by Jewel E. Ann
“Well, enough about us. How long are you staying in Milwaukee, Quinn?” Mac quickly diverted.
“Actually, I leave early in the morning. I have to be back in Chicago by ten.”
“Are you going too, Addy?” Evan asked, because honestly the guy was in the dark when it came to my relationship with Quinn.
Quinn looked at me with sanguine eyes as if I had some good news to share.
“No, Evan, I’m not. But maybe we’ll create our own Hollywood love story and meet up at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day.”
Everyone laughed, except Quinn. The rest of the evening was a little more somber. Quinn was doing his best to seem engaged in our conversation, but I sensed something was bothering him.
“Mac, Evan, dinner was wonderful and we’ve had a great time but I think Quinn could use some sleep before his early morning drive.”
“Yes, you’re right, and it was lovely. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality, and I hope you both make it out to New York soon so I can return the favor,” Quinn offered.
“We’re going to hold you to that,” Mac insisted.
After hugs all around and bundling up, we walked arm-in-arm through the snow to Karma. Quinn used my ice scraper and brush to clean her off.
“Be careful with her, babe, she already has one crack in the windshield.”
“Her windshield is the least of my worries. Have you looked at the street?”
Their driveway was protected from the blowing snow by trees and shrubs on both sides, but the street looked like a whole other beast. I noticed Quinn was on his phone but only briefly.
“Who’d you call?”
He finished brushing off the back window. “Elves.”
“Why?” I knew why but I was still offended he didn’t have faith in Karma.
He tossed the scraper on the floor in the backseat and then jumped in and shut the door. We were still in a cloud of breath vapor, but she was slowly starting to warm up.
Quinn rubbed his ungloved hands together and blew into them. “Just in case Karma proves to be the warm weather diva I suspect her to be.”
“Buckle up, she’s fine.” I tried to sound confident, but the truth was I rarely took her out in the snow.
I put her in reverse and backed down the driveway, but by the time I reached the street, the plowed snow at the end of their drive was a couple feet deep. I stopped before I got stuck.
“Listen here, Cohen, not one word, do you understand me? I don’t want to get her stuck so I’ll get her tomorrow. Evan will drive us home in his Sequoia.”
Quinn was fighting back his laughter and casually covered his mouth with one hand, no doubt hiding his stupid grin. “Not necessary, our ride is here.”
I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a familiar white Range Rover parked along the street. After I pulled up the driveway closer to their garage we got out. His smug smirk taunted me so I tried to push him down in the snow. He didn’t so much as budge. Instead he threw me over his shoulder and carried me to the Range Rover. Opening the back door, he tossed me inside before sliding in next to me.
“Jeez, Tarzan, must you manhandle me all the time?”
He grinned while reaching around to buckle me in like a child.
“Evening, Mr. Cohen and Miss Brecken.”
“Eddie,” Quinn replied.
“Hey, Eddie, nice to see you again.”
“You as well.”
As Eddie drove toward my loft, Quinn nuzzled my neck. The closer we got the more intense he became. I wasn’t up for putting on a show for Eddie, but Quinn didn’t seem to care as he moved my hand between his legs and rubbed it over his erection. He let out a soft groan.
“Quinn, stop,” I whispered, pulling my hand away.
“I can’t, baby.” He tried to unbutton my coat but I batted his hand away.
Luckily the drive was short and before Quinn made it to second base, Eddie had stopped.
“Have a pleasant evening,” Eddie called out.
Quinn, in his horny rudeness, just hopped out, pulling me behind him. I barely got the words “Thanks” and “Goodbye” out before the door shut and I was thrown over his shoulder and hauled up the stairs. He had my complex security code entered in record time, and without even stopping to turn on the lights, he proceeded to my bedroom and tossed me on my bed.
“How chivalrous of you,” I laughed.
He already had his coat, shoes, socks, and shirt ripped off and his jerky hands fought to unfasten his pants. “Shut up and take everything off, now!” His voice was commanding but his hooded eyes and stone face told me he was losing control and this wasn’t going to be gentle.
