After Hours Seduction (The Men 0f Stone River Book 1) Read online

  Quin lifted a shoulder and let it fall, his expression wry. “Or ski down a mountain?”

  Eleven

  Quin released Katie and took her hand, linking his fingers with hers. The quarter-mile walk back to the hotel was both silent and peaceful. He rarely spent a day as relaxed as this one. Even when he was skiing, he was setting goals and sailing past them.

  At the Carlyle, he and Katie took the elevator up to their floor. Again, silence reigned. What was she thinking? What did she want?

  He regretted not getting to know her better when they were dating two years ago. Instead, he had explored the mutual hunger that drew them like two strong magnets, one to the other.

  In the suite, he touched her shoulder. “You ready for dessert?”

  She put her hand over his, warm brown eyes signaling her intent. “I’d like a shower. With you.”

  She was direct. Not coy. Not making him guess. He swallowed hard, his hands trembling. “I like the sound of that.”

  He couldn’t put his finger on how things had changed, but they had. Their sojourn in the park had affected them both. The mood was more comfortable now, but no less sexually charged.

  In the bathroom, Katie stripped off her clothes casually. Quin started the shower and adjusted the water. As she stepped into the roomy enclosure, Quin got naked as quickly as he could.

  When he joined Katie, she averted her gaze, her posture wary. Pale blond hair turned rich gold as the water saturated the long strands. While he watched, Katie reached up with two hands and sluiced the water from her face, taming her soaked hair into a rich waterfall.

  Though he wasn’t sure, it seemed as if her hands trembled. “Are you nervous, Kat?” he asked. “We left the light on. It’s still not dark outside. We can’t blame this one on late-night debauchery.”

  “I know. And yes, I’m nervous. I’m always nervous around you. It’s like throwing a baby doll into a moat with an alligator. You’re always going to come out on top.”

  “Is that a loaded metaphor?”

  “No. Just the truth. You and I are very different, Quin.”

  He opened a small bottle of shower gel. The heavy scent of jasmine filled the steamy enclosure. “Turn around,” he said gruffly.

  When she tugged her hair forward over her shoulder and gave him her back, he was struck by how vulnerable she looked. How beautifully feminine the nape of her neck was. How trim her waist. Softly rounded hips flared just enough for a man to grasp.

  He’d been hard since she kicked off her running shoes and bared her narrow feminine feet with the high arches and perfectly polished toes. Instead of pouncing on her as his libido urged, he dug deep and found tenderness. Gentle care. The other was coming, but not yet.

  Doing her back was tricky. He had lathered up a washcloth, but when he touched her, the practical aspects of the chore got derailed by the need to linger. Both shoulders demanded his attention. Then the shoulder blades. Before moving south, he remembered to wash her neck.

  Katie stood perfectly still, almost as if she was holding her breath. He squatted and washed her round ass, her thighs, her legs. He was breathing hard now, his heart pounding against his rib cage.

  “Turn around,” he said hoarsely.

  Now he was on eye level with her pink, perfect sex. He traced her center with one fingertip. Katie shifted restlessly.

  He lurched to his feet and washed her breasts. One at a time. Trying not to lose focus when he saw how the soap bubbles glistened—then eventually slid—over her heated skin.

  When he moved toward her navel, Katie grabbed his wrist. Hard. “Are we doing this right here?” she asked, the words barely audible. Tendrils of damp hair clung to her forehead. Her eyelashes were spiky.

  He leaned down and kissed her nose. “Ladies’ choice.”

  The tiniest of smiles tilted her lips. “And if I don’t feel like being a lady tonight?”

  His sex, already fully erect, tightened painfully. “Um...” His throat closed up and his legs threatened to wobble.

  She put her hands on his wet shoulders and pushed. “Sit down, Quin.”

  He lost his balance and plopped down hard on the narrow shower bench. Katie straddled his legs.

  “Wait,” he said wheezing for breath. “We don’t have a con—”

  She put her hand over his mouth. “Relax. I’m just playing with you. Any objections?”

