Deception (35 page)

She shuddered and shook her head, but he ignored the refusal and kissed her hard and deep, tempting her with his fingertips. “Come on, love,” he pleaded into her mouth. “I really want to.”

She groaned and lifted her hips high. Then she lowered her butt to the bed and pulled on his forearm. “No.”

Surprised his pleas had gotten him nowhere, he pulled away and searched her eyes. “Are you upset with me?”

She quickly shook her head no and took his hand. “Of course not. I love that you want to please me like that, and every time you do, I love it even more. I also understand why you want to wait. After all those nights of wanting and waiting, I don't want to devalue the experience, and you're absolutely right and wonderful for making sure I don't. However,” she added, pulling his fingers to her lips, “I'm done with our one-sided arrangement. I know you enjoy pleasing me even though you're left without. You've proven that over and over again, but I’d enjoy pleasing you as well, so until we get to that point, we're both on ice.”

He smiled and tapped her nose. “You're holding out on me for something you want.”

“I'm holding out on you?” she laughed.

“Yes,” he returned. “You flat out told me no, Layla Love Callaway.”

Her mouth fell open. “You told me no, Quinlan Farrel Kavanagh.”

“I guess I did,” he conceded, taking his hand back and resting it on her ribs. “So do I have to agree to these conditions?”

“Well, yeah, I guess you do.”

He gave her ribs a squeeze, and she giggled and jolted. His smile broadened, and he squeezed a little harder, making her wiggle and laugh hysterically.

“You're not fighting fair,” she squeaked.

He moved his fingers to her pelvic bone, continuing the light torture. “I'm not fighting you. I'm tickling you.”

She curled into a ball and tried to grab his hand. “Why?”

“Because your laugh is beautiful music to my ears.” He ceased his game and laid her back, brushing her hair from her flushed face. “I have no problem meeting your conditions, my love. You have yourself a deal. No more for you until I’m ready to join.”

She furrowed her eyebrows, surprised and suspicious. “Really?”

“Yep.”

A triumphant smile stretched across her face. “Okay, that's the deal.”

“I want you to know I'm sticking to my objectives,” he added. “I won't rush things because of this.”

Her smile softened as she swept her fingers across his lips. “I don't want you to change your mind about anything, Quin. I just don't want to be alone in this anymore.”

“I understand why, but you need to understand this agreement isn't everlasting. I have no intention of giving up the things I do for you. This is just a temporary cease fire.”

She fluttered her lashes, feigning a distressed look. “Oh my, whatever shall I do?”

He laughed as he resumed his tickling, and she wiggled and gasped for air. “Quin, stop. It's not fair.”

“I think it is.”

She'd had all she could take, so she stretched and dove for his neck, sucking him in with a deep breath.

His hands stilled. Then he pulled her into a tight hug. “I was beginning to think you'd forgotten,” he murmured, burying his face in her hair. “It took a while for you to find my kryptonite.”

“That's because you had me by mine.”

He worked his hands into her curls then carefully pulled her from his neck. “Breakfast and coffee?”

“Mmm . . . ” she approved. “That sounds almost as yummy as you do.”

He gave her several kisses then hopped out of bed. “There's a robe in the bathroom. Slip it on when you're done in there.”

She raised herself up on one elbow and stared at him in confusion. “First you tell me no. Now you're asking me to put clothes on?”

Ignoring her question, he laughed and headed for the parlor, turning back just long enough to wink. “I'll be waiting.”

“Of course you will,” she smirked, rolling out of bed.

When she returned to the room wrapped in a fluffy robe, she found him waiting at the foot of the bed. She smiled as she floated closer. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a long kiss.

“You make it so easy for me to spoil you,” he whispered. “I want to give you the world.”

“Is that why you have me all dressed up? So you can present the world to me?”

“Something like that. Close your eyes.”

“Ooh, a surprise.”

She obediently closed her eyes, and his magic encompassed her, offering support as he faced her away from him and wrapped his arms around her waist. A few seconds later, she heard the curtain open, and she smiled as her anticipation spiked. He was going to show her a beautiful view. “May I open them?”

“Not yet,” he refused. Then two things happened at once. They moved forward, and a cool breeze swept over her face. “Okay,” he whispered, lowering his lips to her hair.

Layla opened her eyes and gasped, filling her senses with the aroma of sea salt and flowers. They were on a large terrace overlooking the ocean, and not only was the view fantastic, the entire balcony was draped in emerald-green roses. The flowers consumed their romantic perch, twisting around the polished banister and down every rail, and they flowed from above as well, creeping along the windows and wall before spreading out beneath their feet. The floral theme continued to a petal strewn table and chairs, which was set with an array of breakfast options.

She turned away from it all, finding the man who'd given her so much. “You're amazing. Thank you.”

“I'm glad you like it,” he approved, leaning in for a kiss.

She gladly accepted then turned back to the ocean, listening to seagulls cry while watching waves churn around Haystack Rock. “This is fantastic.”

“We'll do it again,” he offered. “If this is what you like, this is what you'll have.”

“I love this, but there's only one thing here I absolutely must have, and I don't need a view to enjoy it.”

“The coffee?”

“No,” she laughed, pinching his biceps, “not the coffee. My addiction has been replaced by something much more delicious and stimulating.”

He carried her to the table then spun her around, sitting her in one of the chairs. “Are you cold?”

“Nope.”

“Good.” After giving her one more kiss, he scooted in her chair and sat across from her.

Layla scanned the delicious spread then poured two cups of coffee. “You're something else, you know? A girl’s dream-come-true.”

