by Cali MacKay
“More than anything.” She continued to stroke him with one hand, her pace quickening as they discussed the matter, while her other hand reached down to heft his balls and stroke the delicate spot behind them.
“Fuck, Emma…that feels good.” Too good. And it left him tempted to prolong the experience by not letting either of them come until the end of the night. Grabbing her wrists, he ignored her protests, spinning her around and pressing her hands to the wall, kicking her legs apart so that she was forced to lean forward.
Fuck, the woman was gorgeous. She had curves despite a slender waist, and a plump ass that made him want to sink his teeth in. With the water pouring over them, he ran a hand down her spine, loving how her body shimmied and arched in response.
Unable to resist, he sunk his cock into her tight, slippery pussy, hard and deep, before pulling out fully, and then did it again, eliciting curses and moans from that sweet mouth of hers. “Quinn…you’re killing me. Please, just fuck me.”
“Like this?” Again, he plunged in with one deep stroke, before pulling out, his need for her an almost painful ache. She ground and shifted her hips against him, searching him out, when he fisted her hair and pulled her head back, his mouth by her ear as he nuzzled her, his stubble rough against her delicate skin. “Touch yourself, sweetheart—but don’t you dare make yourself come.”
He lowered one of her hands between her legs and guided her fingers over her clit before letting her take over, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “I can’t do this and not come, Quinn. Not when you already have me so close.”
He buried his cock again—once, twice—before pulling out, her cries of frustration only adding to his need for her. “Don’t come, kitten—or there’ll be consequences.”
This time, he left the head of his cock lingering at her slick opening, but a firm hand on her hips kept her from taking him any further. Her fingers were still gliding over her clit, her breathing now coming in strained and ragged gasps. “Fuck, Quinn…I don’t think I can hold back.”
When he buried himself deep inside her, he felt her body tighten around him, crying out as she came. He had to smile. “Sweetness…you weren’t supposed to do that. But you like being naughty, don’t you? And it makes me wonder if you’ll like it just as much when I punish you.”
“Why the hell does it turn me on when you talk like that?” With him still inside her, she tried moving her hips along his length, and damn, but he couldn’t resist her any longer.
He pulled out of her and slapped her ass hard enough to leave a handprint against her porcelain skin, eliciting a surprised cry as she looked over her shoulder at him. She gave him a sultry smile filled with humor. “Bastard.”
He had to laugh. “Am I, now?”
She bit her lip, and arched her back, so her plump ass teased him enticingly. “Do it again, Quinn. Please…?”
He nearly groaned with his need for her, her words nearly doing him in. “Sweetheart, you’re just so fucking naughty.”
He ran his hand over one ass cheek and then the other, her skin warm where he’d already slapped her. Such a fine ass…and it was his. All his. He let his hand fall across the opposite cheek with a stinging slap, as she buried her head against the crook of her elbow with a wanton moan.
“Quinn…”
The need in her voice nearly had him coming undone. He slapped her ass once more and then plunged deep inside her with a hard thrust. She gasped and shivered in response, her hips shifting against his cock as he fisted her hair and pulled her head back, pinning her against the cold tile wall so she couldn’t move her hips. “Next time, you’ll do as you’re told, sweetheart, or the consequences will be far greater. Do you understand?”
“Fuck…” She closed her eyes, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “Why does that make me want to misbehave?”
Her admission had him going so hard, he was dizzy with his need for her. Never before had he felt this way. Never. “Sweet girl…you’re such a dirty little thing. I bet you never even knew you had it in you.”
“Please, Quinn…I need you to fuck me. I need you to make me come.” He could hear the tension in her voice, could feel her body squeezing around his cock, still desperate for more, despite having just come.
The aching pressure made it so he could think of nothing but taking her—and he did just that, pounding into her one hard thrust after another, taking her roughly against the shower wall, his body pressed against hers as he bit her neck.
