by C. A. Harms
“I would never do that,” he assured me.
I ran my hand over the light stubble along his jaw. “You will, believe me. One day you’ll be sick of my garbage too.”
“We all have garbage, babe. It doesn’t change the way I feel about you,” he stated. “Tell me what happened over the last couple days to make you feel like you do. What’s been going on that pushed you to this point?”
I let my head fall back against the couch. “It is all of it, Jett. My mom’s back to her old ways. My father, who she’d always told me ran out on us, just shows up at my house. The greatest part was my mother thought he came for her. When she found out he was only there to meet the daughter he didn’t know about, she fell apart once again.” I wiped at the tear that escaped.
“I’m just so tired, Jett,” I admitted. “I’ve taken care of her my entire life, and I am tired. I can’t keep picking her up off the floor when she stumbles in night after night. I have put my life on hold over and over to take care of her, and I am so tired.
“You don’t know how many times I wished she’d want to change for me. I prayed night after night that I would be enough to sober her up. Yet she woke up and kept getting drunk again.” I fisted my hands, gripping the small throw pillow. “I wanted to be enough. I used to envy my friends and the relationships they all had with their mothers. I wanted that so bad.”
A long pause filled the air before I spoke again. “I just wish I could freeze life and take some time for me for a change.” I spoke softly, just above a whisper.
“Go away with me,” he said as he rubbed my leg. “My sister, Alex, is getting married, and I want you to come with me.”
“That’s the problem. I can’t. What if she needs me and I’m not here?” It was always the same thing.
“You need to make her realize that you won’t keep accepting it. Baby, if she knows you’ll be there to pick her up, she’ll keep falling.” He rested his head next to mine on the couch. “I’m not saying walk away from her permanently, but stop making it so easy for her to continue her habits.”
“When is the wedding?” I asked.
“We would have to leave next Friday. The wedding is Saturday,” he said. “We’ll be back on Sunday.”
“Where?”
He smiled. That smile warmed my insides. He truly was a beautiful man. “Georgia,” he whispered. His gaze dropped to my lips, and I licked them on instinct. I had sobered up quickly, but I guess an emotional overload followed by a breakdown would do that to anyone.
“I already told her I was bringing you, so you can’t say no,” he said, his voice full of arrogant amusement.
“Hmm,” I hummed. “You may have to find a replacement. I’m pretty sure we could come up with someone to fill my spot.”
He gripped my hips and pulled me over onto his lap. Our lips were now only inches apart. “The only one I want is you,” he whispered, skimming his lips over mine. Then his voice became serious. “You deserve a break, baby.”
He was right. I knew he was. I just felt guilty knowing she would be alone. “When do you need to know?” I asked.
His lips covered mine in a soft kiss, sending tingles throughout my body. “I already bought your ticket.”
I tried to pull back, but he gripped the back of my head, holding my lips to his. Our kiss quickly intensified. I turned on his lap, placing one leg on each side of him as he wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Stop pushing me away, Quinn. Please, just let me in. Let me be someone you can rely on,” he said between kisses. “I want you fully, please just let us happen.”
His words hit me hard, taking away my last bit of resolve. I wanted to be cared for. I wanted someone who made me feel like I was the most important thing in their life. For once I wanted to matter.
“Besides, we both know I’m not letting you get away. I’ll get my way. You have no choice, you’re mine.” Once again, his arrogance and cocky attitude were rolling off him in waves.
It was a side of him I was really starting to love.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jett
I knew she was worried about her mom. Avery and I had to do a lot of convincing, but we got her on the plane. Avery had to promise to check in on her mom daily. Quinn even asked her father to make sure her mother was okay. With recent events that was a stretch, but he was doing everything he could to be there for Quinn. I was pretty positive he too knew how much she needed a break. Apparently when Beau, her dad, admitted he never truly loved her mom, her mother didn’t take the news well and went back to her old drinking habits. She was hoping they would fall back into one another’s arms.
Quinn nervously sat next to me, firmly holding on to my hand. I watched her closely as she stared out the window with a blank look in her eyes. I tugged on her hand, and she looked over to meet my gaze.
“What’s going on inside that pretty head of yours?” I asked.
“Thinking about this weekend. I’m about to meet your entire family, yet I’m not sure exactly how to introduce myself,” she said, her cheeks reddening.
I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her knuckles. “Well, I already took care of that. You’re my girl. They know that.” Her eyes widened, and I laughed at her expression. “You don’t have a say anything. You’re mine, face it, accept it, and move on from it.” She stared back at me, speechless. I leaned toward her and kissed her quickly. “They already know all about you, babe. They’re gonna love you.”
She stared back at me with a small smile on her face. She had nothing to worry about. My family was thrilled the moment I told them I was bringing someone. I never was one for commitment. I mean, I had girls I dated, but nothing ever lasted. I was entirely too focused on the goals I had set for myself. So they all continued to drill me for information, and I knew without a doubt they would love Quinn.
My parents and Harper flew out on Wednesday. They wanted to be there to help get things set up. I was pretty sure they’d also come early for baby Colt. They hadn’t seen him since right after he was born, so they needed another baby fix.
