Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
“Don’t be a condescending prick.” She dumped her purse and shrugged out of her jacket, glowering at me in a way that heated my blood.
“You promised you’d be honest with me.”
“Maybe, just maybe, there are moments where I don’t want to burden you with thoughts and anxieties that aren’t urgent and can wait for another day that isn’t the day you experience a monumentally life-changing event.” Taran’s hurt expression cooled my blood and my ire. “Can you not think the worst of me, Quinn? Because I don’t think this will work between us if you jump down my throat every time I get a little quiet.”
Fuck.
I squeezed my eyes closed with regret. “Mo luaidh, I’m sorry.”
When I opened my eyes, I found her sitting on the edge of the bed. “Maybe … maybe you should admit that you don’t quite trust I’m in this for good yet.”
That wasn’t … I didn’t …
I sank down next to her, stopping myself from voicing a denial. “It … it feels too good to be true, you know.”
“So, you don’t trust me?”
Her forlorn question had me reaching for her hand. “It’s not that I don’t trust you. Maybe … maybe I don’t quite trust us yet.”
“Yet?” Taran’s expression of wary hopefulness made me feel so raw and greedy for her.
“It’ll take time for us to be completely comfortable in this with each other. I guess that only makes sense, right? But I’m not going anywhere. Just, please, tell me what is bothering you when I ask you. No matter what else has happened that day, I don’t want to be protected from your feelings.”
“Quinn … we’re just … we’re just starting out again and this …” She exhaled shakily, pulling her hand from mine in a way that made me uneasy.
“Don’t. Don’t shut me out.”
Taran’s dark eyes flashed again, and she shoved me only half playfully. “Stop freaking out on me.”
“Stop freaking me out.”
Her lips twitched as her eyes washed over my face. Slowly, that amusement died and her voice was barely above a whisper when she asked, “Do you want more kids, Quinn?”
I was stunned.
That was not at all what I’d expected.
“I want kids.” She shrugged sadly. “And I feel like I’m running out of time, but you’ve had kids and—”
I kissed her, cutting off her words, my hand on her nape holding her captive against my mouth. She moaned, sinking into it, and I licked inside her, wanting to devour her. Suddenly, however, Taran jerked her head away, lips wet, panting.
I’d never wanted anyone more.
“Quinn?”
“I want children with you, Taran.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “It’s all I’ve wanted since we were kids ourselves. You, me, a house full of wee versions of us. A simple life, but a beautiful one.”
Her eyes shone with tears. “Really?”
“When are you going to finally understand, Taran Macbeth, that I’m only half a person without you? I want whatever makes you happy, and if what makes you happy also happens to make me happy, then all the better.”
A tug on my shirt made me realize she’d curled her fingers into the fabric. “You don’t think we’re too late?”
I frowned. “Will we be exhausted for a few years? Aye. Is it worth it? Fuck aye.”
Her smile was wide and glorious. I took a snapshot of her right there and then, never wanting to forget the love in her eyes. “We can do this, Quinn. We can make it this time.”
“I’m going to make damn sure of it.” I kissed her again, pulling her close.
Within minutes we were both stripped to our underwear and my dick was hard as a fucking rock. I never thought I’d have this again. This level of sexual excitement. I thought it was a thing of the past.
As I commanded Taran to move into the middle of the bed, I stood to stare down at her, drinking in the gorgeous sight of her in her black bra and panties. I was the luckiest man in the world.
“I had a health check. I’m good.”
Her beautiful tip-tilted eyes flared. “Oh.”
“I don’t mean …” Realizing how she might construe that. “I don’t mean we need to start trying now. In fact, I’d like it to just be us for a while—”
“Agreed.” She nodded, eyes adorably wide.
My lips twitched. “But I’d like to take you bare.”
Taran rubbed her thighs together as her breast trembled with a heave of emotion. “I am on the pill and I’m all good too … so that would be a yes, Mr. McQuarrie.”
I groaned on a smile because I felt like I was coming out of my fucking skin. Wonder if that feeling will ever abate? I hope not.
I drank her in, my chest heaving with want. Finally, I climbed onto the bed. Taran’s nipples were visibly taut against the fabric of her bra. The desire in her dark eyes made me feel a million feet tall. “Lie back, Mo luaidh.”