Loving Quinn Novel by North Rose

morning to go to the meeting with Dianne. I understand her reasoning, but I just don’t want to give into Dionne’s demands. Now, because I refuse to go, Annie is giving me the silent treatment as she helps Grace get ready for school.

It is like we are eighteen again. She would do the same thing when I made her mad. She would either go back to grandparents’ house and ignore me when I came to apologize, or she would just stay by my side and not speak to me.

Back then I would just make her laugh until she stopped being mad. I tried that tactic this morning, but the glare she gave wither the strongest man to a desiccated husk of who he once was. So, I tried my second tactic that used to work on her.

me could

While she was in the bathroom doing her make-up, I stepped up behind her, then placed soft kisses up her neck until I reached her carlobe. I used my teeth to nibble on her ear, then blew my hot breath over her wet skin. Just like in the past, her body shivered as goosebumps erupted all over her exposed flesh.

However, unlike the past, this time, Annora spins around to glare at me again. Not wanting to press my luck any further, I leave the bathroom to get dressed for the day. Now here we are in the kitchen as Annora makes scrambled eggs for Grace.

If I don’t cave in to Annora’s demands to go meet Dionne, I will continue to get the silent treatment. If I give into Dionne’s demands to moet, I um falling for her games. This is a no-win situation. Do I wait to see how long Annora will stay mad at me, or do I give in and just get this meeting with Dionne over with?

In the past, Annie could never stay mad at me for more than a few hours. The woman cooking eggs in my kitchen is a complete unknown Now the question I find myself asking is why I am even contemplating letting her stay mad.

After Annora puts a plate of scrambled eggs in front of Grace at the kitchen island counter, her eyes meet mine. Yup, the mad is still there, in those hazel eyes. The set of her shoulders says she is ready to argue ber point again, I point to the doorway of the kitchen to indicate I want to speak to hear in the hall

She put the pan back on the stove, then follows me out into the foyer. The way her shoulders are now hunched, it is like she is expecting me to fight or yell at her, which makes me sad. Is that how her ex-husband would treat her? The thought of him putting his hands on her in violence makes me want to kill him. It is a good thing he will be in jail for a while.

Part of me is angry that she has reacted this way because we are fighting, but I know it isn’t her fault after all s.. went through with her ex-husband. My hatred for that man grows more and more.

“Baby, look at me.”

When her eyes lift from the floor to meet mine, the fear in those hazel depths causes me to reach out to her slowly. Like you would a wounded animal so that you can help it. In my own way, because of my time as a soldier, I understand this reaction.

“I am not him. There will be no yelling at you in anger. I won’t hit you if you do something that I don’t like, Kyte isn’t here and I am nothing like him.”

Annora lets out a shuddering sigh, then she closes the distance between us. My arms wrap around her instantly. The tension in her body melts away as I run my hand up and down her back. The irony of this stance isn’t lost on me at all. Just recently, she was soothing me in

this way

We are both broken in our own ways.

“I am sorry that I reacted that way, Quinn. In my heart, I know you are bot him. I guess it is just instinct. After everything Kyle put me though.”

You are precious to me, Annie, and I will never raise a hand to you or yell at you in anger. I have learned from my father that neither of

those things solve problems. If you ever make me that angry, I will walk away until I am calmer. In situations like this, words solver problems, not fists.”

She pulls away to look up at me. The fear is gone, but there is still worry in her eyes. “I am sorry that I made this meeting with that b**h

big deal. We don’t have to go. I will just take Grace to school and ther catch up on some paperwork.”

“No, I have concluded that you have a point. If we do this together, meet Dionne as a united team, maybe she will back down. That was what I brought you out here to tell you.”

“Why did you cho

did you change your mind?”

at me? Will that make her angry again? Women are a

Do I tell Annie that I would rather play into Dionne’s games than have her mad at mystery that most men will never understand.

Well, I might as well find out.

“I decided I would rather play her games than have you mad at me. The silent treatment and those death glares are not fun. I love talking to you and looking into your beautiful eyes. So, please don’t be angry with me.”

Annora tilts her head to the side to study me for a moment before she smiles at me. “That works on Grace so well. Anytime she has done something wrong but doesn’t want me to know, even though I do, I go silent on her until she c**ks.”

“That is deviously evil, but on a genius level for a parent/child relationship. I think that is an excellent tactic for our daughter. Not so much for me.’

“Fair enough. The neck and ear thing still works, by the way.”

I narrow my eyes at her when she smiles sweetly at me. “Are you t

you telling me you caved, but let me think you were still mad at me?”

“I was planning on telling you when Grace went to get her backpack, but you called me out here and well, here we are now.

