The nurse nodded a curt nod with a phony smile of acknowledgment and turned her back, dismissing Lily as insignificant while she batted her eyelashes and smiled a gushy smile at Quinn who returned it with exaggerated gusto. That left all doors wide open making Lily fair game as far as the male therapist was concerned. He volunteered cheerfully that he was more than happy to be of assistance and show Lily around the equipment, which unbeknown to him, did not exactly endear him to his employer.
Lily asked the therapist questions about the various equipment as she evaluated what would be the most suitable for Gunner to exercise upon for his therapy as well. She tried to concentrate on being as professional as possible while at the same time trying her damnest to ignore the laughter and flirting that was taking place in the opposite corner of the room.
Quinn was not as oblivious to Lily as he appeared. He noticed how her cheeks were flushed from her morning run, how her mahogany locks were tasseled with the wind framing her ivory face with wispy curls, how her lips were tinged with pink gloss, and how she licked her lips slightly to moisture them. It made Quinn want to groan. Unfortunately, the lip lick was taken as a sexual sign of encouragement to the Italian trainer as well – of course it would be.
After an extensive run down of all the equipment, Lily asked to try out the treadmill before she worked with Gunner. Stripping down to her sports bra of Kelly green and hip hugging black running shorts that now showed skin from under her boobs to several inches below her belly button, the Italian trainer watched with overt sexual attraction. Her undressing did not go unnoticed by Quinn in the corner who narrowed his eyes in male possessiveness as he watched Antonio’s eyes roam over Lily’s body in appreciation.
Lily started to get on the already running treadmill with the hovering trainer standing behind her. Not anticipating the rapid rate of the treadmill, her feet suddenly slipped out from under her only to be caught by her bare skin around the waist by the quick reflexes of the dark Italian that scooped her next to his body to steady her. Lily turned slightly to be greeted by laughing brown eyes, “Thank you.”
Lily felt his chest rumble against her bare back as he grinned down at her and replied in a husky voice, “Believe me, it’s my pleasure.” He added, “I’ll just stand behind you while you get your sea legs,” the swarthy Italian murmured in her ear as he adjusted the treadmill and slowly let her slide down his body and semi erection. She wasn’t sure, but she thought he might even have licked her earlobe before he let her fly on her own. Dear Lord, do those Italians know how to arouse?!They must start developing that special gene at birth. She was way out of her league here.
Quinn had been watching the Italian trainer’s exchange with Lily. He was not one bit happy! There’s never ever anything subtle about the Italian men. You’d have to be an idiot not to get their vibes. Lily might not be his, but he’d be damned if he’d just sit there and let him slobber all over her.
Just then, Quinn’s deep voice barked behind Lily making her jump guiltily. “That will be all for today, Antonio,” who graciously nodded and left the room.
Lily glanced around to see that Quinn was standing possessively over her gripping the ends of the towel around his neck with his fists. He had a stance that left no room for argument. Another glance confirmed that the nurse had disappeared and Quinn was now studying her butt. Enough of this male testosterone, Lily thought as she snapped off the machine and turned to face Quinn.
Staying on the unmoving treadmill to give herself some added height when facing Quinn she motioned to his leg, “Are you able to walk the treadmill?”
Quinn clenched his jaw and replied sarcastically, “I think I can manage.”
“….with Gunner?”
“Yeah, with the dog.”
Lily persisted, “It’s my job to make sure.”
With a disgusted look on his face, Quinn put the treadmill back to the pace that it had been on before Lily almost fell, turned on the treadmill next to him at a slow pace and gently lifted Gunner in place before climbing aboard his own.
For the first time since yesterday, Lily had a chance to study Quinn and his delicious butt without him trying to pin her to his Pinterest board like she were a distasteful project.
Five minutes later he turned to Lily, “Satisfied?” he said as he flipped off the treadmill like he was flipping her the bird.
Ignoring his sarcastic comment, Lily tried to reply as a professional, “Keep your eye on Gunner. Watch if he starts to pant excessively or limp. He’ll probably never whine if he is uncomfortable or hurting. Your job is to assess his condition and gently message his skin growth just as your trainers do for you. I’d also like to know a little of your history.” Lily cocked her head, “The military seems to think you were a fit for each other as your injuries are similar and maybe your personalities.”
“Do I look like I care?”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. It seems to me you both have an attitude.”
“I do NOT have an attitude!”
Lily stood her ground, “Exactly.”
They glared at each other in a standoff before Quinn stomped off towards the hot tub grateful that even though his scrotum had seen better days, at least it was still there. He removed his shorts and gave Lily a marvelous view of his hard buns and backside before he slipped under the churning foamy water. As he did so, threw over his shoulder, “If you want to talk, you’ll have to do it out here.”
Lily rose to the occasion and marched right after him following his lead and stripping down to her birthday suit. She knew Quinn was watching and could have cared less. She wanted some answers out of Quinn and she wanted them now, no matter what she had to do to get his attention! Besides, she knew she looked good. She had worked out to get her figure back since birthing the twins. She was fortunate to have no stretch marks and her boobs were still perky. In addition to that, before she left home, she’d gone to the spa and had gotten a complete beauty treatment, including a wax job.
