But the best part?
The Chinese takeout sitting on the coffee table, in front of the fire, and the red rose petals sprinkled all over the floor.
“I told you I wanted to feed you.”
“This is just so beautiful.” I set my bag down, kick out of my shoes, and gaze around. “It’s also a horrible fire hazard. I hope it hasn’t been like this for long.”
Quinn laughs as he kicks off his own shoes, sheds his jacket, and rolls his sleeves up, getting comfortable. “Kami just left five minutes ago.”
“Quinn, is it smart that she knows what’s happening between us?”
“Kami’s worked for me for almost five years. She’s discreet, and loyal, and I know without a doubt that anything I tell her stays between the two of us.”
I take a deep breath, and then nod. “Okay, if you trust her, I do too.”
“I got you Kung Pao chicken,” he says, holding up the box.
“And I love that it’s a picnic.” I sit on the floor next to him and dig into the food. It smells delicious. “This is supercozy. Was it her idea or yours?”
“I can’t believe you just asked that.” His voice is calm as he digs into his lo mein. “It was my idea, sassy girl.”
“It was a good one.” We munch on our food, leaning in for quick kisses between bites. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a fire in the summer before.”
“Air-conditioning is a godsend in moments like this,” he says with a satisfied smile. “Are you going to eat that last egg roll?”
“No, I’m full. Go ahead.”
He eats it in two bites, wipes his mouth, and then reaches for his jacket and pulls a little blue box out of the pocket.
“This is for you.”
I stare at it for a moment and then slowly shake my head. “You’ve already done a lot with the flowers and the fire. The food. You don’t have to give me presents, Quinn.”
“You don’t want it?” He cocks an eyebrow, and just when he’s going to pull it away, I snatch it out of his hand, making him laugh.
“Of course I want it, crazy man. I’m just saying you didn’t have to.”
I pull the white ribbon loose, and nestled inside is a blue pouch. I pull the strings loose, tip it over, and a necklace slides onto my palm, with a gold key on the chain.
“This is gorgeous.”
“The key is because—”
“If you say it’s because it’s the key to your heart, I will walk right out that door. That’s way too cheesy.”
He tips his head back and laughs. He’s still chuckling when he helps me fasten it around my neck.
“No, I was going to say I thought it was pretty, and that it would suit you. But now whenever anyone asks, I’m going to tell them that I got it for you because you hold the key to my heart.”
“You’re so cheesy,” I grumble, wrinkling my nose, and earn a tickle in the ribs from Quinn. “No fair. I’m defenseless when you tickle me.”
“Good,” he says, but his touch is lighter as he drags his fingers up my side, and into my hair, pulling it loose from the pins. It spills over his hands as he shakes it out, and rubs his fingertips over my scalp.
“Oh, that’s nice.”
“I love your hair,” he says. “It’s so soft and the color is amazing. Why do you always wear it up?”
“It’s part of my armor.” The words are out before I realize it, and he’s frowning down at me.
“Why do you need armor?”
“Because I’m a female attorney,” I say at last. “And I need to be taken seriously. So I wear stuffy suits, and I keep my hair pulled up, and while I’m not afraid to look feminine, I am a firm believer in being professional.”
“What about when you’re not at work?”
“It’s just habit, and it keeps it out of my way.”
He watches his fingers as he pulls them through the strands. “Can I request that you wear it down once in a while, when it’s just us?”
“Of course you can.” I kiss his wrist. “I’ll do that.”
His eyes are hot on mine as he leans in to kiss me, gently, softly, taking this moment from playful to sexy in the blink of an eye.
My fingers are already unfastening the buttons of his shirt, anxious to get to his warm skin. He doesn’t even bother unbuttoning my shirt, he strips it over my head, leaving me in a white bra and my skirt.
“I always think that I’m going to take it slow with you.” His voice is thicker now, full of lust and yearning. “But once I get my hands on your skin, I can’t hold myself back. It’s like it’s a race to be buried inside of you, to hear you as you come apart.”