Page 8

QUINN

Q uinn’s gaze connected with Patience’s as the ambulance door slammed shut and they pulled away.

With a sigh, he shook his head, dumping snow onto his shoulders.

What the hell was he doing? He didn’t need to be at the hospital.

An Uber would have been fine. Unless she couldn’t get one because of the bad weather.

Still, one of her friends could have taken her home.

Except he didn’t want her to call someone else.

It needed to be him. He’d officially lost his mind.

The more time he spent with Patience, the harder it was to keep his distance. There was something about her that calmed him. Eased his demons. The same demons that would destroy her if he didn’t stay far away from her.

Trudging through the snow, he made his way to his truck, tossed Felicity’s suitcase behind the driver’s seat, and grabbed the ice scraper to clear the windshield.

The snow had piled up quickly while they’d helped Felicity, and it didn’t look like it wouldn’t be letting up anytime soon.

As usual, the weather idiots had gotten it wrong.

The dusting of snow had turned into a fucking blizzard, and they’d gotten at least seven inches from what he’d just walked through.

After brushing off the snow from his head and shoulders, Quinn climbed into his truck and got it started.

Clicking on the defrost and sliding the heat to high, he leaned back and closed his eyes to give the engine a chance to warm up.

Exhaustion weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Thoughts of his bed had him groaning and rolling his neck.

He’d been awake for about twenty-eight hours, having gone straight to the Ready Room from his debrief with Tony and Jake.

Sleep would have to wait. First, he had to get to the hospital and make sure Patience got home safely.

Thankful for four-wheel drive, Quinn navigated through the accumulated snow with little of a problem.

He caught up to the ambulance about ten minutes later and breathed a sigh of relief.

He hadn’t thought to ask where they were going to take Felicity, and he could have ended up at the wrong hospital.

As he followed them on the still un-plowed roads, he gripped the wheel tighter each time the ambulance skidded on a slick spot.

When they finally pulled into the lot at Sentara General Hospital, his death grip on the steering wheel eased.

Felicity told them her husband was in the Navy and on deployment.

It meant she could go to either the naval or civilian hospital.

He’d figured they’d take her to Sentara, since it was the closest. He was happy he’d been right.

Quinn pulled into the lot for the Emergency Room and grabbed Felicity’s suitcase. She’d need it soon enough. He planned on calling in a few favors to get her car towed to a repair shop. Until they got in contact with her husband, he figured he’d do what he could to help.

Stomping the snow from his feet, he stalked inside the hospital.

The waiting room was full, not that he expected anything else.

Whenever the weather turned, they ended up overloaded.

Stopping at the check-in desk, he waited for the couple in front of him to finish.

A moment later, a nurse came through the automatic doors, helped the man into a wheelchair, and whisked them away.

The woman behind the counter looked up at Quinn. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, a woman and newborn were just brought in by ambulance. I’m here for them.”

“What’s the patient’s name?”

“Felicity. Uhh, I don’t have her last name. I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out. There can’t be many women who were just admitted with that name.”

She nodded and quirked her head. “Are you family, sir?”

Ugh. He didn’t know her last name. Of course, he wasn’t family. “No, I’m not. But I helped deliver the baby and I have her suitcase.”

“Oh, okay.” She flashed a brief smile at him before continuing. “I’m sure that’s fine. Let me check with the patient. You can take a seat if you can find one and I’ll come and get you.”

“Thanks.” Quinn turned toward the crowded waiting room.

Yeah, right? Instead of trying to find a seat, he headed toward the closest corner and pulled up some wall to wait, with the suitcase tucked between his legs and out of the way.

Sideways glances had him trying to tamp down his gruff demeanor.

His normal attitude was growly, and he rarely worried about it since everyone expected it of him.

He probably needed to get out in public more.

His lips raised in a wry smile, probably looked even more predatory and scared them more.

But before he could worry about it, the automatic doors to triage parted.

While he waited, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and put a reminder in his phone to text Henry, the mechanic who took care of his truck.

