The Mighty Quinns: Jack (4 page)

Jack reached out and pulled her hands away. “At one time they were our age,” he said. “I’m sure there were times when they felt that kind of gut-deep attraction for someone. You know, when you feel like you can’t breathe and your head gets all fuzzy?” He was very familiar with that feeling, since it had happened to him the moment he’d first seen Mia.

She forced a smile. “Yeah, I know.” Mia reached for her beer and took a long sip. “So do you really think that all stops at fifty?”

He shook his head. “No. But then, I’m a guy. I can’t believe it’s ever going to stop. I’d like to think I’ll be interested in sex until I’m at least eighty or ninety years old. What about you?”

“I can’t imagine my father having thoughts like that,” Mia murmured.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. My mother is very comfortable in Chicago and your father is comfortable here. When you get to be that age, you just don’t turn your life upside down and move away from the only home you’ve known for the past thirty years.”

She finished her taco and nodded. “We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. But we should be prepared to discourage a romance.” Mia sighed softly. “It would just be so awkward. The holidays would be the worst. Having a stranger there, in place of my mother. It wouldn’t feel right.”

“Who says she’d want to spend the holidays here? She’s always spent Christmas in Chicago with our family.”

“See, that’s what this leads to. It would be a nightmare. I’m glad we agree that there should be no romance. If it looks like it’s getting too hot and heavy, we’re going to have to step in.”

“Now I’m starting to feel like the parent,” Jack said.

“It’s what happens. My father only dated one woman in his entire life. He’s not ready for romance.”

They finished their tacos and beers, then carried their tray back to the window. Jack walked to the driver’s side of the car and reached for the door, but Mia suddenly turned around to face him. “But what if there is an attraction?” she murmured, her gaze fixed on his. “And what if they act on it?”

He stared down at her. They were standing so close he could smell the scent of her perfume, could feel the heat from her body. Jack clenched his hands into fists to keep himself from reaching out and touching her. The breeze toyed with a strand of her hair and he imagined how it might feel between his fingers.

“I suppose we’ll deal with that when it happens,” he said softly.

Jack leaned in slightly, testing, searching for an equal and opposite reaction. Her lips parted slightly and the need to taste her was almost overwhelming. His gaze drifted down to her mouth. But somewhere, in the back of his mind, a tiny voice told him to stop.

Indulging in his own attraction would be a huge risk. Though Mia was beautiful, she could also distract him from his purpose, which was getting his mother back to Chicago, safely and with her heart intact. And yet, even though his instincts told him to back off, Jack couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to just let go.

He sucked in a sharp breath, then reached around her and opened the car door. “We should probably get going,” he murmured.

“Right,” she said, avoiding his gaze.

He smiled to himself as he circled the car. This was the last place on earth he would have ever expected to find a woman who tied him up in knots. Had he known he’d meet someone like Mia, he might have decided to stay at home. Though it would be difficult, he was going to have to keep their relationship strictly platonic.

Unless, of course, she convinced him otherwise.

2

“W
HAT
IS
SHE
LIKE
?
Is she pretty? Is she putting on the full court press or is she playing it coy?”

Mia sighed, leaning back against the edge of the kitchen counter as she spoke on her cell phone with her sister Danielle. “She seems really
nice. And she is pretty in a very natural way. She has beautiful skin.”

“Probably had plastic surgery,” Dani said.

“I don’t think so. I think she’s just naturally beautiful. Like Mom.” Mia swallowed hard. “To be honest, I think Mom probably would have liked her.” She peeked out the back door to watch her father and Jack’s mother. They were enjoying cocktails on the rear terrace, caught up in another private conversation between the two of them.

Dani gasped. “What are you saying? Are you saying you like her?”

“No! I barely know her,” Mia protested. “I’m just saying that she isn’t some evil stepmonster, out to steal all our father’s money and make our holidays a living hell. I don’t even think she’s interested in romance.”

“Every single woman is interested in romance. Especially with a rich and somewhat sexy guy.”

“Seriously, I’m watching them right now,” Mia said. “All they do is talk.”

“What else have you found out?”

“Not much. I’ve been a little preoccupied with other matters.”

“What could be more important than this?” Dani cried.

Mia pulled the phone away from her ear and waited for her sister to calm down. Finally, after a few minutes, it seemed safe to proceed. “She brought her son with her. And he’s...he’s...” Maybe it would be best to just say it out loud. “He’s incredibly hot.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” Mia said. “I—I have to go now.”

“He’s hot? Who’s hot? Mia, what is going on?”

“I’ve got to run,” Mia said. “Call you later.” She quickly turned off the phone, then silenced the ringer, as well. No doubt Dani would call Steph, and then Steph would be on the line in a few minutes demanding answers of her own.

She walked through the kitchen and out into the late-afternoon sun shining on the wide terrace. Only her father and Elyse weren’t sitting at the table anymore. “Daddy?”

She walked back inside and called out again. But the house was silent.

They couldn’t have gone far. Her father was still hobbling around on crutches. She decided to pay a visit to the guesthouse and grabbed a pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator to offer as an excuse.

