Quinn

 

The entire drive home is slow going, and I’d known that I’d irritated quite a few people with my slow acceleration. Colt’s truck is a behemoth, and I don’t want to press too hard on the gas.

By the time I reach the house, I’m relieved to pull into the driveway and cut the engine. I’d had to take up two parking spaces at the salon, because the few times I’d tried to park between the lines, I’d failed miserably. Finally, I’d just given up and left it parked as it was.

My car isn’t in the driveway, which means I’d beat Colt home. Channing’s car is the only one present. After I hop down from the truck and relock it, I take my phone out of my purse and return Bryce’s call.

His warm voice answers on the second ring. “Hey Quinn, Colt and Gabe filled me in as much as they could this morning. I’d like to reiterate it and see if you think there’s anything else that I should know.”

“Okay,” I say, unlocking the front door and stepping inside. I listen as he repeats what he’d been told as I close the door, relock it, and walk through the house.

“Anything else you want to add?” he asks when he’s finished.

I enter the kitchen and set my purse on the island. “I think that’s everything.”

“As much as you don’t want to hear this, I’m going to say it anyway. Don’t go out alone, and don’t be running errands if you don’t need to. Lay low, Quinn.”

I sigh, pausing in front of the refrigerator. “I’ll do my best.”

“Do more than your best. In the meantime, the patrols in the neighborhood have been increased. I’ve been checking into other cases with similar vandalism, but so far, all the perps were identified, and none of them is our guy.”

I scowl. “How are you ever going to catch him?”

“We wait until he makes a mistake or inadvertently gives us a clue to his identity.”

“Bryce, I’ll go nuts if this continues for weeks or months.”

“My gut says this is all going to come to a head—soon.”

“I hope so.”

“I want you to come out of this unscathed, Quinn. Be careful.”

“I will.”

“I’ll let you know if I learn anything more.”

We end the call, and I set the phone on the nearby counter as I open the refrigerator. I’m bored, and I need something to do to keep my mind off things. I look through all my groceries, and my nose wrinkles. Most of it is pre-made, but I do have eggs and cheese. I could make a cheese omelet. It doesn’t sound all that appetizing, but the process of making it will keep me busy.

“I thought I heard you.”

I look up to see Channing coming towards me, and he tugs me into a tight hug, forcing me to let go of the refrigerator door. It feels good to be held, and I wrap my arms around his waist. “Please tell me you’re going to take this thing seriously now,” he murmurs.

I pull away so I can look up at him. “I am,” I agree. Bryce’s warning lingers in my mind. If he’s concerned, I should be as well.

“No more going out with just Harper or Ash. You need to have one of us with you.”

“I know,” I grumble. I always knew Slade was a little unstable, but this morning proved that he’s much more than that. I don’t want to risk putting Ash or Harper in danger.

“I talked it over with Gabe, and we’re going to have a cookout here at the house Friday night.”

I stare at him. “What? No, we all wanted to go out. That was the first suggestion you made, and Gabe jumped on it,” I protest.

“That was before your car was trashed with blood and animal parts.”

“Channing, we are not switching the birthday celebration!”

Colt enters the kitchen, and he sets my keys on the island. “What’s going on?”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Channing and Gabe want to have a cookout instead of going out Friday night.”

Colt’s hazel eyes hold mine. “I agree.”

“We always do whatever the person we’re celebrating wants. A cookout isn’t what you guys wanted. You both wanted to shoot pool—that’s what we’re going to do.”

Channing shakes his head. “It’s not worth it.”

“Don’t let him ruin this for us,” I plead, knowing I’m being overly dramatic, but I’m the reason they’re changing their plans, and I don’t want that.

“He’s not ruining anything—not when it comes—”

“You’re right,” I cut in. “I’m ruining it,’ I say bitterly.

Channing blinks. “Come again?”

“I let him into my life.” I shake my head. “I did this,” I say with a hint of self-disgust.

“Excuse us,” Colt says, and before I can protest, he takes me by the arm and steers me out of the kitchen. I always want to be near him, so I allow him to lead me down to the basement and inside his room.