  “None,” he croaked.

  Katie sat down carefully. Now his erection nestled between them. He wasn’t at all sure this was a good idea, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to stop her.

  “You are a sexy guy, Quin,” she said. “Did you know that?”

  “Um...” Apparently this shower interlude was adversely affecting his vocabulary. And he was pretty sure this was a trick question. It seemed better not to answer.

  She ran her thumbs across his eyelids, forcing him to shut them. Now his other senses were heightened. He felt the steam that moistened their skin. He smelled Katie’s warm, wet closeness.

  “Keep your eyes closed, Quin,” she said.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Before he could guess what she was going to do next, she took his hands and put them on her breasts.

  Damn that was good. He pushed both mounds together and buried his face in the fragrant valley.

  Katie muttered something he couldn’t decipher. She leaned into him. “I like that,” she whispered. “A lot.”

  He was blind. Moving along in the darkness. The wanting in his gut became a living torment. Lust roiled in his belly. He tasted her nipples. She was sweet and tart and exactly right for him.

  The random thought both shocked and terrified him. Katie was the kind of woman who would marry a regular guy, a man who would give her babies and a house in the suburbs. Quin would never be a good father, maybe no father at all. What did he know about kids or security?

  His childhood had been crap. No home-baked cookies. No bedtime stories. No warm, loving hugs during a thunderstorm or a nightmare.

  She had been right to walk away from him.

  Katie bit his earlobe, pulling him back into the moment. He grabbed her ass. “You know I like your teasing, Kat, but I’m not made of stone. You’re killing me. I need to be inside you.”

  “Soon. I want what you want, Quin.” She stroked his hair with gentle repetitive motions that in another context would have been soothing. He was so wired and on edge, even the nonsexual touch was painfully arousing.

  “We’re done here,” he groaned. He scooted her off his lap and stood, wrapping his arm around her waist. “Bed,” he muttered.

  Katie rebelled. “No, please. You’ll get the sheets all wet.”

  “Fine.” He grabbed a towel, dragged her with him into the bedroom, and despite his weak knee, scooped her up and dumped her on the settee. “Don’t move.”

  Katie’s eyes were huge. Had she really expected him to remain passive under such provocation? He rummaged for more of the protection he had bought that morning.

  When he saw how she stared at him, he faltered. “Am I going too fast, Kat?”

  She chewed her lip. “No. Your brothers told me how controlled you are. Seeing you snap is kind of flattering.”

  He ripped open a packet and rolled the condom onto his shaft. “You’ve made me lose control since the first day I bumped into you at the water cooler. Literally. You were wearing a pale pink sundress. Your hair was up. I think the earrings were sterling silver stars.” Her look of incredulity amused him. “Why is that so surprising?”

  “You’re exaggerating about the control thing.”

  He came down beside her and lifted her leg to the back of the velvet-covered furniture, stroking her thigh. “No. Not even a little.” Their bodies struggled in the awkward arrangement. No room to maneuver. Katie didn’t seem to mind. He entered her slowly, holding her bottom in one hand and br
acing himself with the other. “I’m glad you came to Maine, Kat. It’s been pretty dark since the accident. You’ve dragged me out of the pit, I think.”

  “Don’t talk,” she begged. “Take me hard.”

  “Yes. Yes.” It was an easy request to grant. He tried to make it last. He really did. But it had been hours since he’d made love to her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, threatening to choke him. She linked her ankles at his back, her heels digging into his waist.

  “Ah, hell.” He came in minutes, his mind blank with stunned pleasure. The end went on forever. Little aftershocks that left him dizzy and spent. He lifted away and pleasured her with his touch, groaning with relief when she came wildly, crying out his name.

  When he could breathe, he surveyed the situation. “We’re all dry now. Bed?”

  She nodded, her eyes closed. “You’re the boss.”

  * * *

  Katie slept like the dead for hours. In fact, she would have happily slept longer if not for an annoying beep nearby. Grumbling and shifting to squint at her surroundings, she poked Quin. “Is that a smoke alarm?”

