When We Fall, Contemporary Romance (Last Frontier Lodge Novels Book 6)

by J. H. Croix

  She rose up on her folded knees and swiveled to face him. His eyes widened as he turned his head to the side. She grinned, that reckless side of her devilishly pleased to find his lips mere inches from hers. She didn’t wait to see what would happen and just acted. She leaned forward and brought her lips to his just as she slipped a hand around his neck. For a split second, he was completely still and then his lips gave under hers. Her wild gamble paid off when she traced her tongue along his lips and his palm stroked up her back, threading his fingers into her hair. He took over their kiss, his tongue stroking against hers and delving into her mouth. She most certainly forgot anything and everything as their kiss spiraled into a slow, hot, wet tease.

  Quinn kissed thoroughly and completely—his tongue stroked in and out, he traced her lips, dropped a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth, and generally drove her wild with need. He angled her head to the side and sent a blazing trail of kisses down along the column of her throat. Frantic to get closer, she scrambled onto his lap, straddling him. She wore nothing under the robe save a pair of panties. A throaty sigh fell from her lips when she felt the hard, hot length of him against her. She couldn’t hold back from rolling her hips, savoring the sharp spike of pleasure.

  Suddenly Quinn lifted his head, going completely still. With her body nearly vibrating with longing and liquid need throbbing inside, she dragged her eyes open to find his waiting. His gaze was somber and almost pained. He was quiet for several beats, the only sound their mingled ragged breathing.

  “Lace, what’s this about?” he finally asked, his husky question tightening the need pulsing within her.

  His question made her uncomfortable. She didn’t want to answer and that reckless feeling nudged her again. She shook her head sharply and leaned forward to kiss him again. He shook his head. “Not until we talk.”

  Embarrassment rose within, colliding with the heat of desire and making her feel hot and flushed. She didn’t know what he saw in her expression, but his eyes softened, which only served to further muddle her already confused feelings.

  “Lace, don’t get me wrong. You are one of the most amazing women I know and you’re flat gorgeous. I’d be more than happy to let this keep going, but you’re also a good friend. I don’t want to mess up our friendship and until the last few weeks, I never thought you were even the least bit interested in me. Just tell me what you want and where this came from.”

  She took a deep breath and tried to marshal her thoughts. How could she tell him she was scared out of her mind and just wanted to lose herself in him? Underneath that thought rose the disconcerting truth that her attraction to him was a tiny bit frightening for her. Because he was her friend and if anyone had asked if she thought he’d be a good catch, she’d have resoundingly said yes. Which made her attraction to him all the more confusing. She’d always had this idea she’d do her life on her own. As life had gone along, she’d noticed most men steered clear of her. She’d chalked it up to men being intimidated by the fact she mostly did guy stuff. Here and there, she’d had a few casual flings, but sex had never been all that much fun, so she hadn’t found it worthwhile to make much room for more in her life. This, this whatever the hell she felt right now with Quinn, was so far beyond anything she’d experienced, it both drew her close and frightened her. She wasn’t accustomed to this pulsing physical need, nor to kisses that drove her beyond sanity.

  Quinn’s hand was still laced in her hair, and he started to slowly stroke his thumb along her nape, the subtle touch sending hot ripples through her. Emotion welled inside when she met his eyes again. She took a breath and let it out. She finally shrugged. “I don’t know. I just, well, I wanted to kiss you so I did. Is that a problem? I mean, it seems like you might want something too.” She shifted her hips for emphasis, a slight miscalculation because the subtle motion sent a sharp streak of pleasure scoring through her. Her channel, slick with need, throbbed.

  Quinn took in a gulp of air and bit his lip, his breath coming out in a hiss. “Obviously, I want you. But there’s no way in hell I’m having a one off night with you. I’m also a little worried about you. This isn’t like you, so after what Dr. Clark told you today…”

  She cut him off. “Don’t even go there! This has nothing to do with that,” she said, shaking her head sharply, angry he was so damn perceptive. She started to wiggle off his lap, but he gripped her hip with one strong hand.

