Hearts and Diamonds

by Nichelle Gregory

  Quin lifted his mouth long enough to say, “I can’t, I love hearing you laugh.”

  A wild scream filled the bathroom as he nuzzled and nipped her neck while tickling her ribs. “Quin!” She could hardly breathe between laughs, struggling to get away from him as he began to chuckle. Nia seized the moment to wrench away from him. Her giggles subsided as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “That was uncalled for.”

  “I know. Forgive me?” he asked with a grin.

  “Never,” Nia said, opening the shower door. She glared at him, her heart swelling at the twinkle in his eyes and relaxed posture.

  “You don’t mean that.” He approached with his hands outstretched.

  “Don’t you dare!” She backed up against the shower door. “I forgive you, just don’t tickle me again.”

  Quin laughed as he pulled her into his arms. “I can’t make any promises for the future, but I give you my word no more tickling tonight.”

  “Good.” She ignored the pang of happiness rushing through her that he saw a future between them at all, filled with tickling or not.

  He lifted his gaze from hers to look around the bathroom. “Nice tub.”

  “Thanks. I had it installed when I moved into this house. There’s nothing better than soaking away the day’s stress in a warm bubble bath.” She tapped a finger on his chest. “When’s the last time you’ve done that?”

  “I can’t remember.”

  Nia pulled away to look at him with a horrified expression. “Really?”

  “Clearly, I am not the bubble bath type.”

  Quin flexed his muscles in a classic bodybuilding pose. Her eyes travelled over his naked body in frank admiration as she tried to imagine him soaking in a tub filled with bubbles. “Maybe not,” she said with a grin,” but you’re taking one with me. This sucker is big enough for us both.”

  “Bubbles are for babes.”

  “Thanks for the compliment, but you’ll change your mind once you get in.” She bent over the ivory porcelain to turn on the water.

  “You’ve already changed my mind.”

  Nia placed one hand on the edge of the tub and glanced back at Quin who was staring at her ass. “Like what you see?” she asked seductively, wiggling her bottom as she reached for her bath beads.

  “Love what I see.”

  She spread her legs a little wider, loving the dark glint in his eyes as she dipped her back and gave him an even better view. The sound of the running water covered her tiny gasp of delight as he came up behind her and ran his hand between her thighs. She poured in the lavender bath beads as he caressed her cream-soaked pussy.

  “So soft and silky.”

  She tested the water as his fingers gently stroked her wet folds. “Get in.” She gasped as two fingers slipped inside of her. “Inside the tub.”

  “Ahhh!”

  She moaned as he gave her three deep-finger strokes before removing his hand and complying.

  The sight of him climbing into her tub and settling his large frame beneath the bubbles made her smile as she pinned up her hair. She took his offered hand and joined him in the fragrant bathwater. Something twisted in her heart as he pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms under her breasts.

  For a few minutes, neither spoke.

  Nia exhaled slowly. “This is perfect.” You’re perfect.

  “I’d have to agree.” He rested his head on top of her hair.

  She pushed back the urge to ask him if he was only referring to the bath.

  Later, they shared a pepperoni pizza and a bottle of red wine before settling on the couch. Nia sighed with contentment, snuggling closer to Quin as she placed her head on his chest. She tucked her legs in behind her and stared at the candles flickering in the room. The smell of cinnamon spice filled the air and soft holiday music played in the background.

  Now, this felt like Christmas.

  She hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time and it wasn’t the red wine. It was being with Quin. His dry sense of humour mixed with her playful nature had them both laughing at the smallest things. The more time she spent with him the more she liked him.

  “What are you going to do for the holidays?” She lifted her head to see his face.

  Quin shrugged. “I don’t get that excited about the holidays like most folks.” He lifted a strand of her hair. “My mom passed away several years ago.” A shadow fell over his handsome features. “Kinda changed things.”

  She understood. It was another thing they had in common.

  “I’m sorry you lost your mom.” She laid her head back on his chest.

  “It happened unexpectedly. My father moved back to Mexico to be with our extended family. A decision I didn’t understand at the time, but now think was best. He’s found some happiness being home, surrounded by his grandchildren.” Quin toyed with the diamond stud in her ear. “I try to fly home for either Thanksgiving or Christmas when my job permits me.”

  “Mexico is a beautiful place. I had a wonderful time travelling there a few years ago with some girlfriends for a weekend getaway.”

  Quin scoffed. “Then you hardly experienced the true beauty of Mexico. You have to get away from the tourist scene and take the unbeaten path to really appreciate the culture.”

  “That would be fun,” Nia said, imagining him relaxed and shirtless under the Mexican sun. “So are you going back home this year?”

  “I don’t think so. I never can relax when I have an ongoing case giving me grief like this one. What about you, what are you going to do?”

  “I lost my mom too, about four years ago.” She took his offered hand, touched by his need to comfort her. “My dad remarried…she’s nice,” Nia said to his raised eyebrow as she sat up. “I actually like her, my brothers and I all do. We usually get together in either Indy or DC to celebrate Christmas. I usually have my ticket by now, but I told my brothers I would come up for New Year’s instead.” She leaned her head back against the couch cushions.

