Fated Love (32 page)

Quinn caressed Honor's back in long strokes that echoed the movement of her tongue, soothing even as she stoked the embers of Honor's passion to bright flame. When she felt the pulse beat wildly between her lips and sensed Honor gathering her strength for the climb to completion, she gripped Honor's waist and held her firmly. When Honor sobbed out her pleasure, Quinn drew her deeper, claiming her with relentless tenderness.

Even before the last gripping spasm had released her, Honor collapsed into Quinn's waiting arms. She shuddered with the still-powerful aftershocks, pressing her face to Quinn's neck. "Please don't let go."

Quinn tightened her hold, molding her body to Honor's and wrapping her arms around her. "No," she murmured, her lips pressed to Honor's damp hair. "No, sweetheart, I won't."

Eventually, Honor stilled and her breathing returned to normal. "When you touch me, I feel so exposed."

"I love the way you let me touch you." Quinn caressed Honor's cheek and kissed her softly. "You can trust me."

"I think I do."

Quinn closed her eyes, gratitude and desire filling her in equal measure. "By the way, you can punish me any time you please."

"I don't think...that plan worked very well." Honor laughed just a bit wildly, remembering how easily she had given herself to Quinn, how she had wanted so desperately for Quinn to take her.
God, how can she turn everything around and make it feel so right?

Gently, Quinn took Honor's hand and drew it between her own thighs, gasping softly as warm fingers brushed her painfully swollen clitoris, "I think...it worked...just fine."

"Is that right?" Laughing with delight now, Honor leaned up on an elbow and watched Quinn's face as she worked her slowly but inexorably to orgasm. When Quinn's eyes, fixed on her face, lost focus and her stomach tightened on a groan, Honor moaned softly. She felt powerful and humbled and blessed by the exquisite connection she had never hoped to experience again.

"That's right, baby," she murmured as Quinn, shuddering violently, pressed her face to Honor's breasts. "That's right. Everything is fine, just fine."

"Oh," Quinn gasped after a time. "You make me feel so good." She leaned her head back, searching Honor's face, her expression still dazed. "So damn good—everywhere."

Smiling tenderly, Honor brushed her fingers through Quinn's hair, then eased Quinn's head back to her breast, loving the sensation of holding her in her arms. "Then we're even, because you make me feel so good, too."

"I'm happy," Quinn mumbled, floating on the edge of sleep. "Really happy."

"Yes," Honor whispered wonderingly, her voice just barely audible. "So am I."

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Q uinn awoke on her side, her breasts pressed to Honor's back, an arm around her waist, and Honor's hips nestled into the curve of her belly. She cradled the heavy warmth of Honor's breast and thrilled to the heartbeat beneath her palm. Honor was everywhere, everything. Quinn nestled her face in the curve of her lover's neck, nuzzling the soft skin just below her ear. She smiled to herself when Honor murmured her pleasure and rocked her hips against Quinn's pelvis. She couldn't think of a single thing that worried her and would be content never to move from that spot.

Close to drifting off to sleep once more in sated torpor, Quinn groaned in near-ecstasy as the faint but exquisite aroma of coffee reached her.
Oh God, yes. Coffee.

Coffee!

Quinn's eyes flew open. "Holy Christ."

"What?" Honor questioned, drowsy and slightly grumpy.

"Coffee. Phyllis is downstairs—-in the kitchen—making coffee."

Honor grasped Quinn's hand and held it tightly between her breasts, preventing Quinn from jumping up, "She always comes over in the morning around this time when I have to work."

"Yes," Quinn whispered urgently. "But
I'm
not usually upstairs in bed with you."

"Mmm." Honor worked her hips a little tighter into the bend of Quinn's body, eliciting a startled but appreciative gasp from Quinn. "Maybe we can work on that."

"And
maybe
1 can make it down the maple tree outside your window, too."

"Well," Honor muttered, pressing Quinn's hand to her breast a second longer before releasing her hold, "I can see that you're immune to my charms this morning." Laughing, she turned onto her back and regarded Quinn with lazy, satisfied eyes. "Phyllis is
not
going to care that you're here."

"Yes, but she'll know what we've been doing."

Honor's lips curved into a full, ripe smile. "I very much doubt that she'll know
that"

Quinn grinned and couldn't resist kissing the beautiful mouth. When she drew away, Honor's eyes were liquid and warm. "I
meant
in generic terms."

