Across The Hall (41 page)

everything was going so wel between us and I was waiting for the pendulum to swing back the other way.

We were stil too early for our reservations, so we drove around and looked at the Christmas lights that were stil up until the end of the season.

Sylvia sat next to me, quiet for most of the drive. Occasional y she would comment on the odd choice of blow up cartoon characters decked out in

ful holiday regalia or the strangeness of nativity scenes that included reindeer and Santa. I would steal glances at her face as we would slowly drive

past the often overly festive displays. She had a contemplative look on her face and I wondered what she was thinking about. At one subtly

decorated cottage I saw her smile.

“What brought that delightful smile to your face?”

“This is exactly how I picture our place someday,” she answered wistful y.

I took another look at the smal gingerbread house with the simple white icicle lights dangling from the roof. From the virgin snow covered yard to

the brightly glowing Christmas tree predominately placed in the bay window, everything about it resembled something out of a Thomas Kinkade

painting. It was charming and homey and completely as enchanting as Sylvia herself. I reached over and squeezed her hand. I didn’t say anything

but I could see us there too.

Dinner was a quiet event. I had reservations at a tiny French restaurant simply cal ed Le Chateau. The place was dimly lit with just candles. The

music was soft, romantic classical pieces. Sylvia sat across the table from me and we barely talked as we enjoyed our delicious meal. I knew I

tasted the food. In fact I knew we had both remarked on how good it was. Yet I stil couldn’t recal what I ate. I could recal how the soft curls of her

hair looked as they graceful y lay against her breasts or the way her lips parted as she daintily took a bite. I was entranced with the sparkling

emerald of her eyes. I saw the look I remembered and longed for in them. I smiled again.
Sylvia loves me.

We didn’t go out for a big New Year’s Eve blast off. Instead we opted for a quiet night together. Just Sylvia and me with a bottle of fine

champagne -- a gift from Mom -- to ring in the New Year. We had the TV muted but on, ready for the bal to drop in Times Square. Our midnight kiss

was slow and passionate, everything I ever wanted.

The TV was left forgotten as we moved to her bedroom. We made love, as slow and passionate as our kiss, I saw the love, the smile. I saw each

little detail I noticed earlier, but it was more intense now, even more personal and significant, because here, together in her bed, our bodies joined,

we could ful y express ourselves.

Everything had been so perfect that night that I was more than a little concerned when Sylvia began thrashing around and crying out close to

morning. I couldn’t make out her words at first but she was very distressed. I placed my hand along her check to comfort her and felt the tears. I

immediately assumed she was dreaming of Kel y. I tried cal ing her name to wake her. When that didn’t work I leaned over to gently shake her.

That’s when I heard her cry, “No more raptors!” What the fuck? I listened a little more and sure enough again she cried out, “There are too many

raptors. No more. No more.”

I bit back a smile and shook her shoulders. “Wake up, Sylvia. You’re just dreaming. Wake up.”

She bolted upright and grabbed at her chest, breathing hard. I was a little shaken myself, seeing her like that. I reached over and ran my hand

over her hair. “Sylvia, love, it’s okay. You were dreaming.”

She looked over at me a little unfocused and blinked several times before sleepily mumbling, “The raptors were everywhere and you kept saying

we needed more raptors. We didn’t need more. There were too many.” She must have stil been partial y asleep.

I bit down on my lip to stop the chuckle and took her into my arms. “Shhh, sweetie. There are no raptors. It’s okay.” I pul ed her back down with

me. We curled into each other. I stroked my hands along her back as I whispered reassuringly that everything was fine.

She murmured a few things to me that I didn’t real y understand with her face pressed against my chest. I continued to soothe her as I hummed to

her softly. Soon her breathing was even and I knew she was back to sleep. I smiled contentedly. I may not be able to keep al the bad things out of

her life but I could at least save her from raptors.