I fold my arms across my chest and watch as he closes the door so that we have privacy. “You know what I said upstairs is true. I made this mess, and now it’s affecting everyone,” I say guiltily.

Colt comes over to stand before me. “Would you have ever confessed your attraction to me if Slade hadn’t backed you into a corner?”

I frown. Where is he going with this? “Probably not—at least not in the near future. Someday, maybe.”

His eyes hold mine, and an emotion that I can’t begin to decipher stirs deep within his gaze. “Then we wouldn’t be here.”

“But we’re not. We’re not really anywhere, Colt.” Because he won’t let me in. Not fully.

“Wrong.” His hands frame my face, and he claims my lips. I’m stunned, because he never makes the first move. I quickly begin to respond, taking full advantage of the moment. Much to my surprise, he urges me to the bed, and who am I to deny him what he wants. My back touches the mattress, and Colt covers me with his body, his lips moving seductively against my own.

I sink my hands into his hair, losing myself in him as one of his hands slides beneath my shirt to cup my breast. His thumb finds the tip through my bra, and as he rubs the sensitive nub, I arch into him, sighing into his mouth.

Colt gently ends the kiss and pulls back to peer down at me, his hazel eyes blazing territorially. “I’m done fighting this.”

My eyes widen. Did he just say…?

“I was told that the one we care about the most should make us want to be a better person. That’s you, Quinn. I’ll never hurt you. Ever,” he vows.

My heart stutters within my chest. Is this really happening? I’m floored. “I know you won’t. I’ve always trusted you, Colt,” I say earnestly.

His lips curve into a sexy smile, and he begins tugging at my shirt. “Show me, show me again how good we are together.”

I take it as a challenge, and I quickly scramble out from beneath him, causing him to frown before I push him onto his back, straddling him. “I’m going to fuck you to oblivion,” I warn.

“Take me there, Quinn,” he says, his hazel eyes locked on mine.

I quickly divest him of his clothes, and after I’ve tossed mine aside, I lean over and kiss him senseless. His hands reach up to cup my breasts, and both his thumbs go to work on the pert tips, causing me to groan into his mouth.

It feels so damn good.

I let him play with my breasts for another few minutes before I pull back and rise to my knees, moving back so that his dick is standing straight up between my thighs.

Colt’s lips part as he stares at my slick folds. Then he blinks, his eyes jerking up to mine. “Condom,” he rasps.

“I know. But I’m not finished yet.” I slowly lower myself until his tip is pressed against my clit, and I begin to undulate.

Colt’s breath quickens, and he grabs the base of his dick with both hands and holds it firm. I stare down at him and bite my lip as I begin to rub my clit against the bulge of his erection, using him to take me to higher heights without taking him inside me.

“Fucking hot,” Colt whispers, and I see him beginning to stroke himself as he watches me.

I reach down and spread my folds so that my swollen bud can caress his skin. It’s a delicious torture, and I begin to pick up the tempo. Colt’s eyes are locked on my sensitive flesh, and I feel my wetness dripping down my thighs.

Colt tracks the movement with his eyes, and he groans. “I’m gonna blow soon,” he warns.

As much as I want to come, I don’t want to miss the chance of having him inside me. I quickly move away and crawl to the nightstand, grabbing a condom.

Suddenly, hands grip my hips, and I blink with surprise as Colt drags me over to him, and then he settles me so that my knees are on either side of his head, my legs spread and my folds inches from his mouth. I’m literally straddling his face.

My eyes widen. “What are you…?”

His head lifts from the pillow, and his tongue swipes all the way up my slit.

Holy shit.

His eyes meet mine as I gaze down at him. “Ride my mouth, and then ride me,” he says with a thread of command in his tone.

“If you insist,” I murmur as I grab the headboard and lower my core to his mouth. This way he doesn’t have to strain his neck and can rest comfortably on the pillow behind him. His dark eyes stare up into mine as his tongue ruthlessly drives me crazy by licking my clit in a rhythm that has me grinding my hips. His eyes show me how much he’s enjoying this as his hands grip my hips, urging me to thrust against his tongue.

