Page 5

QUINN

Q uinn shook his head and reined in his frustration.

What the fuck was he doing offering her a ride home?

The last thing he needed to do was listen to her chatter on the way home, or worse, inhale her floral scent.

The more time he spent around her, the more his resolve to keep her at arm’s length evaporated.

Patience was right. She’d have been perfectly safe in an Uber. It made no sense for his insistence that he drive her home. None. Except, it felt wrong to let her get into a car with a stranger. Not that he was much more than a stranger himself.

As he disconnected the jumper cables from his battery and slammed the hood of the truck, he chastised himself for his lack of willpower to stay away from her. When he turned to put the cables away, she was watching him, like she was trying to figure him out.

“Ready?” he growled. Angry at himself, not at her, but it still made him sound like a bastard. Quinn figured she’d tell him to fuck off at any second and call an Uber. He wouldn’t blame her, either.

“Yeah, as long as you’re sure. You don’t look too thrilled about this.” For the first time since he’d known her, she sounded hesitant. He hated he made her feel that way.

Quinn took a breath and gentled his voice before answering her. “Yes, let’s get you home and out of this cold.”

She followed him toward the passenger door. Without thinking, he lifted her into the truck. Her slight gasp had him dropping his hands and stepping away from her.

“Sorry for touching you without your permission. I didn’t think. I just knew it would be hard to climb up without a step. I need to get one installed.” Fuck. He was rambling.

Patience’s cheeks blazed with color in the light from the truck. She looked so innocent. So young. He’d expected her to chastise him for touching her, but she hadn’t said a word, just watched as he closed the door.

He needed to get away from her and stay away. The mission had turned him inside out. His usual stoic demeanor was nowhere to be found. Instead, he was acting like a love-struck fool. Quinn needed to get her home and away from him as soon as possible. Then he’d head home and figure out this shit.

As he settled into the driver’s seat, she reached over and put her small hand on his forearm. The feel of her hand sent heat not only to his chilled skin, but through his chest. Something he’s never felt before.

“Thank you, Quinn. You’re right. I wouldn’t have been able to climb inside. I’m height challenged,” she said with a small smile. Was she trying to make him feel better?

“I’m used to action and not asking first. I apologize. Thanks for understanding.”

“No problem,” she said. “These heated seats are amazing. I’ll have to make sure they’re in my next car.”

Small talk? He sucked at it, except with the guys.

But they knew how he was and didn’t get bent out of shape.

He did more listening than chatting. Quinn was the strong, silent type.

He liked it that way. His actions in Marikistan had surprised him as much as his team.

He’d spent years locking down his emotions.

The last thing he’d expected was for them to resurface and for him to lose total control.

Patience was oblivious to his inner turmoil as he watched her adjust the vents to direct the heat where she wanted. She sat back and settled into the seat with a happy sigh.

“What’s the address?” Quinn asked.

As she rattled it off, it sounded familiar.

When he typed the number and beginning of her address, it popped up on the truck’s GPS.

Puzzled, a moment later it hit him and he remembered.

After he’d picked up Livie and Theo, after their Thanksgiving trip, he’d dropped her off at her apartment before taking Theo home.

“You know where I live?” she asked, surprise laced her voice.

“Yeah. I dropped Livie off there when she and Theo came home from their trip. I’d forgotten you are roommates.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. She told me that. So, you and Theo are friends? I didn’t think you hung out with anyone but your team.”

“Theo and I have been friends for a long time…since we were kids.”

“Really? Wow! I didn’t know that.” He heard the surprise in her voice and glanced over to see her staring at him.

Quinn grunted. Most didn’t know of their friendship.

He preferred it that way. The fewer people who knew about his private life, the better.

Theo wouldn’t tell anyone about their past. Theo’s family had given him the chance at a life.

Now that his mom was gone, they were the closest thing he had to family besides his team.

“We don’t get to see each other much. Our jobs keep us busy, and less now that he’s dating Livie.” He squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white, and the metal groaned.

“It must be great to have a friend for that long. We moved around every couple of years when I was young, while my parents worked overseas. I was home schooled until high school. We knew I’d have a better chance of getting into college and med school by attending a regular high school.

But even after moving here, we still traveled for all the vacations, and I never really made any close friends.

It wasn’t until Livie and I moved in together that we got really close. ”

“Was it hard?”

“What? Moving around a lot?”

He nodded as he kept his eyes on the road.

The snow fell faster; the flakes were smaller as they piled up along the edges of the road.