He’d helped him handle some trouble with the neighborhood teenagers a few months back and figured he’d be happy to help with Felicity’s car.

Henry would make sure the car ran like new before he gave it back to Felicity so mom and baby would be safe.

Patience followed a nurse through the doors, and she stopped as her gaze traveled over the crowded room.

When she spotted him, her face lit up, sending a wave of heat to his cold, dead heart.

Grabbing Felicity’s bag, he pushed off the wall and made his way through the aisles of chairs to get to her.

“How is she…”

“You made it quick.”

Their words stumbled over each other, and Patience laughed, and her cheeks flooded with color.

“Sorry. You go ahead.”

Quinn smirked. He couldn’t help it. She was just too damn cute. The difference in their ages wasn’t huge, but he felt so much older than her, especially when she reacted to him like she did.

“How are Felicity and the baby doing? Any complications?”

“Surprisingly, no. My first blizzard delivery, hell, any delivery on my own, was a success. I hoped I hadn’t screwed it up. It was so cold.”

“No one would believe that was your first. You didn’t hesitate at all and just did what needed doing. You were amazing. Your future patients will be lucky to have you.”

Her blush intensified, and she looked down at her shoes.

“Thank you, Quinn. That means a lot. Um, so, would you like to go back and see them? Felicity added you to the approved list.” Noticing the suitcase for the first time, she smiled again and nodded toward the bag resting against his leg.

“And thanks for bringing that. She’s going to need it. ”

“I figured. Is she still in emergency?”

Patience nodded to the woman at the Information Desk as she headed toward the automatic doors.

“Nope, they were moving her to postpartum when I came out to get you. They took baby Clara to the NICU when we got here, but she’s doing fine, too.

They’ll monitor her for any issues because of the outdoor birth. More of a precaution, really.”

Quinn listened to her soft voice as he followed her down the bustling corridor to a bank of elevators. He stifled a groan as he tried to keep his eyes off her delectable ass and the gentle sway of her hips. This was not the time or place for an erection.

“As you okay?” She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.

Had she asked him something? “Yeah, just tired. Why?”

“I asked if you’d seen babies delivered before.”

“Yes. There was a mission a while ago when Doc delivered a baby. It’s been years, though. Not that I was likely to forget. I don’t envy women having to go through all that.”

Patience nodded. “It’s definitely not easy. I think a comedian once described it as pulling your bottom lip over your head and trying to push out a watermelon.”

Quinn winced, thinking about it. “Women are definitely stronger than given credit for.”

The elevator dinged, and the doors finally opened. Patience stepped in first and pushed the button for the fourth floor.

“Wow, Quinn. That’s very forward thinking of you. You come across as a caveman most of the time. I figured you were one of those who’d prefer their woman barefoot and pregnant.”

Quinn followed her in and stood off to the side. He adjusted his cock, hoping she didn’t notice. “Oh, little girl, you don’t want to know what I want from my woman. You couldn’t handle it. But barefoot and pregnant? Nope, not at all.”

“You think I couldn’t handle you, big guy?” Her gaze met his in the elevator's reflection door.

“No, I’d break you for sure.”

“I’m not a child or innocent,” she admonished, even as more color flooded her cheeks.

Quinn smirked. Her elbow to his side made him grunt and his smirk bigger.

“I’m tougher than you think.”

“I don’t doubt it, little girl, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t break you.

” And that’s what he’d do, too. If not at first, it would happen eventually.

He didn’t do relationships for a reason.

When he needed relief, he took care of it himself or fucked someone at the club—no strings attached.

At least there, the women knew what he’d expect from them.

But even there, he held part of himself back, always fearing what would happen if the beast came out to play.

Now he knew exactly what would happen. He’d seen it after this last mission.

“I don’t agree.”

He shrugged. Continuing this conversation wouldn’t get her anywhere. Thankfully, the doors opened.

“Noted.”

Patience harrumphed and shook her head. He hid his smile. She was a stubborn little thing.