Quinn's Woman Page 16

  Everything was going to be just fine.

  CHAPTER 12

  Quinn wasn’t surprised when D.J. hopped out of the car as soon as he put it in Park. He figured her allowing him to drive in his vehicle was as much of a victory as he was going to get at one time. And it was enough.

  He’d invited her to join him for a barbecue at Travis’s house, and she’d accepted. Two weeks ago the mention of it would have sent her running, or put her into combat mode. She’d come a long way in a short period of time. He wondered if he was the only one who noticed, or if she’d seen the changes, too.

  “Thanks for being my date,” he said when he’d caught up with her.

  She paused in midstep and looked at him. “Your what?”

  Okay, so messing with her probably wasn’t wise, but it was too much fun. She grabbed the bait each and every time. He liked how her eyes got all bright when she was riled and how she glared at him. As if she could really take him. She was tough and determined, and underneath that facade was a heartbroken woman desperate to be held.

  “My date. I asked you to join me and you accepted. What would you call it?”

  “Momentary lapse of judgment,” she muttered.

  He ignored that. “I know you want to compliment me on how things went at the school last week. You’ve been trying to figure out how to tell me I was brilliant.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You don’t actually need me here for this conversation, do you?”

  “Come on. Admit it. I was good.”

  She sighed heavily. “Fine. You were good. You made the kids feel comfortable and that’s important.”

  The compliment surprised him. He hadn’t expected her to go along with him. “You were great, too,” he told her honestly. “You’re real sweet with the kids. They trust you. You’re giving them information that can save them. You get them to see it’s important but you don’t scare them.”

  She turned away. “Thanks,” she mumbled, and kicked at the grass. “I want to keep them safe.”

  “I know.”

  He knew more than that. He knew she worried about them, and that some of her concern came from the fact that she’d never felt safe herself, growing up. He wished he could change that. He would like to go back in time and make her world right.

  A burst of laughter caught his attention. For the first time he actually looked at the large house in front of them. It was a three-story Victorian on a huge lot. Half a dozen kids played in a side yard. Two young girls sat on the massive covered porch. There was a board game on the wood floor between them, and a tray with drinks and cookies.

  He put his arm around D.J.’s shoulders and started forward. “Cops make more here in Glenwood than they do in Possum Landing,” he said.

  “I don’t think so. This house, and the equally elegant homes the other Haynes siblings own are paid for by dividends from Austin’s company. He’s an inventor of heat-resistant polymers, or something like that. I can’t remember. Anyway, they helped with the start-up money years ago and have been well rewarded for their faith. It’s a great company. I bought a few shares myself.”

  He was pleased she hadn’t pulled away from his embrace. Now he leaned close. “An amazing body, and money. You’re quite the catch, Daisy Jane.”

  “You’re the most irritating man I know.”

  “And yet you adore me.”

  She stopped at the foot of the stairs. “Adore is really strong. I’d be willing to admit to tolerate. Sometimes I tolerate you.”

  Coming from her, that was practically a confession of everlasting love.

  “You think I’m sexy, too,” he whispered, mindful of the girls on the porch.

  She glanced down at the ground. “You are the most egotistical, arrogant, self-centered man—”

  He silenced her with a quick kiss. She stiffened but didn’t pull back. He considered that progress. When he raised his head, she looked stunned. Wanting lurked in her dark eyes, which pleased him. He’d spent the past couple of weeks in a constant state of need. There had been plenty of times when he could have ushered D.J. into his bed, but he wouldn’t. Not until the moment was right. This time he wanted a very different outcome.

  That condition would require her to trust him and need him. While he’d made progress on both fronts, he wanted to be sure. If they made love a second time and she was able to hold back, he knew that a pattern would have been established. The longer it went on, the more difficult it would be to break. Better to drown in cold showers than risk moving in too soon.

  He took her hand and drew her up the stairs. They walked into the large house and were immediately plunged into familial chaos.

  More kids ran through the front rooms. Travis and Kyle were talking, their wives at their sides. He saw Rebecca with a baby in her arms, Kari, Haley and Stephanie laughing together. Kevin and Nash shared a sofa. Family, he thought. His family.

  Jordan spotted them first and called out a greeting. Suddenly Quinn and D.J. were surrounded by

  Hayneses, Reynoldses and Harmons. Quinn found himself shaking hands with the men and accepting hugs and kisses from the women. A couple of kids wanted to be picked up.

  “Glad you two could make it,” Austin said, as he put his arm around his wife. “We were wondering if you got lost.”

  “It was D.J.’s fault,” Quinn said easily. “She takes so long with all that primping.”

  She shot him the death stare. “I was right on time.”

  As soon as the words were out, she pressed her lips together, as if she’d just realized she’d more or less implied they were together. A couple. His date, as he’d teased her earlier. Quinn waited to see if she would balk or distance herself. Instead she shrugged.

  “But blaming it on the woman is so much easier, right?” she said.

  He grinned. “Whatever works.”

  She glanced at him. The corners of her mouth quivered, then she smiled. He felt a tightness in his chest, but before he could figure out what it meant, Jill claimed D.J., then Gage walked over and the moment was gone.

