CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ZQ woke with tawny hair fanned across his chest. Memories of years gone by flashed through his mind and caused him to smile. The urge to roll Ivy over and make love to her was strong. Every cell in his body desired her, but he doubted she had a place on her that wasn’t bruised, except for maybe her ears and fingers.
Even if he was slow and gentle the first time he made love to her, he doubted it would be enjoyable for Ivy. He wanted her to take pleasure in every touch, every bite, every plunge.
Wait. After this long without her, the sex can wait. I have her near. I can stare into her eyes and listen to her saucy voice. I’ve got my woman near.
He slipped out of bed and attached his prosthesis. Once he was in jeans and a t-shirt, he left her a note on his pillow. “I love you, lioness.”
Ashley was cooking when he walked through the kitchen. He poured a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter. “Is Mom still out cold?”
She nodded and laughed. “I expect her to come stumbling in here any minute, wearing sunglasses and trying to hide a hangover with one of her migraine excuses. If you’re looking for ZQ2, he’s out at the stables talking to gis pony.”
ZQ took another gulp of coffee before emptying the cup and putting it in the dishwasher. “Thanks. For everything, little one.” He strode to the barn, his practiced eye scanning everything to make sure all had continued as he’d ordered in his absence. Peeking in the stables, he watched his son stroking Diego and talking to him about staying here forever.
“Hey there. I was thinking of going for a horse ride and was looking for a boy to sit in the saddle with me. Know where I can find one?”
Minutes later, they were on his stallion as it walked across the meadows. “I’m weally high up, aren’t I, daddy?”
“This is a big horse, but I’ve got my arm around you, so you’ll be safe. Look around, son, this is all our land.” Their mount crested a hill overlooking a large grazing area with Longhorns. “See the cattle? Look at their long horns.”
Quinn looked over his shoulder at ZQ. “Are dey ours, too?”
He kissed Quinn’s cheek. “Yup. But they can be dangerous, so you’ll stay away. We’ll look at them only when we’re together. Okay?”
Eyes full of adoration focused on him. “Okay, Daddy.”
Slowly it dawned on ZQ he was in the middle of a ticklish situation. He didn’t want Ivy to think he wanted her to stay only because he wanted his son. On the other hand, he didn’t want his boy to think he was part of a package deal. They were both precious. Both his. Both owned a large part of his heart. How could he convince one without ignoring the other that the two of them were needed to make his life complete?
After their ride, ZQ wiped down his stallion, explaining to his son why this was important to the animal’s care. He showed ZQ2 how to use a brush. “Now that we’re done, why don’t we go inside and get some cookies and milk?”
“Do…do you know gwandma doesn’t buy cookies at the stoah. She bakes dem herself.”
“I do know that and they’re always the best.” He held the backdoor open and they walked to the sink in the laundry room to wash their hands. ZQ and half-pint stepped into the kitchen. Ivy was there, eating toast and drinking some of Ashley’s herbal tea.
She held her arms out for her son while ZQ fixed their snack. Aromas of a beef roast wafted from the oven. His mother had taught Ashley how to cook after she came to the ranch to heal from some of her PTSD, and she’d become excellent in the kitchen. She also became an excellent horsewoman.
“While you and Mommy talk, I have work to do in my office.” His gaze landed on Ivy. “I have to turn in a report on the last few days’ happenings. He gently grabbed her arms and pulled her out of the chair. Eyes focused on hers, he cupped her face and covered her lips with his, prolonging the kiss as long as he could with their son watching. When ZQ pulled back, Ivy moaned his name, her eyes fluttering closed in need.
The backs of his fingers sweeping down her satiny cheek. “Secret mission stuff, love, that I can’t tell you or I’d have to hogtie you to my bed,” he whispered. Did you get my note?”
Her golden cheeks were tinged a pretty pink when her green eyes with the golden flecks locked with his. “Yes. Thank you, Zane.”
Dear God, I love this woman’s eyes. I love everything about her.
Bedtime for Quinn that night was an emotional battle. Shrieks were heard throughout the house. “I want my Spidey!” Ivy had taken it away for three days as punishment for his sneaking onto the helicopter. ZQ made the mistake of going into Quinn’s bedroom to see if he could help settle his son.
The second he opened the door, his boy leapt out of bed into his arms. “Daddy, make hew give me my Spidey. She’s being mean.”
Ivy leaned over, both arms around her stomach and cried.
Oh hell, he was in a fix. ZQ stood his son on the floor and drew up to his full six-foot-six height. “Young man, look at me.” The gaze of dark eyes rose. “When Mommy makes a rule. I will agree with her. If she says you can’t have Spidey for three days, then that’s the law. Mom’s in charge.”
ZQ dropped to his knees and cupped Quinn’s narrow shoulders. “I don’t ever want to hear you speak a nasty word to your mommy again. Is that clear?” Tears pooled in his son’s eyes and ZQ’s heart nearly broke. But he couldn’t have the boy play one parent against the other. “Your mommy has done everything for you. She deserves an apology because you talked to her in a mean way.”