  “Why?”

  She turned her head to look at him. “Why?”

  “Yes.”

  She hadn’t given the why of her decision much thought, but with Quin’s steady gaze on her the truth was crystal clear. “I guess I feel left out sometimes. They’re all married now. My oldest brother has a new baby on the way and I’m so happy for him.” She took a deep breath and looked away from Quin to stare at the wavering candlelight. “I’m the baby of the family and I’m still single. Not that I think about my non-married status much. My job, my friends, dating keeps me busy, but when I’m in a room with all of them…I feel like I’m missing out on something special.”

  Quin pulled her close and she nestled in the crook of his arm.

  “I get that. I don’t have many close friends, but the ones I do, all have families.” He shook his head with a little chuckle. “I think they’ve just about given up on me ever settling down.”

  “No two point five kids and wife for you, eh?”

  “And a dog,” Quin said with a wry smile.

  Nia laughed. “Right, we can’t forget the dog.”

  “I like dogs; it’s the rest of it I haven’t given much thought. What about you?”

  “More than anything I want to be happy. Right now being single makes me happy.” She moved away from the warmth of his body to pour more wine in her glass. “More?” She lifted the bottle in his direction.

  “No. It’s late and I should go.”

  “What time is it?”

  “12:22 a.m.”

  Nia groaned. She had to be at the store at six o’clock in the morning. Ask him to stay the night, Nia. She opened her mouth to speak as he stood, but pretended to stifle a yawn instead.

  “I hope you’re not too tired tomorrow at work.”

  “I’ll be fine.” She watched him grab his sweater off the coffee table and put it on. “I’m gonna skip the text and tell you now, I want to see you again.”

  Quin stared at her for a moment, his dark eyes moving from her
eyes to her lips and back again. “I want to see you again too.” He offered her his hand and helped her up from the couch.

  Nia sensed his statement and the sentiment behind it was foreign to him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’ll meet me for dinner later?” She lifted her chin to look into his dark brown eyes.

  “I’ll bring dessert.”

  * * * *

  “You get the photos I emailed you?”

  Quin sat down on the edge of his partner’s desk “I saw them.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Two of the diamond pieces taken from Fletcher’s showed up in Miami.”

  “They surfaced a day after the robbery. The jeweller came forward after realising they were hot. We’ve got someone down there questioning him now. He’s claiming he had no idea they were on stolen, but he thinks he can ID the woman who sold them to him.”

  Quin sat down his paper cup down. “Woman?”

  Agent Tan nodded. “I know what you’re thinking and you’re right. The man described a woman fitting Tess Parker’s description.”

  “I always thought she was aware of her boyfriend’s dealings, but I didn’t think she was an active player in all of this.”

  “You never can tell about people. That’s why this job is so damn interesting.”

  “That’s one word for it.” Quin downed the rest of the strong lukewarm brew, knowing the caffeine would only take him so far with less than four hours of sleep.

  “I can tell something’s off with you though.” She got up from behind her desk to face her friend. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this,” she gestured around his face, “in the five years we’ve been working together.”

  Quin scratched the five o’clock shadow on his jaw. “What are you talking about?” He pitched his empty coffee cup into the trash.

  “Nia Sanders.”

  Just hearing her name evoked a physical response. Quin looked at his partner. “What about her?”

  “You tell me. I betcha can’t. That’s how it is,” she said with a knowing smile.

  “What the hell are you talking ab—” He pulled his phone out of his pocket, half-expecting it to be Nia when his partner’s phone also began to ring.

  “We’re being summoned to the lab.” She pulled on her navy suit jacket.

  “Let’s go.” He led the way out of her office, grateful for the distraction. He didn’t want to answer any of his partner’s questions about Nia.

  Hell, questions he still needed to answer for himself.

  Forensics verified a partial print of Scott’s found in LA and Quin took the next flight out of O’Hare to the City of Angels. This time there was a witness and even video footage captured on a cell phone of the jewel thieves as they fled the store. Hours slipped by as he analysed the crime and worked possible leads with help from LA agents.

  It was after eight when he finally decided he had all the information he needed. He headed back to the airport and booked the next flight to Chicago. The airport was quiet and Quin took a seat with a weary sigh. It would be way after midnight before he got home. He could’ve booked a hotel room, but he was more than ready to return to Chicago. The woman behind the counter called out seat numbers to load the plane as he checked his cell.

  No messages.

  Why hadn’t Nia called? Had she got his text about postponing their dinner date?

  Quin cursed as he strode towards the departure gate. This was the reason he kept his relationships—non-relationships. Women were more unpredictable than the most harden criminals. Who needed this kind of distraction in their life?

  Certainly not him.

  He took his seat, fully prepared to catch up on some sleep during the four-hour flight home.

  An hour in, he was still awake.

  Face it you’re distracted as hell, Rios.