Her body tightened once more as she cried out, coming again as he erupted inside her, his cock pulsing as he joined her with his own release, collapsing against her. Holding her to him, he tried to slow his breathing, suddenly feeling overwhelmed as his physical state ramped up his emotions. “Fuck, Emma…I’m in love with you.”
There was no point in skirting the truth. Not when he was in so deep, his feelings undeniable. He wanted her and all she had to offer, and he refused to back away from how he felt.
She spun around to face him, but what he hadn’t expected to see on her pretty face was a look of anger. “Damn it, Quinn… Why did you have to ruin an amazing night by screwing with my head? It’s cruel to say shit like that when I’m just some passing fancy because you’re bored with your usual fare.”
He should be pissed off that she’d think that of him, and yet given his past, he couldn’t blame her for being leery of him making those sorts of confessions.
“You know I wouldn’t lie to you, Emma—and certainly not about something so serious. When I say that I love you, I mean it.” He cupped her cheek and stole a kiss, while a smile tugged at his lips. “And it doesn’t matter if you’re not there yet, because I’m not going anywhere. Take all the time you need, love.”
“You already know that I’ve fallen for you—hard. But I swear, if you break my heart, Quinn, I’ll fricassee your balls and serve them to you for dinner.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, Chef.”
She looked up at him with such a look of worry, but took a deep breath, as if deciding to trust him in this last way. “I do love you, Quinn.”
He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, pulling her into his arms, and holding her close, his heart racing like a freight train. “I love you too, Emma. More than life itself.”
***
It had to be nearly three in the morning when Emma’s cell phone went off. She grabbed it and headed into the bathroom as Quinn fought through the sleep clouding his head, though it didn’t take long for her to return and start throwing on clothes. “What’s going on?”
“The alarm went off at the restaurant, so the security company called me. Probably nothing. It happens. Go back to bed.” When she leaned over and kissed him, he grabbed her hand.
“Give me a minute and I’ll come with you.” When he started to sit up, she pushed him back into bed.
“Stay…keep the bed warm for me. I swear I won’t be long.”
“Doesn’t matter, since I’m still coming with you. It’s late, it’s dark, and you don’t know if there’s something going on at the restaurant. I refuse to have you walk in on some robbery in progress and get yourself hurt.” Or worse. The thought of something happening to her was unbearable, kicking his adrenaline into overdrive.
It didn’t take long before he was driving them into town, but he was feeling distracted. He swore he’d do everything he could to make sure he kept her safe, especially after Capaldi’s threat. “Promise me you’ll stay away from Capaldi. And if he ever shows up, you’re to call me immediately.”
“What happened that night? Why were the two of you fighting? You never said.” She glanced over at him with her brow furrowed.
“He was talking shit, to try to piss me off, and he did just that. He got what he deserved. But that’ll be nothing compared to what’ll happen to him if he lays a single finger on you.” Capaldi’s words weaseled their way back into Quinn’s thoughts, taunting and teasing him. The thought of that slimy bastard touching Emma wa
s enough to have him contemplating murder.
“Are you saying he threatened me? Because the guy who fixed the walk-in said the damage had been done on purpose. And there’ve been other incidents, though we half-thought they’d just been accidents or carelessness.”
“What sort of incidents? Were you hurt?” Quinn’s blood was boiling with rage. He wanted to tear Capaldi limb from limb. It was one thing for him to go after Quinn, but Emma was off-limits.
“No. Just stuff with the restaurant. I’d been putting it down to rotten luck until I was told that the fridge had been tampered with, and since Capaldi has made it clear from the start that he wasn’t happy I’d opened my restaurant so close to his…” She shrugged, looking worried. “What did he say?”
“He was rude and vulgar.” And now Quinn was wondering if this was far more serious than Capaldi just trying to get a rise from him.
“And you punched him for it? That was awfully chivalrous, Quinn.” She reached over and squeezed his hand with a worried smile.