I managed to get my coat and boots off before he was on top of me unbuttoning my jeans then pulling them down and tossing them aside while I pulled my sweater over my head. His hands were all over me, rubbing and squeezing, his wet mouth sucking my skin so hard I feared what I’d look like in the morning. He unfastened my bra and just about ripped the strap off pulling it from my arms. His mouth attacked my breasts and it was ridiculously intense. He took me to the fine line between pleasure and pain.
“Ah, God! “ I moaned. He teethed my hardened nipple so hard I grimaced. Then he soothed his tongue around it.
He moved down between my legs and slipped his fingers under the waist of my panties and forcefully pulled them down tearing them apart. His hands gripped the inside of my knees and opened me up. His mouth covered my sex and his greedy tongue stroked me. He didn’t stay there long; I knew he wouldn’t. His need to be buried in me was too great. Every move he made with his mouth was followed by a hungry moan. He was trying to consume me, and I couldn’t deny him. He rolled over on his back and guided my hips on top of him. I straddled him and sank onto his hard cock. He pushed and pulled at my hips, urging me to move on him so I did. His dark look made me feel sexy and sensual. It didn’t take long for my desire to elevate and sync with his. I massaged my breasts for him and ran my hands through my hair cascading it down my back as I arched forward.
“Fuck. Me. Baby, you are so damn sexy,” he growled as his eyes struggled to stay open. He was getting closer so I sped up my pace. I slid two of my fingers into his mouth and he sucked on them. Then I pulled them out and watched his face as I rubbed my clit. That was his undoing.
“Fu-uck!” he yelled as he gripped my hips.
A few moments later he sat up and sucked my nipple into his mouth while kneading it with his hand. Then he moved his other hand between us and joined mine in massaging my clit. I thrusted into our hands with Quinn still buried in me, and then I exploded around us.
“Oh God, oh, that … feels—”
Quinn covered my mouth with his, absorbing my aftershocks.
Collapsed on his chest, we continued to kiss. It showed our physical attraction went beyond a sexual release. It was an intimate, nonverbal way we had come to express our feelings of love. Eventually we found our cuddled spooning position.
“Why were you so quiet after dinner?” I asked.
He brushed a kiss on my shoulder then rested his chin on it. “I knew you weren’t coming back to New York with me tomorrow, but hearing you say it and then joking about meeting on Valentine’s Day, which is a month away, bothered me.”
“I know,” I whispered. “We’ll figure this out, I promise.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Wealth consists not in having possessions, but in having few wants.”
~Epictetus
QUINN LEFT EARLY the next morning. I barely remembered him kissing my sleeping lips goodbye. To keep from missing him, I followed my morning routine: exercise, meditation, shower, breakfast, and finally café. I let Jake decide the menus and order supplies. Mac and I went to the market but Jake insisted he could take over that responsibility too. He seemed fine around me, but I was still a little uncomfortable after our awkward exchange. A year earlier I might have jumped at the chance to have a casual relationship with Jake. We had so much in common and
what we didn’t was exciting to me. I liked his bad boy persona that he put on for his fighting. I loved his tattoos too. He’d caught me on more than one occasion looking at them. But things had changed and now all I wanted from Jake was his friendship and his promise to take care of the business I had built.
Within days “Quinn brain” started to consume me. Every day without him felt empty. I went through everything in my loft organizing and reorganizing. On Sundays Mac and I saw almost every movie that came out in the theaters while Evan watched football. I texted, phoned, or FaceTimed Quinn everyday. He had been working long hours, which I assumed was to make up for the time he’d devoted to me when I was in New York. He traveled on a weekly basis and always offered to pick me up in his private jet to go with him. I wanted to say yes, but I knew it would be short lived and we’d be back to our long distance relationship.