She found Jack sitting on the small patio at the front of the house, his computer open on the teak table in front of him. When he heard her footsteps on the gravel path, he turned and smiled. “Hey, there.”

“Hi,” Mia said. “I brought you and your mom some iced tea.”

“She’s not here. I thought she was still with your dad.”

Mia set the pitcher down on the table. “No. They’re not in the house.”

Jack slowly stood. “Where do you think they’ve gone?”

“Well, they can’t be far. My dad can’t drive.”

“My mother can,” he countered.

“I wonder if the car is still here.”

They both hurried back down the path and then circled the house to the wide driveway. The black Mercedes was nowhere in sight.

“Great,” he muttered. “I thought you were going to keep an eye on them.”

“They’re not children,” Mia snapped. “What was I supposed to do, pull up a chair and watch them every second?”

“No, but you certainly should have known if they decided to go somewhere. Doesn’t your father let you know when he leaves the house?”

“No. Does your mother tell you her every move?” Mia replied.

“Yes, she usually does. It’s just something we do in our family. We take care of each other.” Jack turned to face her. “Where do you think they went?”

“Dinner? We didn’t have much in the fridge and I’m sure they were starting to get hungry. They probably went to Serafina’s, a restaurant in town. It’s one of my dad’s favorite places.”

“Let’s go, then,” Jack said, starting toward her car.

“You want to go get them?”

“No, I want to see what they’re doing. How are we supposed to keep this under control when we don’t know what’s going on?”

Mia shook her head. “I’m not spying on them.”

“Who says we have to spy? You and I just decided to go out and get a drink and, funny enough, we just happened to end up at your dad’s favorite restaurant.”

Mia stared at him for a long moment. “Wow. Do you let your mother go grocery shopping on her own or do you follow her around with the cart telling her what cereal to buy?”

Jack shook his head and held out his hand. “If you don’t want to go, give me your keys.”

Mia couldn’t help but think he was going too far. What could possibly happen between Ben and Elyse when they were out in public? “You know, my dad isn’t such a bad guy. In fact, he’s really kind of a catch.”

“I’m sure he is,” Jack said. His expression softened. “I know he is. It’s just that my mom hasn’t dated at all in more than forty years. If your dad makes some kind of move, she won’t know what to do.”

“I think you underestimate your mom,” Mia said.

Mia got behind the wheel, Jack jumped in the passenger seat and they sped off towards town. When they reached the restaurant, they noticed the black Mercedes parked out front. Mia gave the keys to the valet and she and Jack walked inside and found a spot at the end of the bar. Most of the dining room was visible through a wide arched opening in the wall and after a quick search, Mia located her father and Elyse at a booth within easy sightlines.

Jack ordered them both a glass of wine and they settled onto the comfortable stools. “He’s holding her hand,” Mia said, craning her neck.

Jack glanced over and cursed beneath his breath. “Already? Your father moves fast.”

“Holding hands is fast? Just because a woman holds a guy’s hand, it doesn’t mean they want to sleep together.”

“There’s a lot you can communicate through holding hands,” Jack insisted.

“Oh, please,” Mia said. “Teenagers hold hands. It’s...kind of sweet. They’re just friends.”

Jack grabbed her hand and laced his fingers through hers, gently pinning her arm onto the bar. He slowly slid his fingers back and forth in a lazy rhythm that was startlingly sexual in nature.

Mia swallowed hard and tried to maintain her composure. The feel of his palm pressed against hers, trapping her hand on the cool wood of the bar. Mia’s breath caught when he turned her hand over and ran his index finger along a line from her wrist to her forearm.

“Holding hands can lead to all sorts of things,” he murmured, his gaze fixed on the spot where he touched. A tiny smile played at the corners of his mouth and Mia realized that he was enjoying this—almost as much as she was.

She swallowed a groan when he flipped her hand over and began to draw lazy circles on her palm. If this was what he did to a woman just holding her hand, what might he do to her in bed? Though Mia wasn’t unfamiliar with the seductive powers of the opposite sex, she certainly had never enjoyed the pleasures of a man who really knew what he was doing in the bedroom. She thought those men only existed in movies and erotic novels.

“I—I think you’ve proved your point.” Her voice cracked slightly and she pulled her hand away from him to grab her wineglass.

“Thank you,” he said with a self-satisfied smile.

“Although, I really doubt that my father possesses that level of skill at seduction.” This time she did allow herself to groan out loud. “I never thought I’d be talking about my father’s sex life. This is ridiculous.”

“They’ve had six months of exchanging letters and phone calls,” he said. “You have to expect some level of...longing.”

A giggle burst from her lips. “Longing? You seem to have an awful lot to say about romance. Are you speaking from experience? Or do you just do a lot of reading?”

“I’m a journalist,” he said. “I’m observant.”

“How many times have you been in love?” The moment she asked the question, she wanted to take it back. It was too personal and made her seem too interested in his past. She’d only met him seven hours ago.

“A few,” he said. “What about you?”

