Just Desserts (22 page)

“To see Jake and Suze and the baby.”

“Baby? What baby?” She sat up, clutching the duvet to cover her. “Your brother had a baby and you didn’t tell me?”

He sat on the edge of the bed. “Ah. Okay you must have had a fever. Jake called to tell me on the way home from the club. Do you remember last night at all?”

“Don’t panic. I remember. Most of it anyway.” She rubbed her lower lip with her finger. “It was a loud, ear-bursting concert. And you told me you loved me. Right?”

He dropped his head, the blond flecks in his hair danced as his shoulders shook from laughing. “Sort of. You got the gist of it.”

“Whew. You should go and see your new nephew today. I’ll get going.” She looked around the bedroom for her dress. On a caramel leather chair, in the corner of the bedroom, she spied her shoes and messenger bag. She tried to comb her fingers through her hair. It was a bird’s nest. “Definitely in need of a shower.”

He kissed her. “Make yourself at home. I’ll run downstairs and get us some coffee and cinnamon rolls.”

“Okay. I need it. I feel like I passed out in your bed.” She glanced around his lavish penthouse bedroom and felt her cheeks start to tingle. “I mean, I didn’t pass out. I hardly drank.” Feeling exposed, she adjusted the sheet up and around her chest like some kind of shield. She grasped the four-poster’s column next to her and carefully slid off the bed. Sadie tiptoed across the room to get to the master bath. “You do have hot water don’t you?”

“Yes.” Quinn smiled. He followed behind her and leaned against the door jam.

She looked around the bathroom. Her dress and the velvet scarf were draped over a towel bar. They looked like old rags that had floated in on the shores of Lake Michigan. She touched them. “They’re still wet. I have no clothes.”

Her lips started trembling and a rush of despair tugged the corners of her mouth downward. She was exhausted. As though she’d had become emotionally inebriated last night and now she was passionately hungover. “I have nothing. How am I supposed to get home?”

Quinn came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. “Ssh. You’re tired. I want you to stay. Here. Hang out in bed and sleep. I have plenty of T-shirts and robes. And there are shops downstairs. I can call and order anything you want. They’ll deliver.”

She gave him a weak smile. “Thanks. I think I’m emotionally worn out. I feel like every one of my nerves are sizzling and zapping out all of my energy.”

“Maybe that’s because you fell in love at a concert last night.”

She turned around so fast the sheet dropped off her shoulder and bared her breast. “I said that?” She scrambled to re-hook the sheet under her arm. “Did I really?”

He kissed her. “Yes.”

“Um. Just so we’re clear. I confessed to falling in love. With you. But what about you?”

“Me? Oh I’ve been in love with you since you made me roll balls of peanut butter cookie dough.” He massaged her neck and shoulders. “Maybe even before that. You have some serious knots.”

Sadie dropped the sheet and fell against him. He hugged her tight as she nestled against his chest. “Such a sweetheart.”

“Speaking of sweet. I ran out of the museum without dessert. You owe me. Especially after you set that plate of raw meat down in front of me.”

“So sorry. But at the time it seemed reasonable.” She stepped back and stretched her arms over her head. “And for dessert. Me?”

He started to strip off his T-shirt.

Sadie gazed at his arms and the muscles.
Safe

She felt giddy and nervously combed her hair off her shoulders. Her fingers became trapped in a mass of tangles. “Wait.” She sashayed past him and stepped into the shower. “I have to take a shower.”

“You mean I have to wait for my dessert longer? Seriously?”

“I want a mocha latte with a pinch of cinnamon. I’ll be sweeter by the time you come back.” Sadie turned on the water.

“Can’t I join you? I’ll wash your back. And your front. At the same time.”

“I need clothes, too. Find me something in a size six.”

Quinn exited the bathroom, complaining. Then he slammed the door.

“Patience,” she shouted. Her voice, coming from under the hot water, sounded garbled. She desperately needed to wash her hair and body. She smelled like beer and smoke—nothing sugary.

Sunday at Ann Sather’s Swedish Coffee House would be crazy busy. She figured he would be in a long queue. Which gave her plenty of time to feel human again, and sexier.

Sadie found Quinn’s shampoo and quickly lathered it in her hair. A Foo song from last night popped into her mind. Rinsing, she hummed the tune to
Everlong
and let the hot water and steam mesmerize her as she washed out the last hint of stale smoke.

