Page 58

Then out of nowhere, that comment Emerson made about him being good enough now that he had money had crept in. Fueled by jealousy and alcohol, he’d thrown that in her face, knowing full well it was bullshit.

He sat up straighter and looked at Sandra, then to his mom, who he was sure was still listening, though she looked almost like she was sleeping.

“I had a moment of doubt, I guess, that she didn’t want me for me , but for this new rich and famous person I’d become.

I sort of blew up about it. In front of everyone.

And she left me to find my own ride home. ”

“Good for her,” said Molly, barely opening her eyes. Quinn peered down at his mother incredulously, and she added, “I thought we...went over all this...when she was here.”

“Oh, that’s right,” said Sandra. “Your mom told me about your irrational insecurities.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“Irrational?” Quinn repeated, taken aback.

“Quinn, if you’re going to be with this girl for good you have to accept that she wants you for you.

That you are good enough. If you keep doubting it, she’s going to feel like you’re doubting her,” said Sandra.

Before Quinn could ask how she knew so much about the situation, she said, “Your mother has gone on and on about this. These are her words, but she needs to rest, so I’m saying them for her. ”

Looking to his mom for confirmation, she nodded. “What she...said.”

“Once you get past all this insecure nonsense,” said Sandra, “your mother would like to go with you to pick out the ring.”

Quinn snapped his head from one woman to the other. “Ring?”

“That is your...endgame, isn’t...it?” Molly said. “I may not be here...for the wedding...so I’d like to...at least be...part of it...somehow.”

He laughed nervously and scratched the stubble that now covered his jaw.

Well, okay, yes , he supposed that was his endgame.

But they’d been together for five weeks!

He couldn’t be thinking about asking her to marry him yet.

Granted, he’d mentally been with her for fifteen years, but his delusions he had as a teenager didn’t count toward their actual relationship.

“Mom,” Quinn said, putting his hands up. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re not there yet. I mean, okay, maybe I am, because I’ve been in love with her since I was thirteen, but--”

“Have you told her?” his mother’s voice cut him off, suddenly sounding more urgent and less weak.

“I told her when I started falling for her, yeah.”

“Have you told her...you love her?” Molly pressed.

“Well...no, I haven’t said that yet.” Lord knows he wanted to.

He couldn't count the number of times they’d been together and those three words had nearly slipped out before he reminded himself he needed to slow down.

Saying it too soon would probably freak Rae out, and he didn’t want to push her away.

“I did ask her to come back to L.A. with me.”

“But you can’t tell her you love her?” Sandra raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Well, that’s different,” said Quinn. “She had just told me that she wanted to go with me to Arizona when I left for school. That she’d applied and was about to have her dad send the tuition check, but then…

” he paused. “I screwed up. I lied to her about something and it all just…” he made a motion with his hands like a plane crashing, “…blew up from there, I guess.”

“She wanted to go across the country with you when you were eighteen? And you’ve been in love with her since you were thirteen, but you can’t tell her how you feel?” Sandra’s voice raised as she looked from Quinn to his mother and back in disbelief. “Quinn! You tell that girl you love her!”

The light touch of his mother’s fingers brushed across his arm as she reached out to him, “If you can’t imagine...your life...without her now...tell her. You could have...everything. A perfect...life. Don’t...let it go because...you’re worried about...telling her how you feel now.”

Everything this past month had brought up- the memories, the missed opportunities, the times he’d messed up or had fallen short- all seemed to come down to him not saying the right thing.

Or just not saying anything. He’d kept his feelings to himself all this time, and where had it gotten him?

Chasing after women he knew he wasn’t interested in just to get the only one that mattered out of his head?

Things were great now, but he wanted her to know he meant everything he’d said.

He wanted her to know that he was hers. His whole self, his body, his heart, his entire being was hers to do with as she pleased.

And sure, he could tell her she was his and he was hers, and he could ask her to come to California, and he could make love to her every morning and night, but did she really understand what all that meant to him?

Did she understand that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with any other woman for the rest of his life?

He wanted to be with her. Period. He couldn’t fathom the thought of her being with someone else if, for some godforsaken reason, they couldn’t make it work.

Suddenly, the idea of going ring shopping didn’t seem all that crazy. It didn’t mean he needed to marry her today, or next month, or even next year. He just needed her to know he was in it for the long haul.

Raelyn Casey.

It wasn’t the first time he’d imagined his name attached to hers, but he still couldn’t stop the smile that lit up his face.

He’d made a lot of progress in the past month, and he intended to keep pushing forward. Keeping his feelings to himself wasn’t an option anymore. Next time those three words wanted to slip out, he’d let them. He would say the words, and never stop showing her how much he meant them.

After spending the rest of the afternoon at his mom’s, he had one thought on his mind as he hopped up Rae’s front porch steps. He let himself in, announcing his arrival on the way into the kitchen where he smelled food.

He stopped. All previous thoughts flew out of his mind at the sight in front of him.

"Um...excuse me, miss. What are you wearing?

" Quinn gaped at Rae as she stood in front of her air fryer, with her back to him.

Her legs were smooth and long, and her feet were bare.