  “Okay, okay,” he said, his voice low. “Then tell me where you’re coming from.”

  She tried, oh she tried, to tamp down the emotion welling inside, but she couldn’t. When she met his concerned gaze, a tear rolled down her cheek and then another and another. She shook her head again, as if she could will away her feelings, the anxious worry she might have an actual medical condition, the threat to the one thing she’d always been able to count on—her health and strength. Giving up when the tears just wouldn’t quit, she dropped her head to his shoulder and let go.

  His arms went around her and he let her cry. His palm stroked in slow passes up and down her back. He was quiet, seeming to know she didn’t want platitudes. She just wanted to be comforted.

  Chapter 3

  Quinn opened one eye to find the room pitch black. He opened the other and read the time on the digital clock by the bed. It was just past two in the morning, and Lacey was curled up against his side. He’d sat with her while she cried for a few minutes, only to have her fall asleep in his arms. He’d gathered her up and carried her to her bed, intending to tuck her in and let her sleep. When he’d started to step away, she’d said his name, her voice raspy.

  It was impossible for him not to curl up beside her when she said she didn’t want to be alone. Problem was, now he was in the same situation as the other night in the tent—hard as a rock and not a damn thing to do about it. He realized he probably could do something about it based on Lacey’s actions last night. Yet, that wasn’t what he wanted. The first time he’d met Lacey, she’d blown him away—she was smart, strong, beautiful and a tomboy for the ages. She’d treated him like nothing more than a friend and never given him the slightest indication she was interested in anything else. So, he’d hewed to that role. When he’d met her at the airport a week before this latest trip, she’d looked at him differently. Desire flickered in the depths of her jade green eyes.

  His conundrum now was what the hell to do. Because he didn’t want to blow up their friendship, but he didn’t want to just have a fling either. Lacey shifted restlessly in her sleep, her leg sliding against his. Her palm was warm against his chest. He lay there in the dark, wrestling between his body and mind. Fortunately, Lacey being sound asleep saved him from his body having its way because he wasn’t quite ready to roll the dice on their friendship.

  Early that afternoon, Quinn watched while the small plane carrying Lacey lifted into the air. She was on her way home, and he was on his way for a quick visit with his sister. Lacey had seemed surprised when he’d told her he might see her in Diamond Creek soon. One of the two medical offices there was hiring for a doctor since the doctor who’d established it was retiring. Quinn had made initial contact with them before the trip with Lacey and they’d just confirmed they wanted to schedule an interview with him. He’d always loved Diamond Creek, so it had been a no-brainer to consider moving there. Yet, what it might mean for possibilities with Lacey hadn’t crossed his mind until last night.

  He started his car and headed for his sister’s home. He pulled up at her cute cabin roughly an hour later. She lived north of Anchorage in Willow Brook where they’d grown up. Her cabin was in a wooded area with other homes nearby, although not within sight. He strode up the steps of the A-frame cabin onto the front porch.

  Amelia swung the door open to meet him. “Hey Quinn!” She flung her arms around him for a quick hug. When she stepped back, her smile was wide.

  “Hey sis, how’s it going?”

  “Good, good. Come on in,” she said, turning to walk back inside.

 
Quinn glanced around as he entered. The A-frame had a shared living room and kitchen in most of the downstairs with a bathroom and laundry area to the back. An open loft upstairs led to the bedroom. Amelia had built this home for herself while she was in college. At twenty-eight years old, she was six years younger than him and ran at life full force. She ran a small building and landscaping business. Even in Alaska where people were more accustomed to women not following along with typical gender roles, Amelia stood out. She was a damn good builder and could hold her own in just about any situation. Like Lacey, she also loved the outdoors and spent hours hiking, biking, camping and then some.

  Amelia walked straight to the couch and plunked down on it, gesturing for Quinn to take a seat. “So how was your trip?” She twisted a lock of her honey-brown hair around her finger and looked over at him expectantly as he sat down in a rocking chair adjacent to the couch.

  “It was great. Nice to get some time out there. Lacey and I escorted some photographers around Katmai. That’s beautiful country in the fall.”