The shower’s pressure slowed down. The water became a stream and then a dribble. Then it disappeared entirely. She twisted the handle. There were no hot steamy droplets to be found. Rubbing her arms, she stepped out and wrapped a towel around her.
Damn
.

“Hey. Quinn. Something’s wrong with your shower.” She padded into the bedroom.

No answer.

Quinn came in the bedroom, twirling a wrench like a baton in his hand. He wore only his faded jeans. “I had to make some changes to the water heater.”

His bare chest and nicely-ridged stomach were enticing. Sadie gawped at flecks of hair trailing below his belly button and hiding under his jeans that dropped below his hipbones. Her mouth watered. She felt her nipples harden. “Oh…oh. Really.”

He set the wrench on the desk and closed all the blinds.

She licked her lower lip and fidgeted from one foot to another.

Quinn came up to her. “Coffee can wait. You don’t need any clothes. And you were taking too long in the shower.” He held her hand and stroked the length of each of her fingers. Then he devoured her lips with a passionate kiss. “You’re delicious.”

A shiver went up her spine and she swayed against him. Her hip bumped against his erection.

He tugged the towel off and let it drop to the floor. “I want to wake you up my way.” Grasping her waist securely, her aching breasts settled against his chest. He drizzled kisses along her collarbone.

When his kisses quickened and multiplied, her heart raced. He nipped each of her breasts as he clutched onto her ribcage. His tongue traveled lower and swirled around her bellybutton. He knelt before her and pushed her thighs apart. “Hold on.”

She sucked in a short breath and grasped onto his shoulders.

“I want you,” he growled. He lifted her leg over his shoulder. “All of you.”

He slipped his tongue between her silky folds.

A shock of adrenaline coursed through her so fast she shuddered. Sadie grasped the bedpost to steady herself.

His tongue flicked back and forth along the delicate skin within her crease. She swayed and held tight to the bedpost. He blew out short breaths all along her plush ridges and inner thighs. The bursts of warm air made her tremble. She quivered and her knees buckled. He held her waist and guided her down onto the floor.

She spread her arms and legs out on the velvety carpet.

He held her thighs and thrust his tongue in and out of her, whittling away all her self-control. As every muscle in her body relaxed she moaned. Her body was malleable and belonged to Quinn.

He nuzzled his head between her legs and kissed her inner thighs.

Her breaths became gasps

“How are things coming?” He slipped his fingers inside her. “God, you’re gorgeous.” While kissing her stomach, his fingers explored the depths of her core.

She could barely breathe as his thumb played with her clit, and his fingertips tickled her far inside, in places she never imagined would make her so hot she might explode. She needed Quinn to contain the fire he created within her.

“Please,” she bellowed with what little air she had in her lungs.

He licked one of her nipples. “I want you to enjoy this.” He kissed the other. “For a long time, but I seriously don’t know how long I’ll be able hold out, beautiful.”

“Right. Mister Quick Draw.” Her voice sounded raspy. She found a bit of strength left in her suddenly boneless body and sat up. “Take off your jeans, now.”

As Quinn unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans she stretched out on the carpet and rolled over onto her stomach to stop trembling. The rug scratched her nipples. The friction struck tiny flares in her core. “Jeez. Your carpet must be one of kind. It’s making me hotter than hell.” She flipped over onto her back. “I want you. Now.”

He dropped to his knees.

She smiled at his erection for only a second, before he thrust its full length into her.

Sadie arched her back and clutched onto him.

He pulled out and she fell down onto the soft carpet. “Oh God. I’m aching for you. Where are you?”

Quinn leaned down and licked the length of her stomach. “Patience.”

She slapped his butt. “Don’t be a tease. You’re torturing me. I desperately want you.”

He nibbled her earlobe. A long warm breath caressed her neck. “I can’t get enough of you. I want you, Sadie.”

“Yes…!” she screamed.

He drove the entire length of his penis into her. Quinn lifted her onto his lap and held her tight as he thrust hard and deep.

Sadie hugged him, folded her legs around him and nuzzled into his neck. She sucked in quick gasps of air and let Quinn fill her body with his force.

He fell back with her on top of him. Sadie caressed his hips and kissed his chest.

As he swiveled under her, the tip of his penis tickled deep inside.

She kissed him.

Quinn gazed up at her, and sighed. “I’m so lucky. You’re beautiful.” He grasped her hips and drove into her.