If a child could walk an inch at a time, Quinn did as he approached his mom. “I sowwy for being mean. I wove you.”
“I love you, too, Quinn. Now please get in bed.” She looked so worn out. The past few days were catching up to her.
“Do I get a hug, Mommy?”
Her arms opened and he dove into them.
ZQ wanted to drive home a point. “Here’s the thing. When you apologize, that means you’re going to try real hard not to do it again. Never talk to Mommy in a nasty way. Lots of kids don’t have a wonderful Mom like you do. Now do as she said and get into bed.”
Later, Ivy trudged out to the fire-pit where ZQ sat, enjoying a cup of coffee. Her limp was worse; no doubt she was exhausted. “Lioness, I hope I wasn’t out of line stepping into your area of discipline.”
“No. It was welcome, actually. He so rarely acts out like that. I just wasn’t up for it. Guess I’m more tired than I thought.”
Using the toe of his boot, he kicked a partially burned log further into the fire. “I remember once I mouthed off to Mom. Dad tanned my hide. ′Course we don’t do things like that anymore. But I showed Mom proper respect from that day on.”
She plopped into a chair next to him and blew on a cup of something steaming. “Yeah, spanking is out. I’ll blacken both your eyes if you ever try to get violent with my child.”
“Point taken.” He chuckled. “Are you drinking Mom’s special hot chocolate?” He sniffed the air.
“The woman will spoil me.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’d spoil you, too, if you gave me a chance.”
“You always did. Back then.” She sipped her hot drink, its vapor rising in curls.
“I’d like to talk to you about Quinn. What’s his last name?”
“Same as mine—Rosemoor.” She eyed him over the top of her cup.
He nodded. “Thought so. What are the chances of changing his last name to mine?” He’d just made his first step into Momma quicksand.
Her gaze whipped to his again. “Exactly what do you mean?”
He’d better make one step at a time into this topic—and gently. “Just a thought. I’ve already had my will changed and so has Mom that this ranch will one day go to him. It’s his heritage. This property has been in the Quinlan family for four generations and will one day be his. It would be nice if he carried the Quinlan name.”
“That would make his name Quinn Quinlan. He’ll be teased at school when he starts Kindergarten in the fall. The kids will call him Quinn Quinn.”
“Or QQ.” He flashed her a smile.
“My son? Oh, that is so not happening.” She took another drink of her hot chocolate.
Time to back out of the quicksand. She was going to be territorial about the child they shared. But they hadn’t shared him, had they? She’d taken care of him since birth. Before, even.
“No biggie. These twenty-two-hundred acres will go to him no matter what his last name is. If you decide to continue your life in Tampa, I hope you’ll grant him time to come here to learn about the place. To fall in love with it.”
“I’ll have custody papers drawn up with the summers and Christmas break as your time with him. And, of course, if you travel to Tampa to visit, just contact me first.”
He patted his legs. “I’d sooner have both of you in my life. Daily. Come sit on my lap. We haven’t snuggled by a campfire since those times along the beach.”
Ivy moved to his lap and snuggled in his arms. “We have a lot of good memories. They’re what’s kept me going through the years.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Me, too, lioness.” In the fire’s glow, they brought up happier times. He asked her what Quinn was like as a baby. She asked if he’d been afraid to go back into combat after losing a foot. He shared his PTSD and the extended time of counseling he’d had since he retired.
“I learned to be more open about my feelings, my needs. Right now, I need my antibiotics, a shower, and you snuggled in my bed.”
“JJ told me to sleep without a bandage over the bullet wound from now on. Give it some air. I still can’t get it wet. I’m ready for bed, too. Gina’s coming out to give me some therapy tomorrow.”
“Good. While she’s here, Quinn and I will go into town and do some shopping. Write down your sizes and I’ll get you some things—sneakers, jeans, sexy lingerie. Enough to hold you for a few weeks while you’re here.”
Ivy straightened in his arms. “Oh my God, I need to call my boss in the morning.” She smacked her forehead. “I just now remembered my job. I can’t believe I totally forgot! Usually I’m so focused on work. There’s been so much going on I’ve lost track of clients, cases, court dates. I’ll have to explain where I was and that I was shot. Ask for a leave of absence to continue healing.”
“How long will you give me?” She was still planning on going back. He’d lose her again and his son, too. Acid rolled in his stomach. The familiar empty ache knocked at his heart. He’d been given a glimpse of joy, of contentment, of hope. Now his lioness was thinking of going back to work.
“That all depends on how much time I’m given. I might need you to give me a copy of the report you worked on today. What boss is going to believe a story that I was kidnapped, held prisoner, beaten, shot, and operated on in a helicopter? He’s going to need something official in hand.”
He went still. “You want me to provide evidence that your lost time was not your fault? To help you keep your job? Hell, that report is highly classified. Neither you nor your boss carry the security clearance to read it.”
“But I need my job!”
He glared at her. “Do you realize how caveman I want to go on you and Quinn right now? Dammit to hell, I want you both to stay here. For the three of us to work on being a family.” He cupped the back of her head and brought her mouth near his. “Don’t leave me.” Then his lips crushed hers in total possession.