Page 1 of Just One Touch (The Carter Brothers 2)

Prologue

Mason

The dark circles, the tired eyes, the grayish complexion that’s marring Quinn’s appearance is something to be worried about.

She was off limits, I love Summer like a sister, but there is no damn way, I can stay away from Quinn. Not when she needs someone in her corner.

Her contract was up two months ago, yet here she is at Summer’s condo, looking more tired than when she was working as a model around the clock. Now, she’s back in our hometown and looks worse than ever.

“Ready to go,” I ask her when she answers the door to what was once Summer’s condo but is now hers. I texted her earlier asking if she’d like to ride over with me. It was definitely a rouse to get her alone and out of her house. I live three doors down from Rome. Quinn lives a few miles away from us. I was shocked when she responded with a simple yes.

“Yeah, let me just grab the dessert I made.” Quinn is in a pair of khaki shorts, white top, and a cardigan that hangs down to her knees. On anyone else it would look ridiculous, but not on her.

I hold the door open for her while she walks out, making sure she feels as much of as me as she can. With her sharp intake of breath and the way I see her nipples pebble, I got the reaction I was looking for. Now if I can just get her to admit everything else.

I look down and see the dessert she made, licking my lips, “That looks delicious, what is it?”

“An old family recipe, my grandmother made. It’s called no-name dessert,” she says with a chuckle.

“Interesting name.”

“My grandmother, well she was old-fashioned. Raised seven kids while her husband was away most of the time. Things just came as they did,” she whispers out once we’re in the car.

“It sounds like she’s a great woman.”

“She was, the best I’ve ever known,” her voice is solemn. I reach for her hand that’s on her thigh and bring it to the center console, trying to give her some kind of solace while she’s deep in thought.

We hold hands the few minutes it takes us to get to Hill Street.

“I hope this doesn’t monopolize more of your time, by coming to get me,” she says once we park in Rome and Summer’s driveway.

“Not at all, I was just at home watching the sports channel until it was time to get you.”

“Still, I could have driven over or even rode my bike,” Quinn responds.

“Stay there, I’ll come get your door.” I get out of my Jeep and round it to help her out while she holds the dessert she made.

Her legs come out first, and they’re enough to make me get on my knees right here and pay homage to her.

I have to make Quinn mine, no matter the cost.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” We make our way around the side of the house, bypassing the front door.

Once we’re on their back deck, I guide her to a table so she can set the dessert down.

“I’ll be right back. I’m going to see what Rome is up to and if we can help them out. Not to mention it’s time for me to steal my nephew for a while,” that’s when I see a genuine smile light up Quinn’s face.

“Okay, I’ll be right here. Do you think Summer would mind if I held Sawyer? After you get your fill of course,” her face is tipped to the side.

“Absolutely, she loves that Sawyer is surrounded by family and friends,” I push a tendril of her hair out of her face, needing just one touch before I go inside.

“Thank you, Mason.” Leaving this gorgeous woman isn’t something that my body or heart wants to do, but I know she needs me to take things slow.

1

Quinn

After being gone for so long, it feels good to be back home. Or really the home I’ve created for myself. When I lost my grams, I lost not only my only living family member, but I lost a piece of my heart too.

When Summer mentioned she had a place she was thinking about renting out, I took a leap of faith and jumped in with both feet. I had no idea though, when I signed my last modeling contract that there was a contingency for up to six months after. I should have known better. This is the reason why I have an attorney, yet I was in such an emotional state I didn’t think.

Here I am now though, back where I should have been all along. My modeling career now in the rearview mirror along with the worst manager and human being one could ever imagine.

“Thank you for picking me up and bringing me home,” I say to Mason as he pulls into my condo building parking lot. I had the best day I ever could holding Summer and Rome’s sweet baby boy.

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