Page 22 of Never Again

“Are you planning on burying my body out here or abandon me as soon as you decide that I’m sufficiently lost enough to the point that I’ll never be able to find my way out and will be left at the mercy of whatever ravenous animal finds me?” Bailey asked, throwing a nervous glance over her shoulder.

“What makes you think there isn’t a third option?” Quinn drawled as he led her up a small path that wrapped around another set of boulders and finally came to the place where he used to go to clear his head.

“I’m trying to narrow it down since thinking hurts right now,” Bailey mumbled absently as she took in the old Spanish moss tree shadowing the alcove where he used to lose himself for hours, the small cliff above the lake, the wildflowers growing all around them, and the moss-covered boulders surrounding them. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yes, it is,” Quinn murmured in agreement as he tossed the bag on the ground along with the sleeping bag.

“You never answered my question,” Bailey pointed out as she made her way to the edge of the small cliff overlooking the lake and had a better look.

“Would it help if I told you that I was too tired to dig a grave?” Quinn asked, watching her.

“Probably,” Bailey murmured in agreement as she picked up a pebble and dropped it in the lake. “Then, what are we doing here?”

“Talking,” Quinn said as he reached down and unsnapped his jeans.

* * *

“And you needto strip naked to do that?” Bailey asked, watching Quinn shove his pants down, revealing a pair of gray boxer briefs and-

What were they talking about? Bailey couldn’t help but wonder as she watched him toe off his boots and shove his pants off the rest of the way while she stood there, unable to look away as he stood up and…

She probably should look somewhere else, Bailey thought, nodding in agreement as she somehow managed to look up and met grey eyes lit up with humor. “I do for this,” Quinn said, walking to the edge of the cliff and stepped off, dropping into what appeared to be waist-high water and gestured for her to join him.

Once again thankful for Pam’s batting abilities, she pointed to her head. “I’m not supposed to get the stitches wet.”

“You’ll be fine,” he promised her as he held his arms up to help her down.

“Yeah, no, I’m good here,” Bailey said, nodding as she decided to have a better look at that sleeping bag.

Decision made, she walked over to the tree, unable to help but notice that this would make a lovely place to pass out from the pain and-

“I forgot that you didn’t know how to swim,” came the quietly murmured words that had her frowning as she carefully laid down and nearly groaned when her head touched the soft sleeping bag.

“Ichosenot to learn how to swim,” she pointed out around a yawn as she curled up and got comfortable as a light wind raced over her body, bringing along the scent of wildflowers along with peaches.

“And by ‘chose,’ do you mean that you freaked out, screamed, ‘They’re trying to kill me!’ and then left me with no choice but to jump in and pull you off the poor swimming instructor screaming for mercy?” Quinn drawled, making her lips twitch.

“Yes, yes, it is,” Bailey mumbled against the sleeping bag, more relaxed than she had been in years. She didn’t know what magic this place held, but she knew that she never wanted to leave.

CHAPTER12

“So, how does this work?” came the softly murmured question that drew Quinn’s attention to the sleeping bag and-

Had him sighing when he saw the iPad in Bailey’s hands.

“Oh, come on! Don’t be that way,” the little technology addict said with an adorable pout as he plucked the iPad out of her hands and shoved it into his backpack.

When he saw the calculating look on Bailey’s face, Quinn sighed heavily as he reached up and hung the bag off a branch, watching as the calculating look on her adorable face sharpened only to turn into a pout when she realized that she wouldn’t be able to reach it. With a grumble, she rolled over her stomach and sighed, just fucking sighed as she stared off into space.

“Well?” Bailey said, shifting to get more comfortable.

“Well, what?” Quinn asked, dropping down onto the ground with a soft groan and sat back against the old Spanish moss tree to enjoy the last few minutes of sun before it disappeared for the night.

God, he was fucking exhausted.

“How does this work?” came the question that had him cracking one eye open to find Bailey watching him curiously.

“How does what work?” Quinn asked as he closed his eyes again and went over everything that still needed to be done before he could take her back to Haven Technologies.

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