Quinn absorbed every inch of Lily’s body into his own as she jerked off her clothing not even trying to be coy or sexy, which turned him on all the more. He didn’t know why he was so surprised, she always did do the unexpected, squeezing his nuts in the process. He froze in place in spite of the hot water as Lily stripped right in front of him, giving him a full frontal view as she slipped into the water and pierced him with her stormy blue eyes – challenging. He tried to will his body not to react, he was not successful.
“So, talk,” Lily demanded once the foaming water covered her nude body.
Quinn didn’t answer right away, partly because she demanded it and partly because he was trying to get his own emotions under control. He reached behind him and took a stogie out of the brass box nearby as though her nudity was not effecting him in the least. By the time he lit it and blew the first puff in the air, he was ready for her inquisition as he had a few questions of his own.
“So, just what do you want to know, Lily?”
A lot, you jerk, like why I haven’t heard from you for almost two years, what happened to your undying love, why are you so angry at me, just what sin do you think I’ve committed, or do you plain just don’t give a damn!
Instead, Lily asked with a solemn voice, “How were you injured?”
Quinn took another puff of his stogie, “In an explosion.”
“How badly was your thigh injured?”
“Blew the entire top off,” he replied with a shrug like it wasn’t a big deal.
Lily knew differently and got right to the point. “I understand you had some skin stem cell regrowth. Is that correct?”
“That’s what they tell me.”
“You don’t know?” she asked disbelieving as she raised her right eyebrow like exactly how would that be possible.
“I really wasn’t particularly coherent at the time.”
Lily’s stomach began to churn. She knew from Gunner that the body needs to do some healing before spraying on the skin stem cells
.
“Just how long before you were incoherent?”
Quinn took a moment to answer as he drew on the stogie again, “They say around nine months.”
Quinn watched Lily’s face drain itself of color. Right about the time the twins were born, Lily thought. Suddenly, she felt the need to remove herself from the tub, to gather her thoughts, to put some distance between herself and Quinn. She got up with quiet dignity and wrapped the nearest fluffy white towel around her body not really caring that the butler might have apoplexy if she should ran into him.
As Quinn watched Lily leave the bubble tub, he couldn’t keep from admiring her tush, but at the same time, he got the feeling that something was off. She left much like that day when he was giving her the “Dad Talk” in the library at thirteen, like there was something she wasn’t telling him. He leaned his head against the back of the tub. What did it matter anyway? he thought as he took another puff of his cigar – She belongs to someone else.
CHAPTER 38
That night, Quinn, was out on his bedroom balcony not far from Lily’s open bedroom balcony, doors smoking another stogie. Rain clouds rumbled in the distance. It smelled like a storm was brewing out to sea. He stared out at the dark and turbulent water only seeing the image of a naked Lily when she had gotten into the hot tub earlier that day. He began to remember the feel of her breasts and all of her special places that he had spent touching two years ago in the Caribbean and how she had responded with the pleasure he gave her, just like it was yesterday. He remembered her nice flat stomach and the other memory that had jolted him to attention today – her gold belly button ring, the one with the diamond stars that he had given to her the last night they spent together, the one she was to wear until he picked out an engagement ring making her his forever. Why was she still wearing it? Why did she have another man’s child after she had declared her undying love to him! Why wasn’t she wearing a wedding ring? It angered him that his hands ached to touch her again. Damn you, Lily!
Lily lay in her own bed a short distance away. She knew Quinn was on the balcony. She would have known even if Gunner hadn’t alerted her with a low growl. She could smell his cigar as the tangy smoke floated above her bed and settled over her like a soft blanket as it traveled through her open balcony doors. It surprised her that it made her feel so comforting and familiar.
Lily began to toss and turn restlessly in her bed, trying to ignore the close proximity of her lover of so long ago, as the covers wrapped around her like a package. Finally, when she could tell that she wasn’t going to go back to sleep, she disentangled herself, got up, and peeked outside. Quinn was standing on the balcony with his head bowed. He seemed so sad and forlorn. Her motherly instinct was to go to him and wrap her arms around him, but before she could do so, he threw his smoldering cigar over the edge belligerently, stalked inside, and that moment in time was lost. Maybe, it’s just as well, Lily thought, as she crawled back in her own bed listening to the distance thunder that finally lulled her to sleep.
Later that night, Lily woke to a thunderstorm that was beginning to brew in full force. It started out with a little breeze that turned into blowing a gale that had the gauzy white drapery that framed the doorway, twisting and turning as it began to flap an announcement and warning of what was to come. Lily was just getting up to shut the doors, when bolt of lightning boomed across the sea and the sky began to light up with all guns firing. It was as though the gods had started a war with lightning rods sparing no one in their fracas. At the same moment, Gunner began to whimper, howl, and whine as he shook and trembled while the sky continue to light up and rumble.
