Page 38 of Pleasure and Mane
They resumed walking, but the charged atmosphere between them remained. Quinn started cataloging every small detail—the way Caius's hand rested protectively on her lower back, how his presence seemed to command respect from everyone they encountered, and the genuine pride in his voice when he introduced her as his mate.
His mate.The word still sent warmth through her entire body and flooded her mind with amazement. In her old life in Denver, she'd been Dr. Marrow, the dedicated midwife who had no time for love. But here in Leon, she was simply Quinn—Caius's mate, Lavinia's close friend and midwife, and a valued member of this tight-knit community.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Caius asked as they approached his truck.
Quinn smiled, leaning into his solid warmth. "Just thinking about how different everything is now. Ten days ago, I was sofocused on work that I couldn't imagine taking time for anything else. But now..."
"Now?"
She met his gaze, seeing her own emotions reflected in those beautiful blue eyes. "Now I can't imagine going back to that life. I can't imagine being anywhere but here, with you."
Caius's expression softened with something that looked suspiciously like relief. "Good," he said simply, opening her door with the old-fashioned courtesy that always made her feel cherished. "Because I'm never letting you go."
As they drove back toward the mansion, Quinn realized she didn't want him to. For the first time in her life, she'd found something—someone—worth staying for. The thought should have terrified her, but instead it filled her with a deep, unshakeable certainty.
This was where she belonged. With him, in this magical little town, building a life she'd never dared to dream of.
The truck rumbled up the winding driveway toward the mansion, sunlight dappling through the trees in golden patterns across Caius's strong hands gripping the wheel. Quinn studied his profile—the sharp jaw dusted with stubble, and the way his dark lashes cast shadows when he glanced at her with those impossibly blue eyes. Ten days. Ten days since she'd stumbled into this lion's den, and now she couldn't imagine being anywhere else.
"You're doing that staring thing again," Caius murmured, one corner of his mouth lifting as he parked. The engine cut out, leaving only the sound of their breathing and the distant chirp of birds.
"Can you really blame me?" She reached over to trace her fingers along his forearm. "You're ridiculously handsome when you're all focused."
His fingers twined with hers. "Only when I'm focused?"
Quinn laughed, the sound bright in the quiet cab. "Oh, and you're insufferable when you're smug too."
Caius brought her knuckles to his lips. "You love it."
God, she did. The past week had been a whirlwind of precious intimate moments—picnics at sunset, early morning hikes where he'd carried her over rough terrain just to feel her arms around his neck, and nights tangled in his bedsheets where he'd worshipped every inch of her with a devotion that left her breathless.
But suddenly, a shadow crossed her thoughts as she remembered the dead ends with the Vincent Keale investigation. The frustration must have shown on her face because Caius's thumb brushed along her jawline.
"Hey." His voice dropped to that rough timbre that always made her shiver. "We'll figure everything out. But right now, you need a break."
"I don't need?—"
"Quinn." His grip tightened on her hand just enough to make her pulse jump. "When was the last time you slept through the night? Or ate a meal without checking your notes in the past six days?"
She opened her mouth to argue, but the concern in his eyes stopped her. He'd been watching her closely the past six days. He always watched her. Not with the clinical detachment of a caregiver, but with the fierce attention of a man who knew every freckle on her shoulders and every hitch in her breathing when she was stressed.
"Fine. I'll take a break," she conceded, leaning into his touch. "But only because you're annoyingly perceptive and observant."
Caius's grin was pure predator as he released her hand to step out of the truck. By the time Quinn got out herself, he'd already rounded the hood, his large frame blocking the sun as he caged her against the passenger door.
"Pack an overnight bag," he ordered, his fingers tracing the neckline of her blouse. "We're leaving in twenty minutes."
"Where are we?—"
"Somewhere with a lot of trees. Quiet," he cut her off, his lips grazing her temple. "Just us."
The promise in his deep voice sent heat pooling low in her belly. She'd barely nodded before he captured her mouth in a searing kiss that left her gripping his shoulders for balance. When he pulled away, his eyes burned with possessive fire.
"Eighteen minutes now," he growled.
Quinn reluctantly turned away from him, and hurried up the front steps, her heart racing. The man was relentless. A week ago, she would have balked at being ordered around. Now? Now she craved the way he took charge and the way he anticipated her needs before she voiced them.
She threw open the door to her suite, already mentally cataloging what to bring. A sundress for the daytime, leggings for the cool evening, and that lacy red set Caius had growled over last night?—
