Page 25 of What Love Can Do
Something took hold of her.
While last night’s encounter had been driven by hardcore passion and desire, today’s was gentler. More than anything, she wanted to hold and comfort him, tell him it would be alright. Knowing Quinn for only such a short time, she was still convinced his mother had known how much she was loved—he could be at peace. But it didn’t come out with words exactly. Lillian was never good at putting together just the right sentiments, so she showed him by breaking down, cradling his head against her heart, letting him hold her tightly, and giving him the comfort he seemed to desperately need.
She didn’t expect anything in return. Quinn had already given her so much. Whenever she was around Quinn, she felt confident, adored, and understood. It seemed that every time she opened her mouth, he stopped whatever he was doing to listen. His eyes focused on her when she spoke. He made her feel like she was the most talented and beautiful woman in the world. She was grateful for the chance to be with him again, determined to enjoy every moment she could with this sweet man before they had to part.
Mellie and Cook would wonder where the hell she’d snuck off to when she’d told them she was only taking a five-minute break (something she normally wouldn’t have done until all the muffins, scones, and brioches were done and served), but she hadn’t been able to wait another minute to talk to him.
She’d had to hear Quinn’s side of the story.
Without meaning to, she was now caught on the loyalty fence with one foot on her mother’s side. Quinn’s mother had broken apart her mom and dad early on, so Mom wouldn’t be too happy knowing her daughter was consorting with the little wench’s son. But then there was Quinn. Had they never met up at Mulligan’s and gone home together last night, things might be clearer in her mind, but they had, and now she felt a connection to him she couldn’t shake. Quinn was a good guy with a good heart.
And damned sexy too.
They made love easily, slowly underneath the sheets, face-to-face, quietly so no one would hear them out in the hall, and truth be told, it was almost as if she’d known him much longer than two days. His body and hands struck a balance between familiarity and discovery. She felt like she was getting to know him while also sensing she’d known him forever. How was that possible? She’d definitely have to be careful not to fall any further for him. Already, his touch and kisses were becoming indelible in her mind, and his hands knew exactly what her body needed, as though she’d shown him herself. But how could he possibly?
Seeing him hovering over her during daylight, he took on a new, crystal-clear aura. Without the slight influence of alcohol and the dreamy canvas of the star-studded night sky, everything about him was vibrant and sharply-defined. His deep brown eyes shone clearly underneath thick brows, his trembling body glistened with a fine mist in the light, and his half-open mouth muttered shiny words about how gorgeous she was, how utterly perfect, how he couldn’t resist, and how they should take advantage of every moment they had together while he was here. Because soon—they’ll have crossed paths and never see each other again.
This time was much slower, much more about exploring, about touching, raking her fingers down his chest, his stomach, feeling the muscle underneath his skin. She’d never touched a body so taut and athletic before. Bodies like his only appeared on TV, books, or magazines, but now, he was here with her, and she couldn’t believe how beautiful he was.
Quinn was fascinated by her, too, though she couldn’t understand why. A man like him could have any woman he wanted. She could just imagine Irish women all over the world appearing at his rugby games, waiting afterwards for a chance to give him their numbers, or going home with him to see if he looked just as good outside his uniform as he did in it. And yet, he gazed at her body as though it’d been fashioned by angels. His hands cupped her breasts, and his fingers dug in gently and roved over her form as though molding her out of clay.
She might have even cried, as his head bowed and his cheek brushed hers, as his body rhythmically, deliciously crushed against her. Lilly had no trouble climaxing like she sometimes did when she was alone, which was all the time. With Ben, she’d always had to figure it out herself afterwards. He’d never had the patience to wait for her. The waves rolled right off her and through her, encouraging Quinn to do the same, and he did, spilling into the condom he’d hastily put on then collapsing in an airy sigh. Even the weight of his body felt familiar to her, and her arms wrapped around his warm body as she relished the moment, since she might never feel it again.
I don’t want to leave, she thought as she lay in his arms. If I let myself, I’d say to hell with Miami and beg him to stay and take a chance on us. But that was ludicrous, of course. They’d known each other two days. She’d end up regretting it; they both would. Their timing sucked, because as strong as the pull was between them, they both needed to explore and fulfill the passions they had outside of the bedroom first. Who knew? Maybe their paths would cross again and they’d have another chance. If it was meant to happen, it would, right?
Closing her eyes, she took a long breath, blew it out, then said, “I should probably go downstairs before they come looking for me.”
Pulling back, he stared into her eyes for a few seconds, then kissed the tip of her nose. “Until we meet again then?”
She smiled. “Hopefully sooner than later.”
A minute later, she sat on the edge of the bed, watching him finish getting dressed and tuck his mother’s journal under his arm. “I’ll look for you later,” he said, stroking his finger underneath her chin. “Going to see the bookstore and the flower shop Mam wrote about. Maybe find that bridge she talked about so much, but she didn’t exactly leave me a map.”
Lilly said nothing. She knew where that bridge was—it had been a special place for Lilly and her father to take morning walks to see the creek—but for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to divulge its secrets to Quinn. She nodded, smiling sadly. “Wish I could go with you, but I’ve work still to do.”
“No worries. I need the alone time anyway.” They stepped into the hall. He kissed her softly, then headed toward the front door while she headed toward the kitchen. When she glanced back at him, he was turning back a moment to see her too.
They both smiled.
In the early evening, after she’d tended to her garden, Lilly sat at her laptop, trying to remind herself that she’d had a life before Quinn O’Neill came to town. What was it again? Ah, yes, furthering her baking career by entering a contest without her mother and all of Forestville knowing. There was something powerful about having a secret that no one, not even the town’s gossip queen, Avery Benson, knew about. As if to remind her, her email chimed, and for once, it wasn’t from Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Bath & Body Works, or Williams Sonoma touting its deals of the week. It was from Guy Santoli, head pastry chef of L’Appetite Boulange:
Mio caro, Lilly!
We are delighted to welcome you into our boulangerie and pâtisserie family! My assistant, Lola, will be setting you up with accommodations in a lovely Brickell apartment in beautiful Miami, Florida and sending you pertinent information for your residency. Please come ready on October 16th to pour your heart and soul into this wonderful opportunity. I was delighted with your baked treats and cannot wait to meet you in person! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call L’Appetite Boulange at (305) 555-9270.
See you soon!
Guy Santoli
“Oh, my God. It’s really happening,” Lilly muttered at the bright screen. She’d be leaving in less than three weeks. It was truly a moral imperative that she break the news to her mother, so she could find a baking replacement in time, but oh, my God—she was going!
She stood and danced a little jig around the room, but no sooner did she feel like running out of the building to tell Quinn about the email did she slowly sink onto her comforter like a deflated balloon. How ironic was it, that the moment she got a call giving her the wonderful news, no sooner did she receive an email welcoming her to Guy Santoli’s inner circle, than a wonderful man strolled into town—one who might actually be perfect for her.
It was cruel and unfair timing.
Which only made her want to take advantage of her sparse time with him even more. While half her brain nagged that it might not be the best decision—God forbid you fall for him right before you have to leave him—the other half said things like, Fuck it. Go have fun with him while you can!
Before she could change her mind, she changed into jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, slunk her arms into a nice, comfy wool sweater and bounded downstairs. Quinn had said he was going to drive around town visiting places his “mam” had mentioned in her diary, but when she pressed her nose against the stairwell window, craning her neck for a view of the parking lot, she saw his rental car was back.