Page 45 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 1-4

The moment hung between them. Tense. Fraught. And then Quin’s shoulders dropped.

He said, ‘My mother never returned. You did. There’s that, at least.’

‘I came back the minute I knew it was safe to do so. And I’m not leaving ever again. I know you might not believe me yet. But hopefully you will one day.’

CHAPTER TEN

QUINLOOKEDATSADIE. Her eyes shone with emotion and a plea. For him to trust her. To believe her. But a weight was lodged in his chest. He had accepted that she was telling the truth about the past, but he knew that he still couldn’t fully trust that one day she wouldn’t just leave again.

The trauma of her disappearance, compounded by the fact that his mother had done it too, was just too huge to forget—even if their motivations had been very different.

He felt exposed. He hadn’t ever fully admitted to himself that he’d blamed himself on some level for Sadie’s disappearance. As if he’d brought it on himself, as a kind of punishment for believing himself worthy of love. Worthy of a normal life. Worthy of not being abandoned.

And she was looking at him now as if she could read every exposing thought in his head. Thoughts that led directly to the weight in his chest, making it feel heavier and tighter.

He said abruptly, ‘We should go back inside. I need to give my speech.’ And then, even though every instinct in him warned him to push Sadie back, he found himself reaching for her hand and keeping her close by his side and it had nothing to do with projecting a united front for the sake of appearances...

For the rest of the evening Sadie’s head reeled with the revelation of Quin’s mother’s actions. He didn’t seem remotely inclined to forgive her, and Sadie could understand why, but she knew better than anyone that things weren’t always what they seemed.

Quin had given a passionate and articulate speech about the need for everyone to have access to tech education. Sadie couldn’t help feeling proud of his work to extend a hand to those who hadn’t had his advantages.

After they’d dined and listened to other speeches from the charity directors, who had then auctioned off various lots, they’d been asked to move into the ballroom, where a band were playing soft jazz. Now people were starting to dance. The lights were dim, candles flickering, sending out a golden glow that made everyone look even more beautiful. Women’s dresses shimmered, jewels blinging. Sadie had never witnessed such a glamorous scene.

‘Shall we?’

Sadie looked down and saw Quin’s hand extended towards her. Her insides plummeted.

She looked at him. ‘I can’t dance, Quin.’

He took her hand. ‘There’s nothing to it. Just follow my lead.’

She tried to resist but he was an unstoppable force, and before she knew it they were on the dance floor and he was swinging her into his chest, one arm firm behind her back, fingers splayed across her bare skin. It was enough to distract her from the fact that they were moving—largely propelled by him.

She was pressed against him, and all she could feel was the whipcord strength in his body. She wanted to close her eyes and revel in this moment, but what he’d told her kept whirling in her head, making her chest ache.

She looked up. ‘Quin—’

He took her hand in his and put a finger to her mouth. ‘Is this about what we spoke of earlier?’

She nodded.

He said, ‘I don’t want to talk of the past any more. What I’m interested in is the present moment.’

Sadie’s heart skipped a beat. He took his hand away. He arched a brow in question.

Sadie half shrugged, half nodded. ‘Okay. The present.’

Maybe he was finally ready to move on with a view to the future?

But then he tugged her even closer, and Sadie’s cheeks flamed when she felt the burgeoning press of his verypresentarousal.

Their gazes locked. Sadie couldn’t have looked away even if she’d wanted to. She felt utterly exposed, bared in her desire for him, but he was equally exposed.

He said, ‘I want you, Sadie.’

There was nothing she could do except say, ‘I want you too.’

‘Clearly we have unfinished business.’

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