Yours at Midnight (11 page)
Authors: Robin Bielman
Tags: #entangled publishing, #romance, #novella, #ever after, #new year's eve, #secret baby, #secret family, #one night stand, #girl next door, #best friend, #friends to lovers
“Tomorrow, Lyric? I’m going to make love to you again. I fell for you a long time ago. And I’m falling for Max now. This isn’t going to be easy, not at the start. I’ve got to go back to New York, but I promise you I’ll be back. We’ll figure things out.”
“Okay.” She didn’t care that they didn’t have a plan yet. She had him. And for the first time in her life she didn’t mind taking things one day or week at a time. She felt liberated, in love, and strangely in control of her destiny.
“You’re sure?”
“Very.”
“Good, because I want to rip your clothes off you.”
His mouth recaptured hers, and they clumsily made their way down the hallway to the guest bedroom. When the backs of her thighs hit the bed, his lips moved south, caressing her neck, her collarbone. Tingles, fast and furious, skipped down her arms, fluttered in her stomach, settled between her legs.
She lifted his shirt up and over his head. With her hands splayed across his chest, she bent forward and licked him.
“I want your mouth all over me,” he groaned. “But not this time. This time I need to be inside you in the next two minutes.”
He reached around and unfastened the Velcro on her poodle skirt. With one swift yank, it and her panties hit the floor. Grabbing the hem of her shirt, he tugged it off and unclasped her bra with those talented fingers. Then he lifted her onto the bed. She scooted back.
His gaze fell to her C-section scar and she immediately tried to cover it with her hands. He stopped her, gently rubbed a finger across it. Their eyes met, and without words she knew he understood where the scar had come from.
“Every inch of you is beyond compare,” he said. “You’re not just beautiful. You make my heart stop.” He slid slowly over her body, then—his hands moving just in front of his mouth, touching and tracing her inner thighs, her hips, her stomach, her breasts.
She arched up, cried out. Her hands slid over his strong shoulders and brought him up so she could feel his chest against hers, mate their tongues and breathe him in.
“Naked. Now,” she said. All she could think about was him filling her. Burying himself inside her until they were oblivious with pleasure.
He shucked his sweats and froze. “Dammit. I need to run upstairs.”
Lyric eyed his erection and sighed in pleasure. She’d done that to him, and wanted to do it over and over and over again. “Check the pocket of my poodle skirt.”
“You had a condom on you?”
“I was hoping I’d get lucky.”
It took him two seconds to find it, tear open the packet, and position himself at her opening.
He paused. A desperate moan escaped her lips, and she lifted her hips. He smiled that wicked, mouth-watering grin that made her lose her mind.
“Quinn,” she said.
Begged.
“Lyric.” This time he said her name like it was the single most important word in
any
language, and the tiny part of her heart he hadn’t conquered caved to him utterly.
He captured her mouth with explicit urgency at the same time he joined his body to hers in one deep thrust. Her entire body writhed with a vibrating need. She shifted restlessly.
More
. She wanted more.
Kisses trailed down her neck. With his hands on her lower back, he brought her closer. She wrapped her legs around him, rose to meet his insistent rhythm. Nothing had ever felt so right, so perfect. She fought to keep her breathing under control.
Her fingers combed through his hair. She loved how soft it was. When his mouth closed over her breast, she dropped her arms, clawed at the bed sheets, and immediately arched against the strokes of his lips and tongue.
The way Quinn touched her set off a raw yearning that would take years,
decades
to satiate. He lifted his head and met her gaze. What she saw—the hunger and devotion—intensified every motion they made together. There was nothing between them anymore. No secrets. No lies. No denials. With subtle, circling movements, he slowed their tempo, never taking his dark eyes off her.
They moved together, slowly and provocatively, until a rough groan escaped Quinn’s lips and he plunged deeper inside her. She felt his muscles flex, knew his completion was close. The knowledge that she could do this to him, that she could make him so out of control, sent coils of rapture straight to her core. When she came, she cried out his name. He followed right behind.
…
Quinn had his face buried in the crux of Lyric’s neck, his arm around her, her backside caught with his front. Her hair tickled his temple. “I think I’m stuck here,” he said.
She turned her naked body until they faced each other on her pillow. One look at her satiated eyes, well-kissed lips and rosy cheeks, and the sort of happiness he thought he’d never know overwhelmed him.
“You mean in bed?” She shimmied a little closer and raised her eyebrows.
“Come any closer and I’m going to have to run out for more condoms.” Hell, his cock twitched every time she blinked.
“Or…” She looked over his shoulder. “Never mind. What did you mean by
stuck
?”
“What did you mean by
or
?” He lifted up onto his elbow.
“You first.”
“I thought it was ladies first.”
