The Key West Anthology (11 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Quinn

Everything about Jett’s family was amazing. They were all so loving and accepted me as one of their own. Even Colt’s family and friends acted as if I was part of the gang.

The evening was filled with a big dinner and a house full of guests, little kids running around everywhere and adults laughing. Alex took all the girls in to her bedroom to show us her dress. There was Colt’s sister, Maria and her best friend, Kori, and, of course, the untamable, Harper was the life of the room.

“So how long have you been dating Jett? How’d y’all meet?” Maria asked. All attention immediately fell on me as they waited for me to reply.

“I, uh...” I paused and fidgeted with my hands. “We, um, well...”

“Here, honey, let me help you,” Harper chimed in. “Jett and Quinn met at a party. They went home together and apparently our brother has some skills, because they are still getting it on.”

I swallowed hard and stared down at my hands. The room was silent and I was afraid to look up. What could they possibly be thinking right now?”

“Well, at least y’all made it to a house. Gavin and I went at it for the first time in the front seat of his truck,” Maria offered nonchalantly.

“In my parents’ driveway, while they were home,” Kori added.

The room filled with laughter, and it felt nice to be part of a group that knew how to have fun. I missed Avery, wishing she was here to share this happiness with me.

“Well, let me just say that Jett is a hottie. Don’t get me wrong, no one will ever make my heart race the way Reed does, but Jett makes the hair on my arms stand up.” Kori faked a shiver, or maybe it was real.

“Okay, enough about my brother. You are all gonna give me nightmares.” Harper pretended to gag.

We spent the next hour looking over everything from the wedding dress to the jewelry Alex would wear. She showed us Maddison’s flower girl dress and the tiny tux that Rhett, Kori’s son, would wear as the ring bearer.

Later in the evening, I excused myself to get ready for bed. Once I reached the top of the stairs, I could hear Jett’s footsteps trailing behind me.

He slipped into the bathroom with me just as I was about to close the door. “What are you doing in here?” I asked, my voice just above a whisper. All he offered was an amused chuckle.

He took a step toward me and caged me against the counter. “I need a shower, you need a shower, thought we would conserve water,” he cooed, leaning forward to kiss my neck. The moment his lips touched mine, I lost all thought.

“What will everyone think?” I asked. It was more like a purr, but still a question.

He smiled against my neck and began lifting the hem of my shirt. “The only thing I want to think about right now is you,” he said, lifting my shirt over my head, “and me.”

He glided his fingertips over my stomach and paused at the buckle of my shorts. Chills broke out over my arms and along my spine. “Thank you for coming with me,” he whispered against my ear.

Our gazes locked as he worked the button loose and began to lower my shorts to the floor. “Thank you for asking me,” I said. The way he was looking at me made my heart race uncontrollably. He seemed to be lost momentarily.

“You are so beautiful.”

“So are you,” I whispered breathlessly.

“Why do you say that?” he asked. “Being told I’m beautiful, that’s a new one. I’m not sure it does much for my ego.”

“Because you are. It isn’t just about your looks. It is so much more than that. My entire life I just wanted to be noticed. I wanted someone to hold me and tell me what I needed mattered for once. I longed for that safety I’d never felt.” I traced his lower lip with my thumb. “You give me that.”

It was so hard to explain how he made me feel, but I had to try. “Jett, you’re like the painkillers I need to soothe this deep ache inside me.” He continued to stare back at me, quietly waiting for me to explain. “When I’m with you, all the shit in my life just disappears. For the first time in so damn long, I feel free, like what I need, what I want matters. It’s been so long since I felt at ease, it’s still hard to figure how you make me feel so carefree. You help me forget. All the torment and garbage that has piled up over the years, it means nothing when I’m with you. But I love it. I love the way you make me feel.” Our eyes met once again and my heart raced. “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

Jett stared back at me, saying nothing, his eyes roaming my face over and over as he memorized the contour of my lips and the dip of my chin with his finger.

“I love the way you make me feel too,” he whispered against my lips. The sincerity in his voice made my throat burn and my vision cloud. “All I want is for you to trust me. I want you to know I would never hurt you, baby. I want you to feel safe with me.”

Jett led me to the shower as he continued to undress me. “You may not be ready to hear this, but I have to tell you.” He flipped on the water, stepped in behind me, and wrapped his arms around me. His lips lightly skimmed across my ear. “I’m falling in love with you.”

My head fell back and rested against his shoulder. I looked up into his eyes and a tear escaped and rolled along my cheek. “I’m scared,” I confessed. “I’m falling too, and it terrifies me.”