"Kiss me like that again, and she
will
have all the details."

"Oh no. Not on your life." Quinn dipped her head, stole another kiss, and then slid from the bed. "I'm going to get dressed and
try
not to look like I spent the entire night reveling in your body."

Honor sat up and pushed her hair back with both hands, her breasts lifting with the motion. "Did you?"

"What?" Quinn asked, losing her train of thought as she followed the rise and sway of Honor's breasts.

"Revel?"

"Oh yeah." Quinn brushed her palm down the center of her own chest and abdomen, unconsciously trying to contain the sudden surge of arousal. "I feasted."

"You
did,
didn't you?" Honor's voice was low, throaty. Her eyes followed the path of Quinn's hand over the gentle swell of breast and taut muscles, imagining her own in its place. "Either get dressed or get back into this bed."

"Work. We have to go to work." Quinn tore her eyes away from Honor's hungry gaze and found her jeans. She tugged them on and closed the fly with trembling hands. Her T-shirt lay by the side of the bed, and as she reached to get it, she felt Honor's fingers drift along her spine. She shivered and stepped out of touching range. "Do you have any idea how much I want you? Any idea at all?"

Through the mind-blurring mists of arousal, Honor heard the nearly agonized tone of Quinn's voice. Her vision cleared instantly, and she searched Quinn's face, startled to see a flicker of pain wash through her eyes. Without another thought, she slipped naked from the bed and quickly went to Quinn. She framed the handsome face gently in her palms. "Quinn." She tenderly kissed her mouth. "I never want to hurt you. Am I?"

Quinn closed her eyes and shook her head. She rested her hands on Honor's waist. "No. Sometimes, I feel...so much, it hurts. But I don't mind." She opened her eyes, smiled faintly: "I wouldn't want it any other way."

"As long as you're sure." Honor brushed the hair from Quinn's forehead, then softly stroked her cheek. I
want to give you more, I want to. I just...can't...yet.

"I'm sure." Quinn grinned, stronger this time. "I have to go home and shower. I need to change for work."

"Yes, you do. You don't want to be late." Honor raised her brows. "I've heard your chief is a ballbuster."

"Yeah." Quinn shrugged into her T-shirt. "But I kinda like it."

Honor's voice was honey warm. "Oh, really?"

Quinn didn'tanswer,glancingaroundtheroominconsternation. "Shit, I left my sneakers in Arly's room." She glanced at Honor in concern. "She shouldn't know I spent the night, right?"

"She'd probably be fine with it, but I'd rather tell her ahead of time if you're going to be here when she gets up. Plus, she's going to want you to stay for breakfast." Honor gave Quinn an affectionate pat on the rear. "I'll get your sneakers and bring them down to the kitchen for you. She won't wake up just yet."

"Great," Quinn sighed.

While Honor went to retrieve her Nikes, Quinn pulled on her socks and headed downstairs. She hoped that Honor was right about Phyllis. There was a big difference between knowing something in theory and being confronted with it in fact. Regardless of anything that Phyllis might have said, she was still Terry's mother, and Quinn had taken Terry's place in Honor's bed, if not her heart.

* * * * *

Phyllis , a cup of coffee in her hand and a smile on her face, turned at the sound of soft footsteps behind her. She blinked at the sight of Quinn, shoeless and uneasy, framed in the kitchen doorway. Her untucked T-shirt was rumpled, her hair was mussed, and her eyes were apologetic.
Quinn. Honor's new love.

For just an instant, Terry's face flashed into Phyllis's mind. That heart-melting grin that could charm the spots off a leopard.
Oh, baby love. I miss you so much.

"Hi, Phyllis." Quinn didn't move, watching Phyllis's face. "I'm sorry I took you by surprise."

"That's all right." Phyllis gestured to the coffeepot. "Do you want some?"

Quinn shook her head. "I need to get home. I was just—"

Honor appeared at Quinn's side, sneakers in hand. "Here you go." She ran a hand down Quinn's back, the gesture intimate but discreet, then stepped around her and into the kitchen. "Morning, Phyllis."

"Hi, sweetie."

While Quinn leaned against the wall and tugged on her Nikes, Honor poured coffee into a travel mug. She held out the mug to Quinn. "If you're only going to have one cup today, it should be Phyllis's. Are you going to bike in, or do you want a ride?"