I arch my back and give into the sensations. I’m so damn close. I’m literally shaking with my desperation to come, and I look down at Colt and see that his lips are glistening with my desire. It triggers my orgasm, and I cry out and arch my hips. Colt, wanting to give me the best damn orgasm ever, shoves his tongue up inside me and applies pressure near my clit. I grip the headboard so tightly that I feel a hint of pain in my fingertips, but I don’t care. Holy crap.

When I can breathe again, I shakily move away from Colt and watch as he licks his lips. “Mmmm,” he says huskily.

I’ve never seen anything so wickedly hot, and just like that, I’m ready for round two. I tear open the condom and hurriedly roll it onto his rock-hard dick. Then, I straddle him and sink down.

Colt groans and grabs my hips, spreading his thighs more before thrusting up into me.

He’s desperate now, and I quickly grab his hands and push them away. “Let me,” I say, and I take over, rising and falling as I ride him.

“Harder,” he grits.

I grin and thrust harder, picking up the pace. His face twists with pleasure, and I find a rhythm that has my breasts bouncing as I slam down onto him, over and over.

His lips are parted, and his eyes watch me avidly as I move up and down in a fast-paced rhythm. A glazed look comes over his eyes, and his hips begin thrusting helplessly against mine. I ride him hard and quick, focused entirely on his pleasure.

The look of pure ecstasy on his face sparks my own, and I whimper as I continue impaling myself onto him. As my inner muscles convulse, Colt finds his pleasure and throws his head back, trying to muffle his guttural bellow.

Slowly, our hips begin to relax, and I collapse against his sweaty chest, trying to catch my breath. Colt’s arms wrap around my waist, and he gently eases out of me before shifting so that I’m lying on top of his chest. For a long time, we’re both silent as we try to come down from the mind-blowing sex we’d just experienced.

“So now what?” I dare ask, hoping that Colt hadn’t momentarily lost his mind and is going to push me away again.

“No more hiding,” he says, his chest rumbling beneath my cheek.

That’s the best news I’ve had in weeks, and I can feel myself beginning to relax once more. I shift so that I can rest my chin on his sternum and my eyes can lock on his. “No more doubting yourself. You deserve this—us.”

He caresses my bare shoulder with his hand. “I can’t just switch it off, but I’ll work on it.”

“That’s all that I ask. What about Channing and Gabe?”

His eyes harden. “They either accept it or don’t. This is between you and me, no one else. Though I don’t want to be throwing it in their faces before their birthday, so we’ll wait. But only until the weekend.”

His response has me grinning from ear to ear. There’s the Colt that’s going to fight for us. This is all I’ve ever wanted.

Colt’s eyes become amused. “Looks like I said something right for once.”

“You did,” I agree, sitting up. We need to talk about Friday.

His eyes drop to my breasts, and they turn hooded.

“We need to celebrate Gabe and Channing’s birthdays the way they’d originally planned.”

Colt begins to sober. “If you go out, it’ll just piss Slade off further.”

“I’ll be with you and surrounded by family and friends.” Suddenly, I get an idea. “Wait. Colt, he’ll be watching,” I say excitedly. “Bryce will probably be there, and he can scope out the area and watch for Slade. If Slade’s there, this could all end Friday night.”

Colt’s brows hover low over his eyes as he frowns. “I don’t know, Quinn.”

“He’s following me. He’ll be there.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t want you playing bait.”

“I won’t be. I’ll be in public, and I won’t be going anywhere by myself.”

He’s silent, his lips set in a firm line as he gazes up at me.

“You know this is the best chance we have to draw him out,” I say with determination.

He makes a face and then grudgingly sighs. “As much as I don’t want to admit it, you’re right.”

“We need to talk to Channing and Gabe.” I turn and climb off the bed, reaching for my clothes.

“Right now?” he asks with disbelief.

I pull on my panties and give him a lascivious look. “I predict lots of sex in our future. Tons. There’ll be plenty of times to cuddle afterwards,” I tell him, slipping on my bra and securing it.

