Loving Quinn Novel by North Rose
Chapter 75

[Annora)

Peaceful.

That is the only word that comes to mind as I lay my on my towel, soaking up the sunshine on Quinn’s private beach. His villa took my breath away when we got here. It is large, with a wide-open floor plan. They spread the five bedrooms out like little cabins separate from the main house. Each has their own bathroom and a small patio.

The villa used to be a small hotel. Two bedrooms on each side of the main bulding, with the third at the back. The bedrooms are large, each has a small sitting room, a fireplace, and then a king-size bed in each.

Quinn said he left the property how it is because he just isn’t here enough to justify a remodel. However, seeing how Grace and I reacted to the place, he says a remodel may be in order if we plan on vacationing here more often would love that very much.

It is quiet here.

No one calling tas

No one interfering in our family time.

The most important thing is that Dionne Masters is not here to rain her misery down on us.

I tried to bring up what happened that day in court once we were alone on the first night we were here, but Quinn just shook his head, then led me down to the beach. He set up a blanket, candles, and a bottle of wine in a secluded spot that was hidden from the house above. Then he proceeded to wipe all thoughts out of my head.

There was only him, the sound of the water, and the way he made me feel. We spent hours exploring each other’s bodies, just touching, tasting, and loving each other without words.

In the past, we never really took the time to explore each other as thoroughly as we have since we found each other again. Back then, we were so hungry for each other that we rushed to the Enish line each time. There was also the fact that we had to sneak away for those stolen moments.

Very much like we have been on this vacation. Sneaking private time alone at night while everyone else sleeps. Talking about the future, holding each other as we silently watch the waves crash against the shoreline, or making love under the stars.

I love all the time we have spent together during the last week. Between Grace and my parents, there has been a constant stream of activities. My mother fell in love with the nearby village, which made my father shake his head, then sigh. Quinn extended an open invitation for them to use the villa anytime they want in the future,

My mother rewarded that gracious offer by taking Grace and my father to the air in the village.

Glancing to my left, I watch Quinn sleep on the beach towel next to me. Unable to resist, I reach out to smooth a lock of his silky-smooth hair off his forehead. It makes me smile as I think of all the little things that he does for die.

Things that melt my heart each time he does them. They are small, and I know he does them because he loves me. I have seen my father do similar things for my mother as I grew up.

A hand on my lower back. It makes me feel safe knowing he is there beside me. Sometimes I don’t think he is even fully aware that he is doing it. To sonte women, it could be a sign of controlling or possessive behavior.

Quis has never been either of those things with me. That is just not who he is.

He is the type of man that moves me to the inside of a walkway as we are walking down the street. The sweat ways he makes sure I am sale makes me -smile. Knowing my safety and wellbeing is a priority for him makes me love him more.

He is the type of man that always walls to let me know if he will be late getting home and where he will be. At first, this was for transparency after he told me about his past. I think he did it to esse my mind, but he continued to call me anytime he would be late, long after I told him that I trust him completely.

Then there are the things he does for me that just make me laugh. The packages of peanut M&Ms that somehow replace their way into my purse and briefcase. It reminds me of the summer we met. I told him they were my favole candy.

Twelve years later, he still remembers.

“Like what you see?”

His voice is gruff from sleep, which makes me smile. ‘I stroke his threek softly, then lean in to place a gentle kiss on his lips. His hand lands on the nape of my neck to hold me still as he takes the kiss in a nut so immocent direction. When he breaks the kiss, we are both breathing hard.

“I love what I see when I look at you. There is so much more to you than that s**y as sin face you have. I was just thinking about some of the things I love about you.”

“Oh? Like what?” He gives me a smirk as he stands up, then pulls me to my feet,

“About how you sneak M&Ms into my briefcase, purse, and both of my work disks.”

The sheepish smile he e gives me makes me laugh. There is a light blush to his lovely, tanned skin. I wrap my arms around his neck, then just stare up at him. Until now, I didn’t think he could get any more adorable.

Something I will never voice out loud

It isn’t manly.

“I just can’t seem to help myself from buying them for you.” His voice is low in tone as he looks down into my eyes. He wraps his arms around my waist to hold me close.

“It makes me smile every time I see them. Although I feel that I should be honest with you. I do share them with Grace and some of my patients.” I give him a sheepish smile of my own, which causes him to laugh.

Quinn pulls away from me, then grabs my hand. He leads me away from our towels, then further down the beach. We continue to walk in comfortable silence for a few minutes before I decide to bring up the shadow of what happened before we left California.

Everything that happened in court with Dionne.

As much as I don’t want to spoil our vacation, I just can’t go back to California with this still hanging over our heads.

“Hey, can we talk seriously for a bit?” I stop walking after I speak up.

With a frown on his face, Quinn turns to face me. “What’s up?”

I nibble on my lower lip for a moment before I speak again. “I need you to talk to me. How are you truly feeling about Logan not being your son? How are you feeling about what that woman has put you through again?”

His demeanor changes instantly, just like I thought it would. Gone is the relaxed and happy Quinn. I watch as he takes a step away from me, then he turns towards the stairs leading up to the villa.

“I don’t want to talk about that here. Not while we are on vacation. Let it go for now.” With that said, he walks away swiftly.

