He had bought her a car. It was a car, not a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates... it was a car. Then again, in the grand scheme of things, for someone like Rain it might not be a big gesture. She was still trying to figure out the Love/Bear thing and him giving her a car when her mom was in town had short circuited her brain.

Deciding for her own sanity she was going to have to not worry about the car if she wanted to keep functioning, she thanked him after their drive. He kissed her hard enough that she swore her toes curled in her shoes.

He was a great kisser. The second his lips touched hers, she felt consumed. It was scary and comforting. Quinn was going to hold on to that feeling for as long as she could. Her dinner with her mother was still on. She had to decide whether or not to continue her line that Rain was just her boyfriend or did she try to convince her mother that he was something more.

Was he more? There were moments when she was in his arms that she could feel the words bubbling up in her throat. I love you. It was something she’d never said to a man. Honestly, she had never planned on saying it at all. But with him it was like a part of her soul was reaching out to speak to him.

She still resisted. It was obvious that if she said those words that her link to Rain would be one forged in steel. The glow in his eyes when he looked at her was almost always there now. At least when they were alone. There was no denying that there was more to the man than the surface of a handsome, smart, rich and funny guy.

She felt happy, light, and horny around him. Being horny wasn’t a bad thing. But being horny all the time was new. When he was around her, she was revved and ready to go. When he wasn’t around, she thought about the next time she could be with him. It had been days since they had made love, and she was jonesing badly.

If her mother wasn’t in town she knew where she’d want to be tonight. Hell, she’d had a car now; she wouldn’t be against trying out the backseat. Although having sex in the back of a Mini Cooper was sure to be fraught with problems.

First things first, her mother. Quinn left Rain at the door to her building. She promised to text him when she was done with her mom. She had a feeling that she was going to need to see him after dinner. Sure, she could tough it out like she always had and deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Mona alone.

But tonight, she didn’t need to. All she had to do was text or call and there would be someone there to ease her suffering, and an evening with her mom guaranteed suffering.

Forging ahead, she took a quick shower and made sure to dry and style her hair, hoping to avoid any comments from her mom. She picked out clean clothes and did her best to look nice. It was funny to think that she wasn’t worried about what Rain thought of her clothes, but her mother would certainly have an opinion.

Quinn looked in the mirror and gave her hair another scrunch with her fingertips. She’d put on some eyeliner and mascara and even added a swipe of gloss to her lips. Hoping to keep her mom from running into Harmony or that idiot Lars, she grabbed her purse and left her room, locking the door behind her.

She headed outside and pulled her hoodie tighter around her. Either it was really cold, or she was shivering with nervous anticipation.

“Well, at least you’re on time!”

Mona was coming around the corner. She’d changed clothes too. Not that this outfit was any more subdued. She had put on a pair of jeans that were so tight they looked painted on. She was sporting a sequined top that was sliding off her shoulders. The bright pink sequins glinted in the streetlights as she walked in her strappy silver heels.

“Mom, you know it’s cold out, right?”

“Like I’m going to wear a coat if we’re going out. I taught you better than that. Never bring anything you have to leave at a table if you use the bathroom. Plus, you wouldn’t be able to see my top.”

“Everyone can see your top, Mom. And I thought we were just having dinner. Not going clubbing.”

“Who knows where the night will take us. We walking or springing for a cab?”

“I have a car we can use.” She wasn’t going to offer up information if she didn’t have to.

“Cool, where is it?”

“Just over there,” she said, pointing towards the street. They walked toward the car, Quinn slowing her pace so her mom could take baby steps in her heels. Beeping the locks, she hoped that her mom wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. She wasn’t so lucky.

They got into the car and her mom looked around, checking the back seat. “Is this a friend’s car? It’s nice, fancy.”

“Sort of,” she hedged, starting the car.

“It’s sort of a friend’s car? How does that work.”

“It’s owned by a friend that is letting me use it. What’s the big deal?” Quinn pulled out and headed down the road even though she had no idea where they were going.

“It’s a big deal because you’re being sketchy. In my line of work I know when someone is bullshitting me.”

“Listen, for the near future I will be driving this car. For all intents and purposes, it’s mine. Okay?”

“No, that’s not okay. It’s not owned by you, but it’s yours to use? You’d better fill in the details, Quinnlynn Sutter.”

Quinn felt the knot of tension in her stomach that had eased when she was around Rain start to tighten. “Rain bought me this car today so I wouldn’t have to take the bus anymore. Happy?” she snapped. Fuck, she didn’t want to tell her mom, but she always had a way of making her talk. It was some evil parent trick that she’d never learned to resist.

“He. Bought. You. A. Car?” Her words were sharp and each one was a little louder than the last.

“So what if he did?”

“He bought you a fucking car. Geezus, Quinnlynn, have you lost your fucking mind? I thought the hotel room was bad. A car, what next? New boobs?”

