by Cathryn Fox
Does she have any panties on underneath?
“Good. I changed her diaper,” I say, like a student looking for praise from a teacher. How juvenile is that? Changing the subject, I gesture with a nod toward the kitchen. “Coffee should be done.”
“I’ll grab us a cup,” she says and darts into the other room like wolves are nipping at her heels. Cupboards open and close as she searches for the mugs, and a few minutes later she brings me a much-needed cup.
“Cream, no sugar, right?” she asks.
“You remember,” I say, a statement, not a question.
She blows into her cup and sits in the seat across from us. Daisy gives a good burp and I settle her back into my arms, and give her the rest of the bottle.
“You’re really good with her, Jonah,” she says quietly.
I shake my head. “To think before yesterday I’d never even held a child.”
“You really stepped up.”
My chest swells. Goddammit, I really like it when she looks at me like that, like she’s totally proud of me. Although I don’t want to think too hard on why I like it so much.
She goes quiet for a moment, toys with her coffee mug. Is she thinking about last night? Waiting for me to bring it up? I open my mouth, but she speaks first.
“Jonah, about last night…”
I brace myself. “What about it?”
“It was…”
“Fantastic?”
A small smile touches her mouth. “That’s one word to describe it, but I’m just not sure—”
“Wait,” I say, unable to hear her valid points on why we shouldn’t do it again—Christ, I just found out I was a father, and I have an NHL career to think about. Not to mention her brother is going to kill me, and Quinn deserves better than a guy like me, one who has a reputation a mile wide. Plus, she’s chasing her own dreams, is building a life for herself that I don’t fit into—not that either of us are looking for anything more. We had fun, simple as that.
I lean toward her, Daisy secure in my arms. “You had fun, right?”
She sips her coffee and looks at me over the rim. “I…yes.”
“So did I. A lot. So what’s a little pleasure between friends? Neither one of us is looking for anything more, so while you’re here, helping out, why can’t we just keep having sex…enjoy each other?”
She visibly quakes, like she’s remembering all the dirty things we did last night, reliving them in her mind’s eye. “I…”
I take the empty bottle from Daisy’s mouth and put her over my shoulder again. Quinn’s face softens as she watches me.
“So you’re suggesting we continue to have no-strings sex, until I find you a nanny?” she asks, and my heart thumps with excitement. At least she’s considering it.
“Sure,” I say casually, although my stomach is in a chaotic mess. What if she says no? I’m sure fifty hand jobs a night and a harem of puck bunnies would never suffice. Now that I’ve had a taste of her, I want more. I’m certain by the time we hire a nanny I’ll have gotten her out of my system. “And until I find a nanny, I want to pay you for helping out.”
She crinkles her nose. “No, I don’t want your money,” she says adamantly.
Christ, she’s so different from the other women I know, which makes me like her all the more. “It’s a simple business arrangement, Quinn.”
“I can’t take your money, Jonah.”
“Fine. Then while you’re here, I’ll pay your half of your father’s medical bills.”
She sits up a little straighter and her eyes go wide. “How do you know—”
“Your brother is my best friend. We talk. Listen, I get it. You don’t want the entire burden to fall on your brother, and that’s admirable.” Really fucking admirable, considering the women I know what me for one of two things: what’s between my legs or what’s in my back account. “But what you would have paid, you can save, put it toward that daycare facility you always wanted.”
She bites her lip and looks down. “You’re not saying no. I won’t let you.”
“Jonah—”
“Done. It’s settled. While you’re helping me with Daisy, and helping me find a nanny, I’ll pay you.”
“You’re kind of pushy.”
I grin at her. “That’s why they call me the Body Checker.” She looks down for a moment, and I pray she’s not having second thoughts. “What?” I ask.
“Just…I don’t think we should tell my brother or anyone else about us.”
“Your brother would kick my ass if he knew I was fucking you.”
“Since when have you ever been afraid of Zander?”