Mia wasn’t sure whether she ought to tell him the truth—that she’d never been in love—or whether it would be better to just lie. “Same,” she said.

In truth, she’d never really allowed herself to completely surrender to a man. While her mother was ill, she’d been too preoccupied to think about a social life and after her mom died, Mia spent her spare time with her dad, helping him cope with living on his own.

Maybe it was time to think about herself. What was wrong with indulging in a little romance with Jack Quinn? A kiss here or there might be fun. And she had a feeling that the sex would be incredible. And better still, he’d be gone in a few days, which meant that she wouldn’t have to deal with any long-term consequences. Unless, of course, Ben and Elyse ended up together and she had to face Jack at family functions.

Well, there was the perfect reason not to indulge her fantasies about this man. Knowing her sisters, they’d be able to see it the moment he walked into the room. And the last thing she’d want is to be fantasizing about her stepbrother over Thanksgiving dinner. That was just—weird.

“Look, look.”

His voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked over at the table to see her father draw Elyse’s hand to his lips. Mia held her breath as he kissed it and she felt emotion well up inside her.

Even after three years, she still saw sadness in his eyes. But now, he seemed so happy, so...young and carefree. Was it selfish of her to want him to be alone for the rest of his life? She couldn’t imagine that he’d ever be able to replace her mother, but maybe it wasn’t about replacing what he’d lost, but finding something completely new.

Tears pushed at the corners of her eyes and she drew in a sharp breath. “We have to go,” she said, grabbing her purse from the bar. “Now.”

She hurried toward the door, weaving through the patrons waiting for a table. When she reached the sidewalk, she stopped short and gulped in a deep breath of the cool evening air. The parking valet approached her and she held out her hand to stop him, then took off down the sidewalk.

The farther she got away from the restaurant, the less she knew what she was crying about. Was this about her father or was it about her own pathetic love life? For the first time in years, she found herself attracted to a man and she couldn’t bring herself to act on it.

Why couldn’t she have met Jack Quinn in a bar or at the grocery store? She could have indulged in a quick and simple affair without a second thought.

“Mia! Hey, wait up.”

She brushed the tears off her cheeks and pasted a smile on her face, then turned.

When he caught up to her, Jack reached out and gently grabbed her arm. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Just a little overwhelmed, that’s all.”

He stared down into her eyes. “I’m sorry. I know this is hard for you.”

Mia nodded and fought back a fresh surge of tears. She laughed softly. “I really miss my mom.”

His hand moved to her cheek and he brushed the dampness away with his thumb. “Don’t cry.”

“Actually, I think a good cry is exactly what I
do
need,” Mia said. She’d kept her emotions in check for so long, trying to stay strong for her father. But now, it felt as if she could finally let go. He was fine now. And she was a mess.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. He stared down into her eyes, searching her gaze. And then, cupping her cheek in his hand, he turned her face up to his and kissed her.

Her breath caught the instant before their lips touched and she felt giddy and light-headed. And then, his mouth covered hers in a deep and delicious kiss. Mia’s knees wobbled and she grabbed the front of his shirt to balance herself, her fingers splaying against his chest.

He took her touch as an invitation and the kiss grew more passionate as he molded her mouth to his. Mia knew she’d been kissed before. But she was also certain that she’d never been kissed like this, with such raw desire and unbridled lust.

When he finally drew back, they just stared at each other for a long time, neither one of them sure what to say. “What do you want to do?” he asked.

She wanted to kiss him again. But Mia knew that wasn’t what he was asking. “Maybe we should just leave them alone.”

Jack nodded. “All right. I think that would be best.”

As they walked back to the parking valet, he grabbed her hand and drew it to his lips, pressing a kiss below her wrist. “I’m sorry if I caused those tears.”

“Sometimes it feels good to cry,” Mia said, drawing a ragged breath. And sometimes, it felt really good to kiss a man.

* * *

W
HEN
THE
VALET
BROUGHT
the car, Mia handed Jack the keys, then crawled in the passenger side, slumping down in the seat and pulling her knees up to her chest.

“Where to?” he asked.

Mia shrugged. “I don’t care, just drive.”

Jack started the car and pulled out into the street, then wove through the village until he found the highway. The night was warm and the top was still down on the little convertible. April in Chicago could be chilly and damp. If he couldn’t enjoy kissing Mia, he’d at least enjoy the weather. He turned south, following the signs for the city.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Mia nodded. “I just get emotional at times. Whenever I really need my mother, I just feel so...lost. I should go see a shrink. I’m just not dealing with my grief very well.”

“Why? Because you miss your mom? Mia, if you want my opinion, you don’t want to lose those feelings. It’s all right to miss her. I still miss my dad. I still have imaginary conversations in my head with him. We talk about all kinds of things.”

“Really?” she said, turned toward him. “I do that, too. Lately, I’ve been trying to stop myself. I mean, I don’t actually think she’s here, but I kind of feel like she might be listening.”

“Maybe she is. I like to think the same thing about my dad.”

They drove for a long time in silence and when they reached the intersection for Highway 1, Mia pointed to the right. “Turn here.”