Chapter Twelve

Eli

I guess she doesn't.

It's been two days since I spoke to Quinn and she's avoiding me even more now. Each time our eyes meet, her cheeks turn red and she quickly looks away. Then she mumbles something and runs off like a scared rabbit afraid to be cornered.

I don't give chase. I've decided not to even though I have an urge to pull her into my arms. I have a feeling that she'll give in if I do, but I'll wait until she's calmed down, until she comes to me.

Or so I think until I see Quinn running towards the old shed with her arms wrapped around her trembling shoulders.

I glance at my watch. It's Marianne's nap time. Normally, Quinn spends the hour teaching Clive, who I just saw at lunch, or preparing teaching materials for Marianne. Sometimes she simply takes a coffee break with Janice.

What is she doing running towards the shed, then? And why does she look like she's on the verge of tears?

Two voices begin a debate inside my head. One calmly tells me I should leave her alone, go back inside the house and pretend I didn't see her. The other screams, Go after her, you dumbass!

My legs move before I make up my mind. They carry me to the shed and I open the door.

Quinn is sitting in a corner. When she sees me, she quickly wipes her tears with the back of her hand. Just as I thought, she's crying.

"What are you doing here?" she asks with crooked eyebrows.

I close the door behind me. "I thought I saw someone go into the shed and I decided to see who it was."

Good lie, considering I just thought of it on the fly.

"Sorry." She sniffs. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"No worries." I shake my head. "Unless you want to share some with me."

"I'm fine, Eli." She gives another sniff.

If only I had a handkerchief.

I lean against the wall. "You should probably stick to teaching. You're not a very convincing actress."

Quinn snorts.

"Let me guess. Your toy broke."

She looks at me in horror. "I can't believe you're saying that."

"Then did you get a phone call from your ex?"

"No. Even if I did, it's none of your business."

"I tend to make something my business when I see something good in it for me."

"And what's in it for you?"

"You."

Quinn's eyes narrow. "So you're still trying to seduce me?"

"Is it working?"

She looks away without giving me an answer.

"Is it me, then?" I ask her as I move closer to her. "Am I why you're upset?"

"Don't be so full of yourself. It's nothing to do with you."

"Then what is it?"

Quinn turns her head in my direction. "Why should I tell you? You just admitted you're trying to seduce me."

I gaze into her amber eyes. "Because you want me to."

If Quinn really didn't want me, she would have slapped me after hearing my offer, or at least turned me down outright. But she didn't.

She wants me. I know she does. I can see it in her eyes. She just won't admit it. Even against herself, she fights.

Quinn shakes her head in disbelief. "You're bad at this."

Am I?

"I made you stop crying," I point out as I sit beside her.

"You just can't take a hint, can you?"

"You're not the only one who's stubborn."

She lets out a sigh. "Fine. I'll tell you. I just miss my brothers. I think I mentioned them when you came over for dinner."

"You said you have four brothers in all."

She nods. "Only Steven is left. Well, Daniel is in college. He comes home once in a while."

"And you said Charlie passed away?"

Another nod. "Today's his birthday. He would have turned thirty-four today."

I point to the ceiling. "I'm sure he's celebrating up there."

Quinn shrugs. "Maybe."

"And what about your other brother?"

"Chase. I don't know where he is. He's been missing for nearly a year now."

"What do you mean?"

"He got in with a bad crowd a few years back and I guess things just went from bad to worse. Frankly, I don't even know if he's alive." She hugs her knees. "Oh, if Charlie was still around, he'd be so mad. Then again, if he were, Chase would probably have stayed on track. If Charlie was still around, a lot of things wouldn't have happened. Damn, I miss him so much. He was more like a father to me, you know. I needed him. We needed him. Why did he have to die?"

I fall silent as fresh tears trickle down Quinn's cheeks. I was the one who asked her to confide in me, but now that she has, I struggle for words. I guess I didn't expect her reason for being upset to be this heavy.

"He promised me he would always be there for me, but he never came back home. I wish he'd never left. I should have stopped him."

"But would that have been right? Should you stop someone from chasing after their dream?"

Quinn shakes her head. "It wasn't his dream. He only went because he wanted to take care of us. He always did take care of us, of all of us. But what did we ever do for him? What did I ever do for him? All I did was cause him trouble."

I shake my head in turn. "I'm sure he was proud of you. And I'm sure he still is."

Quinn wipes away her tears and sniffs. "Sorry. You probably think I'm so strong and all, but I'm really just a big baby. I'm sure you regret talking to me now."

"No."

But she's not listening. "I'm no fun, am I? I know I'm an adult now and mothers are supposed to be strong, but I just can't - "

I grab her arm. "Listen, Quinn. It doesn't matter if you're an adult or a mother. You're still allowed to feel pain. To cry. To want to be saved. To ask for help. You're still allowed to be weak. No one can be strong all the time."

"But Clive is - "

"He's big now. And he's growing up to be a fine young man. Sure, you can keep taking care of him, and you should, but you should take care of yourself, too. Didn't you just say how sorry you are that your brother took care of everyone but himself?"

She doesn't answer.

I touch her cheek. "Quinn, you're allowed to be human. You're allowed to be a kid. You're allowed to be a woman."

She looks into my eyes.

"You're allowed to live."

For a moment, our gazes remain locked as fear and hope battle in hers. Then her lips begin to move as she places her hand over mine.

