“You don’t have to be sorry. And I think we may be past the point where you need to worry about that. I just want to know you, Liam. Whoever you are and however you feel. I’m glad you told me you were divorced when you did because the thought that we’d—” I jerk to a stop, setting my coffee cup down. “You know, and then I met who I thought was your wife? Holy shit. I almost died right there on the spot.”
Chapter 17
Liam
I grit my teeth together. “Sorry about that. I just assumed it was in Olivia’s file or something. Not that I knew you and I were going to come face-to-face that day.”
The color on Quinn’s cheeks tells me there is something more that she hasn’t told me. Even though this is our first date, I’ve had enough interaction with her to know when she’s holding something back. Strangely enough, I don’t usually feel like I know many people as well after only a handful of encounters the way I feel like I know her. That generous heart is on full display at all times, and her quick mind is an open book. But perhaps that’s only for me. Dare I hope that’s the case? That we could be so right for each other, that we just understand each other?
Deciding to dig deeper, I say, “Most people would react similarly to the way you did if they thought they were the other person.” I leave her the opening to continue to talk if she wants to.
As I watch, she takes a slow sip of her coffee, her hand shaking ever so slightly as she sets the cup back on the table. She raises her eyes to mine. Oh fuck, is she about to tell me that it’s happened to her before? Is that what this is about?
She visibly swallows before her eyes flick up to mine. “I’ll tell you why I was particularly freaked out some other time.”
I’m about to argue and say I want to know why she seems on edge all of a sudden when voices and giggling from the other side of the room catch my attention. My head turns toward it at the same time Quinn’s does.
A group of girls and boys, about Olivia’s age, sit in a big booth, talking, laughing, and sliding the occasional curious glance in our direction. I lift a hand and wave, letting them know we see them, and if they read my expression correctly, to cut the crap.
When my focus shifts back to Quinn, annoyance distorts her pretty features.
I lean closer and speak softly. “Do you want to get out of here?”
She glances down at her half-finished coffee, pushing it away. “I think it would be for the best, yes.”
“Okay, let’s go.” I stand and shrug into my coat, then help Quinn into hers. We leave without another word or a glance at the table of teens.
“So.” I blow out a breath as we walk away from the coffee shop toward my car.
Quinn huffs out a heavy sigh. “Yeah. Those kids are all in Olivia’s grade.”
“Gotcha. Okay well, let’s go somewhere else, then.”
I open the door for her and help her in, all the while wondering if this is a big deal at all. Two adults out at a coffee shop? Come on. Shrugging it off, I climb into the driver’s seat and turn the car on.
A few moments later, Quinn snaps out of whatever daze she’s in and glances at me. “Where should we go?”
“Is it okay with you if we hang out over at my place? We can talk more or … you know, whatever.” I shrug, trying for an innocent look.
She scrunches her nose at me, an amused light in her eyes. “Or whatever?”
I laugh. I guess I didn’t quite pull off innocence. “Yeah. If that’s what you want to call it, and if that’s what you want to do, sure.”
“Taking advantage of the fact that your daughter is out of the house, Liam?”
I rub my hand over my jaw. “It only happens once a month. Who knew dating life with a teenager would be so damn complicated?”
“I could have told you that, and I don’t even have one.” She snorts a little. “I guess I do sort of have just over a hundred of them. Give or take.”
“That must be interesting.”
“What? Learning how to tame the wild beast? Yeah, it can get a little hairy sometimes.” She shifts in her seat, drawing my eyes to her legs in her hot-as-fuck tight jeans.
I can’t deny it, she’s sitting in my passenger seat, talking about the behavior of a bunch of kids, and I think it must be the pants because I’m incredibly hot for her.
I growl under my breath. “You’re too damn sexy, Quinn. Those jeans should be illegal in all fifty states. Canada, too.”
“Well, then let’s get back to your place so I can take them off.” She shoots a wink at me.