Colt shakes his head but begins climbing out of bed. I wait patiently as he puts his clothes back on, and I feel a twinge of regret as his sexy, naked body disappears from view. He walks towards me. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“You know it’s a good idea.”

He lifts a hand and adjusts my hair around my face. “You look like you’ve been thoroughly fucked, Quinn.”

My lower belly flutters, and I grin. “I feel it, too.” Then, I sober. “We need to talk to Channing and get him on board with the idea first, or Gabe will never go for it.”

Colt’s eyes search mine. “We need to be careful. Slade’s far more dangerous than I originally thought.”

I nod, knowing he’s right.

He sighs. “Let’s go do this.”

We make our way upstairs, and Channing is still in the kitchen, but now Ash is with him. They’re quietly talking as they stand near the island, and I’m quite certain I’m the topic they’re discussing.

Ash looks up to see us, and as soon as she sees me, her eyebrow quirks, telling me that it’s obvious what Colt and I had just been up to.

Channing frowns at us, looking unhappy and uncomfortable.

“This thing with Slade needs to end, and I think Friday can do that for us. Bryce is likely invited, right?” I ask him.

His frown deepens. “Probably, yeah.”

“Keep the celebration out in public, and let Bryce watch for Slade. We already know he’s following me, so he’ll be somewhere within that one block radius. You guys get to celebrate your birthdays how you’d originally planned, and my nightmare comes to an end,” I explain, my eyes pleading with him to go along with the plan.

Channing’s already shaking his head. “I don’t like it.”

“I’ll be surrounded by friends, so I won’t be in any danger.” I look at Ash, and she’s silent, her expression solemn. I can tell that she’ll agree with whatever Channing says, because she wants to stay out of it.

Channing’s eyes shift to Colt. “You can’t seriously be going along with this.”

Colt shrugs, looking less than thrilled to be brought into the conversation. “I’m not happy about it—far from it, but I can’t deny it’s a good plan.”

Channing’s eyes drag back to me. “I still don’t like it, and Gabe will never go for it.”

I look at him steadily. “He will if you and Bryce are on board with it,” I tell him.

When I mention Bryce again, he falls quiet for a moment, thinking. “If Bryce thinks it’s worth a shot, I’ll agree to it,” he says reluctantly.

“We’ll go call Bryce,” I say, tugging on Colt’s hand, signaling that I want to make that call right away.

We make our way back down to his room, and he hands me his phone. “This is all your idea,” he says, wanting no part of the planning process.

I take the phone and sit on the messy bed, calling Bryce’s cell phone. I put it on speaker, and he picks up on the fourth ring. “Colt,” he greets, sounding distracted.

“It’s Quinn,” I tell him. “Is this a bad time?”

The sound of shuffling papers can be heard through the phone. “No, just catching up on never-ending paperwork. Did you think of something else?” he asks, referring to our earlier conversation.

I begin to explain my idea for Friday night, and he silently listens. “What do you think?” I ask when I’m finished.

Bryce is quiet a moment. “I think it’s a sound plan, but it could backfire,” he warns.

“How?” Colt immediately asks.

“Every time she goes out, he reacts. If I don’t nail him that night, there will likely be consequences,” he explains.

Colt looks at me, doubt filling his gaze. “He’s right.”

I frown. “But what if you catch him?” I ask Bryce. “The possibility is there, right?”

“It’s possible,” he agrees. “But I’d have to bring in someone else as backup to keep an eye on the outer perimeter. Brad would probably be willing to step in and help,” he says, referring to one of the other detectives that he works with.

I turn back to Colt. “I think it’s our best option at this point,” I say lowly.

He studies me, looking grim. “Do you think it’s worth the risk of pissing this guy off further?” he asks loudly, directing his question to Bryce.

We hear him sigh across the phone. “I think it’s better than waiting around for his next move.”

I eye Colt, waiting to see what he’ll say next.

“If you’re on board with this, we are too,” Colt announces, making the final decision.