“It’s not a race,” I whisper. “It’s not a race at all.”

Our clothes peel away, piece by piece, until it’s just Quinn and me, in front of this fire, on a plush area rug and rose petals.

I push him onto his back and kneel next to him, enjoying the way the light dances along his skin.

“I want to paint you,” I say with a soft smile. “Like this. With the flames dancing on your body, and the way you’re looking at me right now.”

“You can paint me whenever you like.” His hand is dragging up and down my thigh, over my ass, sending goose bumps over my skin. I take my time memorizing him with my hands, and then my tongue gets in on the action, and Quinn’s hand moves from my thigh to my hair, fisting and holding on tightly.

“You taste good.” I lick him from balls to tip, then sink over him and take him for the ride of his life.

“Fucking hell,” he growls. He’s not pressing on my head, but rather just holding on, letting me lick and suck him.

Letting me enjoy him.

Until I can’t stand it anymore and I climb over him, sinking over him.

With my hands planted on his chest, I ride him. Slowly at first, but then I can’t stand it, I need to pick up the pace.

And he’s happy to oblige.

He cups my ass and guides me up and down, until we’re both squirming with absolute rapture.

He sits up, kisses me firmly, his arms wrapped around me and the shift in angle sends me straight into the stars. I cry out, his name muffled against his lips.

“Yes,” he says, panting hard. “That’s it, baby.”

We’re spent, sitting here, staring into each other’s eyes. Quinn kisses my lips, my neck, my shoulder, then lifts me off him and disappears into the guest bathroom.

He returns with a wet cloth and cleans us both up, then urges me to my feet.

“I have one more thing to show you.”

“Quinn, I—”

“No arguments this time.” He passes me a throw blanket, which I wrap around me, holding it in a knot at my breasts, and follow him down the hall to the spare bedroom.

But when he opens the door, the bed and dresser are gone.

In their places are an easel, blank canvases, a table with paints and brushes, and a tarp on the floor.

I spin, staring at him with wide eyes and absolute shock.

“What did you do?”

“I built a pool,” he says dryly, turning around to see the room again. He wraps his arms around my middle, hugging me from behind and kisses my cheek. “Kami and Louise helped.”

“These paints are badass. I don’t buy them for myself because they’re too expensive.”

“I know.” He kisses the ball of my shoulder. “Louise told me.”

“Why did you do this?”

He sighs, then walks around to face me and frames my face in his hands the way I did to him earlier.

“I did it because you need this. It soothes you, and I want you to feel at home here, Sienna. I’m so in love with you that I ache with it. I want you to stay, for as long as you’re willing to. I don’t want you to feel that you aren’t comfortable here with me.”

I’m blinking, soaking in everything he’s saying, and fighting the urge to pinch myself, just to make sure that I’m not dreaming.

“Oh my.”

My fingers find the key at my neck and fiddle with it. My God, he has the key to my heart.

“Are you okay?” he asks gently.

“I love you too,” I blurt out, looking up through my eyelashes, suddenly feeling shy. “And I’m just so grateful, Quinn. Truly.”

He tugs me into a fierce hug, and when he pulls away, I hurry around him to his bedroom.

“Where are you going?”

“I need clothes. I have some painting to do!”

Chapter Fourteen

~Quinn~

“God, I hate that guy,” Carter mutters as we jog down the steps of the courthouse, headed back to our office after a morning of courtroom work. “He’s such a prick.”

“And your client,” I remind him with a laugh, patting him on the shoulder. “You handled him great. Not taking any shit is the way to go, every time.”

“There’s no other way to go, and the fucker can fire me if he doesn’t like it,” he grumbles as we climb into his car to drive back to the office. Before he starts the car, he checks his phone and scowls. “Jesus, this has been blowing up. The school and Nora.”

Nora is Carter’s assistant and has been with him for many years. She’s been a huge help to him since Darcy died, especially where Gabby’s concerned.

With the phone piped through the Bluetooth system of the car, I can hear the messages as they play.

“Hello, Mr. Shaw, this is Judy at Gabby’s school. She’s in my office and I need to talk to you as soon as possible.”

Tags: Kristen Proby Romancing Manhattan Romance
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