  “How’s it going?” his brother asked him.

  “Good. What about with you?”

  Gage nodded at the crowd. “I hate to leave all this, but Kari and I are heading home in a few days. Kari promised to help Mom with her wedding to John, then we have to get moving on our own.” Gage cuffed him lightly. “I’d like you to be my best man. Think you can swing it?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Gage looked surprised. “Are you sure?”

  Kari walked up and slipped her arm through Gage’s. “Sure about what?”

  “Quinn says he can make it home to be my best man.”

  Kari smiled at him. “I’m glad. Gage really wants you there, and I do, too. Think you can stand wearing a tux for a few hours?”

  “Absolutely,” Quinn told her.

  “Good. Now that the family had expanded, the guest list just got a whole lot bigger. More people means more fun, right? Oh, that reminds me, I need everyone’s addresses. I better get them now before I forget.”

  She kissed Gage’s cheek and walked off. Gage turned and watched her go.

  Quinn saw the happiness in his brother’s expression. “You look like a man in love,” he said.

  “I am.” Gage shrugged. “After all these years, I wasn’t sure it was going to happen, but it did. She was worth the wait.”

  “How’d you know she was the one?”

  “I just knew. I want to tell you that it was a gradual thing. That I figured it out in stages, but that’s not true. When Kari came home, I still had some feelings for her, but I didn’t know if they were about the past, or what. Then I found out about Earl Haynes being our biological father and nothing was the same. That was my own personal hell, and Kari was there. I finally got that I was better with her than without her. Imagining us together in twenty or thirty years was easy. I liked what I saw in our future.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “It is. I want to have kids with
her. I want roots.”

  Quinn nodded. Roots had always been important to his brother. Gage had prided himself on being a fifth-generation Reynolds in Possum Landing. Learning that Earl Haynes was his biological father had changed everything, but he’d come through okay. Now Gage would create his own dynasty, pass on his own traditions.

  “You’ve always known what you wanted,” Quinn said.

  Gage glanced toward D.J. “What about you? There’s something going on. We can all see it.”

  Quinn didn’t bother denying the obvious. He and D.J. did have something between them, but he wasn’t sure what. She could be everything he’d ever wanted and needed, but what about him? Did he come close to being right for her?

  “When I figure it out, I’ll let you know,” he said.

  Travis walked over and slapped Gage on the back. “Did he tell you that he’s heading back to Texas?”

  “He did.”

  Travis shook his head. “I’ve done my best to talk him into staying, but he won’t have any part of it.”

  Elizabeth joined her husband and slid her arm around his waist. “Honey, you’ve got to stop trying to get everyone in the family to move to Glenwood. We all think it’s the perfect place to live, but Gage seems very fond of his hometown. You need to respect that.”

  Travis shrugged. “Can I help it if I want my brothers close?”

  “I appreciate the sentiment,” Gage told him. “You don’t have to worry about us all losing touch. Now that we’ve found each other, you’re stuck with us.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Travis said.

  Kyle walked up. “What about you, Quinn? You ever think about sticking around here? You could run for sheriff against Travis.”

  Quinn chuckled. “I don’t think so. I’m not an election kind of guy.”

  “So challenge him to an arm wrestling match,” Kyle said.

  Travis shook his head. “Nope. He’d whip my butt.”

  “You’re strong,” Elizabeth told her husband.

  “Quinn knows things,” Travis said and kissed her. “But thanks for the support.”

  Quinn watched them. While he didn’t begrudge them their happiness, seeing their contentment in their relationships left him feeling empty inside. As if he’d been missing out on something for a long time.

  D.J. chose that moment to stroll up. She was on his side of the group, so he risked grabbing her wrist and pulling her close.

  He half expected her to try to deck him. Instead she flashed him a startled glance, then stepped close enough for him to put his arm around her waist and rest his hand on her hip.

  Travis and his wife looked at each other but didn’t say anything. Gage grinned, as did Kyle. Quinn had a good idea about what they were all thinking. Let ’em, he told himself. No one’s opinion mattered except for D.J.’s and his own.

  “How long will you be staying in the military?” Elizabeth asked him. “If you don’t have other plans, you could think about moving here when you get out. Even if you don’t want to run for sheriff.”

  “Quinn always planned to stay in at least twenty years,” Gage said. “That means another ten to go.”

  Quinn nodded. That had been his plan. Until a few days ago.

  “I resigned last week.”

  Everyone looked surprised. Gage took a half step toward him. “What happened?”

  As his brother asked the question, Quinn felt D.J.’s hand on his back. He glanced down at her. She didn’t speak, but he could read the concern in her expression. He gave her a reassuring smile, then turned his attention back to Gage.

  “I wasn’t willing to be that person anymore.”

  There was a whole lot more to it than that, but no one needed to hear the details. Later maybe he would discuss them with D.J., but not now.

  Gage grinned. “Then you will be at my wedding.”

  “I said I would be.”

  Travis slapped him on the back. “You’re welcome to stay here. Glenwood could always use another deputy.”

  “Or sheriff,” Kyle said, then chuckled.

