“I started coming out once a week. Then I’d come out anytime my father and I fought. Eventually, it just became my thing. Kent became a friend. He saw how much I loved ballooning, so he convinced me I needed to become a pilot and taught me. I thought I had never seen such a beautiful sight in my life. Until now.”
He held my gaze. I swallowed hard, not realizing a lump had formed in my throat.
“I was wrong. This moment. You being here and seeing all this. The look in your eyes. This is absolutely the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen in my life.”
He didn’t move. He just saw me.Reallysaw me. His eyes went from the top of my head down to my toes like he was trying to memorize every inch of me.
“I don’t deserve you, Quinn. I’m an idiot for ever thinking that I did—like you were some kind of trophy I needed to win. And when I lost you, I realized I never really had you to begin with.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because you are everything that is good in this world. Your love for people. Your genuine kindness. The way you put everyone else before yourself. Shit, even me. You didn’t have to do all this.”
“I didn’t do it for you if it makes you feel any better.” I grinned.
“No, you didn’t. You did it for your mom. And that’s what I’m talking about.”
“I’d do just about anything for her,” I said. “Even if it means having to play house with Seattle’s most eligible bachelor.”
He chuckled. “Not anymore,” he said, holding up his ring finger. “Haven’t you heard? I’m taken.”
I gasped playfully. “What will all the debutantes of Seattle think when they hear you’re off the market?”
“The only person who I care what they think is you,” he said matter of factly.
My heart fluttered as if it had grown wings and was about to take flight out of my chest.
“You’re taking this husband thing pretty seriously.”
“Bunny, if I were taking this husband thing seriously, you wouldn’t still be in those clothes.” He cocked his head and gave me the sexiest side smirk I had ever seen.
I backed up until I was on the opposite side of the basket facing him. I licked my lips.
“Show me,” I demanded.
He looked around as if we were being watched. Only a disinterested bird flew by.
“Here?” he asked.
I took one strap from my blouse and let it drop off my shoulder. His eyes were riveted by the motion as I brought my hand to my other shoulder and let the strap fall off that side too. I lowered my top, baring my breasts to him.
Hunger shined in his gaze.
“Here,” I said.
He moved like a predator hunting down its prey. Before I knew it, he used both his arms to cage me against the edge and leaned in and whispered into my ear.
“I will ravage you right here, right now.” He bit my earlobe. “Unless you change your mind.”
I put my arms around his neck and brought him close to me.
“I think it’s time you show me what you can do with that slick tongue, husband.”
He grinned devilishly and slid a hand into my hair, bunching it into a fist and driving my mouth to his.
His lips skimmed and sucked and took in mine like he was a hungry animal and I was his meal. He pinched one nipple and then licked and sucked the other in tender circles. Then he dipped lower, stabilizing himself against the edge and pushing me into it.
His lips roamed down my abdomen as he tugged my blouse, letting it fall to my feet. Then he got down on his knees, unbuttoned my jeans, and yanked them down in one hard pull.