She gulped down the tirade of emotions swelling inside her.

As he came inside her, she climaxed. Then they stayed together, as one, comfortably in each other’s arms.

“I like where you are. Don’t go anywhere,” she whispered in his ear. “Besides, I’m too exhausted to move. I think I might ask for a refund from those tortuous Pilates classes. This is a much better work out.”

He laughed. “Rest up, babe. We’re not done.”

“I think I’m seeing stars and feeling the earth quake below us.” She sat up, still on top of him. Her legs reflexively straddled his hips tighter to make sure they didn’t separate.

He stroked the curves of her waist. “Really? I made the Earth move for you?”

“Oh no.”

“So, I’m that good? Maybe we can do the same thing later. Sooner than later.”

“Don’t get all cocky on me.” She giggled. “You know what I mean.”

He kissed her breast. “Sure. All I know is that I’m so deep inside you and I don’t ever want to leave. I love you, Sadie.”

She let out an unsexy snort and snuggled into his chest. “I love you too, Mr. Juicy Fruit.”

***

Sadie dappled her fingers along Quinn’s spine, and then pinched his butt. “It’s almost dinner time and I’m still naked.”

“Mm. Yeah. And what’s the problem?” Quinn flipped over onto his back and pulled off her covers. He arranged one of the bed pillows under her head and climbed over her. “We don’t need clothes or food. We have each other.”

“Ha. Ha. Mr. Juicy Fruit. Now that you bring it up I am hungry. For real food. Coffee and sweet rolls don’t count.” She scooted out from underneath him and jumped out of bed. “You must have a robe of some sort.”

“I can’t believe Suze told you that stupid nickname she pinned on me.” Quinn climbed off the bed and went into a walk-in closet. “Hey, just so you know, by the time I made it downstairs to Ann Sather’s earlier, they were almost sold out of cinnamon buns. You got lucky.”

“Yes, I did.” She laughed. “But you were the one who needed to take a rest. Too much amazing sex. I wore you out.”

A gruff laugh came out from the tomb-like closet. He reappeared and threw a white oxford shirt at her. “Don’t expect any boxers or briefs to come your way. I don’t want to waste any energy stripping them off.”

“Do you have any takeout menus? I’m starving.” Sadie slipped Quinn’s shirt on over her head. Plopping in the oversized leather chair, she tucked her feet underneath her butt and dug through her bag to find her phone.

“Do you feel like Italian? I’ll have Club Lucky deliver veggie lasagna.” Quinn pulled on a pair of sweats.

Sadie nodded as she scanned her messages and read the text from Ellen.

Ellen:
u okay? At Quinn’s place. I hope. Your bike is here. text me
.

Sadie texted.
Yep. C U tomorrow.

Quinn retrieved a menu from his desk. “Garlic bread would be great, too.”

Sadie admired his broad shoulders. “Nice. I like you. You’re not afraid to eat and smell like garlic in front of me.”

Quinn kissed her forehead and yanked a T-shirt over his head. “Nope.”

“Don’t forget some dessert,” she added.

“Impossible.”

The loud and familiar ringtone of U2’s song,
Joshua Tree,
erupted from her phone. She turned her father on speaker immediately.

His voice filled the room. “Where the hell have you been, Sadie?”

She frowned at Quinn and mouthed, “I’m in trouble.”

“Are you there, lovey?” She heard a fair amount of static coming from his end of the phone.

“I’m here. Dad, quit tapping the cell phone on the counter.”

“Are you all right? I’ve been trying to call you for the past twenty-four hours. Where is the boy? I thought he’d kidnapped you or something.”

“Not quite. But we’re here together.”

“Hello, Paul,” Quinn said. “Sadie’s safe and sound.” He hitched his hip onto the chair arm next to her.

“Well, would one of you two mind telling me why the hell there is a Viking refrigerator in Ms. Katie’s kitchen? The machine is bloody huge. It must have cost a pretty penny.”

“It’s for the renovation, Dad. Quinn’s on top of it.”

“Yeah. I bet he is,” her father grumbled. “When will you be home next, Sadie?”

Sadie looked at Quinn. “Not sure.”

Quinn took the lead. “I’ll be in your area. Around Labor Day, Paul. I had planned on stopping in the diner to go over your designs with you. And Sadie. She’s the lead on this job, Paul. She designs. I just follow her orders.”