“I protect what’s mine, Emma, and make no mistake, you are mine.” And if Capaldi already had her in his sights, then Quinn would just have to make sure Emma was protected—whether she knew it or not. “Don’t blow this off. If Capaldi’s behind these accidents, then this isn’t something to take lightly.” He brushed the hair from her eyes and leaned over to kiss her, keeping one eye on the road.
“I won’t. I promise. But it’s late and I just want to check on the Old Port and then crawl back into bed with you. It’s my last day off and I want to make the most of it.” She ran her fingers through his hair, as he turned them away from the coastline and towards the center of town. “Crap. It totally escaped me that you probably don’t have tomorrow off. Sorry…I can head home when you take off in the morning.”
“I took the day off since I didn’t have any meetings of importance, but even if I did have to go into work, my place is now your home. Remember? We’re living together, darling.” He twined her fingers with hers and brought her hand to his lips, loving the fact that they were now living together. “We should move your stuff in later today. Once you have your things with you, it’ll feel more like home.”
“You do realize that your house is nothing like any of the places I’ve ever lived in, right?”
“Don’t worry, kitten. By the time I’m done fucking you in every room and on every surface, it’ll feel just like home.” His mind was already there—when sirens and bright flashing lights distracted him.
A horrible sinking feeling overcame Quinn, his worst fears coming true as they pulled down the road where her restaurant was located. Flames could be seen pushing against the black of night as firefighters ran towards the building—his building and her restaurant—to put out the fire.
And above it all, were Emma’s heartwrenching cries as all her dreams and hard work went up in an inferno.
Chapter Fifteen
Already out of the car, Emma tried to break free of Quinn’s grasp as he held her to him, her heart shattered by the loss and devastation. Everything she was, all her hopes and dreams, were tied to the Old Port, and it was all going up in flames. Tears streamed down her face as she stopped her struggles, and instead, resorted to sobbing in Quinn’s arms.
“We’ll rebuild it, Emma. I promise. And whoever did this to you will fucking pay. I swear, love, I won’t rest until then.” His entire body reverberated with anger as he held onto her.
“Your building—and your project. I’m so sorry, Quinn.” It was a huge loss for both of them, and yet somehow, knowing she wasn’t alone in all this helped.
“If Capaldi is behind this, then I’m going to fucking murder the bastard.” He huffed out one ragged breath after another, nestling her against his shoulder as she wept. “What’s most important is that we’re both safe and there shouldn’t have been anyone in the building, given the late hour. We still have each other, love, and that means we can get through anything.”
She nodded, hoping he was right, squeezing her eyes shut against flashing lights. Smoke and steam filled the air as the firefighters pushed back the flames, and ash drifted down like the first snow of winter. The police and fire department had questions for her, and somehow, with Quinn’s help, she managed to get through them all—no, they hadn’t been open for service that day and no, there hadn’t been anyone at the restaurant; yes, everything was up to code and she had a sprinkler system in place; yes, she did know of someone who’d wish her ill.
By the time they wrapped things up, the sky was shifting towards dawn. Quinn pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head, though she felt completely numb, as if she were floating outside her body.
“Will they let us go in to see how bad the damage is?” Not knowing the extent of the damage to her restaurant was killing her. She’d seen the flames at the front of the dining room, but was hoping it’d somehow stayed contained, that she’d manage to salvage something…anything.
When she looked up at him in question, he cupped her cheek, his brows drawn over darkened eyes. “I’m sorry, love, but no. They’re still investigating and it may not be safe. But eventually, they’ll give us the okay—and no matter what we encounter, we’ll deal with it. We’ll get it all back, better than new. You have my word. Let’s go home, love. It’s been a long night.”
With a final glance at the burnt-out shell that once housed her dreams, Quinn drove them home.
***
Emma had barely managed a few hours of sleep when Jake showed up at Quinn’s home after hearing about the fire on the local news and calling her cell. The moment Quinn opened the door, Jake crossed to her side and pulled her into a tight hug, holding her to him as the dogs circled, sniffing curiously and wagging their tails. “Em…I was so worried about you.”