Draped over her and falling just below that perfectly round ass of hers was a white and blue jersey, with the number twelve on the back and his last name across her shoulders.

Rae peeked over her shoulder at him and grinned. "About time you showed up."

His heart burst in his chest. He crossed the kitchen in three long strides and wrapped his arms around her front, backing her into him.

He was already hard as he pressed himself up against her ass, wanting her to know exactly what she was doing to him.

He'd always loved seeing her wear his last name when she'd borrow his high school hoodies or shirts, but this . This was something else.

He buried his mouth into the nape of her neck and kissed and tasted her skin as his hands roamed up and down, under the white fabric. The front of the jersey- his jersey - was unbuttoned and she was naked underneath.

Rae's head fell back onto his chest as he cupped both of her breasts in his hands, using his thumbs to make her pink nipples go hard.

"You're leaving this on when I fuck you," said Quinn, his voice low and husky against her skin.

He kissed the corner of her mouth where her lips pulled into a coy smile. "Yes, Quinn," she breathed.

He groaned and began unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans, sliding them off right there in the kitchen while she finished making dinner.

He threw his shirt off and spun her around to face him so he could kiss her deeply.

Lifting her up, she wrapped her legs around him, and he carried her to the dining table.

Quinn slipped a finger into her crease that was already pink and wet, wanting him.

She gasped and hissed, biting his ear as he pet that sweet sensitive spot between her thighs with two fingers.

Goddamn, she’s still sensitive from the other night.

Between kisses and licks and bites, he felt himself being drawn in and he stopped short of easing himself into her. "What are the chances you keep condoms in the kitchen? "

"Not good," Rae said through a moan. She tossed her head back, pushing her chest toward him and he bent his head to her tits. Her voice came out breathless as she said, "I'm on birth control, Quinn, it's fine."

Quinn stopped and stared again. As many sex partners as he'd had in the past, he always wore protection.

He didn't care if they insisted they were on the pill or the shot or whatever.

He was not going to risk tying himself to one woman, unless that woman was the one right here.

Just the thought of moving inside of Rae with absolutely nothing between them made his dick throb and ache.

"Are you sure?" Quinn looked into Rae's eyes. They had a dark, seductive glaze over them as she gazed back at him.

She wrapped her legs around his hips and urged him to be closer. "Just fuck me, Quinn Casey."

Oh my fuck. Yes.

Quinn felt as his eyes darkened, blinding out anything else in the room that wasn't Rae.

His heart was set to fucking explode, and he had no idea he could feel this happy and this horny and this unbelievably lucky all at once.

He pressed his mouth to hers, swiping his tongue between her lips.

When he pulled away, he gave her a devilish grin and spoke with his lips touching hers, "Yes, Rae. "

Bracing himself, he watched as he slowly slid his rock hard length into Rae, watching her hot, wet pussy take it in.

Holy fuck , there was nothing else like this.

Nothing but her wrapped around him. He halted once he was seated deep inside, savoring this new feeling.

He wasn’t sure if it was a sigh or a groan that escaped him as he pressed his forehead to hers.

He touched his lips to hers and began slowly moving in and out.

Shit, I am not going to last. This is going to be a fucking record.

He dropped his gaze to watch himself move into her. Nothing but him. Nothing but her. It was un-fucking-believable.

"Quinn," she moaned, her chest rising and falling with her breathing. "Quinn, oh my God, you feel so... so good. "

"I feel good?" Quinn rasped. "Fuck, Rae. You have no idea what you're doing to me right now."

Another sexy grin appeared on her lips, and she tightened the grip of her legs wrapped around his waist. "I'm claiming you."

Quinn's growl of pleasure ripped through his chest and he picked up his pace.

Faster and harder, he slid in and out of her.

His cock was solid. How did she always make him this hard?

Goddamn , she felt better with each stroke.

Wetter and tighter as she squeezed herself around him.

He watched as her grip on the table tightened, her knuckles going white as she threw her head back and cried out, raising her hips in a smooth motion to meet his thrusts as her whole body quivered.

Like this, he could feel the rush against his cock as she came- and oh. ..God. Fuck yes.

He moved deeper inside her, as deep as he could go. He felt himself go from wild to insatiable, pounding hard and fast right before his release. His legs shook and he saw stars. He practically fell onto her, grasping the table top for support.

His heart was racing unlike anything he'd ever felt. This was better than any home run swing, any championship title. This right here was his fucking dream.

"God dammit, Rae. You're so fucking amazing," he groaned into her jaw before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Rae's fingers ran through his hair and she gripped it harder, bringing his lips to hers.

When at last Quinn's eyes fluttered open, he found she was gazing back at him with a completely new look in her eyes.

Soft, but possessive, and a hint of nervousness.

He watched as she licked her bottom lip and swallowed.

She took a few breaths that appeared to steady her.

"Quinn..." Rae searched his face briefly, "I love you."

They both felt his cock respond to these words as it jolted to attention. A playful smile flashed across Rae's face. He thought his whole body would explode from sheer joy.

He let his smile light up his whole face as he felt all the pieces of his life falling into place. "I love you, too, Rae."