“Yes, you are. You’re doing that thing where your expression goes blank, and your voice gets calmer.”
He tilted her chin up until their eyes met.
“You don’t have to do that with me. I don’t mind if you want to yell or lose your shit.”
“I don’t lose my shit.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing. Give a try.”
“I don’t think so.” She pushed against his chest. “I need to go.”
He pulled her in and kissed her softly. His need for this woman ran deep. His life was all over the place, and hers wasn’t any better, but he wanted her, wanted to be with her.
When he’d watched her fall on her face on the court, he’d been worried and angry. Angry that someone had hurt her.
“I know. But I want you to understand that I’m here if you need me, Quinn. Me and my family. We can help you clean up whatever mess is in those shade houses, just as some of the others in town can. You Harpers are not in this alone, okay?”
“It’s our problem. We can sort it.” She may have pulled on a sweatshirt over her basketball clothes, but those short shorts weren’t providing much protection against the cool weather.
“And yet we accepted help from you.”
“You helped fly us to Lyntacky. You helped with Nixon. You filled in with Pip’s team. I could go on.”
Her dark eyes were cool. Luke gripped her shoulders and shook. “Stop hiding what you’re feeling.”
“It’s the only way I know how to cope.”
“Let me help you, Quinn.”
“I’m not very good at accepting help. I think I get it from my dad.” Her lips tilted into a small smile.
“It’s how this town works, Captain Harper. We like nothing more than gathering around a family that needs us.”
“You sound like Mayor Gripper. That’s something he would say.”
“And likely has.” He pulled her into his body and held her. She was rigid. “Relax. Much as I want to strip off these shorts that have tormented me all day, I won’t. I’m just holding you.”
He felt the breath from her sigh brush his neck, and she seemed to lose all the strength in her body and slumped into him.
“That nose throbbing?”
“It’s not too bad. A bit sore, but I’ve had worse.”
“When did you have worse?” He ran his hands up and down her spine and allowed one to slip lower and caress her ass.
“Hey!”
“I’m only human, baby, and that is one fine ass.”
She sighed.
“I’d rather fly into a war zone than deal with my family dramas.”
“Ditto with walking into a fire. Family makes you react like that.” He didn’t want to let her go but knew he had to. “Let’s go.”
“You can go now, Luke.”
“I could, but I’m not going to.”