at Selena and he watched her face look up in wonder. The lights were illuminating her beautiful face with an unearthly glow. Her blue-gray eyes glittered and her pink lips parted, and he suddenly found himself right behind her, taking in her yummy butterscotch scent.
“Did you see the—oomph!” Selena turned around, not realizing how close he was, and bumped right into him. To prevent her from falling back, he wrapped his arms around her and brought her close to his chest.
“Hey now, klutz,” he said. “Watch where you’re going.”
“Me?” she asked in an incredulous voice. “What the hell are you doing, anyway, standing right behind me?”
“I was trying to get a better view.”
“There’s no one else here,” she pointed out. “Now will you please …” She tried to squirm out of his arms, but Quinn tightened his grip around her. “Just let go.”
Quinn wasn’t sure what possessed him, maybe it was Lothlorien or Wolf’s happy groans and sighs, but he leaned his head down and planted his mouth on hers. The touch of their lips sent a shock of electricity and something alien through his system. Selena let out a surprised squeak, but soon melted into his arms. Her soft curves pressed up against his body felt so right, but, at the same time, sent fear straight to his gut.
“Ahem.”
They quickly broke apart as a stern-faced older woman stood in front of them, her hand on her hip and her gaze steely. Behind her, a group of kids was staring at them, wide-eyed. Someone in the back giggled, and, soon, all the children followed suit, much to their teacher’s chagrin.
“Uh, sorry,” Quinn apologized quickly. He took Selena’s hand and dragged her out of the exhibit, into the main hallway.
“What the hell was that about?” she hissed, snatching her hand away.
“Yeah, who brings kids to a Lord of the Rings exhibit, anyway?”
“That’s not what I meant!” she replied, her voice lowering to a whisper as more people passed by them, the exhibit reaching its peak time. “You … we … you can’t just do that!”
The anger in her voice sent a pang of hurt to his chest, but he swallowed it down and did what he always did when he felt like this. He let out a laugh. “Do what, kitten?” he asked, flashing her lopsided smile.
“Kiss me, you idiot!”
“You mean, here?” he asked. “In front of all these people? I don’t know … you should probably take me out to dinner first.”
“You’re such an ass! I mean, you can’t kiss me like that!”
“Sheesh, lighten up, Selena,” he shot back. “It was just a kiss, no big deal.” Wolf, on the other hand, thought it was a very big deal and was urging him to do it again, but he told the thing to shut the hell up. “Besides, it’s not like you were fighting me off.”
“How could I when your steroid-jacked arms were keeping me from moving?”
“I’ll have you know that these guns,” he said, pointing to his arms, “are all natural. No ‘roids needed.”
She let out a sigh. “Never mind. It was a terrible kiss, anyway.”
“What?” he exclaimed. What the fuck was she saying? He was a good kisser, and he had a trail of happy women to prove it. He was about to protest when he saw the glint in her eyes. “You’re fucking with me!”
“Lighten up, Quinn, it was just a kiss, no big deal,” she laughed and then slapped him playfully in the arm. “Let’s just forget it, okay? We got caught up in the magic of Tolkien, that was it.”
“Yeah,” he said weakly. “That’s it.” He squared his shoulders. “This would never work between us anyway.”
“Of course not,” Selena said.
Her agreement came a little too quickly for his taste, but he pressed on. “I’m not looking for a relationship, you know. Too many complications, and women only want one thing.”
“And what is that?” she asked, her brows raised.
“You know, to trap us men into marriag
e, commitment, kids. The whole shebang.”
“Right. Because you’re such good husband material,” she said dryly. “Well, I don’t need a relationship either and certainly not one with you.”
“We’re in agreement then.” He stuck out his hand. “No relationship for us.”
She shook it. “Yeah, definitely not.”
“So, we should just stay friends.”
“Yes, we should.” She nodded, then frowned. “Wait, were we friends before?”