“He’s my best friend, Quinn.” Fear niggles at me. I love Zander like a brother, and would never want to hurt him. Goddammit, I should have kept my dick in my pants. “I can’t lose him.”
She nods, like she understands that. “I know he’s overprotective of me, but I’m a big girl, can make my own decisions on who I bring into my bed.”
“Then why don’t you want anyone to know?” I ask, bluntly.
“I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea, that we might be in a relationship or something. I’m not looking for anything like that.”
I take a moment to absorb her words, roll them around in my brain for a second. Would being in a relationship with me be so horrible? Guess so, considering she wants to keep this a secret. Yeah, I know I have a reputation, and she deserves someone better.
Wait, wait. I don’t want a relationship either, so what the fuck am I getting all upset about?
Daisy lets loose another burp and Quinn laughs. “Not hard to tell she’s your daughter.” She shakes her head. “You and Zander were so disgusting, having those burping contests when you were younger.”
“I remember you joining in a time or two. If memory serves me correctly, didn’t you win after you drank that big glass of root beer?”
She lifts her chin. “I don’t remember that at all.”
“Yeah right.”
“I believe you’re having false memories. I would never do something so disgusting.” She stands and stretches out her arms. “Can I hold her for a minute?”
“Way to change the subject,” I say, and hand my daughter over.
Quinn smiles as she looks down at little Daisy. “She’s so precious.”
“You look like you might want one.”
Her head rears back. “No.”
“Whoa,” I say, obviously hitting a sore spot. “Sorry.”
“I just…I work at a daycare. When I get home at the end of the night, I want peace and quiet,” she says, but I’m not sure I believe. There’s something she’s not telling me, and I’m not going to push. It’s obviously a sensitive subject for her and likely none of my business. “I sent out a few texts to my co-workers yesterday. Hopefully we’ll hear something today. Like I said, the sooner we get a nanny, the better.”
Okay, okay, I get it. She doesn’t want to be here with me longer than necessary. She doesn’t have to keep driving the point home. I nod, and just then my cell rings from my bedroom. I glance at the stairs. “Who would be calling me this early in the morning?”
“No clue,” Quinn says. “Maybe it’s Shari, with a change of heart.”
Would I want her taking care of my daughter after pulling a stunt like that?
I hurry up the stairs—and my heart races when I see who the call is from.
I swipe my finger over the phone and head back down to Quinn and Daisy.
“Hi Mom, what are you doing up so early? It’s only like six in Mexico, isn’t it?”
“What’s this we hear about you having a baby?” she says, getting right to the point like she always does.
I meet Quinn’s eyes and mouth the words, “My parents. They know.”
Quinn cringes. “Wow, news travels fast in the hockey world,” she whispers back, as she walks around the room with Daisy, bouncing her gently.
“Is it true?” Mom asks.
“Who have you been talki
ng too?”
“Luke mentioned it to his mother. She called me right away. We all talk you know, and if it is true, why am I not hearing it from my own son?”
“Sorry. I just found out yesterday. She was basically dropped into my arms, and I wanted to figure things out before I called you.”
“We’re coming home right now.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. Yesterday, I would have been all over the idea, but Daisy isn’t my mother’s responsibility. She’s mine—Quinn beat that fact home—and she shouldn’t cut her vacation short because of it.
“No, it’s okay. I’ve got everything under control.”
“I hardly think so,” she says. “You’re not equipped—”
“I know,” I say quickly. “But Quinn is here helping. She’s going to stay with me for a while, until I can find a nanny.”
“Oh,” she says, surprise in her voice. “That’s awfully generous of her.”
“Yes, she’s very generous,” I say, my gaze on her ass as she sits Daisy in the bassinette we bought yesterday. But suddenly my mind is on other things, like how generous she was with her mouth, her body last night in the kitchen, in bed. Shit. The last thing I want is a boner while I’m talking to my mother.
