28 Days: a romantic suspense

by Lexi Buchanan

  His lips traced a sensuous path of ecstasy from her neck to her breasts where he captured a nipple with tantalizing possessiveness. His hand seared a path down her abdomen and onto her thigh, lifting it to wrap around his hip. Instinctively, her body arched toward him.

  “I’m ready for you, Quinten,” Saige admitted, her fingers sliding through his hair to caress the strong tendons in the back of his neck. “I just want you,” her lips quivered as she confessed her need of him.

  “You have me.” He took her hand and guided it to himself. “Put me inside you,” his voice broke and she felt him tremble above her.

  His penis was rock hard and felt silky smooth as she guided the flared head to where she wanted him the most at that second…and then she welcomed him into her body as he slowly stretched her until he was fully seated. Her breathing was uneven and matched Quinten’s as shivers of delight followed the slow rocking of his hips.

  “Saige,” Quinten hissed, his hand moving gently down her side to clutch her bottom against him, his fingers burning into her tingling skin.

  “I know…I’m so close…please come with me,” she begged as pleasure pure and explosive rushed through her.

  The only response from him was a grunt as she clutched at his back, making keening noises as her pleasure soared higher and higher until the peak of utter delight was reached, and then wave after wave of ecstasy throbbed through her with her release.

  Quinten hissed through his teeth, finding his own release in her body as he froze above her. Hot streams of semen coated her pulsing channel, causing her body to clench tightly around his quaking flesh in one long, drawn out, release.

  He panted, his chest heaving as he took them to their sides, and tucked her curves neatly into his own contours; their bodies sated from the lovemaking.

  “I love you too, Quinten,” Saige mumbled against his chest as she snuggled against him, their legs intertwined.

  He held her against him, gentle caresses of his fingers trailed back and forth along her back while their breathing eased as their earlier passion turned into heart felt love.

  “Saige?” he questioned, when a finger traced the largest scar that she’d been left with. He bent his head and placed a soft kiss to the puckered skin on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

  She shook her head. “You had nothing to do with what happened to me…you have your own scars from that time as well.” Saige cupped his face in her hands and kissed his scarred cheek, most of which was hidden with his beard. She then lifted his hand and kissed along the scar he’d gotten breaking into the shack. “I love you.”

  Her arms went around his neck as she laid her head against his shoulder, totally exhausted. He was still inside her as he tugged the quilt over them and snuggled her against him.

  “Sleep, baby.”

  * * *

  3:00pm

  * * *

  Quinten had slept briefly with Saige in his arms, and although he hadn’t wanted to slip out of her silken sheath, he had, and left her sleeping.

  He needed to clear the cobwebs inside his head, and to think, but so far he hadn’t done much of anything, other than to stare out across the ocean.

  He might have his life back, but what kind of future did he have now that his name was known. No one would hire him, even though his name had been cleared. He was a craftsman and he knew that it was something he’d never forget, although he was probably rusty at it by now. He could get that back.

  To get his life back they’d have to move faraway from Florida. At least he had the money that the government had confiscated when he’d been convicted. Surely they’d give it back after everything. He wasn’t rich by any means, but there’d be enough to live off for months while he searched for work...Saige would come with him though. Wouldn’t she? He smiled. She’d move wherever he wanted, just like he knew that he’d stay in Port Jude or Tampa if that was what she wanted.

  “Hey.”

  He heard the smile in her voice seconds before she snuggled beside him. “I was just thinking about you.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, needing that connection to her.

  “What about me?” She grinned at him.

  He laughed. “Not about you naked, at least, not right now.” He brushed her hair back from her face with his fingers. “I was thinking about our future, and how it might be better if we moved to a state where my name wouldn’t be recognized. I was wondering if you’d want to do that.” He covered her mouth with his, kissing her until she was breathless before she could answer. For some reason, now that he’d asked, he was terrified of what she would say.

  “If you don’t want to move, then we’ll stay.”

  “I think a move will do us both some good, and I think it will be best for you to start your business up again where people don’t know your history. You’ve been cleared of all charges, but people can be weird.” Saige wrapped her arms around his arm, and her head rested on his shoulder.

  He was content to stay where they were, but knew that wasn’t an option. As long as Saige was by his side, then his life would always be complete.

  “Will you come somewhere with me?” Saige asked quietly.

  Quinten frowned, and met her gaze. “Of course. Where?”

  Saige looked nervously out at the water and his own apprehension reared its head. “Tell me.” He cupped Saige’s chin and made her look at him. “I’m not going anywhere, so please talk to me, Saige.”

  “I remember everything apart from my time in the hospital. Two years of my life are still lost. I want to know why the smell of cleaning chemicals makes me physically sick...I want to go and visit the hospital and, hopefully, get to read the records they have from my stay there.”

  Quinten stayed silent as he felt his anger at Saige’s treatment begin to rise. He hated that she went through everything without him. He should have been there with her, but he wasn’t, through no fault of his own, but it still caused an ache in his heart.

