The Mighty Quinns: Jack (8 page)

When she was finally finished, her knees collapsed and she sank down onto the floor. A tiny giggle slipped from her lips. “You are so bad,” she whispered. “In a really good way.”

He drew her into his arms. “This is the first time I’ve done it in a closet.”

“I’m so happy to know I could help you with that.” She pushed him down onto the floor and crawled on top of him. “What are we going to do while we wait?”

“My bag is in here. I might have some snacks.”

“Chocolate?”

“Maybe. Let me see what I can find.” He rolled out from under her, searching the floor of the closet. He found his computer bag first and dug through it, then pulled out a penlight and flipped it on. “Now that’s better,” he said, shining it in her face.

He held the light in his teeth and dumped the bag out on the floor. “Gameboy,” he said, holding it out to her. “I think it’s hockey. My baseball stats book. My press pass. And...bubble gum. I have bubble gum. The catcher from the Cubs gave this to me. It’s his own special brand.”

“I’ll take the gum,” she said, holding out her hand. “How long do you think we can survive on the gum?”

“I don’t know. But I’m pretty sure we can make it. Aren’t they supposed to go out for dinner and
Doctor Zhivago
tonight?”

“I think so. What if they decided not to go? What if they’re too tired?”

“Then we’ll have to spend the night in here. It will be tough, but I think I can handle it.”

Mia crawled over to him and wrapped them both in the sheet she’d pulled from the bed. “If I have to be trapped in a closet with a naked man, I’m really happy it’s you.”

They curled up together, leaning up against the wall, her naked body tucked against his. Jack had never really experienced a relationship quite as odd as this one. Nothing ever seemed to go precisely as planned. But then, there was a certain excitement to that. With Mia, he never knew what to expect.

Actually, that was one of the things Jack liked most about Mia. She kept life interesting.

They stayed in the closet for another fifteen minutes, then quietly opened the door and listened for any sound coming from the direction of his mother’s room. But the guest cottage was silent.

Jack reached down and grabbed her hand, then pulled her to her feet. After checking to make sure they were alone, they ran out into the bedroom and jumped onto his bed, rolling around until they were twisted in the bedclothes. “I’m thinking that maybe I should think about other living arrangements while I’m here.”

“Where are you going to go?”

“I have to go down to L.A. for a day or two. Maybe you could come with me. We could make a little vacation of it? Or what about staying at your place in the city?”

“Do you really think we should leave our parents alone?” Mia asked.

“I’m pretty sure we’re not going to find them naked in a closet,” he said.

“Ew,” Mia cried, covering her ears with her hands. “Don’t even say that! You can’t say things like that!” She paused. “I just hope he doesn’t get hurt.”

“I know,” Jack said.

“That’s why the friends-with-benefits plan is so good. No matter what happens, our emotions aren’t involved.”

Even now, after just a few days with Mia, Jack knew that he wasn’t going to be able to walk away without a few regrets. And the more time he spent with her, the more attached he became. He’d take his chances, but with Mia, it was certain to be all or nothing. But who said it had to be nothing?

* * *

M
IA
LEANED
OVER
THE
counter and stared at the coffeemaker, waiting for it to fill enough to steal a mug. She fought back a yawn, but couldn’t help herself. After their official good-night at eleven, when their parents finally got home, Mia and Jack had decided to wait a few hours and meet up in the gazebo. They’d spent the next three hours lost in passionate pursuits before Jack snuck back to the guest cottage to pretend that he’d been asleep there all along.

Though she and Jack were perfectly capable of making their own decisions about their sex life, she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty sneaking around as if they were doing something wrong. Jack was right. They needed to come up with a new plan.

“Good morning, Mimi. It looks like you slept late.”

She turned around to find her dad standing behind her, fresh from a shower and looking well-rested. “Morning, Daddy. You’re walking without the crutches.”

“My ankle is feeling much better today. I might even be up for a game of tennis. I thought I might teach Elyse to play.”

She straightened, shaking her head. “Daddy, you need to be careful. The doctor said you strained your ligaments.”

