Intimate Persuasions (7 page)

Derek rolled his eyes at her, “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re a great hostess. And unlike our last one, you help out wherever you’re needed. Heck, for all we know, you were the reason for the booming business tonight.”

They both laughed. She really did enjoy talking to Derek. He was almost like the brother she had never had. “Okay. But I am sorry he forced you to hire me. Although it kind of makes sense now, seeing as how the interview consisted of asking my name and to me to fill out a W-4. I like it there though. I hope you know that.”

Swallowing some more of his beer, he nodded. “I do. But enough about the restaurant. Let’s get back to your prince turning into a frog, or in this case, snake theory.”

“Oh no. It’s not a theory. It’s a proven fact. It’s happened to me, more than once, too.” She pointed out.

“That sucks, Ann. Us men can be assholes sometimes. How many men screwed you over?”

“Two.”

Derek was surprised. Quinn told him the other day that she’d only had two boyfriends. He hadn’t said lovers, but it was implied. And to hear that both of those men had hurt her was pretty unbelievable. Especially since she was gorgeous, she had a fantastic personality, and was a lot of fun to be around.

“Only two? That’s hardly enough to base a pattern on. Maybe it’ll be different with Quinn.”

Ann played with the label to her water bottle. “I hope it is. I can’t seem to help myself when I’m with Quinn. I can’t ever say no to him, and why am I telling
you
this?” She got up from the stool in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.

Derek grabbed her wrist and tugged her back to face him. “Because we’re friends. I like you, Ann, and I know Quinn cares about you. You wouldn’t be moving in here if he didn’t. Just don’t overanalyze it okay?”

She slumped back down on the stool. “I know you’re right. I just…I mean I liked my other two boyfriends, I even cared about them. But I never felt a connection with them like I do with Quinn.” She laughed. “God. Why on earth am I talking to you about your brother? Doesn’t that make me weird or something?”

Derek shook his head. “No, it just means you realize a good guy when you see one. Let me be your friend. I care about my brother and I want him to be happy. Just see what happens. Don’t worry about what might or could happen. Just enjoy what you have, all right?”

She smiled at him. His pep talk made her feel so much better. She reached over and gave him a hug. “Thank you.”

“Sure thing.” He patted her on the head teasingly. “Now I’m going to head out of here. Are you going to be a good girl and go to bed?”

She giggled. “Yes, dad.”

“Good, come on. Lock the door after I leave.”

She walked him to the door and gave him another hug before they both said they’d see each other tomorrow. Ann locked the deadbolt and turned off the front room lights. She walked into the bedroom and began to get ready for bed. Finally, she felt at ease. For some reason Derek’s words were able to alleviate the stress she felt at the idea of moving in with Quinn. She knew he was right. She should take things one day at a time. And if she was right and Quinn turned out to be a jerk, then at least she would have had this time with him.

Yeah right.
She knew that if Quinn ever hurt her it would be devastating. It wouldn’t just make her hurt and angry like Larry had, it would tear her apart. Because try as she might to deny it, she was in love with Quinn Travis.

“God help me,” she whispered to herself as she got in bed.

Hours later, Quinn pulled into his driveway. A flutter occurred in his stomach at the sight of Ann’s little car sitting in his driveway. Ignoring it, he got out of his truck and headed for the front door. Once inside he headed back to the bedroom and stopped dead in his tracks in the doorway.

Quinn looked at the angel lying in his bed. Because that was the only word to describe her. She was so beautiful. He had thought so from the first moment he saw her. But every time he was inside of her, every time he came and watched in fascination as she came right along with him, it was like her beauty intensified.

Quinn started to undress. Normally, after a long Friday night he would have gotten out of his jeans and t-shirt and went to the kitchen in nothing but his briefs and made himself a sandwich. But now, all he wanted to do was get in bed next to her and hold her.

Sure, he had lain with her many times before. In more ways than one, he thought. But the idea of coming home to her, getting in bed next to her and snuggling her against his body, was sending that warm, fuzzy, fluttery feeling throughout his body. It wasn’t even a sexual need now. It was emotional. He just needed to be near her.

Quinn quietly got into bed next to her. He intended to snuggle up against her, but as soon as he was lying down, she rolled over and snuggled against him.
Oh Jesus.
He could feel his heart squeeze with emotion. Damn, he was completely in love with her. One week and he was crazy, head for the hills, out of his mind in love with her.

As he wrapped his arm around her back to hold her closer, he grinned. He was in love. Was he scared?
Sure.
Did he care?
No way!

Chapter Six

Quinn awoke to the feel of sweet delectable lips brushing against his. He smiled without opening his eyes. He grabbed her quickly and laughed when she squealed in surprise.

“So, you are awake,” she said as she trailed a finger down his chest to parts hidden behind black cotton.

He opened one eye and squinted against the bright light. He was definitely not a morning person, but for her he could change that. “I’m awake. Care to see just how awake I am?”

She reached her hand down and cupped his growing erection in her palm. “Hmm. What do we have here, big boy?”

He laughed. Big boy had become her little nick name for him. Despite the seriousness that it implied, it was meant as a joke. Because she reminded him on a daily basis how she was incredibly stupid to turn him away that first time. She explained to him that she must have been suffering from temporary insanity.

“That is yours, Annie.” He winked at her and looked confused when she blushed. “What is it?”

She shook her head, “Nothing. It’s just that, I really like it when you call me Annie.” She shrugged, “It sort of feels like your little nickname for me.”

“Oh yeah? Well, tell me. Do you like this?” He brought his mouth to hers and proceeded to kiss her with enough fire to light an entire city aflame.

She didn’t answer him, but instead she moaned her response.
God, he’s amazing,
she thought.