She shook her head. “Nope. In this relationship it’s whatever I say goes.”
He chuckled. “Really? So if I said ‘Come with me to New York tomorrow,’ you’d say…?”
“I can’t.”
“Because?”
“I can’t leave Max.” She rolled onto her back and pulled the covers up a little higher. He gave silent thanks she still kept eye contact.
“Bring him with you.” He twirled his finger around the hair lying against her shoulder. “I want to be with him, too. I don’t imagine we can tell him who I am yet, so let’s spend as much time together as possible.”
She whipped the sheet over her face, then whipped it back down. Giggled. Kicked her legs under the covers. Her full-body reaction turned his heart on its side.
“That makes you happy?” he teased. “Man, you’re easy.”
“So, so happy, you big jerk.” She lifted up and gave him a quick kiss. “But nothing about this is going to be easy, Quinn. I have a job here. I can’t just leave.”
“I think your RN and therapist can give you a break. Besides aren’t you the boss?”
“I Am The Boss.” The pride on her face and the confidence in her voice were an amazing combination. Even though her business wasn’t exactly thriving yet, he knew she’d get there. “And with the right incentive, I could be persuaded to take some time off here and there.”
He scooted closer, draped a leg over hers, traced the outline of her breasts through the sheet. “I’m an expert at incentive, you know.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Her lids drifted shut. “I think you’re on the right track. Maybe go a little lower, though, too.”
“What did you mean by
or
, Lyric?” He moved to her stomach.
“Back to the
stuck
thing first.” She peeked at him.
“I meant I want to be here. With you. Max. Family. I’m going to talk to my bosses at Noble. Limit my travel time. Work from home.”
“Home?”
“Home is here. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.”
She did the whole happy body squirm again. He grinned. “With the technology we have now, there’s no reason why I can’t be in Rome or Japan from my home office sometimes.”
“Rome?” She lifted onto her elbows. “Did I ever tell you how much I long to go there?”
“Well, with the right incentive,” he tossed back. “I could be persuaded to bring a passenger with me. But only after she clarifies
or
.”
“I’ve watched you with my nieces and nephews,” she said shyly. “And you’re a natural with them. You’re a natural with
people
, Quinn. I don’t know why I never noticed it before, but you are. I imagine that’s what helps make you so good at your job. You more than translate words, you welcome people.”
No one had described him like that before. He buried his face in her neck, kissed her there. “Thank you. I’m in awe of your kindness, your determination, your loyalty, and the way you love your family. I love you, Lyric.”
Her hands cupped his face. “Thank you.”
“I’m thinking that condom run might be a good idea right about now.” He started to rise.
She caught his arm. “
Or
we could skip them and see what happens?”
A lump lodged in his throat. She wanted more children. With
him
. He knew that was her way of saying she loved him right back. He slid his hand under the covers and spread his palm across her stomach.
He wanted to watch a baby grow inside her. Wanted that more than anything.
“You’ll never be alone again, Quinn,” she whispered, laying her hand over his.
“And you’ll never, ever doubt how I feel about you.”
She pulled him down and kissed him. “To tell you the truth, I never did.”
Acknowledgments
My heartfelt thanks to my editor Adrien-Luc Sanders, who pushes me to be better and says the nicest things at the same time. You totally rock, and I love using my new Japanese words.
Thank you to Tara Gonzalez, Kym Roberts, and the entire Entangled gang whose support, enthusiasm, smarts, and kindness I appreciate so very much.
Big thanks to Dee J. Adams for letting me “win” her and giving me the input and encouragement I needed right when I needed it.
There are a couple of writing pals I’d like to give special thanks to for being with me on this journey and always cheering me on: Charlene Sands for her unwavering support and friendship. Marilyn Brant for being so much more than just a writing pal. Caryn Caldwell for so much, I don’t even know where to begin. Caryn, I treasure you more than I can say – thanks for everything!
A giant thank you to Vicki Lewis Thompson for her friendship, guidance and amazing cover quote. I’m still grinning from ear to ear! Thank you for your incredibly kind words.
Hugs, kisses, and thanks to my amazing husband, awesome sons and wonderful mom. Thanks to my best friends Robin and Karen, who know nothing about publishing and let me talk and talk about the book world and pretend to be interested.
And lastly, thank you to my readers. I am so very grateful and humbled by those of you that have taken the time to read my books. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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About the Author
Robin Bielman lives in Southern California, a bike ride away from the ocean if she’s feeling really adventurous. She loves books and baking and running on the treadmill while watching her favorite TV shows. When she’s not reading or writing her next story, she’s spending time with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and adorable mini Labradoodle, Harry. She is addicted to café mochas, and if every day were Cupcake Day, she’d be a happy camper! She loves to connect with readers.
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