Page 16 of Chasing Temptation
Quinn fumes but doesn’t respond.
The silence is heavy with unsaid words. It’s only her mother’s lingering sobs that fill the space around us.
“Did you have anything else you needed to say?” Quinn’s voice is cold and harsh. It’s a million miles away from the soft woman I’ve fallen for, and I’m so damn hot for her right now. My cock swells beneath the sheets as she stands up against her mother, her eyes daring her to say something else.
I’m amazed that this strong woman before me endured everything she did for so long, but I do understand that bad situations aren’t always the easiest to get out of.
“I just need you to know that I’m here for you, for whatever you decide to do next.”
“Well, that’s big of you, seeing as you’ve not cared since the day I walked out.”
“Elizabeth, that’s—”
“That’s what? Not fair? How would it be, because you knew exactly where to find me. You were the only one who knew where I was going; I hoped that you’d have the strength to follow me, to find a better life for yourself as well, but just as I feared, you were too weak. You were too weak to stand up for what was right and too weak to give yourself the life you deserve.”
“I couldn’t. You’ve no idea what it was like after you left.”
“Nor would you if you’d followed.”
Her mother pales even further but nods in agreement. “You know where I am if you needanythingwhen you both get out of here.” Her eyes hold her daughter’s a little longer before she turns to me. “I’m sorry we had to meet in these circumstances, but thank you for being there for my baby.” She gives me a small smile before backing out of the room.
Having got a good idea of the life Quinn left behind and the fact that her mother turned up wearing a twinset and pearls, I was expecting judgemental eyes when she looked at me and found tattooed arms resting over the top of the sheets, or what’s quite obviously not a posh boy face despite this morning’s shave.
The sound of her footsteps fade, and, with a huge huff, Quinn falls back onto the chair and lifts her hands to cover her face, successfully cutting herself off from me.
It takes everything I have, but I swing my legs from the bed, ignoring the searing pain that shoots out from my belly. She’s more important right now.
My legs feel a little unsteady as I push to stand, but they’re not going to stop me. I shuffle towards her. She must know I’m coming, but that doesn’t stop her flinching the second I wrap my hands around her wrists and pull her to stand before me.
Every muscle in her body is pulled tight, but she needs this. Gently, I close the space between us and wrap my arms around her. At no point does she relax in my hold, but eventually her trembling reduces.
“Everything’s going to be okay. What you did was incredible.” I want to tell her that I wish she’d told me, but I don’t need her feeling any worse than she already is. I know that if she felt she could have told me, she would. I truly believe that if we had more time she would have opened up more, like she did in the church in Stratford-upon-Avon. She trusted me enough to begin her story. I have to believe that she would have trusted me with the rest.
“I promise I’ll tell you everything,” she whispers, “just not here, okay?”
I nod, my chin nuzzling against the top of her head as an idea forms in my mind. She wants to tell me everything but not here, and I don’t want to be here.
We’re forced apart when another knock sounds out, only this visitor is much more welcome than the last.
I release Quinn and scoop Lauren up in my arms. The fact that she made the trip up here for me means everything, especially after how selfish I’ve been, keeping this part of my life to myself.
She wraps her arms around me gently as I kiss the top of her head and breathe her in. She’s always been my safe place, the rational head to my hot one, and I hate that since Ben came back into her life we’ve grown apart. There was a time not so long ago that I thought it would be Joe and Lauren forever, even if it wasn’t romantically. But it seems life had other plans for us because she now has Ben and I’ve got Quinn...or Elizabeth. Jesus, this is such a fucking mess.
“Feeling better, I see,” Lauren comments when I release her.
“Like a new man,” I lie. In reality I feel like shit, but if I’m going to convince them to go along with my plan, I can’t allow them to see that. “So good, in fact, that I’m discharging myself.”
“No you’re fucking not,” Lauren barks while Quinn stands, her hands going to her hips.
“You’re staying exactly where you are until a doctor discharges you.” Quinn’s lips are pressed into a thin line, her blue eyes ice cold as she stares me down. She looks so cute being angry that I can’t help but laugh.
“I’m fine.” Summoning up every ounce of strength I have, I make a show of walking back towards my bed and pulling the cupboard open to get my clothes.
Pulling the items out, I find my jeans, boxers and shoes, but nothing to cover my top. I look up at Quinn, and she must sense where my thoughts are at.
“They had to cut them off you.”
“I’m sure I rock the hospital gown anyway.”
