Page 40 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 1-4

‘Thanks, Lena.’ Quin smiled at her.

Sadie got up off her knees and sat back down on the seat. She felt a little dazed. Winded. Now her son knew who she was.

She looked at Quin. ‘Do you think he took that in?’

Quin nodded. ‘He’s processing the information. He can bring stuff up from a year ago as if it happened yesterday. It’s just how they do it at that age.’

‘I hope he’s not upset.’

Quin shook his head. ‘He’s not upset.’

Sadie’s emotions were suddenly surging upwards and bubbling too close to the surface. She stood up and mumbled something, then fled to the bathroom, locking the door behind her just as the emotions erupted out of her with a huge sob. She couldn’t breathe or see. Everything was blurry.

‘Sadie, open the door.’

Quin.She’d thought the knocking on the door was her heart.

There was no hope of her regaining control. Reluctantly she opened the door, and then Quin was in the small space and she was enveloped in his arms—the safe harbour she’d longed for every night for the past four years.

Sadie wasn’t sure how long she cried and how long he held her—it could have been minutes or hours. When she finally pulled back from Quin’s chest all she could see was a massive damp patch. Mortified, she said, ‘I’m so sorry—’

‘It’s fine.’

Quin’s voice had a rough quality. She was afraid to look at him, but he tipped up her chin with a finger and she had no choice. She was sure her face and eyes must be swollen and blotchy, but remarkably she felt better. At peace. Lighter.

‘Thank you,’ she said huskily.

Quin’s gaze moved to her mouth, and even in the aftermath of her emotional storm Sadie could feel her blood spike with heat. Mortifying... He couldn’t have made it clearer that he would not touch her again, but she was too weak right now to pull back.

‘For what?’ he asked.

‘For telling Sol... For not casting me away on sight as you had every right to do.’

Quin rubbed his thumbs across her cheeks, wiping her tears. ‘I’m sorry that I’m only realising now how hard it must have been for you, and how strong you’ve had to be to get through the last four years.’

Sadie’s heart hitched. ‘And for you too.’

A moment quivered between them, delicate and fragile. For the first time since she’d come back into his life Quin wasn’t looking at her with that mixture of distrust and antipathy. It was something altogether...warmer.

Sadie looked at his mouth. She desperately wanted him to kiss her... Even as she had that thought his head started to lower towards hers—just as a sound came from behind Quin, and then a voice.

It was Lena. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but Sol is asking for Sadie to watch the movie with him.’

Quin stopped moving. His eyes met Sadie’s. She trembled with the heated intent she saw there. It didn’t mean he’d act on it. She needed to be strong. To protect herself and not let him see how much she ached for him.

Quin spoke. ‘Okay, she’ll be right there.’

He took his hands down and stepped back out of the cubicle. The moment was gone.

Sadie forced a watery smile. ‘I’ll just freshen up.’

Quin left her, closing the door behind him. Sadie heard his and Lena’s voices fading as they walked away. She turned around and looked at herself in the mirror—and gasped. Her cheeks were bright pink, with traces of her tears in salty tracks. Her eyes were overbright, and still a bit bloodshot from crying. Hair in total disarray. And here she was thinking he’d looked at her with desire. She was delusional.

No. She was in love, and aching for something that had been lost for ever.

Sadie groaned softly and turned on the tap. She had to try and minimise the damage of her overflowing emotions. She would just have to hug the thought of how good it had felt to be held in Quin’s arms again close to her, like a guilty secret.

A couple of hours later, Quin pushed open the bedroom door on the plane. The light was dim. A tablet lay on the bedcovers, upon which lay his son and Sadie.

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