When our flight landed we got our luggage and retrieved our rental car. Quinn was so distressed I could almost see it pouring off her. She had a nervous habit of picking at her nails, making them click as she released them.
I placed my hand over hers to stop her fidgeting. She looked up, blushing. “Stop worrying,” I insisted.
***
Colton and Alexis demanded that we stay at their place, where my parents and Harper were also staying. We would be babysitting Saturday night while Alex and Colt went to Savannah for a night alone.
Pulling into the driveway, I caught Quinn fidgeting, once again, out of the corner of my eye. “Woman, will you stop already? They are easy to get along with. My only advice is regarding Harper.” I placed the car in park and looked over at her with a serious expression. “She has no filter. She will say whatever is on her mind without thinking twice. Take nothing to heart. She is truly harmless.”
Quinn only nodded in agreement. I think my advice backfired; she appeared even more agitated now.
I grabbed our bags from the car and nudged her toward the door. “I promise you there is nothing to be nervous about.”
Before we reached the door, it came flying open. Maddison’s little legs carried her out like a bullet, running straight for me. Alex followed close behind.
“Uncle Jett,” Maddison squealed. I knelt down and placed our bags on the ground just in time to catch her in my arms.
“Hey, squirt,” I said as I lifted her and hugged her close. I turned to face Quinn and found her smiling brightly.
Maddison grinned and looked between Quinn and me. “Is she your girlfriend?” she asked.
“Yeah, this is Quinn, my girlfriend.” I looked back over at Quinn and winked.
Alex stepped forward and held her hand out to Quinn. “Hi, I’m Alex. I’m the not-so-mouthy sister.” She leaned in a little closer, holding her hand up as if to shield her mouth. �
��He won’t admit it, but I’m also his favorite sister.” I chuckled at her attempted to whisper. She had failed intensely.
“Hi,” Quinn said in response. “You have a really beautiful home.” Her comment reminded me of what she said about not belonging in my world. She had a really bad habit of knocking herself down, something I would work hard to rectify. I wanted more than anything for her to see her worth without weighing it by her past and how little she has to show for her hard work.
“You should have seen it a year ago. It took us a while to give it this facelift. Colton worked day and night for months, but we knew what we wanted. My guy’s a real handyman,” Alex admitted.
Colt came out carrying my nephew close to his chest. He had the proud-papa look covered.
“How was your trip?” he asked as he stepped up next to Alex. She took her son from him without hesitation. From the corner of my eye, I caught Quinn watching the exchange. She had that look girls get anytime there was a baby near, that gooey-eyed, awestruck look.
We were led inside, only to find the house completely full. My mother and father both approached Quinn as if she was some kind of mystical creature.
“You must be Quinn,” my mom said. Quinn nodded, and my mother pulled her in for a hug, making Quinn’s eyes widen in surprise. “It’s so nice to meet you, sweetheart. We have heard so much about you.”
“Let the poor girl breathe, Mom.” Harper pushed her way through the barrier. “Don’t scare her off before she even gets all the way in the door.”
She put her back to my parents and looked at Quinn. “You’ll have to excuse them. Jett has been a bachelor for so long, I’m pretty sure they were beginning to question his sexual preference.”
There you have it, the reason behind keeping Quinn far away from Harper all this time. My sister did not have a shy bone in her body. You could never prepare for her outburst, they were so random.
A few snickers filled the room, and I nudged Harper’s shoulder. “Yeah, real funny, smartass.” I looked over to find a smile gracing Quinn’s face, which made being the object of Harper’s joke worth it.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Quinn
Everything about Jett’s family was amazing. They were all so loving and accepted me as one of their own. Even Colt’s family and friends acted as if I was part of the gang.
The evening was filled with a big dinner and a house full of guests, little kids running around everywhere and adults laughing. Alex took all the girls in to her bedroom to show us her dress. There was Colt’s sister, Maria and her best friend, Kori, and, of course, the untamable, Harper was the life of the room.
“So how long have you been dating Jett? How’d y’all meet?” Maria asked. All attention immediately fell on me as they waited for me to reply.
“I, uh...” I paused and fidgeted with my hands. “We, um, well...”
“Here, honey, let me help you,” Harper chimed in. “Jett and Quinn met at a party. They went home together and apparently our brother has some skills, because they are still getting it on.”
I swallowed hard and stared down at my hands. The room was silent and I was afraid to look up. What could they possibly be thinking right now?”
“Well, at least y’all made it to a house. Gavin and I went at it for the first time in the front seat of his truck,” Maria offered nonchalantly.
“In my parents’ driveway, while they were home,” Kori added.
The room filled with laughter, and it felt nice to be part of a group that knew how to have fun. I missed Avery, wishing she was here to share this happiness with me.
“Well, let me just say that Jett is a hottie. Don’t get me wrong, no one will ever make my heart race the way Reed does, but Jett makes the hair on my arms stand up.” Kori faked a shiver, or maybe it was real.
“Okay, enough about my brother. You are all gonna give me nightmares.” Harper pretended to gag.