  He lifted onto one elbow, bleary-eyed. “Phone alarm.” His voice was hoarse with fatigue. That’s what happened when two otherwise sane adults chose to fornicate like rabbits instead of getting the eight solid hours of sleep recommended by the American Medical Association.

  “Why in God’s name did you set an alarm?”

  “We have to fly home,” he muttered.

  “You’re a billionaire. It’s a private plane. Tell him we’ll be ready midafternoon.”

  “Can’t. Flight plan’s already been filed. Gotta go...”

  She stumbled to the bathroom and did the best she could. When they left the hotel forty-five minutes later, she pondered the inequities of life. Katie could barely look at herself in the mirror as they sailed through the lobby. Her hair was on top of her head in a messy knot. She still had pillow creases on her face, and the dark circles under her eyes were epic.

  Quin, on the other hand, looked like the image of a wealthy, handsome bachelor enjoying a relaxing day off. He had topped his snug heather-gray T-shirt with a loose khaki linen jacket. His jeans were exactly the right amount of worn, and the shadow of dark stubble on his gorgeous chin made him look sexy and dangerous.

  Their hired car waited at the curb. Quin tucked her in and ran around to the street side. Thank God it was Sunday. The usual morning traffic insanity was subdued.

  All the way to the airport, through takeoff and during the brief flight north, Katie knew something had changed. It was possible that Quin’s slightly aloof attitude was merely exhaustion. She might be reading too much into his silence. The fact that he was skimming the news on his iPad instead of flirting with her was nothing sinister.

  Katie leaned her seat back and dozed during the relatively brief flight. Mrs. Peterson met them at the landing strip in a Jeep. The luggage was loaded in the back, and soon, Katie was climbing the front steps of Quin’s house... Right where she had started.

  Quin smiled at the housekeeper. “Thanks for coming in today. Why don’t you go on home and take tomorrow off?”

  “Thank you, Mr. Quin,” she said. “There’s plenty for lunch and dinner in the fridge. You can pick and choose. I left the cooking and warming instructions on the island.”

  “Sounds great.”

  The older woman paused. “I don’t mean to be pushy, but we may be in for a serious summer storm. I stocked the pantry just in case, and the generators have been serviced. You and Miss Katie should really take a look at the weather forecast.”

  Quin groaned. “Zachary said something similar on Friday. So it’s taking shape?”

  “Looks that way.” Her matter-of-fact answer made Katie smile inwardly. Folks in Maine took bad weather in stride. Still, there had been a few very destructive storms over the years.

  “In that case,” Quin said, “Don’t come back out here until you hear from me, one way or the other. You’ll have preparations to make at your own home. Katie and I will be fine.”

  “Okay, then. Let me finish tidying the kitchen, and I’ll be off.”

  When the older woman walked away, an awkward silence fell. Was Quin regretting the indulgent weekend he and Katie had spent in New York? Had too many barriers been crossed? Maybe he wanted to go back to the boss/employee relationship.

  Hurt curled in Katie’s stomach. The man with whom she had shared a bed—and various other real estate—was not the same man who stood before her now. Quin’s gaze was shuttered, his jaw tight.

  He hunched his shoulders, not quite meeting her gaze. “It’s Sunday. We’re not going to work today. Why don’t you relax and get some fresh air? We may be cooped up in the house for a couple of days. You might as well enjoy yourself while the sun is shining.”

  She couldn’t decide how to respond to that, and it didn’t really matter, because Quin gave her a terse nod and walked in the direction of the makeshift office they shared.

  Her eyes burned, and her throat was tight. Was he being a jerk on purpose, or had something upset him? Did the reason matter? Clearly, their wonderful weekend was over.

  She took her bags up to her room, dumped them on the bed and changed into comfortable clothes. Though she had been living at Quin’s home for several weeks now, she had only surveyed the ocean from higher ground. Today she was in a mind to find the water’s edge and drown her sorrows. The bad joke didn’t even lift her mood.