The familiar feel of him and the emotion in his voice set off her waterworks again, even though she didn’t think she had a single tear left in her. Somehow she found the strength to pull away and dry her eyes. “We don’t know how bad the damage is yet.”
Quinn stepped to her side, possessiveness in the gesture. “There were sprinklers in the building, but with the fire still raging, I’m starting to wonder if some sort of accelerant had been used. Emma mentioned there’ve been other incidents.”
Jake gave the dogs a scratch, and then stuffed his hands in his jean pockets, his gaze shifting from her to Quinn. “Yeah. But small things. Nothing like this.”
“Jake…I don’t know how long it’ll take to get back up and running. If you have to go elsewhere for work, I’ll understand.” She couldn’t swallow down the lump that lodged itself in her throat. After so many years of working together, the thought of cooking without him at her side was inconceivable to her, and yet she couldn’t expect him to stick around.
“Don’t go worrying about me, Em. I’ll manage just fine, okay? Besides, I can’t imagine cooking anywhere else. And if you need anything…I can help.” He started to shift towards her like he wanted to pull her into his arms, but with Quinn at her side, he hesitated.
Quinn tangled his fingers with hers, though it was Jake he was addressing when he spoke. “Finn Scott will be re-opening his own place soon. If you’d like, I can see about getting you a job there until the Old Port is back up and running.”
“Yeah, maybe. Just to keep me busy. I appreciate it.” Emma could tell that Jake hadn’t been expecting Quinn to help. And yet the way his gaze shifted from her to Quinn, it was clear he still didn’t like the thought of her dating Quinn. “I’m going to get going. Keep me updated, Em. And if you need anything at all, call.”
“I’ll see you out.” She gave Quinn’s hand a squeeze and then let it go, heading out the door behind Jake, with Thor tagging along as they stepped out into a bright sunny day.
“Who’s this guy?” Jake leaned against his car and gave her dog a good scratch behind the ears.
“Thor. He’s mine, actually. We volunteered at the shelter yesterday and he decided to come home with me.” Thor lean
ed against Jake’s leg to have his back scratched. “He likes you.”
“Glad to hear it, since he could probably make a meal of me. He’s practically the size of your apartment though, Em.”
She wanted to groan, though there was no point in avoiding the inevitable. “They’re renovating my apartment building, so I’ve moved in with Quinn for now.” Or longer…
“Em!” He shook his head and scowled. “Damn it… What the hell is it with you and this guy?”
“He’s a hell of a lot nicer than you give him credit for. And yeah, things are moving fast between us, but he makes me happy.” Jake was her best friend, and she needed him to like Quinn or she’d constantly feel torn between the two of them.
He pulled her into his arms and held her in a long hug, before letting out a big huff of breath that held a note of finality. “Then I suppose that’s all that matters, though you know I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”
“I know.”
She saw Jake off with a wave, when an SUV pulled down the driveway. Gabe. She tried not to groan, but she had no desire to be around him after he’d stormed off yesterday at the shelter, making it all too clear what he thought of her. Thor let out a low rumble but Emma quickly shushed him.
“Hey, Emma.” Gabe stopped in front of her, looking almost apologetic. “I’m really sorry to hear about the fire—and I’m sorry for being an asshole yesterday. It’s just that we’re a tight-knit family, and the women Quinn normally dates…” He let out a shrug and a sigh.
“Well, I’m nothing like them. I don’t want Quinn’s money, nor his help for that matter, though I’ll be damned if I can get him to listen to me.” Emma appreciated that Gabe was trying to make amends, though she had to wonder if it was because Quinn had said something to him. She was quickly realizing just how protective Quinn was of her, and she knew he hadn’t been too happy with the way Gabe had treated her, even if she hadn’t told him what had happened. “I do appreciate the apology. I love your brother, and family’s important.”