“Mother! He’s not like that. He was worried about me standing on dark streets at night. It was a nice thing to do, a kind thing. People can be kind without wanting something.”

Quinn knew that wasn’t true in this case. Rain didn’t buy her a car to get her to agree to be his mate, but he was certainly lobbying for her future. He wanted her love, her body, and all of her tomorrows. It was a lot and she knew that he wasn’t going to back down.

Quinn was starting to feel like she was living on borrowed time. Her heart was telling her that Rain was more than a boyfriend. He was inching his way inside her, down to the deepest recesses of her being.

Quinn glanced over at her mother to see her staring out the window looking straight ahead.

“Mom, he’s nice. He’s not a jerk. He cares about me.”

“Quinnlynn, what if he does. How long do you really think that is going to last? What are you going to do when the day comes that he takes away this fancy car and kicks you to the curb? You think you’ll be able to jump back to the way things were? Nothing makes you softer than letting someone else take care of you.”

Quinn didn’t want to tell her mother how terribly sad that sounded. Letting someone in wasn’t the same thing as giving up who you were. Quinn had some of those same fears, but she never thought that she wouldn’t be allowed to be herself. Nobody could change you that much. Sure, you could get used to some things, but she had to believe that she’d be just as capable post Rain Rochon as she was before he showed up.

Trusting Rain with her heart wasn’t nearly as scary as trusting him with her future. Her heart would heal. It would have scars and she’d never forget the pain that those wounds would cause, but her future, that could be destroyed with no hope of recovery.

That was what she had worked so hard for all her life. Rain wanted her to keep her career choices but still alter them all at the same time. She knew that he would never ask her to be something else. But he was also asking her to let him be in the center of her career. The real question was whether she was willing to share.

“Mom, I know you’ve been hurt. I was there remember? I saw what happened when Rick, Terry, and that guy with the Santa beard left.”

“Merle,” her mother retorted.

“Gawd, that was a terrible name. I was there when you got angry and threw things and burned pictures and got drunk. I know how hard it was. But I still need to live. I can’t hide away from life because of the pain you suffered. What if Rain is the one that can make me happy for the rest of my life?”

“Why can’t you make yourself happy?” Her mother had her arms crossed now. She was pouting like a child. It wasn’t a good look for her.

“I don’t know that I would ever be fully happy alone. I’ve felt so different being around Rain. I’ve felt loved and protected. Have you ever felt protected by any of your boyfriends?”

“Protected, no. Protective of my shit, yes.”

“Exactly. Rain makes me feel safe. The stress of my classes, my work, it all fades when I’m around him. He’s there if I fall. And it’s not just because he says he will be. It’s because I can feel it from him. Mom, he’s good. I need to see where this goes. I need to try this and if it doesn’t work out, then I know how to throw a tantrum and burn shit.”

“Well, I at least taught you that. I’m not happy, I may never be happy about this. I don’t trust that he will take care of you the way you think he will, and I think you’re making a horrible mistake.”

“I get that. But it’s also my mistake to make.”

Her mother didn’t reply and they spent the rest of the drive in silence. Quinn was on autopilot, thinking about her mom and her dire warnings. It was hard not to let all that doubt sink in. It was what she’d heard for so long, it was almost like her mother’s religion. Never trust men, defend your heart against all.

But Quinn didn’t want to defend anymore. It sounded exhausting, and letting Rain in was all too easy. But just like anything that felt good, it was a slippery slope.

“Where are we going, I’m hungry.” Her mother grumbled.

Looking around, she noticed she was on 45^th, not far from Dicks. “How about burgers and fries?”

“That’s fine. I’m buying. I’m sure your boyfriend,” she said making air quotes, “takes you nicer places than burgers.”

“Actually, he took me here first. Burgers and fries, then we moved up from there.”

“Is he rich, rich, or just well off?”

“What’s the difference?”

“Is he like unlimited credit cards from daddy, or are his parents just well off enough to pay for college but not much else.”

“I guess somewhere in between? I know his family has money. They’re in the lumber business and there is money in that. He bought his own car with his own money. Then again I have no idea how he bought this car. He said it was paid off, so it must have cost a chunk.”

“That’s money. Does he work while he goes to school?”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“A scholarship?”

“I don’t think so... he’s going into Law.”

“No scholarship, doesn’t work, that is more than casual money. Just remember if he offers you a new set of tits, say no. He’ll eventually want them back.”

Quinn wasn’t going to respond to that one. She didn’t want to know why her mom would know anything about repossessing boobs.

She pulled into Dick’s and managed to get through dinner without her mom bad mouthing Rain any more than she already had. On the drive back, she started in again and Quinn found the button for the radio and cranked it up until her mom took the hint and closed her mouth.