Through His Eyes

“Everything okay?” Lachlan asks.

“I forgot to pack something to sleep in.” I pout. I only brought one outfit for tomorrow, and the clothes I wore today aren’t exactly comfortable to sleep in. “Any chance you brought an extra shirt I could sleep in?”

“Sure,” he says, but the devilish grin on his face contradicts his words. And when he stays seated, but leans forward and removes his shirt, I know why.

“I meant a clean shirt!” I say with a laugh.

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” he volleys back, extending his hand that’s holding his shirt.

When I reach out to grab it, he doesn’t let go. Instead, he yanks on the material, tugging me toward the side of the bed. When I’m within his reach, he leans over and lifts me, plopping me down onto his lap so my legs are straddling either side of him. I laugh as I look into his gorgeous, flirty, emerald eyes.

“Mmmm…” He reaches around and grabs my towel-clad butt, pulling me closer to him. “I like this.” He fingers the knot holding my towel together. With one pull, he could expose me completely. Sitting this close to him, I want to nuzzle my face into his neck, but I also really want to talk to him, so I decide to go with the latter.

“Can we talk?”

He looks up, meeting my gaze, and nods. “Yeah.”

“In the car, you seemed really upset…”

Threading his fingers through my damp hair, he grips the back of my head and our mouths meet for a brief moment. In return, my arms snake around his neck and my fingers weave through his messy hair. The kiss lasts long enough for me to taste his cool, sweet breath, but ends far too quickly, leaving me wanting more. “I know it’s going to take time,” he begins, “but I can’t help feeling like every time we take one step forward, you take two back.”

When I attempt to pull my hands away, Lachlan’s fingers wrap around my forearms, holding me in place. “No.” He shakes his head, so I keep my arms around his neck. “I need you to stay with me, Quinn. I need you right next to me every step of the way.”

I swallow thickly. “I hate this,” I admit. “I hate the way I feel around you… and about you.”

When his brows furrow in confusion, I explain. “You’re twelve years younger than me, Lach. You’re a single, good-looking guy with a good career. You could have your pick of any woman you want.” I’m fully aware I’m back to being negative, but he needs to understand where I’m coming from. How different our lives are. “I just…I don’t understand why you’re sticking around. Why you would even want to go to my daughter’s kiddie birthday party when you can be out living your adult life. Going drinking and dancing at the club.” I inhale and exhale slowly, waiting for Lachlan to respond.

For a few seconds, he rakes his gaze over my face, as if he’s trying to memorize my features. I begin to worry that maybe I’ve pushed him too far with my honesty and negativity. I worry what he’s going to say in response to my question—my accusation.

But then he brings my face to his and whispers, “Because I’m falling in love with you,” and my entire world feels like it’s spinning. He’s falling in love with me…

“What can I even give you?” I blurt out. “I have nothing to give.”

“All I want and need is you.”

Seventeen

Lachlan

The second I tell her what I’m feeling, I regret saying the words. Not because I don’t mean them. I do. I am one hundred percent falling in love with Quinn Crawford and her little girl. No, I regret them because I told myself I would take things slow, so she feels safe and secure. I swore I wouldn’t throw caution to the wind. And confessing my love for her isn’t exactly driving cautiously—foot tapping lightly on the brake while keeping at a slow and steady speed. It’s more like pressing the gas pedal all the way to the floor and gunning it, ignoring the rising RPMs, and saying fuck it, with the windows down as I fly around the bends without once slowing down. It’s risky as hell, and can easily send her running scared.

So I’m shocked as shit when Quinn responds to everything I’ve just laid out for her by attacking me. Her mouth crashes against mine, and her tongue delves between my lips. Her hands tug on the strands of my hair, and her hot cunt grinds against the bulge that’s quickly thickening in my pants.

My hands, of their own accord, pull her towel apart and yank it from her luscious body, leaving her completely naked and vulnerable. When she doesn’t try to cover herself up like she usually does, I smile on the inside. One step forward…