“We were … whatever we were. Now, even though you’re a nerd and you’re short, I think we can be friends.”
“And even though you’re a jackass, the fact that you read Tolkien has earned you a smidgen of respect in my book, so I guess we can be friends.”
“Good,” he agreed. “Now, let’s go get some dinner because I’m starving.”
Chapter Four
After the exhibit, she and Quinn had dinner at a Mexican place a few blocks away. They spent most of the meal throwing insults at each other and laughing, and, though she had a good time, she couldn’t wait to get home.
As Selena closed the door to her apartment, she breathed out a long sigh. Now that she could let her guard down, all the tension left her body, and she slumped back against the front door. Her knees buckled at the memory of that kiss. Quinn's lips had sent desire straight to her belly (and if she was really honest, much lower), but, apparently, it was all a joke to Quinn.
The sting of rejection had hit her hard, although she really should have been used to it by now. But still, coming from him, it hurt. So, she put on her usual front—brassy, bold, and completely unfazed. She was just “one of the guys” because, as she learned growing up, it hurt less. It meant not having to worry that her stepsisters would go after a boy the moment Selena showed interest in him. It also meant it was easier to pretend it didn’t hurt when a guy dropped her like a hot potato the moment either Alexis or Katrina started paying attention to him.
She told herself it was better this way. On looks alone, Quinn was way out of her league. It took all her strength not to melt whenever he flashed her those baby blues or to keep staring at his full mouth. The feel of them on hers branded into her brain. Today, he was wearing another one of those too-tight shirts that showed off his perfect physique and those ripped jeans that molded to his ass.
“I’m such an idiot,” she said aloud, slamming her fists on the door. With another loud sigh, she walked over to the couch and plopped down, sinking into the cushions. Why did she invite him to go to the exhibit anyway? Sure, it was sweet of him to get her those tickets, but he didn’t even assume he would go with her. She should have just said thanks and let him go.
A buzzing sound snapped Selena out of her thoughts, and she grabbed her phone, checking the caller ID—Dad. She let out another groan. She’d been dodging her father’s calls for days now.
Tossing the phone aside, she grabbed one of the throw pillows and placed it over her face. She let out a muffled scream as she waited for the call to go to voicemail.
If only Quinn had been his usual asshole self during dinner. Sure, they traded barbs, but he was so sweet. He even pulled out her chair for her, asked her what she wanted to eat, and then paid for the meal. For Christ’s sake, he even brought her back to her apartment in Washington Heights, even though he lived in the opposite direction, and waited until she was safely in the building before leaving. It was frustrating because her heart did little flip-flops whenever he smiled at her. She had to repeat his words in her head over and over again to tell the damn thing to stop. Quinn was not a relationship type of guy. From the moment they met, she branded him a manwhore, and he confirmed it today. But what about her? Well, that was complicated.
Her phone beeped, indicating a message had come in. Wow, a call followed by a message. Her father was serious. She picked up the phone from between the cushions and glanced at the text. Call me. Another long sigh. She supposed she couldn’t put it off. Hitting the return call button, she braced herself.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Selena,” Leonard Merlin replied. “Why didn’t you pick up?”
“I was … in the bathroom.”
“All right, well, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you the entire week.”
“I know, I’m sorry dad. Things are busy at work. Budget cuts and all,” she lied.
“Well, now that I have your undivided attention,” Leonard began, “We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“Joseph and Melissa want to formalize your engagement to Jason. A summer solstice wedding would be a good omen and who knows, maybe by this time next year, you’ll have my grandchild.”
“Er …” Oh yeah, that’s what was complicated.
Few people outside the magical world knew how their society worked. The amount of power a witch or warlock had dictated their place in the hierarchy of things, and Selena, being powerless, had no social standing at all. No warlock should have wanted her, but being distantly related to Charlotte Fontaine (the most powerful witch in their history) and her last name somehow gave her an edge and made her a better prospect than even Alexis or Katrina. While she may be Selena the Dud, there was a chance her children could come into power, and even blessed power. Witch and warlock marriages weren’t strictly arranged, certain pairings were encouraged, especially if both parties wanted to secure their position in the magical community.