  Amelia grinned. “That’s one of my favorite places, although last time I went there were a few too many bears for my comfort. How’s Lacey? I haven’t seen her in years it seems like.”

  “She’s good, although she had some odd episodes while we were out. I pretty much forced her to get checked out at the hospital when we got back after she collapsed while we were walking to the plane. The doctor ran a few tests and thinks she might be on the way to an MS diagnosis. Lacey didn’t want to talk about it, but she’s pretty upset.”

  Amelia’s cognac eyes widened. “Oh no. Is she okay?”

  Quinn shrugged. “Yes and no. She’s fine. This might be an isolated incident and it might not be. Even if she develops MS, she’ll be fine. People live healthy for years with MS. Knowing Lacey though, she’s not going to be too happy about it.”

  “Well, most people wouldn’t be happy. If it comes to that, she’ll just need some time to adjust. Did you agree with the doctor?” Amelia asked.

  “MS was high on my list of suspicions based on her symptoms when she collapsed. But it could’ve been a bunch of other things. Honestly, she’ll need to wait and see if she has any other symptoms.” The worry he couldn’t seem to push away flared inside again. He didn’t like knowing how Lacey must be feeling with the uncertainty, not to mention his own concern for her.

  Amelia was quiet for a moment. “Well, I hope she’s okay. Next time you see her, tell her I said hey.”

  “You got it. Speaking of that, I’m waiting for a call back about an interview at that medical office down there.”

  Amelia grinned and gave a thumbs up. “Awesome! I told you you’d find a job in no time. Being a homegrown Alaskan with a fancy medical degree from Harvard, you can take your pick. No one’s going to worry you can’t hack life up here, and you’ve got the brains to do a damn good job. If I were going to move anywhere else in Alaska, Diamond Creek would be at the top of my list. Do you know when you’re headed down there for the interview?”

  “Not yet. They left a message they wanted to schedule, but we’re in a game of phone tag. Hopefully soon because I’d rather not try to scrounge up a rental around here if I don’t need it.”

  Quinn jumped topics. “So how’s Mom?”

  Amelia’s gaze softened. “She’s fine, Quinn. The place you found in Palmer for her is working out. I thought maybe we could go visit her together this afternoon. They told me she should be done with rehab in another month or so and then she can move home again.”

  In the month before Quinn moved back to Alaska, their mother had been involved in a bad car accident. She’d simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time when an out of control camper swung sideways and crammed her car between the camper and a utility pole. She’d broken her hip and shattered her femur, along with breaking her other ankle, essentially immobilizing her. Amelia had come by her run at life attitude from their mother, so it was an understatement to say their mother was frustrated with the process of her recovery.

  Their parents hadn’t been together for many years. As such, their father lived out of state and barely stayed in touch. Making arrangements for their mother’s medical care after she was stable enough to be moved out of ICU fell to Quinn and Amelia. She needed extensive rehabilitation to get her mobility back, so Quinn had walked off the plane in Alaska and rounded up some options for her as fast as he could. She’d refused to let him cancel his scheduled trip to Katmai, so he’d flown out the day after she was discharged from the hospital and into the rehabilitation center in Palmer. His mother was stubborn enough, he’d known she would be more annoyed with him if he cancelled his Katmai trip than if he hadn’t. She expected her children to go at life just the way she did.

  Relief washed through him. Knowing his mother, Quinn hadn’t been too worried, but he knew it was probably driving her insane to be waiting through her rehabilitation. “Good to hear. When I did the tour there, it seemed like a good fit for her. They had a lot of younger patients, and I knew she’d get cranky otherwise.”

  Amelia threw her head back with a laugh. “Cranky’s putting it nicely.” Her laugh faded. “Honestly, I think this has been good for her. She was so happy to be out of the actual hospital that she’s been enjoying her time at the rehab center. I know she likes to think she’ll be strong as an ox forever, but she won’t. I’m not happy she was in the car accident, but I’m glad to see how she’s handled it.”

