Page 25 of Temptation

“I better get Chrissy her car back.” Quill stood up and stretched. “Thanks for the tires, Q.”

“Oh, no problem. Say hi for me.” Quinn smiled and stood up with him.

“I'll give you a hand with the clean up and be on my way too.” Tenn followed them into the house. When Quill left, Quinn turned to Tenn and pulled out her phone.

“I didn't think to check the ring cam yesterday when we realised Viki and Joel were here. Look what I found.” She handed him her phone, and Tenn watched as Joel and Viki came running up to the door; when they were out of sight of the street, Joel pushed her up against the door, kissed her sloppily as he unlocked it, and then they entered, closing the door behind them. Tenn's lip curled in disgust. “God, it's like watching two squid try to assert their dominance.”

“Yeah, it was gross, but Joel didn't try to erase anything; all the other videos are still stored on the cloud. It's like he forgot we have a security system.”

“Or they're so cocky about not getting caught; they don't care anymore.” Tenn shrugged. “Either way, it's more ammunition for us.” Quinn nodded and put aside a meal for Joel while Tenn loaded the dishwasher. He frowned when he saw her do it and had to ask. “Why are you still looking after him?”

Quinn looked down at the plate she was covering with tinfoil. “I'm just used to it, I guess. It's a habit, not something I want to do.” She smiled. “If he touches my cheesecake, I'll throw fists. Thanks for helping me.”

“Anytime, Quinn.” Mindful of the camera, he hugged her and said good night in the entranceway.

“See you Wednesday?”

“Not tomorrow?” He teased, and she laughed.

“You're gonna get tired of me.”

“I don't think so.”

Chapter Twelve: Joel in the Doghouse

Quinn cleaned up her bedroom and ensuite and debated painting and changing the colours while making the bed with an older comforter set. Maybe go with something brighter than the current forest green. Hearing the door open, she glanced at the clock. After ten. Wow. He was barely trying to hide it now. She walked out to find her husband painfully removing his shoes.

“Dinner is in the microwave.” She leaned on the wall, biting her tongue so she wouldn't smile at his pain.

“Thanks.” He straightened up with a groan and came over to kiss her cheek. “Sorry, I'm so late. I had trouble staying seated for long periods; it took me forever to finish my paperwork.”

“Maybe you should see a doctor; make sure you haven't done any damage.” She suggested, trying to sound reasonably concerned.

“Maybe.” He nodded in agreement. “Could you make an appointment for me?”

“Or you could, considering you're a forty-year-old man, and I'm not your mother.” She rolled her eyes. She was expected to handle everything in the household. Appointments, bills, the calendar. She was over it.

Joel moved slowly into the kitchen. “You always do that stuff. I don't even know the name of the clinic we go to, just where it is.”

Quinn followed him to a small, built-in desk at the end of the counter, opened the drawer, and pulled out an address book. “All the important numbers are in here,” she said, laying the book on top of the desk. I suggest you put them in your phone.”

Joel paused from removing the tin foil from the plate and looked up at her with a frown. “Why would I do that?”

“Because it's what adults do?” Quinn raised her eyebrow. “Independent, self-sufficient adults anyway.”

Joel put the plate in the microwave and turned it on. “Why does it feel like you're preparing me to be single?”

“I don't know, Joel, why would I do that?” She rolled her eyes. “I moved all your things to the spare room. You'll be sleeping in there going forward.”

“What? No! That bed is too uncomfortable!” His face turned red as he spun to stare at her. “You're the one who decided we need to sleep separately; you sleep in there.”

“If the bed is that uncomfortable, the one from my bedroom is in the garage. Move it in there.” She shrugged. “And you made this decision. You just decided not to communicate it with me.”

“You bought a new bedroom set? Why?”

“I wanted one. A fresh start.” She smiled at his clear confusion.

“Quinn, come on.” Joel sighed as the microwave beeped and turned to take out his food. “Don't do this.”

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