by Devney Perry
This was about sex, pure and wild.
I dropped a kiss to the corner of her mouth, showing her the difference. I licked her tongue when it darted past her bottom lip.
“Graham,” she whispered as her legs lifted to my hips once more.
The lust and hunger in her gaze spurred me faster, and my strides lengthened as we crossed to the corner of the parking lot.
My house was only ten blocks away, the drive would take us minutes, but damn it, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it. Not when she dropped her lips to my neck and trailed wet, openmouthed kisses up and along the line of my jaw.
“If you don’t stop now, we’ll never make it out of my truck,” I warned.
She leaned back, showing me that sly smile. “You used to like it when we didn’t make it out of your truck.”
I chuckled, the noise pained and rough. “Not tonight.”
Not for this.
If all we had was tonight, I wasn’t wasting it in a cramped backseat.
I dug the keys from my pocket and clicked the truck’s locks as we reached the passenger door. Quinn reluctantly let me go as I set her inside. Then I shut the door and jogged around the hood, making a quick adjustment to my throbbing cock before getting in and racing out of the lot.
We didn’t speak on the drive. We didn’t touch. But the electricity between us sizzled, spiking the tension and anticipation of what was to come. Would she feel the same? Quinn was a different woman. I was a different man. But would this feel the same? I was torn between wanting to relive the past and needing something entirely new.
I pulled into the garage, but before I could get out, Quinn had her seat belt unbuckled and she was leaning across the console, her lips seeking mine. The kiss was blinding and short. A tease. Our breaths were ragged when we broke apart and I dropped my head to hers, taking one second to compose myself before I lost all control.
She giggled. “We fogged up the windows.”
“If I recall correctly, we both used to like doing that.”
“Among other things,” she whispered, her lips finding the sensitive spot beside my ear.
“Out,” I ordered, shoving my door open. My heart raced and my cock throbbed as I took her hand and led her inside.
We walked straight through the kitchen and living room, my pace forcing her to skip to keep up. I took us straight to my bedroom, not bothering to close the door, as I swept her into my arms and dropped us both on the mattress.
“What do you want?” I asked, covering her with my body.
“Don’t be gentle. Don’t hold back. Not tonight.”
I nodded, staring into the eyes I saw in my dreams.
There was so much familiar about her, but the heat and the boldness in her touch, was not the Quinn from the past. She was a woman, confident and sure. There was no hesitancy in her touch as she slid a hand between us and palmed my erection through my jeans.
She’d done this. She’d been with other men since me. Men who’d helped her experiment and learn. Was Nixon one of them? Did she—
Stop. I gritted my teeth, forcing the image of her with anyone else away. She was here. Quinn was in my bed. If she wanted hard and no-holds-barred sex from me, then that’s what she’d get.
I slammed my mouth on hers and my fingers dug into her flesh, kneading her curves through her jeans. I slipped a hand underneath the hem of her hoodie, letting the callouses on my fingers drag across her smooth skin. When my palm found her breast, I tore the cup of her bra away and pinched her nipple.
“Yes,” she moaned, her back arching off the bed.
These clothes were getting in my goddamn way.
I leaned back and ripped the hoodie off her body, and her hair fanned out in blond streams on my charcoal bedding. Her bra came off next, easily unclasped and stripped from her arms. I stood from the bed and toed off my boots while she sat up and dove for the button on my jeans.
Quinn yanked them down, along with my boxer briefs, until I sprang free. Then she leaned in and her tongue darted out to lick the glistening drop at the tip of my cock.
“Fuck.” I swallowed hard, sucking in a sharp breath. No way I was going to last. It had been a long time since I’d been with a woman. If this first round went fast, I’d make it up to Quinn on the second and third. Because there was no chance in hell this was only happening once tonight. I reached behind my neck and pulled off my T-shirt, tossing it to the floor.
“What do you want?” Quinn’s nails raked across my abs, dipping into the valleys between the ridges.
I captured her wrist and dropped to my knees. “You.”
One at a time, I unlaced her boots and tugged them from her feet. She wasn’t wearing socks. She hated socks. With one hand in the center of her bare chest, I slowly pushed her into the bed and went for her jeans, dragging them down her legs. Then I took a long look at her wearing only a black lace thong.
My mouth watered.
Quinn had curves around her hips that hadn’t been there before. Her arms were stronger, the muscles toned and lean. She’d transformed from a beautiful young woman to a fantasy.
And I’d missed it.
I’d fucking missed it because I’d been so sure she’d come home.
I’d been the blind fool who’d let her walk away.
“What?” She sat up and leaned on her elbows. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I blinked the regret away and shook my head. “You’re stunning.”
“Not so bad yourself.” She licked her lips and crooked a finger. It was another bold gesture, something she wouldn’t have done at eighteen.
My Quinn had been a timid lover, shy, who’d let me be in control most of the time. We’d been tentative, the way teenagers often were, fumbling as we’d practiced the motions.
Her daring streak had only begun to show in the months before she’d left. Mine too.
We’d been each other’s firsts. We’d lost our virginity in my Chevy truck, under a sky full of stars on a warm summer night. I would have been content to live my life having Quinn and only Quinn.