We spent the next hour looking over everything from the wedding dress to the jewelry Alex would wear. She showed us Maddison’s flower girl dress and the tiny tux that Rhett, Kori’s son, would wear as the ring bearer.
Later in the evening, I excused myself to get ready for bed. Once I reached the top of the stairs, I could hear Jett’s footsteps trailing behind me.
He slipped into the bathroom with me just as I was about to close the door. “What are you doing in here?” I asked, my voice just above a whisper. All he offered was an amused chuckle.
He took a step toward me and caged me against the counter. “I need a shower, you need a shower, thought we would conserve water,” he cooed, leaning forward to kiss my neck. The moment his lips touched mine, I lost all thought.
“What will everyone think?” I asked. It was more like a purr, but still a question.
He smiled against my neck and began lifting the hem of my shirt. “The only thing I want to think about right now is you,” he said, lifting my shirt over my head, “and me.”
He glided his fingertips over my stomach and paused at the buckle of my shorts. Chills broke out over my arms and along my spine. “Thank you for coming with me,” he whispered against my ear.
Our gazes locked as he worked the button loose and began to lower my shorts to the floor. “Thank you for asking me,” I said. The way he was looking at me made my heart race uncontrollably. He seemed to be lost momentarily.
“You are so beautiful.”
“So are you,” I whispered breathlessly.
“Why do you say that?” he asked. “Being told I’m beautiful, that’s a new one. I’m not sure it does much for my ego.”
“Because you are. It isn’t just about your looks. It is so much more than that. My entire life I just wanted to be noticed. I wanted someone to hold me and tell me what I needed mattered for once. I longed for that safety I’d never felt.” I traced his lower lip with my thumb. “You give me that.”
It was so hard to explain how he made me feel, but I had to try. “Jett, you’re like the painkillers I need to soothe this deep ache inside me.” He continued to stare back at me, quietly waiting for me to explain. “When I’m with you, all the shit in my life just disappears. For the first time in so damn long, I feel free, like what I need, what I want matters. It’s been so long since I felt at ease, it’s still hard to figure how you make me feel so carefree. You help me forget. All the torment and garbage that has piled up over the years, it means nothing when I’m with you. But I love it. I love the way you make me feel.” Our eyes met once again and my heart raced. “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.”
Jett stared back at me, saying nothing, his eyes roaming my face over and over as he memorized the contour of my lips and the dip of my chin with his finger.
“I love the way you make me feel too,” he whispered against my lips. The sincerity in his voice made my throat burn and my vision cloud. “All I want is for you to trust me. I want you to know I would never hurt you, baby. I want you to feel safe with me.”
Jett led me to the shower as he continued to undress me. “You may not be ready to hear this, but I have to tell you.” He flipped on the water, stepped in behind me, and wrapped his arms around me. His lips lightly skimmed across my ear. “I’m falling in love with you.”
My head fell back and rested against his shoulder. I looked up into his eyes and a tear escaped and rolled along my cheek. “I’m scared,” I confessed. “I’m falling too, and it terrifies me.”
“There’s nothing to be scared of. I’ve got you, Quinn. I’m promise you’re safe with me.”
***
I woke up to an empty bed. After quickly getting dressed, I walked from the room and in the direction of all the noise.
The kitchen was full of chaos. Breakfast was being made and no guy was in sight, besides Jett’s nephew.
I stood back, nervous and feeling slightly out of place, unsure of how I should approach everyone.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” Jett’s mom, Sarah said as she placed the toast on a platter. “J
ett ran to town with his father to get some more milk. Have a seat.” She pointed toward the kitchen nook. “Breakfast is almost ready.”
“Can I help with anything?” I asked.
“If you don’t mind, you can put the bacon and sausage on the table.” She motioned to another platter just to her left. I stepped forward, lifted it, and took it to the large table across the room.
“You’re pretty,” a sweet voice said. “My Uncle Jett says you make his heart beat really fast. What does that mean?”
I stood staring back at Maddison, who sat in a small booster seat at the end of the table.
“That means your Uncle Jett really cares for Quinn. It means that she makes him super happy. Like Daddy Colt makes me happy.” Alexis answered the question I was unable to. Maddison’s comment had caught me off guard.
The back door opened, and I looked up just as Jett walked in carrying a gallon of milk. He also held a bottle of strawberry syrup, and I couldn’t hold back my smile. The last time I spent the night at his house, I told him he needed to have strawberry syrup for my milk if he expected me to revisit. Knowing he took the time to get it on his trip to the store made me feel special.
“Good morning, baby,” he said just before kissing me softly. “Got your syrup.”
“I see that,” I replied.
“What’d you bring me?” Harper teased as she flopped down in the chair next to Maddison.
I looked up to find Jett’s parents watching our exchange, with smiles gracing their lips.
I wasn’t used to parents being so loving and accepting. I had always wished for my mother to show me any amount of admiration for me, but to no avail.
***
“You look almost good enough to eat,” Jett said as he stepped up behind me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and rested his outstretched palm on my stomach. “I love how the back of this dress is all open. That dip just above your ass is one of my favorite spots…so sexy.” He sunk his teeth into my earlobe. “I don’t need to tell you how gorgeous you look. You already know, don’t you?”