  “We’ll go together.” He lifted her into his lap and cuddled her to his chest. “Whatever happens from now on, we face it together.” He rested his chin on the top of her head. “I love you, Saige. I never stopped, and it hurts deeply to know that I was kept away from you when you needed me the most.”

  “I guess in a way, I had it easy because I’ve only recently remembered you and what we had back then. I feel guilty for that. All those years you sat on death row, remembering me, and I was trying to live my life knowing that something was missing but not knowing what.” Saige wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her sweatshirt and met his gaze. “I love you, Quinten. I loved you before and I love you now.” She smiled. “You’re stuck with me, honey.”

  “That makes me happy.”

  Day 18

  6:15am

  * * *

  Quinten spooned Saige all night, and instead of sleeping, he kept waking, thinking his imagination was playing tricks on him and she really wasn’t in his arms. He felt a touch of guilt because every time he’d woken he made love to her over and over again, needing to be as close as he possibly could to the woman he loved—the woman he felt loved him just as much.

  He smiled as Saige lay between his thighs, her head against his stomach, her fingers sliding through the hair on his chest.

  “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to move again,” she mumbled, her breath like a caress over his naval.

  He couldn’t keep the satisfied smile from his lips. “I don’t mind keeping you in bed all the time, although I think my balls might need a rest.”

  She chuckled. “Mmm.” She slipped her hand between them, over his hardening dick and massaged the balls in question. Her gentle fingers tickled between his legs and just the feel of her touching his sac had his dick rock hard in an instant. “I’m not sure they’re listening.”

  Rolling her to her back, Quinten held her arms over her head and nibbled at her neck, moving lower along her collarbone, and came to a stop as his mouth hovered over an erect cherry nipple.


  Her cell vibrated across the bedroom floor. They must have knocked it off the bedside table at some point.

  “Ignore it,” she begged, and wrapped her legs around his waist to pull him closer.

  He kissed the waiting nipple and moved off her to get the phone. “It could be important.” He frowned down when he saw it was her father.

  Saige seemed about as keen as he did when Quinten passed her the phone. “You better call him back. You’ve got a lot of missed calls from him,” he suggested.

  “I’ll call him, but only if you come back to bed and hold me.”

  “Anything.” He climbed on the bed behind her and cradled her between his thighs; his hands rubbed soothing circles on her stomach. “Call him and get it over with.”

  He felt Saige inhale and exhale before she lifted the cell and waited for her father to answer.

  The minute he did, Richard’s voice came over the phone loud and clear.

  Saige held the phone away from her ear and gave it an odd sort of look. Quinten tugged her closer and held her tightly. “I’m here with you, baby,” Quinten whispered. “Don’t forget you can do anything.”

  She nodded and switched the phone to speaker. “Dad, I’m not saying where we are, but, yes, I’m with Quinten.”

  There was silence on Richard’s end. “Do you know that Christina has left me for Alex? She could never keep her hands off that man. I should have gotten rid of the Petersons when I had the chance. They’re all no good.”

  “Dad”—she rubbed at her brow, anger and embarrassment filling her face with heat—“you really can’t blame Christina for wanting to be with the man she loves. You’ve had affairs for years with different women. At least Christina has only ever been unfaithful with the same man.”

  Richard spluttered, and that time Quinten really did struggle to hide his amusement. He’d known that Richard had affairs, but he hadn’t known a damn thing about Christina and his brother, which kind of ticked him off.

  “You would take her side.”

  Saige sighed. “I’m not taking sides and I’ve had enough of this conversation. Christina left because she was unhappy and, believe it or not, she’s in love with Alex. I suggest you get over it and find someone else. I mean, it’s not exactly going to be difficult for you.”

  “Saige!” Richard shouted as Saige hung up.

  “Oh boy. He’s never talked to me like that before.”

  Quinten kissed her bare shoulder. “You did good.”

  She turned her face to him. “Can we go to the hospital and get that over with? I want to be free to decide on where we’re going to go and what our new life is going to be like.

  He rested his forehead against hers. “Yes.”

  * * *

  2:00pm

  * * *

  Her stomach was in knots as the hospital came into view and her hands fisted on her lap. Chills raced down her spine and she knew that whatever had happened behind that brick and mortar building hadn’t been good.

  “Hey,” Quinten reached over and tried to pry her fingers open. The minute he pulled up outside the place, he turned to her and grabbed both of her hands.

  Saige grabbed hold and turned fearful eyes to him. “I’m scared.”

  Quinten watched her before he climbed from the car and ran to the opposite side and opened her door. He crouched down and tugged her out of the car and into his arms.

  Saige buried her face in his chest and clung to him. “I’m afraid of what we’re going to find out.”

  “Baby”—Quinten cupped her face—“whatever we find out, just remember you’re not alone.” He kissed her forehead. “We’re together, Saige.”

  Saige searched his eyes, seeing pain and worry in the hidden depths, but she didn’t focus on that. She focused on the love she saw shining bright in his eyes. Reaching up, Saige gave him a lingering hug, and whispered. “I love you.”