He added cream and sugar to her cup then fixed his own. “As long as you’re the girl, I’m okay with that.”

“You’re going to have to be,” she replied. “What do you want to eat?”

He looked down, and she huffed as she pointed. “Nuh-uh,” she scolded, zapping a little bit of everything onto his plate. “If you're not going to let me do things for you, I'll start doing them without permission.”

He laughed and retrieved a piece of bacon from the haphazard pile. Then he pointed at her plate while taking a bite.

She looked down, finding a neat stack of pancakes complete with butter and syrup, and her heart warmed as her belly growled. They were her favorite. “You're more skilled at it than I am,” she admitted, pointing her fork at him. “But I'll get better.” Then she stabbed a bite and popped it in her mouth, looking at the ocean as she chewed.

Quin picked at his food as he watched her eat, letting her enjoy the view, but halfway through their meal, he pulled her attention back. “I want to take you out today.”

“Out?” she asked.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “You haven’t properly explored Cannon Beach, and now is as good a time as any. Will you let me take you shopping?”

She stared at him for several seconds, taking her time chewing and swallowing. Then she cleared her throat and looked down. “Isn't it risky to walk around town?”

“No. We have eyes all over Cannon Beach, and they've been watching. So far there haven't been any odd magicians hanging around, and if one shows up today, I'll know about it before they'll get a chance to see you.”

“Oh,” she mumbled. “Are you sure?”

“Do you think I’d risk it if I weren't?”

“No.”

“There you go.” He scanned her aura. “Are you making excuses, Layla?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“No,” she meekly confessed. “I did want to make sure it’s safe, but I guess I saw it as a reason to say no. I'm sorry.”

“Don't be, but you don't have to make excuses with me. I'll always accept how you feel without judging you for it. So, shopping, will you let me take you?”

“What exactly does that entail?”

He smiled and tilted his head. “What does shopping usually entail?”

“I don't need anything,” she insisted, “but we can go look around.”

“And if you find something you like?”

She took a bite and shrugged. “I'll probably look at it then walk away.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't buy unnecessary things.”

“You're not buying anything today.”

Her chewing paused as she stared at him. “Well, you got me there, because I don't have any money with me, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you spend your money on me.”

“You are so stubborn,” he whispered. “Why won't you let me indulge you?”

Her eyes widened as she looked around their rose covered veranda. “You
do
, and I love every bit of it, but I don’t need to be indulged, and I'm not the kind of girl who expects expensive gifts from men.”

“I know,” he returned. Then they both fell silent, watching each other as they chewed, a battle of wills unfolding between their stares.

After taking one more bite, Quin set his fork down and scooted his chair back. “Brace yourself.”

“Wha…” She jolted as his magic took hold of her body, but then she relaxed and let him float her to his lap.

After cuddling her to his chest and kissing her forehead, he summoned a strawberry and handed it over. “I know you don't feel comfortable accepting gifts, but that’s going to have to change. There are a million things I've already thought about giving you, and I'm not going to forgo all of them. I want to give you gifts, and it's not like I'm walking through the door with a diamond every day, just the things I know you'll like, the things I want you to have. So be as stubborn as you'd like, but know I'll buy you whatever I want whenever I want.”

She watched his eyes while slowly nibbling her strawberry. Then she sent the stem to her plate and straightened. “I can't promise I won't blush when you give me things, but I promise to gratefully accept them. You, however, have to keep things simple, okay? No going overboard.”

“Deal,” he agreed, summoning her coffee. Then he passed it over before reaching for his own. “So, are you going to let me take you shopping today?”

She sighed and shook her head, but her lips twitched with a smile. “What is it you're wanting to buy me?”

“Whatever you want, but you need a pair of sandals or something, or the food venders won't let you in.”

She looked at her feet, which hadn't worn shoes in over a week. “I have three pairs of flip-flops in my car. If you would have mentioned this before, I would have added them to the list of stuff you picked up yesterday.”

He smiled as he raised his mug to his lips. “You are so stubborn. I like it, but I'll not give in either, so don't expect a boring competition.”

“You failed to mention it on purpose,” she realized.

He didn't refute the claim, and she huffed while giving him a pointed look. “What am I supposed to wear when I go get the shoes?”

“You don't have to wear shoes in all the stores. We’ll find one that will let you in.”

She scowled in defeat. Then she took her last drink of coffee and held out the mug. “Refill me. You owe me for tricking me.”

He laughed as he obeyed. “In no way did I trick you.”

“Yes you did. You knew I’d need shoes, but you didn’t get any.”

He added cream and sugar to her cup then magically stirred. “I didn't know you have flip-flops. The only shoes I've seen are tennis shoes.”

“Well, that's true, but you were being sneaky and don't try to deny it.”

He smiled as he buried his nose in her hair. She smelled like the roses around them, but sweeter. “Maybe a tiny bit sneaky.”

“That’s fine,” she returned, pressing her neck to his lips. “I'll let you buy my shoes, but you have to pick them out.”

He laughed then softly nipped her earlobe. “You drive a hard bargain, my love.”

She trembled as her heart rate quickened, and Quin moved to kiss her fluttering pulse, but was denied the pleasure when she pulled away.

“I'm going take a shower,” she said, getting to her feet, “and
you’re
not joining me.”

He raised a hand to his chest and feigned a sad look. “You're breaking my heart.”

“You would break my resolve if I let you in there, so find something else to keep you busy.” She smirked as she glanced at the hordes of roses. “I'm sure it won't be too difficult.”