“Quinn is such a lovely girl. The kind of girl you need in your life, Jonah.”
“She is in my life, Mom. She’s always been in my life.”
“You know what I mean. Anyway, who’s the mother? Why did she just leave the child with you? How come she never told you about her before now? Are you even sure she’s yours, Jonah?”
“She’s mine, Mom.”
“Do you plan to marry the girl?”
Jesus, I knew it would lead back to this.
“Listen, just go enjoy your vacation. We’ll all talk when you get back, and I’ll answer all your questions.”
“Are you sure, Jonah? We can catch the next flight and be home by tonight.”
“We’ve got everything under control. I’ll fill you in when you get home. Right now, just go and have fun. I insist, Mom,” I say, a little more force behind my words.
“Well, if you insist.”
“I do. Have fun, tell Dad I said hello, and I’ll talk to you later.” I slide my finger across the screen to end the call and glance up to find Quinn watching me.
“How did that go?”
“I managed to talk her into not coming home.”
“I thought you’d want her here.”
“Yesterday I did, but now I have you.” I slide my hand around her body and drag her to me. Heat moves into her cheeks. “I’m dying to know, Quinn.”
“Know what?” she asks, as I put my hand between her thighs.
“What you’re wearing under here,” I say, and leisurely slide my hand upward until I find her bare, wet…completely ready for me again.
8
Quinn
I wake up, roll over and take in the gorgeous, naked man sleeping beside me. His blankets are hovering around his waist, exposing his sexy oblique muscles. My hands itch to touch him, my mouth waters for a taste. I move closer, breathe in his familiar scent, let it stir things inside me. I’m about to touch him but stop myself.
Wait, did I really agree to his terms yesterday? Sex for pleasure while I remain at his house helping? My God, I did. I really did.
And it’s a good damn thing, too. I’ve only been intimate with him two times, and I’m already addicted, not quite ready to give him up. Then again, who could blame me? He’s as skilled in the bedroom as he is on the ice. No wonder all the bunnies are tripping over themselves to get a piece of him. But now that he’s a father, will that settle him down, or will he go back to his old ways when he’s on the road?
I ease from the bed, needing to get ready for work. I’m confident Jonah will be okay alone with Daisy for the day, and I’ll be back at dinnertime to give him a break. I’m sure he’ll need it by then.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Jonah asks, his voice sleepy, groggy.
“I have to work, remember?”
He groans, grabs me and pulls me back to the bed. “Did you really think you were getting out of here without a good-morning kiss?”
A good-morning kiss?
Isn’t that what longtime lovers do, kiss one another before they part for the day, and when they arrive home? Since we’re not a couple, I hadn’t expected to kiss him hello or goodbye.
He climbs over me and, taking me by surprise, he slides down my body and grips the hem of my T-shirt. I’m still in his clothes, despite the fact that I made a trip home yesterday to get my own. But Jonah seems to like me in his shirts for some reason—likely because it gives him easy access to my sex.
He lifts the shirt, and exposes my body.
A grin touches his mouth as he spreads my legs. “Just the way I like you.”
I’m about to respond, but he dips his head and widens my lips with his tongue. My words turn into a moan of pleasure, and my hips rise from the bed. “Yes,” I murmur, as he presses a hot kiss to my clit. Ah, so this is the good-morning kiss he was talking about. Nothing to do with longtime couples at all. Good, because I don’t want that, and I could really get used to waking up like this every morning.
“Mmm,” he murmurs as he buries his face between my legs, licking and eating at me, until my body is hot, needy, quaking all over. I reach for him, grip his hair, and move against his invading mouth.
“Jonah,” I say, my breath a desperate whisper as he slides a finger into me, then another. He fucks me with both fingers, touching and stroking in all the right places, as his tongue swirls over my clit. My body grows hotter, the room closes in on me. My hands leave his hair, grasp at the bed sheets. I tug, twirl them in my hand as pressure builds. He moans again, loving what he’s doing to me, and that knowledge brings on my orgasm. I come and come and come some more, my muscles clenching, a storm of pleasure blowing through me and stealing my breath.