  Intertwining their fingers together, she threw him a weak smile and turned to the hospital. The place didn’t look welcoming. In fact, it looked like something out of a horror movie or The X-Files. If the sun hadn’t been blazing down on them, she would have run the other way, regardless of what she wanted to know.

  The three-story building was a dirty grey stone with small square windows that ran the length of each floor. There was no definitive shape to the structure and it looked like it had been dropped into place in the middle of nowhere.

  As they approached the only door that they could see, Saige gripped Quinten’s hand tightly, letting him lead her inside to the reception desk, which was a surprise.

  The small area had pale yellow walls with white trim. Colorful flowers in a vase sat on the corner of the receptionist’s desk, and the chairs for visitors looked welcoming and comfortable—such a contrast from the outside of the building.

  “Can I help you?” a young woman asked, dressed casually in a white skirt with splashes of color, and a plain, pink sweater.

  Saige blinked, and cleared her throat. “We don’t have an appointment, but I was wondering if Doctor Erikson was available to see us for a few minutes?”

  The woman shook her head. “I’m sorry but Doctor Erikson is the director and I’m afraid you’ll have to make an appointment if you wish to talk to him.”

  “Please,” Saige begged. “I was a patient of Doctor Erikson’s for two years. I left around six years ago.” Saige looked at Quinten, who remained silent during the exchange, but she felt his presence and knew that he was with her.

  “All I can do is let him know you are here, but I can’t promise anything. What name should I give him?” she asked, her pen poised over the notebook on the clear desk.

  “Saige Lockwood.”

  The pen slipped as she gave her name. Saige glanced at Quinten, who frowned at the young woman.

  “I’ll be back in a minute.” The woman got up and, after punching in a series of numbers by the door, disappeared through it.

  “What...” Saige started.

  “I think she recognized your name. But why?”

  Saige shook her head as the door opened again, and this time a man who looked to be in his sixties followed. He stared at Saige for a few seconds before he indicated that they should follow him.

  Her heart thudded wildly in her chest as the security door closed behind them. If Quinten hadn’t been with her, she doubted she’d have been so willing because, although the place didn’t look as frightening inside as out, it gave her the chills.

  “Who are you?” Quinten asked bluntly, which surprised a chuckle out of her. She didn’t think she’d find amusement in this place.

  The man’s eyes flickered back and forth between them, and Saige knew. “Doctor Erikson.” A memory teased her mind but was gone before it became clear. She’d talked to this man during the two weeks that she remembered, but he’d been a lot different back then. Now he seemed to have aged about twenty years.

  “Yes,” he confirmed, and showed them into an office that looked to have seen better days. “Sorry about the mess. I couldn’t find something.” He cleared his throat and indicated with his arm that they should sit.

  The silence stretched on until the doctor dipped his head and gazed at his entwined hands on the desk. “I’m going to be blunt so that I don’t waste anyone’s time. You’re here because you want to know why you spent two years in this facility.”

  Saige nodded and clung to Quinten’s hand. The doctor noticed and stared at Quinten. “I’m glad that you’re finally together.” He turned to Saige and winced. “When you were first brought here, you didn’t speak and would spend hours staring into space. A week later, it was as though you’d woken up. That’s the only way to describe it. You started asking for that young man.” He nodded toward Quinten. “When he didn’t come, you started to cry and beg for a cell phone. You didn’t seem to remember what had previously happened—the abduction or selecting Mr. Peterson as your attacker. Your father didn’t like how it distressed you not having Mr. Peterson with you.”


  “So, you’re telling me that...”

  “That you thought he abandoned you. That’s what your father wanted you to think.”

  Saige heard Quinten curse under his breath as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head, and said to Erikson, “Go on.”

  The doctor stared at her sadly as though he was making a decision. Finally, he said, “I’m dying…” He held up his hand to stop them from saying anything. “After I found out and got over the anger…I realized that I needed to right the wrongs I have committed. I’ve spent the last few days writing a report for you. You’ll probably receive it at your address in Tampa within the next day or two. I needed to tell you everything before I take it to my grave.” He rubbed at his forehead and sat back in his chair, looking exhausted.

  “What’s in the report?” Quinten asked. “Please don’t make her wait for your report to arrive. She’s waited long enough.”

  “As I should imagine you have,” the doctor added. “I wanted to avoid this because it isn’t pleasant and it certainly wasn’t legal.”

  A shiver ran through Saige at the doctor’s words. Quinten tugged her closer.

  The doctor sighed. “From the time you realized that Quinten would never be coming for you, until two weeks before you left this facility, we kept you drugged.”

  Saige had known that it had to be something like that but having it confirmed made her want to scream or hit something. The sad thing was that she didn’t have any strength for anything right then. She’d been on an emotional rollercoaster for weeks and felt that she was going to crash anytime soon.

  “Is that everything?” Quinten questioned, his head dipped to the side.

  Doctor Erikson shook his head. “Unfortunately it isn’t, and I’m just going to say it. After you’d been here for a few weeks you were taken into surgery.” He closed his eyes, and kept them closed. “I performed an...abortion.”