  He couldn’t sleep because he couldn’t stop thinking about her. The entire day, no matter what he was doing, Nia was never far from his thoughts. All he had to do was close his eyes to see her beautiful lips curve up in that teasing smile and he wanted to smile. He couldn’t even control his cock as he’d worked behind some other agent’s desk remembering her sexy moans as he stroked her hard and fast or the way she said his name as she came.

  His brain felt branded by memories of how her soft curves melded with his body beneath the fragrant water in her tub. She’d got him to take a bubble bath. Something he’d never done with any female.

  And you loved it, man.

  “Dammit!” He pulled his cell out again.

  “Excuse me?”

  He whipped his head up from his phone to see a concerned stewardess looking at him.

  “Would you care for something to drink?”

  “Scotch, no ice.”

  The stewardess nodded with a gentle smile. “Coming right up.”

  Quin glanced at the empty mailbox on his phone. “Make that two.”

  Chapter Seven

  Nia tossed onto her side for the millionth time and stared at the digital clock on her nightstand.

  12:36 a.m.

  Exactly three minutes had gone by since she last looked. She was exhausted, but sleep eluded her. Her cell lay next to the clock and she picked it up, rereading Quin’s brief text.

  Change of plans…can’t make dinner.

  She realised his job was probably the reason, but that didn’t stop her from being disappointed. After work she’d grabbed a sandwich and headed home to wrap some last minute gifts for her family while pretending she wasn’t waiting for Quin to call. Surely, he’d call and say something, even if he couldn’t share what was holding him up.

  When the last present was wrapped, she settled in to watch late night television and finally went to bed. Quin was a busy man. She got that and even though she wasn’t chasing down bad guys, she had a busy life of her own.

  So, why were you sitting around waiting for him to call you back?

  Nia snatched the covers up in the dark.

  Exactly.

  He had practically told her he would hurt her…’unintentionally’ of course.

  His text was his way of ending things between them.

  Nia blinked back tears, disgusted by her own weakness. She thought she understood the rules of dating and sex, but clearly she wasn’t a true game player. Apparently saying goodbye after three nights of intimate conversation and hot, mind-blowing sex didn’t constitute a real phone call these days. Not wanting to appear overly concerned, she had responded to his short text with one of her own a couple of hours later.

  One abbreviated word to be exact, NP.

  No problem.

  Except she had a huge damn problem.

  She wanted Quin…and not just physically, though her body longed for his touch. She wanted more time to make him laugh. She wanted another chance to be around the warm, funny, sensitive man she knew he could be, the exact opposite of the cool, detached agent persona she first encountered in the store.

  She felt a connection with him like no other. The way her body connected with him was something she had never experienced before. A connection that was obviously one-sided. He wasn’t waiting for her to call or losing sleep like she was. She was willing to bet he’d been relieved to get her message. He was off the emotional hook.

  She swallowed down tears as she turned on her back to stare at the ceiling. Sleeping around had never been her style. Going up in smoke the minute she found herself attracted to a guy was so not her. Yet, all her self-imposed guidelines for being intimate with a man had flown out the window with Quin. Her attraction to him sparked the moment he had walked up to her in the store. There was no way she could’ve imagined his genuine interest in her too and there was no denying the explosive chemistry between them sexually.

  You could be overreacting.

  The thought comforted her for a split second before all the other niggling questions started racing through her mind again.

  “Go to sleep, Nia.” She pulled the covers up over her head and released a deep breath when s
he heard knocking on her front door. Pausing to listen for the sound again, she wrenched back the covers as the rapping grew louder.

  Quin!

  She jumped out of bed, raced to the door to see him through the peephole. Her heart leapt as she opened the door.

  “It’s late,” he said, his gaze on her face.

  “I know.” She shivered as the cold air zipped under her green nightgown and over her body. “Come in before I freeze.” She shut the door behind him, flipped on the light closest to her before turning around. “This is a surprise.”

  Quin tilted his head as if to say it was surprising to him as well. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

  “No, I couldn’t sleep.” She considered offering to take his coat, but decided not asking left things more formal. He could’ve rung her bell for any number of reasons. “Is everything all right?” she asked, instantly wondering what bad news would bring him to her home so late at night. “Did something happen with the case, is that why you’re here?” She wished she had grabbed her robe as his eyes ran over her body. Her nightgown was more of an oversized T-shirt, leaving much of her bare legs exposed.

  “There have been some updates, but that’s not why I’m here.” He loosened his scarf and unbuttoned his coat.

  “Then why are you here, Quin?” She stared at him, wondering how he could look so put together at one o’clock in the morning.

  “To apologise for breaking our dinner plans so abruptly.”

  Nia shrugged, wishing her body didn’t react to the sight of him or the sound of his deep voice. “I got your text, it’s all good.” She grabbed the knitted blanket off her couch and wrapped it around her body.

  “And I got yours. For you our cancelled plans equalled ‘no problem’, but not for me.” He took a step towards her. “You see I’ve been thinking about you all day, Nia, when I’m supposed to be focused on my job. I got on a plane wanting nothing more than to sleep and I couldn’t. Do you want to know why?”