I toss my head from side to side and work to refill my lungs as he continues to kiss me, slower this time, softer, knowing just how to bring me back down. I go up on my elbows to see him, and I’m sure there is no sexier sight than this man between my legs. I shake my head at how quickly he brought me to orgasm. How the hell is he so good at this?
Because he’s had a lot of practice.
I wipe that thought from my mind and ignore the unwanted jealousy it provokes.
What’s between us is sex. Good sex. Amazing sex. Mind-blowing, orgasmic sex.
My body stops spasming, and he lifts his head, grins up at me, his mouth wet from my release. “Good morning,” he says.
“Good morning,” I say and try to catch my breath.
He crawls up me, plants his mouth on mine. “Now you can go get ready for work, and while you’re there, you can think about all the ways we’re going to fuck tonight when you get back.” His cock rubs against my leg, hard and ready. He taps the side of my ass. “You better get going. I don’t want to make you late.”
“What about you?” I ask. He just gave me amazing oral sex; does he not want anything in return?
“Tonight, after we get the baby to bed, you’re mine.” He touches my breasts. “My mouth needs more time with these. I think I might even fuck you here,” he says, running his finger between my cleavage. “Then I’m going to fill your throat with my cum.”
I gulp, the image doing crazy things to me, arousing me all over again. “Okay,” I squeak out.
He laughs. “I’ll probably jack off three times in the shower before that, though.”
I laugh with him, but his words thrill me. I’ve never had a man want me the way this one does.
Don’t get too excited about that, Quinn.
Right, right, this is just sex. A secret affair. That might just be the thrill of it for him.
“How do you expect me to work after…this?”
He slides off me and holds his hand out. I take it, and when I stand our bodies collide. “Did you like your good-morning kiss?”
“Ah, yeah,” I say, and he laughs.
“Good, be prepared to wake up to that every morning.”
“How am I supposed to work today? I can barely freaking walk.”
“Just think about all the things we’re going to do tonight. It will help get you through the day.”
Just then Daisy cries out, and Jonah climbs into his pants as I make a beeline for the shower. I wash quickly, dress, and let my hair dry naturally as I head to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. The sight of Jonah on the sofa with Daisy gives me pause and my heart pinches. It’s picture perfect, except for one thing—Daisy doesn’t have a mother, and Jonah doesn’t have a wife. Not that I want to be either of those things to this ready-made family or become too attached. I’m not about to set myself up for heartache.
Jonah turns his head, and I put on a smile and step toward him.
“Coffee is ready. Do you want me to make you some breakfast? Daisy is just about finished hers.”
“No, I’ll grab a muffin. I’m running a bit behind.”
His grin is evil, and my sex clenches. “Sorry about that but I couldn’t let you leave here without a proper good-morning kiss, now could I?”
“I’ll have to set my alarm to wake up a bit earlier.”
He chuckles…but then it dies, all humor gone from his face. In its place, exists worry. I sit on the coffee table across from him.
“You okay?”
“Are you sure I can do this?” He puts Daisy over his shoulder, and I touch his leg, give it a comforting squeeze.
“I’m only a phone call away, and so is Zander. He’ll help you, Jonah. He knows how to take care of a little girl.”
Our eyes meet, lock. “I’m sorry your mom left,” he says. “I don’t think I ever told you that.”
Emotions well up inside me and tears press against the backs of my eyes. “It’s okay,” I say. “It was a long time ago. Right now, you have Daisy to worry about, not me.”
“I just wanted you to know that.”
I nod, even though I’ve always known that. He might not have been able to say the words until now—maybe Daisy brings out a different side of him—but he was always there for Zander, doing things to lighten his burden, like helping him with chores, cooking, cleaning and laundry, which meant he was always there for me, too. Deep down, I knew that.