“Where has my innocent Quinn gone?” I wiggled my eyebrows at her. She laughed and covered her eyes with her hands.
“Well, no one told me it would feelthatgood,” she muttered from behind her hands.
“Believe me, baby, there will be plenty more where that came from. We’ve got all the time in the world.” I came back to the bed and bent over her, brushing a kiss across her lips. “I’m going to clean up, then we can order pizza and eat it in bed.”
“Sounds perfect.” She grinned.
Once in the bathroom, I came to stand in front of the sink, my hands resting on either side. I’d just told her we’d got all the time in the world to be together. Glancing at my reflection in the mirror, I only hoped that once I’d told Quinn about Evan, that statement would still be true. I wasn’t ready to lose her. I don’t think I’d ever be ready to.
Quinn
Watching Brody walk naked to the bathroom, I couldn’t help but stare at his incredible ass. I’d been apprehensive about sleeping with him, but he’d made my first time unforgettable. Feeling an unfamiliar sting between my legs, I knew I’d be sore tomorrow, but it was the best kind of sore.
Sitting up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Spying the t-shirt Brody had taken off after we’d arrived home, I quickly slipped it on and padded across to the window. The drapes were closed, and I pulled them open slightly, looking out over the ranch. The light was fading, but I could just make out a man standing behind where the burned-out stables had once been. It was too dark to make out his face, but I guessed it was one of the ranch hands—maybe Colt or Taylor. Sensing they were looking up at the house, I took a small step back, an uneasy feeling washing over me. Feeling arms wrap around me, I screamed, not having heard Brody coming out of the bathroom.
“Shit! You scared me.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” He wrapped his arms more tightly around me, his lips coming to kiss my neck. “What are you looking at?” he mumbled against my skin.
“Nothing. I just saw someone outside, by where the stables were. It was probably just Colt or Taylor,” I told him, shrugging my shoulders slightly. I felt Brody’s body tense behind me.
“Colt and Taylor aren’t working tonight.” He pushed me gently behind him as he peered through the drapes.
“Maybe it was Mason then?” I suggested. He shook his head.
“I don’t think so. Mason mentioned he was taking Libby out.” His voice was strained and the uneasy feeling I’d felt a minute ago returned.
“Who was it then?”
“I don’t know, baby. There’s no one there now. I’m going to go take a look.” He moved away from the window, closing the drapes. Picking up his jeans, he pulled them on.
“I’ll come too.” I reached for my sweats that lay on the bedroom floor.
“No!” he exclaimed, a frown on his face. I looked at him in surprise. Seeing my reaction, he relaxed his features and came over to me. “Stay here, Quinn, please. Why don’t you order the pizza while I’m gone?” I eyed him suspiciously.
“Who do you think it is, Brody?” My heart was pounding in my chest. Sighing, he pushed his hand through his already messy hair.
“I don’t know. But I’d rather you stay here, where I know you’re safe.”
“You’re scaring me,” I whispered. “Why wouldn’t I be safe out there?”
“Of course, you’re safe, baby. I’m just hungry. I thought you could order the food while I checked things out.” He smiled at me, but he was acting weird and I had no idea why.
“Okay,” I agreed, wondering what it was he wasn’t telling me. “I’ll come downstairs and grab the takeout menus.”
“No need. I’ve got some in the nightstand drawer,” he replied, looking relieved I’d agreed to stay inside. He kissed me on the cheek before grabbing his phone and heading out into the hall. “If you need me, call me.” He held his phone in the air. “I won’t be long.”
Following him into the hall, I shouted after him as he flew down the stairs. “What pizza do you want?”
“Whatever you want,” he shouted up. “I like anything.” Sighing, I made my way back into his bedroom. Walking past the nightstand, I went straight to the window, opening the drapes again. The light had faded even more, and I waited to see Brody appear from the front of the house. I saw the illumination of a flashlight before Brody came into view. He was holding the light in one hand, his other hand holding his phone to his ear. I wondered who he was calling. Maybe he was calling Colt and Taylor to see if they were working even though they weren’t scheduled to be. I watched him walk through the scorched exercise area and around the new structure that was going to replace the stables. Whoever I’d seen out there was gone now, there was no sign of them.
Brody disappeared from sight for a few minutes as he went up toward the guest accommodations. When he returned to view, he was no longer on his phone and it looked like he was heading back to the house. Looking up to the window he saw me looking out and waved. I waved back and closed the drapes. Finding the takeout menu for the local pizza place, I picked up my phone and dialed the number on the front. Ordering a large barbeque chicken pizza, and a side of wedges, I gave the man on the other end of the phone the ranch address before hanging up. Minutes later, I heard footsteps on the stairs, before the bedroom door swung open and Brody walked in.
“Did you see anyone?” I asked, noticing he no longer had the flashlight in his hand.
“No, there was no one out there.”
“There definitely was when I first looked.” I frowned. “Who did you call?” He looked at me, pausing before he answered.