That wasn’t the case anymore. Now we were both experienced and confident in the bedroom.
I fucking hated it.
“Graham.” Quinn’s voice called me back to the room. “Where did you go?”
“Just remembering.” Just wishing things would be different.
She sat up and took my hand, lacing her fingers through mine, something she’d done a thousand times. “Do you still want to do this?”
“Yes.” There was no hesitation in my answer.
We’d changed. We’d had other lovers. But Quinn was still Quinn, and she was in my bed. I’d savor and soak up tonight because it wasn’t likely to happen again.
I kissed her, sucking and nibbling, as I shoved off my jeans and she wiggled out of her panties. Then I was on her, skin to skin, as she hooked those lean legs around me and her wet center brushed against my arousal.
“Are you wet for me?”
She moaned and nodded, closing her eyes as I kissed along the arch of her throat.
The heat from her pussy, the scent of her, drove me mad. Nothing new there.
I’d lost my mind over this woman years ago.
“Hurry.” She palmed my ass, pulling me closer. Her nipples rubbed against the hard plane of my chest.
I broke away from her luscious mouth and stretched for the nightstand to get a condom. When I looked back, her eyebrows were knitted together, and her gaze was locked on the foil packet in my hand.
Was that how I’d looked thinking about her other lovers? Because Quinn’s thoughts were transparent. She was wondering why I had a stash of condoms in my drawer. She was realizing I’d had others.
I smoothed a lock of hair away from her cheek and her eyes snapped to mine. “Don’t go there. It doesn’t matter.”
“Too late,” she whispered. “It hurts.”
I traced my thumb across her cheek. “Yeah, baby. It does.”
You were supposed to let go when your fi
rst love ended. You were supposed to look at the past and smile at the memory.
You weren’t supposed to hold it so close that it wound into your very existence, making every moment impossible to forget.
“Make it stop,” she pleaded.
I ripped open the condom and rolled it on. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and clung to me as I eased my hips into the cradle of hers, positioning at her entrance and pausing only long enough to lock our gazes as I thrust inside.
The feel of her wet heat sheathing me was blinding. The worry and the pain fell away as I slid deep, connecting us in something both new and old.
“Fuck, I missed this. You.”
She hummed her agreement and tilted up her hips, urging me to move.
I pulled out only to slam inside with a fast drive that made her cry out and squeeze her eyes shut. The desperation we’d felt on the sidewalk outside the Eagles returned with raging force and I set a hard rhythm, shaking the bed with every move.
We kissed rough as I pounded inside her. Our breathing was ragged, our words and sounds incoherent. We fucked until her limbs were quaking and she cried out, her orgasm taking over and pulsing around my cock.
I gritted my teeth, holding back as she clenched, but the pleasure built in my lower spine, tingles washed up and down my limbs, and there was no fighting my release. With a roar, I let go.
She took my weight when I collapsed on top of her, boneless. Our bodies were slick with sweat and I reveled in her closeness as our breathing slowed and we returned to reality. She felt so warm in my hold that I hated to lose her, but the condom needed to be dealt with.
I kissed her temple and slid out, going to the bathroom to clean up. When I returned to the bedroom, I found her sitting on the end of the bed. Her panties were on and she was hooking her bra.
“Don’t.”
Her lashes lifted. “I should go.”
“Don’t.” It was a plea.
“Okay.” She nodded, then flung her bra to the floor and scooted up to the pillows.
A weight fell from my shoulders as I crossed the room, then turned down the covers before climbing in. I tucked her back into my chest, covered us up, and held her tight.
“Seeing you on stage tonight was incredible. You were amazing.” She found my hand, threading our fingers together. “Do you play often?”
“Once a month or so.” My parents would watch Colin and I’d have a night to do something fun. I’d offered to cancel tonight, with Nan’s service tomorrow, but Dad had urged me to go. They’d wanted some time with Colin too. This week, we’d all been reminded that life was short.
“Would you ever want to do it professionally?” Quinn asked.
“No. I like my job. I’m good at building and creating something with my hands. It’s hard work, but it pays the bills.”
“But—”
“That was your dream, never mine. I can’t see myself living on the road. I’d never do that to Colin. I want roots. I want stability. I want a home like the one I had as a kid. For him. For me.”
She didn’t move. She didn’t speak.
“You can understand that, right?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Of course.”
I tucked her closer and closed my eyes. “Stay tonight.”
“Sure.” She nodded and blew out a deep breath. “Good night, Graham.”
I breathed in her hair and yawned. “Night, Quinn.”
My arm stretched toward the other side of the bed, and it was met with cold sheets and an empty pillow.
She left.
I sat up and threw my legs over the edge, letting my head fall for a moment. There was no need to look around the room for signs of Quinn. Her clothes would be gone. Her boots no longer tangled with mine. All I had left was the scent of her on my sheets that I’d wash later today.
It would do me no good to keep her smell in this room.
I stood and made my way to the bathroom, turning on the shower.
I’d asked her to stay and she’d left. It was so goddamn familiar and pathetic, my stomach turned.