Quinn hadn’t seen a snowplow yet either.

With new tires on his truck, he hadn’t had trouble on the slippery asphalt, but it was only a matter of time before the drive got hazardous.

He needed to get Patience home before that happened.

“No, not really. I traveled all over the world with my parents. Definitely a different childhood from most people, but I was lucky. While my classmates were learning about the world, I was living in it. At least until high school.”

Quinn nodded. He’d spent so much time trying to avoid her, he hadn’t appreciated the soothing tone of her voice or noticed the slight European accent. “Are you going to follow in your parents’ footsteps?”

He saw her nod and tuck the hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear. It looked so soft, his fingers itched to slide through it.

“I’ve wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. But living their nomad life? That’s different. I signed up to work with them this summer before I start my residency. I guess I’ll see how that goes. There’s no rush to decide, since I have four years of my residency to complete first.”

“Probably a good idea to hold off when you’re so young.

At least you’d know what you were in for, though.

Not an easy life. I get it. No fancy hotels or five-star restaurants.

” Quinn wondered what she’d think if she knew about his past, all his secrets.

He doubted she’d want anything to do with him.

His childhood couldn’t have been more different from hers.

“No, that’s for sure. We rarely had indoor plumbing.” She chuckled and sighed. “I’m spoiled with hot showers and air conditioning. Most of the African nations we spent our time in had nothing. Many still don’t. It’s horrifying if you’ve never seen it.

Quinn remembered his first mission in Ethiopia.

He’d been a young SEAL, only a year out of BUD/s.

The way the people had been living had shocked him.

He’d known poverty, lived it, but nothing like the utter lack of food, water, housing, and medical attention.

“I’ve spent time in Ethiopia and Somalia. ”

“I guess I should have figured that with you being a Navy SEAL. But that means you understand.”

It was his turn to nod. “Yes, all too well. No one should have to live in those conditions. Your parents must be good people to spend their lives trying to make a difference.”

Humming her agreement, she flashed him a smile. It warmed the hard ball in the center of his chest, causing a crack in the ice encasing the organ he’d tried to ignore for years.

“I agree, but that’s also what makes it harder for me to make a choice now. They need me there. But so many children here need help too.”

“Are you’re going into pediatrics like Livie?”

Theo shared Livie’s plans with him. They hoped she’d be able to do her residency in Norfolk, but she could end up across the country.

Patience, too. Like him, their careers would come first, making it another reason to stay far away from the intriguing woman.

But the more he learned about her, the harder it would be.

“Yes, and no. I want to specialize in pediatric heart and lung surgery. It’ll mean a longer residency, but my dream job is to be a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon. Unless I can’t get into the residency.”

A car sped past them. Quinn cursed under his breath as it pulled in front of them and spun out, its tires unable to gain traction on the snowy road. He tapped his brakes, hoping to slow his truck enough to avoid a collision with the out-of-control vehicle.

Using every evasive maneuver he knew, Quinn prayed the asshole knew better than to slam on the brakes, even if it hadn’t stopped them from speeding.

“Oh shit!” Patience screamed. Then braced herself for the impact.

They were lucky. Instead of spinning into them, the car slid sideways and over the embankment at the side of the road.

“Quinn, we have to stop and help them,” she cried out.

“Already on it.” Quinn navigated to the shoulder and slowed to a stop where the car went over the edge.

After putting the truck in park, he turned to meet her gaze. “I need you to stay inside the truck. There’s no need for us both to get cold and wet.”

“What if they’re hurt? I could help…”

“If they’re injured, we’ll wait with them until an ambulance arrives. But it’s safer for you to stay in the truck. Tell me you understand.”

The look of frustration on her face had him expecting an argument. He was relieved when, after blowing out a breath, she nodded.

“Words, Patience. I want your promise you’ll stay inside the truck. I don’t want to worry about another car sliding into you.”

“What about you? You’d be in the same danger.”

He fought his grin. Of course, she’d have to argue at least a little. There was no way he’d back down on this, though. She needed to stay safe and he could only ensure that if she stayed in the truck. As he opened his mouth to answer, she cut him off.

“Fine. I’ll stay in the truck, but only because you won’t go check on them until I say yes.”

Quinn nodded. He hoped she’d listen to him. It was for her own safety. “Good girl. Be right back.”

He opened the door and stepped into the blustery cold. As he closed the door of the truck, she called him an asshat. Turning away, he grinned. He enjoyed this feisty side of Patience.