“I’m perfectly fine, Mimi,” he said, using the nickname he always called her when they were alone. “And I will be careful.” He wandered over to the fridge and grabbed a small carton of cream, then stood next to her and joined her in watching the coffee. “I’m glad I caught you before you left for the day. I wanted to talk to you.”

Mia held her breath. What was this about? Had he somehow found out about her and Jack? Or was he going to tell her something about himself and Elyse? She grabbed the coffeepot and carried it over to the table, pouring them both a cup before they sat down.

“I’m sorry about leaving you to entertain Elyse’s son,” Ben said.

Entertain? Is that what he thought she was doing with Jack? She couldn’t help but smile. “It’s no problem, Daddy. He’s a nice guy.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” he said.

“What’s wrong?” Mia asked, sitting up straight.

“Elyse has talked quite a bit about Jack and his relationship with Melanie.”

“Melanie?”

“His long-term girlfriend. It’s all over now, but according to Elyse, it was serious.” He shook his head. “I just get the sense that Jack is the kind of guy who just can’t commit. It seems like there’s an attraction between you two and I just think you need to know that there’s really no future with a man like him. He’s looking for something he’ll never find.”

“And you think I want a future?”

“Of course you do. Look at how happy your sisters are. They want the same for you—marriage
and children, a home with a man you love.”

“Maybe I don’t want that. At least not now.”

“Sweetheart, I know you. You’ve always been far too trusting when it comes to men. I’m just asking you to maintain a safe distance with this one. Don’t let yourself get caught up in his charms.”

“All right,” Mia said. In truth, after last night, she’d decided that sex with Jack Quinn was far more dangerous than she ever thought it would be. She spent the early morning hours tossing and turning, fighting the urge to sneak out of the house and crawl through his bedroom window in the guest cottage to enjoy more of what he had to offer.

She’d built a whole scenario in her head. She’d stand beside his bed and take off her clothes and, sometime during the silent striptease, he’d wake up. He’d sit up in bed and watch her and then, once she was finished, he’d hold back the covers and she’d crawl in beside his naked body.

After that, the fantasy became all too real in her head, a long, delicious exploration that led to multiple orgasms for both of them.

“Good morning!”

Her father stood and watched as Elyse walked in the back door. Mia ignored a sliver of irritation at the woman’s ease at entering her father’s house. She hadn’t even knocked. Wasn’t that customary?

Elyse crossed the kitchen and when she reached Ben’s side, she pushed up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Good morning,” she said, saving an intimate smile for him.

Mia’s gaze darted back and forth between the two of them, examining their expressions. She felt her spirits sink at the affection they were both showing.

“You look lovely this morning.” Ben leaned close and kissed her cheek. “Are you ready to go?”

“Go?” Mia asked. “Where are you two going now? Don’t you just want to sit still every now and then?”

“We have all sorts of plans for today,” Ben said. “I’m taking Elyse to the plant so I can show her around our offices. Then we’re going to drive to Santa Cruz for the afternoon. Tonight, we’re going dancing on the roof of the Bellingham. And we’d really like it if you and Jack could meet us there.”

“Oh, Daddy, I’m not really a dancing kind of girl. And I don’t think Jack is—”

“Mimi, you don’t have to dance. You can listen to the music, have a few drinks. It’s important that you come.”

“But—”

“Jack was still asleep when I left,” Elyse said with a sweet smile. “Let him know where we went, will you? Your father says you play tennis. You two should play. Jack’s a pretty decent player.”

“My Mimi played in college,” Ben said. “We’ll see you later.” Ben took Elyse’s hand and they headed off toward the front door.

“Sure,” Mia called. “Have fun.” As soon as they were out of sight, she hurried to the guest cottage. She slipped inside and went to the smaller bedroom then knocked softly on the door. When there wasn’t an answer, she opened the door.

“Jack,” she whispered. Mia shook her head. Why was she whispering. “Jack!”

“Yeah!”

She opened the door to find him sitting up in bed. Their activities from the previous evening flashed in her mind and she pressed her hand to her chest in an attempt to restart her heart. “Get up,” she said.

“What time is it?”