After a full month without him I cracked. My ego was the only thing keeping me in Milwaukee, and I was tired of feeling lonely and miserable without him. I checked the travel forecast between Milwaukee and New York, and as if fate was telling me to go for it, the end of the week was supposed to be unseasonably mild. Phoning Mac, I told her my plans then gave Jake a heads up as well. The moving company was scheduled to come on Thursday morning. I spent all day Tuesday and Wednesday packing. Mac let the movers in because I had Karma packed and ready to go by 4:00 a.m. and they weren’t expected until ten o’clock that morning. With minimal stops I anticipated arriving at Quinn’s by eight or so that night. He texted me numerous times that day so I used my short pit stops to text him back. It was so hard not telling him my plans but I was over-the-top excited about surprising him.
When I arrived at Quinn’s it was almost 8:30 p.m. We usually talked around nine. I parked Karma around the block from his building, not wanting to chance him seeing me if he were coming or going. As I got out of my car I dialed him up.
“Hey, beautiful, how was your day?” His voice was so soothing to me.
“Long … and I missed you.”
“Mmm, I can relate.”
“Are you home or out and about tonight?” I often asked him that so I knew it wouldn’t make him suspicious.
“Home. I just got back from dinner with Zach.”
“Ah, yes, I can’t wait to meet him. I’m sure your college roomy has some pretty good dirt on you.”
“Guy code. He’d never talk.”
As soon as I made it to his door, I shifted the conversation. “So … what are you wearing?” I asked in my sexiest voice.
“Oh, baby, I like where you’re going with this. What do you want me to be wearing?” His voice became deeper and raw.
“Pants, bare feet, no shirt, messy hair.”
“Already have bare feet … Now I’ve lost my shirt and you know my hair is always messy.”
“Did you shave this morning?”
“Not since yesterday. Does my baby like her man rugged?”
“Mmm, makes me want to slide my hand between my legs and touch myself,” I breathed out.
“Fuck, baby, I’m so hard.” His deep voice vibrated from his chest.
I had him just where I wanted him so I knocked at the door but put my hand over the peep hole.
“What the—” Quinn threw out a long line of expletives. “Just a minute, baby, somebody’s at my door and whoever it is will be getting their ass beaten.”
A few seconds later he swung open the door almost sending it through the wall.
My eyes sparkled with appreciation. Quinn was indeed only wearing a pair of pants, I wanted to take in the surprise I knew was all over his face, but I had trouble peeling my eyes off of his firm, sculpted chest.
“Hey, honey, I’m home. Miss me?”
In a sudden shocking move, Quinn shut the door on me.
What. The. Hell?
My phone chimed; it was a text from him.
Sorry, baby, this long distance phone sex isn’t working out for me. I’m leaving you for the most beautiful woman in the world, who just showed up at my door. Qx
He opened the door again and swept me into his arms, taking me into his condo and shutting the door behind us. He kissed me with such fervor and passion I felt dizzy.
“You said home. Please tell me there’s a moving truck outside.”
I slowly shook my head and he immediately started to deflate, much the same way I did when he shut the door in my face.
“Not until tomorrow.” I smiled
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have arranged everything,” he murmured into my neck as his tongue traced a path to my ear.
“And miss your reaction? Not a chance. Besides, I’m more resourceful than you give me credit for.”
“You should have at least let me pick you up from the airport.”
“Once again, not a surprise and I didn’t fly. I drove Karma.”
He halted his sensual quest over my body. “You drove that car here?”
“Not that car, Karma, and I wasn’t going to leave her behind. If I’m going to be living here you should make sure she has a space in the underground parking garage. I can’t leave her parked on the street. Someone might take her.”
“Take Karma, are you serious?” He raised an eyebrow at me.
“Yes, I’m serious!”
“What, like a hippy from the hood?” He laughed as he set me on my feet.
“You did not just say that!” I warned. “Here …” I handed him my keys “ …she’s just around the corner, park her between your Range Rover and Lamborghini. Bring up the rest of my stuff and don’t ding her doors getting in and out. I’ll be upstairs making myself comfortable in the guest room until you’re ready to apologize to me for your brash attitude towards Karma.”