“There’s nothing to be scared of. I’ve got you, Quinn. I’m promise you’re safe with me.”

***

I woke up to an empty bed. After quickly getting dressed, I walked from the room and in the direction of all the noise.

The kitchen was full of chaos. Breakfast was being made and no guy was in sight, besides Jett’s nephew.

I stood back, nervous and feeling slightly out of place, unsure of how I should approach everyone.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Jett’s mom, Sarah said as she placed the toast on a platter. “Jett ran to town with his father to get some more milk. Have a seat.” She pointed toward the kitchen nook. “Breakfast is almost ready.”

“Can I help with anything?” I asked.

“If you don’t mind, you can put the bacon and sausage on the table.” She motioned to another platter just to her left. I stepped forward, lifted it, and took it to the large table across the room.

“You’re pretty,” a sweet voice said. “My Uncle Jett says you make his heart beat really fast. What does that mean?”

I stood staring back at Maddison, who sat in a small booster seat at the end of the table.

“That means your Uncle Jett really cares for Quinn. It means that she makes him super happy. Like Daddy Colt makes me happy.” Alexis answered the question I was unable to. Maddison’s comment had caught me off guard.

The back door opened, and I looked up just as Jett walked in carrying a gallon of milk. He also held a bottle of strawberry syrup, and I couldn’t hold back my smile. The last time I spent the night at his house, I told him he needed to have strawberry syrup for my milk if he expected me to revisit. Knowing he took the time to get it on his trip to the store made me feel special.

“Good morning, baby,” he said just before kissing me softly. “Got your syrup.”

“I see that,” I replied.

“What’d you bring me?” Harper teased as she flopped down in the chair next to Maddison.

I looked up to find Jett’s parents watching our exchange, with smiles gracing their lips.

I wasn’t used to parents being so loving and accepting. I had always wished for my mother to show me any amount of admiration for me, but to no avail.

***

“You look almost good enough to eat,” Jett said as he stepped up behind me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and rested his outstretched palm on my stomach. “I love how the back of this dress is all open. That dip just above your ass is one of my favorite spots…so sexy.” He sunk his teeth into my earlobe. “I don’t need to tell you how gorgeous you look. You already know, don’t you?”

I nodded, trying to maintain my composure. He was making my entire body light up. “Yes, you do,” I sighed

The wedding was a small ceremony but very elegant. I stood off to the side as everyone gave toasts and congratulated the happy couple. I tried to blend in, but with the torture I was now going through, I was pretty sure my panting could be heard across the room.

Jett trailed his other hand along my exposed thigh, only making me breathe even harder. “I adore you, Quinn. I love everything about you. You consume me.” My heart raced uncontrollably.

Jett held a small box out in front me and opened it before I could reach out and touch it. I held my hand to my mouth as I took in the necklace—a gold chain holding the most unique setting.

“What is that?” I asked, pointing to the jewel in the middle.

“A chocolate diamond. It reminded me of the color of your eyes.”

“It’s gorgeous.” My gaze never left his hands as he pulled the necklace from the box and placed it around my neck. I held my hair to the side so he could fasten the clasp. After releasing the hold on my hair, I immediately took the pendant between my fingers and twisted it from side to side. “Thank you.” I paused to allow a moment to control my emotions. “It really is beautiful.”

“Flip it over,” he instructed.

I did and on the back was an engraved heart with the letters
J & Q
inside. My throat felt tight and tears filled my eyes. I turned to face him and our eyes met. “I love it,” I told him. “I love you.”

The moment the words fell from my lips, he placed his over mine. The kiss was so different and so full of promise.

At that moment I knew Jett was it for me. There was no reason to fight my feelings any longer. He held me close, swaying with the music. I rested my hand on the back of his neck and played with the back of his hair. I forgot about the mess that would be waiting for me at home when we returned. I let go of the week I had been dealt prior to this trip and just held on to this moment. I allowed myself to forget that I had no idea how I would pay my bills next week or what we would do when the next house payment was due. I only concentrated on the way I felt in Jett’s arms, because I deserved that peace.

Jett gave me hope, and having hope was a welcome change.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Jett

I couldn’t remember a time I had ever been so content in my life. I had my work, and yes, it was all I had ever hoped for, but until Quinn, I hadn’t realized I was missing something. She had the ability to make all my hard work and dedication worth it.

The trip to Georgia had changed everything for Quinn and me. We were now past the hesitation we’d been fighting daily. I knew how she felt, and she knew exactly how I felt in return.

She was my girl, there was no doubt about that.