For a few seconds, I debate on following him and making him talk to me. Instead, I walk back down the beach to where our towels, picnic basket, and cell phones are. When I reach our spot, I sit down on my towel instead of cleaning up like I intended to.

While I understand that he wants to just enjoy our tinse bure and be worry fe, I can’t go back home with this still over our heads. Logan is not his son and no matter what he says, I know that has had an impact on him. Knowing now that Dionne knew all that time that Ethan was Logan’s father just pi**s me off

What kind of person lies like that? What was her goal in Giling that lawsuit? Did she honestly think that the first DNA test was wrong and the second one would be what she wanted?

How delusional is that crazy **ch?

DNA does not lie. Yes, tests can be altered on paper to say anything if money la exchanged. That I have no doubt about. However, secrets always replace a way. I am happy Quinn went through courts for the DNA test,

I am even happier that his lawyer went above and beyond his job to f hope Ethan makes her life hell for all the lies she told him replace that huse. Karma is a **h, and Dionne Masters got what she deserved. I

An enormous shadow on the sand makes me look up and blink my eyes. Quinn is standing next to his beach towel. There is a grave look on his face as he sits down beside me. He reaches for my hand, places a soft kiss across my knuckles, then takes a deep breath.

“I am sorry I was short with you. This is our time, and I just didn’t want to cast a shadow over it by talking about her.” He turns to face the water with my hand still in his.

“Quinn, that Shadow is already over us. Do you really think that not talking about will make it just go away? She didn’t get what she wanted in the end, either. Do you really think that we have seen or heard the last of Dionne Masters? I don’t.”

He looks at me and I can tell just by his expression that he agrees with me on that part.

“She is obsessed with you. I have a theory on why.”

“I walked away rather than fall into her trap like Ethan and God knows how many others did. This has been a question on my mind, too. I walked away and never looked back. Not for her, at least. Only for the life of our child. Does that make me a monster?”

“No. It makes you human. She hurt you. So, instead of staying to be hurt again, you left. You knew deep down that the relationship between the two of you wasn’t right for you. I wish I would have done that much sooner with Kyle. It would have been better for Grace and 1 both had I just listened to my instincts.”

Quinn looks at me for a moment, then looks back at the water. He begins to rub his thumb over my knuckles slowly. I keep silent to allow him to gather his thoughts.

*Knowing that Logan isn’t mine should have made me happy. I mean, I am, but you and I both saw how Ethan was with him. That look of disgust on his face when he looked at the boy, Will Ethan change his tune now that the truth is out?”

1 remember that look well. It angered me that someone could be like that towards an innocent child. No matter who his father was at the time, Logan was not responsible for his mother’s lies.

“I hope eso. What can we or should we even do about it when we get home?” ask him quietly.

He looks back at me, then shakes his head. “Honestly, we shouldn’t do anything. I feel horrible for both of them, but Ethan is now the one that needs to make things right with his son. That is all on his shoulders now.”

“That is true. For both of them, I hope everything goes well. However, I feel that may not happen right away. At least not with Dionne in their lives.”

Quinn’s amber expression mirrors my words. With a sigh, I let go of his hand, then stand up. He joins me as I gather our belongings in a heavy silence. I still feel like there is more that he wants to say, but I have a feeling that this is all I will get out of him for now. It may be wise to just wait for him to be ready to talk about what else is still bothering him. I can tell there is something else because I can still see it in his eyes when he turns to grab the picnic basket from me.

I hand it to him, then follow him up the beach to the stone steps leading to the villa above us. When we reach the top, he heads straight into the main building to put the basket down on the kitchen counter. He grabs his cellphone then heads out the side door towards our bedroom.

After cleaning the contents of the basket out, I follow him so that I can chand out of my bikini, However, I stop in room. Quinn is sitting on the edge of the bed with an angry expression on his face.

my tracks when I walk into our

remind me of a start on the ocean as he looks up at me. My heart rate spikes as I look at him, partly in fear and partly with the His sea-green eyes desire to ride that storm out. I push the desire to the back of my mind as I walk into the room to sit next to him.

“I saw that brief look of fear in your eyes when you came in here, Annie. You know that I would never take my anger out on you. What did you ever see in that p**ck?”

My throat clogs with emotion as Quinn looks at me with sadness in his eyes but quickly turns back into anger. The mention of my ex-husband makes me grimace. Funny thing about his question is that I have asked myself the same thing about Dionne. What did he ever see in her?

“Kyle was charming. He did and said all the right things. I thought he was a good man. He wore time he hit me.”

that mask of his very well. I should have left the first

Quinn pushes up off the bed, then spins around to face me. His fists are clenched at his sides as he struggles to control his emotions. When he finally gains control, he scoops me up off the bed, then sits hack down with me on he lap.

“This mess we are in with Dionne is all my fault. I am so angry that I almost married her. I hate that she tried to ruin what you and I have now. I brought this crazy woman into your life. Why have you not left me yet?”

With gentle movements, I place my hands on his face, then I tum his head so can look into his eyes. “You are my safe harbor in the storm of life. With you, I am loved. I am cherished. I trust that you will never truly hurt me. You will lay down your life to protect me, Grace, and all those you love from harm. 1 stay because I love you.”

His lips most mine in one of the gentlest kisses he has ever given nie.

We can weather any storm that comes our way as long as we stick together.