After three steps up I turned around to witness Quinn looking at me like I’d just grown another head. “Get going, she’s not going to park herself. This may be your one chance to drive her so don’t blow it.”
By the time Quinn got done unloading my stuff, I was in the shower. I felt his hands snake around me cupping my breasts, his erection pressed to my back. He pulled my hair away from my neck and pressed his lips to my wet skin.
“Did you make nice with Karma?”
“Mmm hmm,” he mumbled.
I reached behind us and dug my fingers into his glutes. His breath caught as he rubbed his hard length against my back while moving one of his hands down to cup my sex.
“Now I’m ready to make nice with you.”
*
I awoke Friday morning alone in the middle of Quinn’s bed. I peeked over at the clock on the nightstand: 8:15 a.m. Next to the clock was a note.
Killed me to leave you naked in “our” bed this morning.
Should be home by 4:00. Call me if you decide to venture out.
Dinner reservations at 7:00. Qx
The moving company was scheduled to be there around noon. I had a fair amount of my stuff sent to storage. Quinn’s condo was huge, but it was also fully furnished. It wasn’t my intention to think of us as temporary, but I honestly didn’t see myself living in New York forever. However, this wasn’t a conversation I was going to jump into right away. I wanted every moment with Quinn to be like the first but lived like the last. When I stepped into the bathroom I noticed everything from my toiletry bag was unpacked and given its own spot. I continued through the bathroom to Quinn’s gigantic walk-in closet. The last time I saw it, every shelf and every hanger was occupied. I was starting to believe Quinn really did have magic elves because the whole right side of the closet was empty with the exception of the few clothes I’d brought with me. They were hanging all by their lonesome. When I opened the white drawers below the hanging area I saw they were empty too with the exception of a few yoga outfits and my undergarments sorted out in a divided drawer. After getting dressed in my comfy yoga clothes and separating my hair into pigtails, I headed downstairs for breakfast.
My phone was on the console table by the door. I checked it and noticed two missed calls
from Mac and instantly felt guilty for not letting her know I’d arrived safely. There was also a text from Quinn.
Making yourself at home?
If you get bored I have a break from 1:30 to 2:15.
My office sofa would love to meet you … naked. Qx
Looks like the elves already made me at home B4 I woke.
Sofa will have to wait. I’ll be busy unpacking after the moving truck arrives.
Missed you this morning, how early do you start work? Ax
Not until 8, but I have to devote a little time to keeping up my Latin god appearance. Qx
How much is a ‘little’ time? Ax
Two hours five days a week.
However, the naked goddess next to me every morning could change that. Qx
Hmm, I bet I could think of a good morning workout for both of us. Ax
Meeting with wealthy business men from China in ten, thanks for the boner. Qx
Hope it’s to discuss fair trade practices. Ax
Pleading the fifth. Qx
The movers showed up on time and had everything unloaded in less than thirty minutes. I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking and becoming more familiar with “our” place. True to his word, Quinn arrived home by four o’clock. I was reorganizing some things in the kitchen to my liking when he walked through the door wearing a charcoal grey pin striped three piece suit. All I could do was stare.
“Hey, beautiful, cat got your tongue?” He hung up his wool coat and slowly shrugged off his suit jacket, revealing his broad, firm shoulder muscles barely contained by his crisp white shirt. Witnessing my ogling eyes, he couldn’t hold back his smirk. He strolled into the kitchen with a cocksure confidence that I constantly fed. Then he grabbed my waist and lifted me onto the counter.
“How was your day?” I tried to sound interested as I worked his tie loose.
“Boring.” He ran his hands up my thighs gripping my butt and pulling me to the edge of the counter. I wrapped my legs around his waist just as my phone rang. He kissed my neck. “Ignore it.”
“It might be Mac. Give me just a minute.”
Quinn grumbled but lifted me off the counter. “Fine, I’ll be in my office.”