There was a difference in her. The way she smiled and laughed showed she was more at ease. I knew things at home were still a mess, but she and I, we were good.

“Jett.” Callie knocked on the door and peeked inside. “Easton Michaels is here for your meeting.”

I nodded. “Great, you can send him in.”

I had been talking with a fellow business associate about expanding. They’d sent Easton to settle the final steps before Jett’s moved into the Miami area.

“Jett,” Easton said as he entered, extending his hand with a smile.

I chuckled at the formality. “Oh, so the last time you were here and we both got so drunk we passed out on my back patio, no longer exists. We’ve moved on to more formal introductions now.” Staring back at him with a sly look on my face, I waited for his response.

“I figured this time since I was showing up for you to sign your life away, I would keep my business head on. Later we’ll get shitfaced drunk and leave all this formal shit behind us.” He had a cocky grin as he took a seat at my desk.

Easton and I go way back. He was the first person who stood behind me when I decided to buy the property for Jett’s. He comes from money, and he said he knew a great investment when he saw one. Since then, he and I had become great business partners and even better friends.

We spent the next few hours going over figures and plans for the new location. The remodeling process would begin next week, and if everything continued as planned, Jett’s second location would be up and running in less than six months. The process would be grueling, and I would have some traveling back and forth ahead of me, but I was flying high from the rush of my success.

With everything I now had to finalize, Easton and I decided to hold off on the celebrating, and we planned to have a night out at a later point. I buried myself in my work for the next several hours.

A light knock on my door broke my concentration. Looking up and through the glass wall at my side, I noticed night had fallen. The restaurant was winding down, and I was surprised I had missed so much of my afternoon and evening.

Another knock brought my attention back to the present, and I remembered someone was waiting to see me.

“Come in,” I said.

Quinn stepped inside and smiled sweetly. My stomach instantly tightened as I took in her beauty. She wore a light pink sundress that stopped just above her knees. A sexy-as-hell pair of strappy sandals made her legs appear that much longer.

“Are you planning on locking yourself in here all night?” she asked as she closed the door behind her and clicked the lock before walking toward me. She rounded my desk and traced the edge with her fingertip. Trapping her lower lip between her teeth, she looked up at me through her long eyelashes. “I sat around waiting for you to call,” she whispered. “I got tired of lingering, so I thought I would take matters into my own hands.”

I sat back in my chair and linked my hands behind my head. “Oh yeah, and what is it you decided to do?”

She stepped up beside me and lifted one leg over my lap, straddling me, then lowering herself over me. “I decided that a girl needs to step up her game if she plans to keep her man happy. This place is a lot to compete with, and I have to be sure you remember what you’re missing out on when I’m not with you.”

She rocked her hips forward, and I grew hard beneath her. I tried to fight it, keeping my hands pinned behind my head, but that was useless the moment she swiveled her hips and let out a little moan.

I gripped her hips, lifted her off my lap, and placed her on top of my desk. She pouted slightly, and I held back a chuckle. Her skirt rose in the process, and the white lace of her panties stood out against her tanned legs, which she parted just enough to allow me the perfect view.

At times the pull she had on me was overwhelming. I don’t think there was any chance I could resist. She was the one thing I craved the most.

I slid my hands up her inner thighs, widening her legs, allowing myself room to slide closer. Quinn whimpered as I trailed my fingertips along the seams where her legs met the lace.

“You, Quinn…” I slid my finger below the lace and felt how turned-on she was, “…will never have to compete for my attention. You are the one thing I will never get enough of. You want me, I’m yours.”

She gasped the moment I slipped my finger inside her wetness and slowly began gliding in and out. “I will always stop whatever it is I may be doing to give you my undivided attention.”

I pulled my finger out and hooked the sides of her panties before sliding them down and off her legs. Once again I pushed her thighs apart.

Her cheeks were flushed and her breathing was shallow. She’d planned to show up and seduce me, and the problem was I couldn’t hide that I wanted her, needed her. There really wasn’t a moment that would go by without me thinking of her.

I lifted her legs and placed one foot on each arm of my chair. She was fully open to me. Kissing her inner thighs, I flipped my tongue against her leg between kisses. My eyes were locked on hers as I worked my way closer to the one place she needed me most.

As I licked along the crease of her leg, her mouth opened and her tongue rested against her lower lip. Knowing she was watching me so closely was the biggest turn-on.

The second I flicked the tip of my tongue against her clit, she lost it. Her head fell back, and she weaved her fingers through my hair. I smiled against her as she thrust her hips forward and I gave her what she craved.