Before Lily could shut the doors, she immediately hauled a shivering Gunner up in her bed, throwing her arm around him trying to soothe him by rubbing his ears and cooing as she wrapped her body around him for comfort. He still continued to whimper and howl. The next thing she knew, Quinn had banged her balcony doors shut and was in bed with them. He gave Gunner a command that stopped his whimpering as he gather his own body on the other side of him. Gunner gave him a lick of thank you, but still continued to tremble a little as the lightening continued for another hour or so. Gunner, however, did as he was commanded and stopped crying.
“These dogs are programed to obey instantly. Men in battle cannot let their positions be given away by a shaky scared canine. He’ll get his fears under control if he understands what is expected of him,” Quinn commented in the darkness against lightening fireworks as though he were laying on the other side of her bed in his rightful place as always.
Lily made no comment. Quinn listened to Lily’s calming voice as she talked to Gunner. Her voice was soothing to himself as well in spite of the tension between them. Their hands that were comforting Gunner began to touch ever so often as they pulled together like a team trying to accomplish the same goal of solace to this damaged canine. After about fifteen minutes, Gunner finally settled down even though the storm outside continued to rage as rain poured down around them wrapping the three of them in an insulated cocoon as they listened to the pounding of the roaring rain outside. Finally, the fireworks began to dissipate and only the pounding of light rain could be heard with occasional lightening in the distance as it tormented anyone or anything nearby.
When Lily felt that Gunner had settled down, she got out of bed, turning on the nightlight as she did so. She encouraged Gunner to lay down on his bed beside her as she didn’t want him to get used to sleeping next to her. He obeyed reluctantly. In retrospect, it probably would have been smarter if she had left Gunner as a buffer between her and Quinn, but at the time she hadn’t anticipated that Quinn would be spending the night – in her bed.
Quinn watched Lily with interest. She was wearing a short purple K-State t-shirt that barely covered her ass. Her shapely long legs only enhanced her lush bottom cheeks. If she would only lean over just a little bit more, he might get a little peek of what he was seeking. He scrunched down a little in bed, but to no avail. So, instead, he watched Lily’s unbound breasts stretch across her shirt, outlining her top anatomy in vivid detail. He had the joy of watching them as they jiggled and bounced around. Quinn could remembered exactly how they looked and how they felt. His body reacted accordingly.
After Lily got Gunner settled in his own bed, she looked over at Quinn. He was still lying on the other side of the bed, relaxing with his swollen bicep bulging behind his head like he belonged there. It was disgusting that he looked so relaxed.
Lily put her hand on her hip, “You act like you’re planning on staying.”
“That would be right.” Quinn stated the obvious. Then, added to justify his statement, “In case you haven’t noticed, it’s raining outside.”
As their eyes connected momentarily, Lily snapped off the light and crawled in bed. They both knew where this was going, but they played the game anyway.
“Since when does a little water bother a SEAL?”
“Since I found out how nice and warm it is in your bed,” Quinn said as he rolled over on his side. Just then, another strike of lightning struck and Quinn could see that Lily had turned her head and was looking at him before they were thrown into darkness again.
They were quiet for a moment as they each struggled with their own emotions that were just as turbulent as the storm outside. In some ways it was as if they were strangers and in other ways very familiar. They were each hurting in their own way. The downpour outside helped to fill in the strain of silence.
Quinn reached out for Lily and pulled her into his own body. She did not resist, but neither did she give him any encouragement. He knew they needed to talk some more, but he just didn’t want to break the moment even though it was only temporary. Damn his soul, he still wanted her even if she were no longer his.
Lily’s back was spooned into Quinn’s chest as they rested on their sides facing the thunder and lightning outside. They lay in comfortable silence as the storm outside continued in a rage around them. Quinn had only planned to hold Lily and e
njoy the moment. However, after a short time, he began to nuzzle her strawberry hair finding the nape of her neck as he smelled her sweet fragrance that beckon like a siren since she was sixteen. He should have known that it would take so very little to resist her warm body. She was in his blood and she was in his heart. Nothing was ever going to change that even if this were to be the last night they ever spent together.
Lily relaxed, loving the feel of Quinn’s warm lips and remembering how they had danced this same dance under the stars in the warm breeze of the Caribbean. It felt so right. She needed him now more than she ever had and so did the twins. She turned, putting her arms around his waist and nestling closer. She felt his need as much as her own.
Lily’s hands began to roam over his back. She felt the scars along his spine. She wanted to tell him how deeply she cared. She wanted to cry for the torture he must have endured because of the bomb explosion. She cried for their children that he did not know he had. She needed to tell him soon. Just not now, but when the time felt right. This moment was just too fragile.
Lily and Quinn spent the entire night in each other’s arms making love over and over. It was as wonderful and as exciting as it had been the first time they had been together almost two years ago. It was as if they had never been apart.
When Lily awoke, Quinn was gone. The only indication that he had been there was the indentation on the pillow next to her. She pulled the pillow to her body. She felt deserted and empty – like he had discarded her again without a thought. Although, she knew in her heart that that was not what had happened as he had been in a coma the entire time of her pregnancy. Perhaps, that is why he felt so near every time the twins moved around in her tummy, even though he was clear across the vast expanse of the ocean fighting for his life – just perhaps it hadn’t been a figment of her imagination.
Forever Lovers Page 13