Mmm, the warmth was so nice.
I snuggled closer to Quinn, spooning up against him. There is nothing like cuddling up to a body that’s al nice

and warm. The sun peeked in through the curtains. I felt as if the sun on New Year’s Day was a good omen that this year was starting off right.

Maybe it was a sign that the year itself was going to be one of sunshine. After the years of gloom I’d had, I could certainly use one of sun.

I smiled and pressed myself even closer to Quinn. He was stil asleep. I ran my hand along his abs. I couldn’t get enough of the feel of them. I

grazed my fingertips over the ridges, silently moaning as I thrust my hips forward. I could feel the heat radiating off him and I wanted to feel that heat

raging within me. I kissed and nibbled along his shoulder, hoping it would wake him. Final y I felt him shift and heard him groan. He shifted his hips

and pushed back against me. I slid my hands down and cupped him in my hand before closing my hand around him.
God, he was so hard already. I

love morning wood.
I smirked as I squeezed my fist tighter and began to move it.

Quinn had yet to acknowledge me, he just went along with my hand, thrusting into it. His breathing increased, as did his moans. I loved being able

to do that to him. I hooked my leg over him to bring myself against him. I just started to shift my hips and rub against him when my phone sounded a

text message. I groaned and moved away.

“God damn Kai.”

“Don’t check it,” came a husky reply.

“If I don’t she’s just going to continue to send messages or cal . Don’t lose that,” I said giving him a squeeze to let him know what I was referring

to, “I’l be right back.”

I rol ed out of bed and walked over to my pants lying on the floor. I would need to plug my phone in. After forgetting for the night I was surprised it

stil had a charge. I looked over at Quinn lying in the bed. He had turned onto his back. His eyes were stil closed; his lips were slanted in a sexy

smirk. His hair was al over the place, even more chaotic than usual. But it wasn’t any of that that had me catching my breath and debating on just

tossing the phone back to the floor and climbing back in bed with him. It was the motion of his hand under the covers. I knew he was stroking

himself and it had me hot. I wanted to watch that. I sighed and sucked in a breath and flipped open my phone I wanted to get this text over with so I

could join him back in bed. I kept my eyes on him watching the motion of the blanket as I imagined his hand moving over his cock. I didn’t even look

at the phone as I pressed the buttons to open the text. Final y I glanced down and my body went cold with fear.

Happy New Year Sylvia. That kiss should have been mine. - B

I gasped as I looked at the text. I flicked my glance over to Quinn. He was sitting up starring at me.

“What’s wrong Sylvia?” His voice was laced with worry, his face ful of concern.

I didn’t know what else to do, so I silently handed the phone over to him. He took it from me and cursed before closing it.

I met his eyes which flashed dark in anger. I knew my own held fear. What was Beau doing texting me? It had been over a month since I’d last

heard from him.

“Sylvia, we need to do something about this.” His voice was flat as he closed my phone and eyed me expectantly.

“What am I supposed to do?” I snapped at him more than I meant to, but I was frustrated. I became self conscious as I stood there naked with

Quinn staring at me so intensely. I fidgeted a bit before grabbing his shirt from the night before off the floor and slipping it on. I watched as Quinn ran

his hands through his hair, actual y taming it some from its previous disarray. He met my gaze with his own. I felt as if I were being accused of

something. I knew he was thinking, but his silence was irritating me. We continued to eye each other for several seconds before I huffed and threw

my hands up. I headed to the bathroom to take a shower and think things through. I didn’t make it to the door before Quinn cal ed out to me.

“Sylvia. Please don’t be like that. I just want to keep you safe.” I stopped and kept my back to him, listening to him. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

His voice was tinged with despair.

My heart ached hearing him sound like that. I turned around and walked over to him. He was studying the sheet he had wrapped around him.

When he glanced up at me I wanted to kick myself for making him look so sad. I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. I pul ed away and cupped

his cheek. We gazed into each other’s eyes and I tried to convey to him that I was sorry and I knew that he was just thinking of me.