I lean forward to whisper in her ear, “When we got home tonight, and Grace is all tucked in bed, you are in big trouble. I am going to s**k that a**of yours and then I am going to…”

When I hear Grace’s stool push away from the counter, I pull away from Annie to look down at her with a sale on my face. Her eyes wide, but not in fear. For a split second, there is raw desire and curiosity in her eyes. Swiftly she looks away as Grace runs out of the kitchen to go gab her school supplies.

are

“How do you want to do this today? Should I go with you to take Grace to school and then go to this meeting? I can drop you off at the hospital afterwards.”

“I have nothing scheduled for today, so I don’t have to go into the hospital unless there is an emergency with one of my patients.”

My schedule is clear today as well. My imagination goes wild as I think about all we can do together today. That s**g she deserves is looking better and better now that I know we have all day to be alone together.

“Then I will drive, and after this s**id meeting, we can go have breakfast together.”

“Just breakfast?

There is a challenging tone in her voice that makes me smile. “How about we go on our first date as a couple this time around?”

The way her eyes light up let me know she would very much like that to happen. After leaning up to give me a quick peck on the lips, she turns around to go clean up the breakfast dishes. Grace comes running back down the stairs a few minutes later with a piece of paper in her hand.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Dad, can you sign this for me?

“What is it?”

“A permission slip for the field trip next week.”

I take the slip from her hand and read it. They are going to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. I was planning on taking her there on one of our weekends together. Maybe I could volunteer with the school to go along. I make a m**al note to call her teacher later to ask.

“I need a pen, Grace”

She reaches into her backpack and pulls out a pen, then hands it to me. I sign the slip, then hand it to her. I don’t tell her about my idea of going on the trip with her classmates. That will stay surprise for the day of the trip.

After I signed the slip, Grace rushes into the kitchen, telling Annora that they are going to be late. I grab my keys off the hall table and wait for them both by the front door. Grace is the first to come out of the kitchen. There is a piece of toast clamped between her lips as she slips one strap of her backpack over her shoulder. Annora comes into the foyer, grabs her purse and keys, then joins us at the door.

“Well, ladies/ let’s get this show on the road.”

Traffic from my place to Grace’s school was light. We made it there with five minutes to spare. This is my first time dropping her off. Even though Annora is in the car with me, her hand clasped in mine over the center console, I can feel the curious stares of a few women on

the sidewalk.

Annora laughs after Grace runs into the school. The wave she sends to the gawking mothers makes me grin. However, the feeling I get from the situation makes me feel dirty somehow I don’t have time to reflect on it because we have a meeting to get to.

After stopping to get gas, we head towards the Ocean Beach area. As we get closer to the address Dionne gave me, the larger the houses become. However, when we arrive, there are no cars parked in the driveway. There is also a ‘Sold’ sign over the old for sale sign.

“Did she just buy this place?” Annora asks after I pull into the driveway.

“I don’t know, I certainly hope not.”

“Quinn, what do you think she has sto say to you? What could be so important for her to keep violating

ng a restraining order like this?”

I tum the car off, then angle my body so that I am facing Annora. She is looking out the window towards the house as if she is looking for signs that someone is inside. There is this feeling in the pit of my stomach that tells me I will not like what Dionne has to tell me.

There was nothing left between us after she aborted our child. Realizing that I never loved her was an eye opener. Nothing she can do or say now will change that. If anything, I feel sorry for her. Here she is, two years later, throwing herself at me, knowing I want nothing more to do with her.

The phone calls, the gifts, her showing up at my house, are all part of a stalker’s behavior. Where is that strong minded, independent woman that I used to know? What happened to her in the last two years to make her this way?

I know it can’t be because I walked away from her just a week before we were to be married. Dionne was a lot of things, but the one thing she wasn’t was sentimental. She told me once that if things between us didn’t last that she would dust herself off and move on with her life. Why would expect something different from her after I walked away?

it is time to go in,” Annora says.

“Do you think she is in there?”

“Her car could be in the garage.”

That is true. Before she can open the door, I grab Annora’s hand. “No matter what she has to say, you are the woman I want in my life, not her. I am absolutely, without a doubt, all yours.”

*I believe you, Quinn. Besides, after being away from you for twelve years, I am not giving up now without a fight. This crazy b**h is out of her mind if she thinks I am just going to walk away,”

With a smile on my face, I lean in and capture her lips with mine. Fire crupts between us instantly. A moan escapes her lips as I deepen the kiss, I lick her lower lip and she opens her mouth for my tongue to sweep inside. She fists her hands into the front of my button-up shirt to hold me close.

I break the kiss when she lets go of my shirt. We are both breathless as we sit back to gather our senses. I could spend all day

“Come on, let’s get this over with,” I tell her w