  The path down to the beach was not well marked. The jumble of boulders had been there for millennia, occasionally tossed about by rough seas. The narrow trail existed, but it was fairly treacherous. She was forced to pick her way carefully or risk breaking an ankle.

  The challenge was worth it. By the time she made it onto the narrow strip of sand, her heart was racing, but her state of mind had lightened fractionally. She sat on a rock and removed her socks. The sand was cool beneath her feet.

  It seemed impossible that a storm was in the offing. The sea today was a deep, placid turquoise, calm enough to soothe her fear of water. Small pools held sea creatures trapped by low tide. She examined each one, charmed by the diversity. Crabs and starfish, hot pink seaweed and deep red anemones. Even a sea urchin or two. Kneeling in the sand, she used her phone to snap a few pictures.

  The creepiest thing she found was a slithery eel-like animal, which she absolutely didn’t touch. There was even the tiniest of baby lobsters. Why that surprised her, she couldn’t say. Obviously, lobsters weren’t born being huge and meaty. They had to start small sometime.

  She found a measure of peace in the rich beauty of nature. Even if things had soured with Quin, at least she could enjoy her time here. Though she had lived in Maine her entire life, Portland was a far cry from this wild northern coastline. Her parents had barely fed their family. Leisure trips to the shore, even for the day, were few and far between.

  When she tired of exploring, she rolled up her pants legs to brave the water. The breeze had begun to pick up, whipping the surface of the ocean into frothy whitecaps. Her toes curled. Maybe this was a bad idea. Strong currents swept this part of the coast.

  Not that she was going for a swim. She just wanted to be able to say she had waded in the Atlantic. And to prove that her long-standing fear of water hadn’t crippled her.

  The noise of the waves masked other sounds.

  When a male voice spoke behind her, it was like that first day all over again. She whirled and nearly fell on her butt.

  Quin chuckled. “I didn’t mean to scare you. How long have you been down here?”

  She shot him a wary glance over her shoulder, distrusting his whiplash mood changes. “I don’t know. An hour...maybe two.” Suddenly she looked up at the path to the house. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be doing something like this. The doctor said gentle exercise.”

  “I’ve climbed down t
his path a hundred times.”

  “Since the accident?”

  Twelve

  Quin frowned. “I’m capable of monitoring my own fitness. I’ve been doing it since I was a teenager. If I had thought following you down to the ocean would negatively impact my knee, I wouldn’t have come.”

  “That’s not what your brothers say. They tell me you test your limits. Sometimes with painful results.”

  “That was the old Quin. I’m a reformed man.” He said it lightly, but it was true in a way. He’d learned some hard lessons during the last two years.

  Katie turned back to the ocean. “You’re very lucky to live here,” she said. “I was just about to stick my feet in the water. An homage to summer.”

  “It will be a shock,” he said. “The water temperature is barely sixty degrees.”

  “I can handle it.” She struck out immediately, halting when the water hit just below her knees. “Oh gosh.”

  “I warned you.”

  Katie wrapped her arms around her waist. Her hair began to come loose from its knot now that the wind had picked up.

  She was guarded in her posture. No wonder. He’d been deliberately aloof earlier. Coming back to Maine had shocked him into a realization of what he was doing. Katie claimed to want only three weeks in his bed. But did he himself want more?

  “Come sit on the rocks with me,” he cajoled. “They’re warm from the sun. You need to thaw out.”

  Thirty seconds passed. Then a whole minute. Finally, Katie turned around and slogged back to shore.

  Her teeth were chattering. “I love the ocean,” she said.

  “But maybe Florida is more your speed?”

  He was teasing. Katie took him seriously. “Oh no,” she said, rolling down her pant legs and perching beside him. “I love the peace and the isolation here. I’m not a fan of crowded beaches. At least I don’t think I would be. My family hasn’t traveled much. My parents both had jobs where they didn’t get paid if they didn’t work, so no trips south for us. And to be honest, hot weather isn’t really my thing.”