"I think I'll bike." Quinn crossed the room and reached for the cup. Her eyes met Honor's and; uncertain, she lifted a shoulder. "I'll talk to you later."

Leaning forward, Honor kissed Quinn lightly on the mouth. "Be careful. See you soon."

Honor waited until Quinn had disappeared off the back porch. Then she turned to Phyllis and softly touched her arm. "Are you okay about Quinn?"

"Yes." Phyllis rested her hips against the counter, sipped her coffee, and regarded Honor thoughtfully. She'd seen Honor almost every morning for the last six years. This morning, Honor looked different. Phyllis hadn't realized until just now that she had grown used to the hollowness in Honor's eyes, the emptiness left in the wake of unrelenting pain. Now, something else had taken its place. Something that looked a great deal like happiness. "It wasn't as if I didn't expect it. In fact, I've rather been rooting for it."

"For Quinn to spend the night?" Honor's lips curled into a fond smile as she remembered the pleasure of waking in Quinn's arms. She didn't realize how much that simple smile revealed.

"More than that," Phyllis murmured.
I've been waiting for you to let someone into your heart.

Honor blinked, caught in the memory. "What? I'm sorry..."

"Nothing." Phyllis laughed and handed Honor an empty coffee mug. "Here. Pour your coffee and get going, or you'll be late. I'm going to make Arly's lunch."

Dutifully, Honor did as she was told. She stopped in the doorway on her way out and turned back, regarding Phyllis tenderly. "I don't know how I would have managed without you. I don't think I could have. I hope my being with Quinn doesn't hurt you."

Phyllis stood in front of the kitchen table with a jar of peanut butter in her hand. She met Honor's gaze steadily. "Does she make you happy?"

For an instant, Honor closed her eyes, afraid of the feelings. Then she opened them and nodded. "Yes. She does."

"Then I'm happy, too."

* * * * *

Linda frowned at the closed curtain in the last patient cubicle at the far end of the hall. She was certain that she hadn't put anyone in that one since it was too small to work in comfortably, and she usually reserved it for overflow or for boarders who were waiting for a bed to open up on a regular floor upstairs. Plus, there were no charts on the rack for that room. She reached for the curtain irritably. The last time she'd checked a supposedly unoccupied cubicle, she'd come upon one of the surgery residents bare-ass naked humping one of her nurses. At the last second, she decided not to fling the barrier open and risk giving the entire ER a show. Pulling the stiff blue material aside a few inches, she peeked into the room. What she saw had her stepping quickly all the way inside.

"Are you all right?"

Grimacing, Quinn looked up from the treatment table upon which she was stretched out, shirtless, trying unsuccessfully to position a series of EKG pads across her own torso. Honor was at an administrative meeting, and Quinn had thought she'd have enough time and privacy to run a twelve-lead EKG and rhythm strip.

"Yes. Fine." Another lead fell off. "Fuck." Casting Linda a desperate glance, she pleaded, "Look, can you help me with this?"

Linda folded her arms over her chest and regarded Quinn solemnly. "It depends."

"On what?"

"Are you going to tell Honor what's going on?" '

"What makes you think anything is going on?" Quinn sat up and strapped a leg lead around her ankle. When she did, another of the six pads on her chest became disconnected. She groaned.

"I thought we were friends," Linda said quietly.

"I'm sorry." Quinn blushed. "I don't...want her to know."

"Know what?"

Quinn gestured to her chest and the scar over the implanted defibrillator. "Did she tell you?"

Linda shook her head. "No
_;
But I saw your chest x-ray the day you injured your shoulder. It wasn't her fault. I just walked in on her."

"It doesn't matter. I don't mind that you know." Quinn ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "I need to send a rhythm strip to my cardiologist in Manhattan. Could you help me, please?"

"Are you having any symptoms? Palpitations, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, chest pain?"

"No." Quinn saw Linda's look of disbelief. "The defibrillator's been discharging too frequently lately. But I feel fine."

"We can run a diagnostic on the unit and check the settings and voltage levels."

"I already did that. It seems to be working all right. So I thought I'd run a rhythm strip and see if I'm having a lot of irregular beats."

Absently, Linda lifted Quinn's wrist and felt her pulse. It was a maneuver so second-nature to her that she didn't even think about it. "Why don't you want Honor to know?"