“We’l figure something out. I’m just going to go shower. We can talk when I get out.” I left a quick kiss on his lips and went to shower.

The shower did nothing to help. Often I do al my best thinking standing under the hot spray, yet today I just couldn’t get anywhere. My mind kept

going back to the night before and how perfect it was. In fact, the past week with Quinn was wonderful. It was everything I always thought it would be

when we were out on our own. It was just a pity it took us four years longer than it should have. Better late than never, though. Maybe we needed that

time apart. I knew I had changed and there were obvious changes with Quinn, too. Yet no matter how we changed or how far apart we were, we’d

stil found our way back to each other. I smiled and finished my shower quickly. I just wanted to go out and snuggle up with Quinn and enjoy our last

day together before the others returned.

I slipped on some comfy clothes and pul ed my hair back and went out to find Quinn. I could see him on the couch with his laptop open. I stopped

in the kitchen for my morning caffeine and asked if he needed anything. He said he didn’t, but his words were short and had an edge to them. I

wondered if he was mad at me about this morning.

After grabbing a pop I hesitated in the doorway of the kitchen, just watching him. He sat there shirtless, in just his boxers. His legs were stretched

out in front of him with his feet crossed. The laptop had to be getting hot, balanced on his tense, bare thighs. His brow was creased and he

appeared to be annoyed. I wondered what he was looking at that had bothered him so. Even though he was visibly upset, he stil took my breath

away. His chestnut wayward hair always made me smile. He had his glasses on, too. I loved it when he wore his glasses; it always took me back to

high school when I saw him in them. His lips were pursed as he scowled at the screen. He let out a little huff and his long fingers flew over the

keyboard for a second. I thought about those fingers and just what they could do to me. I must have sighed out loud because Quinn cal ed me over.

“Quit watching me and come over here and look at this.” His tone was harsh and crisp.

I rol ed my eyes. “Who said I was watching you?”

He just looked at me knowingly. I grinned at him but his expression didn’t change. I walked over fil ed with trepidation. I stood behind the couch

and looked over his shoulder. He had the screen fil ed with open tabs. They had things like: Women’s Law, Protection Orders, Minnesota State,

and Minnesota Courts on the tabs. It took me a second before I figured he was looking into a restraining order. I read over the page that was open

and it was how to go about getting an anti-harassment order.

I glanced at Quinn. He had his head back resting on the back of the couch watching me.

“There’s a problem, Sylvia.” The frustration he felt was clear in his voice. I looked at him; sure the confusion was clear al over my face. He patted

the seat next to him and I came around the couch and sat down next to him.

“What’s the problem?”

“I don’t think he has real y done anything that wil al ow you to file for an order.”

“Wel that’s a good thing isn’t it?” I wasn’t sure why I thought that was good. It creeped me out that Beau could possibly be fol owing me, but real y

I hadn’t felt threatened. He had threatened Quinn, not me. “Wait, what about you? I mean he did make a threat against you.”

Quinn shook his head. “He said it to you and we can’t real y prove it. I don’t think that would work. Plus he hasn’t made any move against me.

Slimy bastard. He’s done just enough to worry me but not enough to get the police involved.” Quinn pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What about the background check my dad ran?” I swal owed and tried not to think of what that check caused. “Couldn’t we turn him in?”

“We could if we knew where he lived. I’m sure they know who he works for, but they haven’t been able to get him there.”

We both sat there quietly, each thinking through the situation. My phone sounded again and I reached in my pocket for it. It was from Beau again.

“Quinn, he sent another one. Should I just delete it?” I was nervous about opening it.

“No, we need to see what he says. Maybe he’l slip up and give us something we can use.”

He can’t replace me Sylvia. I’m what you need. - B

I snorted when I read it and handed it over to Quinn. He rol ed his eyes. As if Beau had anything I needed or wanted. He could in no way ever