"Kiss me, Eli."

She doesn't have to ask twice. I close the gap between our faces and press my mouth to hers. Her lips push back against mine and then part. My tongue slips in between and I feel her shiver.

I wonder how long it's been since Quinn has been kissed. Years? Since before Clive's birth? It doesn't matter.

I move my hand beneath her jaw as I deepen the kiss. Every clash of her tongue against mine sends heat waves down to my crotch.

I've gone a long time without physical contact, too. Too long.

Quinn's hand drops and grips my shirt. Her fingers trace my muscles through the cotton. My hand moves to the back of her hair and grips the short strands. My nails graze her scalp. I lift the other to touch her breast. The moan she sends into my mouth makes my whole body hum.

I search for her nipple as my fingers get lost in her hair. I finally find it beneath layers of fabric and imprison it between my fingers, tugging and twisting gently. She shudders.

Her hand has stopped moving, simply clutching cotton. I leave her breast and let my hand wander lower. It gets caught in the waistband of her jeans.

I push her down on the ground and undo the button of her jeans. Thank goodness she's not wearing overalls today. I pull down the zipper and her pink panties come into view.

And here I thought she didn't wear pink.

I press my fingers against the front of her panties and feel something wet. My cock throbs in my boxers.

I begin to stroke and Quinn pulls her mouth away from mine to gasp for air.

I lick her ear and then plant my lips on the side of her neck as I let my hand slip beneath the damp cotton. Her trembling arms wrap around me as my fingers brush against her nub. Her nails dig into my back.

I tease the nub until it swells and firms against my fingertips just like her nipple did. Then I let my fingers slide even lower, sinking between the folds of heated skin. They stroke a few times and she trembles even more. They enter her and she lets out a moan.

My cock strains against its cotton prison.

I'd love to make this last, but I can't hold back any longer. Ever since I saw her in that pixie dress, I've wanted her in my arms. Now that she is, I can't wait to be inside her.

I claim her lips again as I withdraw my fingers from her heat. I pull her panties and her jeans all the way off but leave her sneakers on. I don't have the time for those.

Then I break the kiss so I can look into her eyes.

"Quinn." Her name comes out of me as a hoarse whisper, as a plea, as a warning.

She gazes at me with lust in her eyes. "Just do it."

For a brief moment, my mind clears. Now, where have I heard that before? The moment passes in the blink of an eye, though, and my hands spur into action to free my cock. I grip her thighs as I enter her. My breath catches.

Damn, she's tight. You'd think since she had a toy, she would be... well, less tight. But as it is, I don't know if I can even last two minutes inside her.

I glance at Quinn's face. Her eyes are closed. Is she in pain? Or is that an expression of pleasure?

I carefully pull out and push back in, deeper this time. Quinn's eyes fly open as she throws her head back.

Now, that's pleasure for sure.

I continue doing that until I manage to sheath myself completely inside her. Then I move in and out, faster this time, as fast as I can with her exquisite softness clinging to every inch of my cock.

Quinn's hands wrap around my neck. Her moans spill out into the air.

I pound into her with abandon. I intended to be gentle, but years of deprivation have made me into a beast. I push her thighs back farther and pick up my pace. My breath leaves in gasps and beads of sweat trickle down the side of my face.

I'm losing control.

Quinn goes over the edge first. Her nails dig into the back of my shoulders as her body arches and she lets out a cry. I tumble after her with a few grunts. I bury myself deep inside her and let out all the frustration I've built up.

It's a lot. My cock keeps quivering and spilling as I jerk my hips. When it finally grows still, I let Quinn's legs go and crouch over her as I catch my breath. I can feel a bead of sweat travel to the tip of my nose.

She lies flushed and gasping beneath me, eyes fixed blankly on the ceiling. I pull out and tuck my spent cock away. She sits up slowly and grabs her jeans and her underwear from the bench I've tossed them on to. Once she has them on, I offer her my hand to help her to her feet.

"Are you alright?" I ask her.

Quinn nods as she stands up. "I'm fine. Stop treating me like a baby."

"I wouldn't have fucked you if I thought of you as one," I say. "Though you do look cute when you cry."

She frowns. "Don't call me cute."

"Sorry," I mutter.

Her frown turns into a gasp as her hands go to the back of her shirt. She turns around and I see the stains on the yellow cotton.

"It's dirty, isn't it? Shit, this isn't going to come out easy."

I can't argue with her. "Maybe next time we should do it on a bed."

Quinn doesn't answer. She's too busy trying to scrape the stain off with her hands.

"How can I go inside the house looking like this?" she whines.

"Here. You can have my sweater." I grip the hem and start to pull the garment up over my head. "I feel warm anyway."

She shakes her head. "No. If I'm wearing your sweater, then - "

Quinn stops abruptly, eyes wide as she stares at my chest, laid bare as my shirt sticks to my sweater. I know I put a lot of effort into maintaining my body, but what's with that gaping look? It almost looks like she's seen a ghost.

Slowly, she steps back.

My shirt falls back over my chest and my abdomen as my sweater comes off. I bunch it up and offer it to her. "Quinn?"

She clasps a hand over her still-open mouth as she takes another step back. Then she bolts out of the shed.

"Quinn!"

But she's already gone. The shed shakes as she slams the door and I'm left gaping and confused.

What the hell?