She tensed underneath Quinn’s touch. He pulled back from their kiss. “What’s wrong, honey?”

She bit down on her lower lip and shook her head. “Nothing.” Leaning over she tried to kiss him again, but he continued to pull back.

“Tell me. I can see you’re nervous. I haven’t seen that look on your face since the first time we were together. And you know how badly that ended. So tell me what’s going on.”

She couldn’t tell him. How big of a lunatic would she look if she told him that after only one week that she had fallen hopelessly in love with him? So much so, that it was to the point that she was consumed with worry that she might lose him. “I swear it’s nothing.”

She hoped he didn’t know that she was lying. Things were going so good between them. She didn’t want to ruin things between them, but she knew moving in with him so soon could be a mistake. One he could live to regret. As if reading her thoughts, he spoke.

“Is this about the living together thing? Because we don’t have to, you know? You can stay at the hotel if you want.” His words came out quickly as if trying not to rush her.

Great.
Was he already changing his mind? It was happening quicker than she thought it would. “Sure. Yeah, you’re right. We don’t have to rush into anything.” She turned away from him and tried to hide the hurt that she felt.

Although her words were killing him, he couldn’t ignore the fact that she wouldn’t look at him. She was definitely hiding something. He wouldn’t rush her, but he wasn’t going to lose her to a misunderstanding either. He had to know what was going on inside of her head.

Quinn got up from the bed and went around to the other side. He sat next to her and pulled her up. She still wouldn’t look at him, but he turned his body to face hers and used his forefinger to raise her chin. “Look at me, Annie.”

She did as he asked. She hated that he saw the way her eyes glistened with tears.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” His gut tightened in pain at the sight of her saddened eyes.

She expelled a breath and tried to play it down. She knew she was being silly. They’d only started, well, sleeping together a week ago. She shouldn’t be this attached to him already. “It’s nothing. I’m sorry.”

The look on his face told her that he was angry. Why couldn’t she talk to him? What’s more was why didn’t she think she could trust him?

“That’s a lie.” He framed her face with his hands and rested his forehead against hers. “Annie, please. Tell me. What’s wrong?”

She looked into the depths of his eyes. They were so close to and one another. The gold flecks almost shimmered as she stared at them. They looked so beautiful. The longer she stared into them she became even more convinced than ever that he would leave her. She wished she knew what it was about him that left her feeling so insecure. Even with Larry she knew it was his loss. She knew she was a good catch. But with Quinn she felt like she wasn’t enough woman to keep him happy and that pained her more than anything, because she wanted him to be happy. She loved him.

“It’s nothing, Quinn. Please let’s just forget about it.”

He shook his head and kissed her nose. “No,” he whispered.

“I can’t talk about this. I’m sorry.” She got up from the bed and ran into the bathroom and closed the door.

Quinn sat there stunned.
What happened?
In a matter of minutes they went from playful foreplay to her being so upset about something that she was near tears and couldn’t look him in the eye. He got up from the bed and went to the bathroom door.

Knocking, he asked her to open it. Which was only met with the sound of the shower turning on. He reached for the handle and was surprised to find it unlocked. He walked in and saw her standing in the shower; she turned to look at him as he came around the door. He wanted to question her. To demand that she tell him what was wrong. But he didn’t. He saw the look in her eyes. He knew what she needed. She didn’t look as sad as she had only moments before. All he saw in her eyes was desire. Desire for him and what they did to each other.

Quinn stepped out of his briefs and smirked when she licked her lips at the sight of his cock. He fisted it in his hand, stroked it up and down and stepped inside the shower with her. He was going to lean in to kiss her, but suddenly she was on her knees and was swallowing him whole.

“Jesus. Oh god, Annie. Fuck that feels so good.” What was she doing? She had gone down on him before. But never with this much zeal. She was acting like she was starving for his cock.

Annie was moaning. She was ravenous for him. As long as she had him she was going to relish every moment of it. Nothing would stand in her way from enjoying him and all of his masculine glory. She moaned again, loving the taste of him, the erotic texture of his smooth skin on his rock hard cock.

Quinn was in heaven and slowly dying for three reasons. First, her wet and hot mouth was performing magic on him. Second, the wet slurping sounds that echoed against the bathroom tiles were so damn erotic he could come from that alone. And third, damn if he didn’t love her more and more with every second of every day.

“Oh, Annie. Baby, if you don’t stop, I’m gonna come.” He gave her the warning but couldn’t help himself from pumping into her harder and faster. Hitting the back of her throat over and over again sent him over the edge. “Aahh.” He shouted and spurt his hot cum into the deepest parts of her throat.

Ann sucked on him harder. She thrived on the musky and masculine scent and the way he tasted on her tongue. She loved that she had given him such pleasure. Swallowing the last of him, she relaxed her mouth and gently licked the last remaining droplets onto her tongue.

Quinn looked down at her in amazement. His heart clenched once again as she looked up at him. The hot, steamy shower was beating down on them. But he knew that had nothing to do with the flushed look on her face. He gave her a half smile as he brushed his thumb across her jaw line.

“Do you trust me, Annie?”

With everything that I have
, she thought. “Yes.”

“Good. Come here.” He held out his hands to help her up and spun her around. “Place your hands there.”

She did as he asked. She leaned the palms of her hands against the small tiled bench in the shower. She could feel him rubbing against her bottom. She closed her eyes and bit back the moan that desperately wanted to escape her mouth. Why did she love it when he did that? Suddenly an image flashed in her mind. An image of Quinn telling her that he wanted to take her there. She felt shocked at her daydream. Why had she imagined such a scenario? She would never do that. She could never. That wasn’t normal, was it? She was interrupted from her internal argument by the feel of Quinn reaching over her head.