  “I appreciate the offer. I don’t know what I want to do, but when I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”

  The conversation shifted to plans for the evening. Eventually people started drifting away. Quinn kept his arm around D.J. until they were alone, then he leaned against the wall and grabbed on to her belt loop and tugged her close.

  “You’ve been quiet,” he said.

  “I’m still in shock from your bombshell. What made you change your mind?”

  He shrugged. “I never liked what I did—even though I was good at it. There weren’t enough rescues and there were way too many killings. That’s not what I wanted.”

  “Makes sense.”

  He couldn’t tell what she was thinking and it became important for him to know. Did any of this matter to her? Did she care that he was no longer going to be heading out of the country in a few weeks? Would she tell him the truth if he asked, and if she would, did he want to hear it?

  “D.J....”

  She cut him off with a quick shake of her head. “I’m glad,” she whispered.

  Two words. Two little words that hit him with the power of a rifle blast at point-blank range. The air exploded from his lungs. His chest swelled and his heart rate doubled.

  “Yeah,” he said, trying for cool and not sure if he made it.

  He glanced around and saw a small powder room tucked under the stairs. After making sure no one was watching, he took D.J.’s hand and drew her along with him. When they’d both squeezed into the tiny room, he shut the door behind them and gathered her close.

  He’d thought she might protest but instead she melted into his arms. Even as he pressed his mouth to hers, she parted for him. Tongues swept against each other. Searching, hungry, deep kisses shredded his self-control and left him desperate with wanting.

  He touched her hair, her back, then dropped his hands to her rear and squeezed. She arched against him, bringing her belly in contact with his erection. She seemed as eager, as ready. Her slender fingers touched his face, then explored his chest.

  “I want you,” he breathed against her mouth.

  He cupped her face to hold her in place, then drew back enough to nibble along her jaw. When he reached her throat, she dropped her head, exposing her soft skin. He licked the sensitive spot just behind her earlobe and made her moan. Sucking the same bit of skin made her squirm.

  She wore jeans and a tank top. Quinn grabbed the straps and pulled them down her arms. The knit fabric slipped over her breasts and pinned her arms to her sides. He knew she could free herself in a second, but there was the illusion of being trapped. Not exactly D.J.’s style.

  “It’s all right,” he whispered as he unfastened the front of her bra. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

  He kissed his way down her chest to her exposed breasts. As he took one tight nipple into his mouth, he teased the other with his fingers.

  She tasted sweet and hot. He was so damned hard he could have lost it right there.

  “So beautiful,” he told her, moving to her other breast. “Perfect curves. Your nipples are so tight.” He licked the hard tip. She jumped.

  “I love how you react to my touch,” he said, then opened his mouth and drew her in.

  He sucked rhythmically. Her breath caught, then she shifted, freeing herself of the tank top. Quinn braced himself for her rejection. But instead of pushing him away, she buried her fingers in his hair and held him in place.

  “Don’t stop,” she whispered.

  They were magic words, he thought, both relieved and gratified by her response. She trusted him. Maybe not fully, but more than he’d hoped was possible.

  While he wanted to push her up onto the narrow vanity and take her right there, he knew this wasn’t the time or the place. When he next made love with D.J., he wanted privacy, a big bed and a whole night. Still, a man could dream, right?

  He straightened. While keeping hi
s hands on her breasts, he stared into her eyes and pushed his arousal against her. Her pupils dilated and her mouth parted. She shifted, parting her legs and then moving against him. Rubbing herself on his erection. Taking pleasure.

  “I want you so much,” he breathed. “Tell me you feel the same.”

  He was asking too much—he knew that. But he wanted to hear the words. Needed to hear them.

  She pulled back a little. He kept his hands on her bare breasts.

  “D.J., don’t,” he whispered, then kissed her.

  He didn’t know if he was telling her not to draw away, or giving her permission not to say the words. When she kissed him with the uninhibited passion of a woman desperate for a man, he told himself it was enough.

  Eventually he became aware of his surroundings and lifted his head. “Someone’s going to need this bathroom pretty damn soon,” he said.

  “I know.”

  He released her breasts and reached for her bra. “You’re a terrific date.”

  She drew on the cotton undergarment and smiled. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  They both straightened their clothes. Quinn tried to adjust himself so his erection wasn’t so obvious. D.J. watched, then grinned.

  “You should probably stay close behind me until that goes away. Otherwise, the entire family will be talking.”

  “Good plan.”

  She reached for the door handle, then paused. “Quinn, I—” She shook her head. “I just... Hell.”

  She fumbled with the front of her jeans. Before he could figure out what she was doing, she unzipped them and took his hand in hers. Then she pushed his fingers down the front of her panties. He felt soft skin, softer curls, then a slick, swollen heat that made him groan.

  “I do want you,” she admitted, even as she turned away and fastened her jeans. “Just so you know.”

  Then she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

  Stunned, aroused and more than a little awed by her courage, Quinn followed. And came face-to-face with a very amused Rebecca.

  “Gee, after all this time, I would have thought you could manage the bathroom on your own,” Rebecca said.

  D.J. blushed. If Quinn hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed it.