“Eight-thirty.”

He flopped back down on the bed. “What is that, six-thirty Chicago time?”

“No, it’s ten-thirty Chicago time.”

He frowned, raking his hand through his hair. “Why did I sleep so late?” A grin came across his expression. “Oh, yeah, I remember now. It’s all your fault.” Mia reached out and grabbed his hand to pull him out of bed, but instead, he tugged her down beside him. “Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?”

“No, as a matter of fact, I didn’t.”

He smoothed his hands around her waist and pulled her close, but Mia wiggled away, sitting up on the edge of the bed. “We need to talk.”

Jack frowned. “I hate when women say that. It’s never anything good, like ‘We have to talk—I won the lottery,’ or ‘We have to talk—of course you can buy that sports car.’”

“Our parents would like us to join them tonight in the city. They hold summer dances on the roof of the Bellingham Hotel and that’s where they’re going tonight.”

“I don’t dance,” Jack said.

“Neither do I,” Mia added. “And I told them that. But my father insisted that we be there.” She paused. “He’s taking her to see his company today. They’re going to tour the plant and the office.”

“That sounds...incredibly boring,” Jack said. “Doesn’t your dad’s company make microchips?”

“Nano technology,” she said.

“I’m sure we can find something much better to do with our time, don’t you think? Maybe I could take you to where I work. There’s a Giants game today. We could go to the ballpark.”

She scrambled to her feet and began to pace beside the bed. “Something is going on and I don’t feel good about it,” Mia said. “Why is he taking her to see the business? What is he trying to prove to her?”

Jack swung his legs off the bed and the covers fell away to reveal his dark blue boxer briefs. He yawned, stretching his arms over his head and Mia found her attention caught by the play of muscle across his chest and shoulders.

She loved the way his body looked and moved and felt beneath her hands. Mia shook her head, bringing her thoughts back to the matter at hand. “Is your mother always this active? My father has barely bothered to leave the house for anything but work since my mother died and now, he’s running all over the countryside.”

“She likes to do things,” Jack said. “But she usually goes with friends. I wish she could travel more on a teacher’s pension, that’s not really an option. My sisters and I always buy her one big trip for Christmas every year. Last year it was China. The year before that, she went to Greece.”

“My father used to love to travel,” Mia murmured, slowing her pace. “And he and my mom were always going places and doing things.”

Jack stared at her for a long moment. “They’re just having a good time, Mia. Just like we are—only in their own way.”

“I don’t know,” Mia replied. “I think there’s something there. I can feel it. He’s happy again. And I was beginning to wonder if that would ever happen. Don’t you see it?”

“Sure,” Jack said. “I guess I do. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to run off to Vegas and get married tomorrow. You don’t know my mother. She takes a long time to make decisions. It took her over a year to decide on a color to paint her house and another year to decide if she made the right decision. Marriage is nothing like house paint. You can’t change it all a year later because you made the wrong decision—which she did, by the way.”

Mia shook her head. “Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m just imagining all of this.” She shrugged, then drew a deep breath. “It’s all right. I sometimes overreact. And I didn’t get much sleep last night, so that’s not helping.”

Jack closed his eyes and flopped back on the bed. “You should know that I’m much lazier than my mother. I’m thinking we should spend the rest of the day in bed. What are your thoughts on that?”

Mia stretched out beside him, nestling into the curve of his arm and resting her hand on his naked chest. “I don’t know. Maybe we should get out and do something. Just for the day. To put things in perspective. An afternoon of baseball might make an evening of rumbas and cha-chas much more tolerable.”

Jack pushed up on his elbow and stared down into her eyes. “I think that’s a perfect idea. Do you like baseball?”

“Sure. My dad always took us when we were younger. I know my way around a ballpark.”

Jack crawled out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Mia followed him, then perched on the edge of the counter to watch him brush his teeth. As she took in every detail of his morning routine, she realized how intimate it all seemed. This was how it would be if they lived together, these simple tasks.

Some days, they’d get up early and rush to work. Other days, they’d get up late and shower together, brush their teeth, maybe have a cup of coffee still wrapped in towels.