But there wasn’t time to dwell on it today. I’d have to wait until later to regret last night.
Because I had to get ready for Nan’s funeral.
Chapter Eleven
Quinn
“Good morning.”
Mom and Dad looked up from the table, each holding a glass of ice water.
“You look nice,” Mom said. “Is that the dress that arrived here yesterday?”
“Yes. Ethan, our tour manager, sent it over.”
I hadn’t had a black dress in my luggage. That thought hadn’t even crossed my mind until two days ago. I’d planned on hitting the mall, but in true Ethan form, he’d been three steps ahead, coming to my rescue. He’d texted me before I’d even been able to plan my shopping trip and told me a dress and shoes would be arriving by a courier.
Ethan worked for our general manager, Ben, and was technically only required to oversee the tours, but he always went above and beyond.
The dress was demure and black, fitted but not tight with cap sleeves and a jewel neckline. There was a pleat at the hips, giving me the illusion of curves and hiding the pockets I’d already stuffed with folded tissues.
The heels were peep-toe pumps, patent leather with red Louboutin soles. The gorgeous shoes would be wasted in my wardrobe since I preferred boots, but Ethan appreciated nice clothes and made sure that when it mattered we were always decked out in the finest.
Today, it mattered.
I clicked across the tiled kitchen floor, my heels making a cheerful clip that didn’t seem appropriate for a day of mourning. I filled a mug with the coffee Mom had made special for me, then joined my parents at the table, taking care with my steps this time to muffle the noise.
“Is there anything I can do today?” I asked.
Dad shook his head. “No, I think we’re all set, but thank you. And thank you for singing. I’m glad we can honor her last wishes today.”
Her last wishes. My God, I missed her. I’d woken up this morning, buried my face in my pillow and cried. Why hadn’t I come back sooner? Why hadn’t I spent more time with Nan?
Even while I’d been off living my busy life, she’d been so ingrained in my world. I hadn’t missed her because she’d been with me, every step of the way. But I should have come home. I should have hugged her more and held her hand. I should have sung to her in person and played the early drafts of my music for her.
But I’d been scared. A coward.
“She was so proud of you.” Mom’s hand stretched across the table, covering mine. “We all are.”
My eyes flicked to Dad. He simply nodded.
“I should have come to see her. To see everyone.”
“She understood,” he said quietly. “She was the most understanding person in the world. Like this funeral. I’ve been to hundreds in my life, but I’ve never planned one. She wouldn’t let me help plan Dad’s. She took care of it all on her own. And you should have seen the list the lawyer gave us with her will. She practically planned her own too. What she wanted for the service. The type of flowers. The music. I think she knew I’d be struggling.”
The lump in my throat grew ten sizes as his eyes flooded with tears. “I’m sorry, Dad.”
“Did you know she used to grade my sermons?”
“She did?”
He nodded. “We leave notebook paper in the pews so kids have something to draw on besides the hymnals and Bibles. Every week she’d take a slip, give me a grade, then drop it into the offering. It was very hard last week knowing there’d be no report card in the offering plate.”
The lump in my throat burned. “Did she ever give you an F?”
“A B- was the lowest she went and that was because I was referencing Leviticus. She wasn’t particularly fond of that book. She called it dull and far too long.”
“That is so . . . Nan.” She’d had strong opinions but delivered them in a way that, whether you agr
eed with them or not, you couldn’t help but adore.
“Yes, it was. I drew the lucky straw when it came to parents.” He forced a smile, blinking the tears away. “I feel blessed that I was able to live by them for so long.”
Dad had grown up in Bozeman. This was where Nan and my grandfather had grown up too. The Montgomerys went back four generations in Montana and not many moved away—and stayed away.
Except for me.
My father had gone to college in Bozeman, where he’d met Mom. After working for a year, he’d decided to become a reverend. He moved his family—Walker had been two months old—to Colorado, where he got his master’s in divinity from a seminary school. I had been born in Idaho, where Dad had been a reverend at a small church. Then the stars aligned and he’d been able to take over at the church where he’d grown up. Nan’s church.
His church.
They moved us here three days before my first birthday.
Dad was going on twenty-six years at this church. He’d always said that it could be harmful for a pastor to become too engrained and too permanent. That he’d look elsewhere when his pastoral tenure became too long. Mostly, he’d wanted to make sure us kids could graduate from Bozeman High.
Yet here he was.
Would he stay until retirement? I couldn’t imagine Mom and Dad not living in this house, not serving this community.
“Are you all set to sing with Graham?” Mom asked, sipping her water.
Graham.
I dropped my gaze, not wanting them to see the flush that crept into my cheeks.
What the actual fuck had I been thinking last night? I had sex. Sex with Graham.
The two of us had always had an incredible passion for each other, even as awkward teenagers, but last night had been . . . wow. My core throbbed and ached.
What a goddamn tangled mess. Resisting Graham last night had been impossible. There’d been so much heat and unbridled lust in his kiss. There’d been so much tenderness in his touch. With him inside me, everything had just felt right.
Then he’d reminded me that our lives were traveling in opposite directions. He had a son. I understood his need for a simple life.