  Quinn leaned back, rocking slowly in the rocking chair. “Well, good then. When do you want to head over to see her?”

  Amelia turned to look at the clock on the wall above her kitchen counter. “Whenever you want. I just need to be back here by five.”

  Hours later, Quinn walked to the doorway of the rehab center with his mother at his side, moving purposefully and probably too quickly with her walker. Amelia had left a little earlier to go to a planning meeting for a house she was working on. They reached the doors and he turned to face her. Sarah Haynes rolled her walker to a stop and flinched just barely. Quinn eyed her. “Don’t push too hard, Mom. I heard your physical therapist tell you to make sure you don’t put too much weight on that ankle too soon.”

  Sarah opened her mouth to reply and snapped it shut before shaking her head with a laugh. “She reminds me every day. I try to listen, but sometimes I forget.”

  “You look great. I can’t believe how much progress you’ve made since I left a few weeks ago.”

  Sarah smiled, a devilish glint in her dark brown eyes. “I bet you didn’t think I could follow doctor’s orders.”

  Quinn chuckled. “I had my doubts. I figured the one thing that would keep you on track was knowing you might get out sooner if you did what they said.”

  Sarah lifted a hand and brushed her graying dark hair out of her eyes. Quinn and Amelia had gotten their amber hair and eyes from their father, although he’d been so distant in their lives, Quinn credited his mother with everything else, including the luck to be bright enough to stand out academically and the grit to love the wilderness the way he and Amelia did. Sarah lifted a shoulder in a small shrug. “That’s exactly what kept me on track. The doctor said he might clear me to drive in a few weeks. He wants to see more mobility in my ankle first. Walking’s the easy part. When they put me through the ankle circular rotations, it hurts like hell.” His mother paused, her eyes assessing. “Amelia mentioned you were considering that medical clinic in Diamond Creek. I think you should go,” she said firmly.

  “Mom, I haven’t even met with them yet. If it works out, I’ll definitely go, but why does it matter to you?”

  She pursed her lips and looked over at him thoughtfully. “Because you like the mountains and the ocean. Up here, all we have is the mountains. I’d rather have you nearby, but where you get the best of both worlds. Otherwise, you’ll go gallivanting around the world again, and I’ll miss you.” Her eyes teared up as she spoke, and she swiped at them quickly.

  Quinn stepped to the side of hi
s mother’s walker and hugged her. She wasn’t one to show emotion often. She squeezed his hand tightly when he stepped away. “I always told you two to do whatever you wanted, but it doesn’t mean I won’t miss you. If you decide to go global again, you know I’ll support you,” she said with a firm nod.

  “Mom, my stint overseas was great and I learned a lot, but I’m damn glad to be home. As soon as I know what’s happening with the job in Diamond Creek, I’ll let you know.” He glanced at his watch. “Didn’t Rose say she was meeting you at six?” he asked, referring to one of the women his mother had met at the rehab center. While his mother hadn’t been thrilled to come here, she’d approached it the way she did everything—she accepted the reality and made it fun. In Quinn’s brief visit, it was clear she’d endeared herself to the entire staff and befriended most everyone else staying there.

  Sarah grinned. “She sure did. Well, then I’m off. Where are you staying tonight?”

  “Hotel in Anchorage. I know I could stay at Amelia’s, but she has zero privacy for company. I’m hoping to hear back from the clinic in Diamond Creek by tomorrow and maybe zip down there.” He leaned over and dropped a kiss on his mother’s cheek. “Go have dinner. I’ll stop by again tomorrow.”

  At that, he gave a wave and headed to the parking lot. His phone buzzed when he climbed in his truck, indicating a text. He glanced at the screen. Tell me it doesn’t mean anything that I got that weird feeling in my legs again.

  Lacey’s text sent his gut to churning. He knew she had a good chance of being okay even if she had MS, but it didn’t change the fact he was worried about her. More worried than he would be for most because his guess was she would resist going to the doctor again. He considered for a moment before he replied. He elected to be blunt because tiptoeing around anything wasn’t Lacey’s style.