Selena initially didn’t want to marry anyone at all. Having been burned so many times by past crushes falling for her stepsisters, she was holding out and hoping they would settle down first. But her father had been insistent, telling her if she wanted to have children with any power at all, her only chance was with a powerful warlock. She was actually surprised to learn that Jason Ward, the son of one of their elders, had any interest in her. Not only was he a talented warlock, but his father was also one of the more prominent coven elders. She’d known Jason since grade school and though they’d been in some classes together in high school, it wasn’t like they were best friends. In fact, he seemed rather cold, not just to her but to everyone. She knew Alexis and Katrina both had their eyes on him, but he didn’t take their bait, a fact that had her stepsisters steaming mad.
It was just after Christmas when her father told her Jason was interested. Frankly, she was surprised, but Jason came to her in person and put it so logically. They were both relatively young, which meant they could try for a couple of kids. Jason was a partner in his father’s law firm, and she could stay home and raise the children if she wanted to. Really, if she was going into an arrangement, she couldn’t have asked for a better person. Jason said she could take her time to consider his proposal. But still, she thought of him like a stranger, even though she’d known him her whole life. How could she muster up any lust for him? Thoughts of lust brought back memories of Quinn and their kiss. Talk about bad timing.
“Selena, are you there?”
How long had she zoned out? Selena rubbed her eyes. “Yes, I’m here, Dad.”
“So, what about it?” Leonard asked. “We can have the engagement party at Glenwood. Melissa says she’ll take care of everything, and all you have to do is show up.”
“I don’t know, dad.”
There was silence on the line for what seemed like forever. “Selena. How could you possibly need more time to think about this? Don’t you see that this is your only chance to make a good match? Jason Ward could have any witch he wants, but he chose you.”
“I—”
“Selena, you won’t be able to find a better offer than this. In fact, I highly doubt any warlock with even a smidgen of power would be interested in you. Can’t you see? This is your duty. To help produce the next generation of witches and warlocks. Don’t you want children?”
Selena bit her lip. Of course she wanted kids. She would love any child she had, magical or not, but if they were magical, it would make their lives easier. Unlike hers. “You can’t possibly expect me to marry someone I don’t kno
w.”
Leonard let out a laugh and then his voice turned serious. “Really, Selena, how can you be so choosy? I swear, if you don’t give this some serious thought … there will be consequences.”
Her father’s voice cut deep into her. Leonard didn’t have to say it, but she knew what that meant. When her mother was alive, she was always telling Selena the importance of being part of the community, and, while she was growing up, she did enjoy coven life. It was only when she hit puberty and her powers didn’t come in that they started treating her differently. Not cruelly, the way her stepsisters did, but they all gave her looks of pity, and she knew they all thought the same thing—what a shame that a child from two powerful bloodlines turned out to be a disappointment. Still, the coven was important to her and to the memory of her mother.
If Leonard was saying what she thought he was saying, it meant only one thing. Banishment. She’d be shunned instead of pitied. No support system. She wouldn’t even be able to visit Philadelphia or her childhood home or her mother’s grave.
“I … fine …” she relented. “I’ll think about it some more and give him my answer soon.” Not like she had any other prospects anyway. Maybe she should consider the engagement.
“Good. I’ll be waiting to hear your decision.” And with that, her father hung up.
In truth, Selena had all but forgotten about Jason’s proposal in the last few weeks. At that time, she had not only been flattered but considered it. She wanted a child and a family, but her stepsisters seemed determined to make sure no man would come near her. But now? The thought of marrying Jason made her stomach churn, which was strange. She wasn’t disgusted, but it just seemed … wrong. And then, of course, there was the other part. Sex.
Loving Quinn: The Lone Wolf Defenders Book 2 Page 3