All I Need, page 7
part #1 of Haven’s Bay Holiday Series Series
At one point, Sasha went to the bathroom. As soon as the sound of the door clicking shut reached us, Quinn pinned me with her eyes. “Don’t you dare hurt my mom,” she said fiercely.
I was used to feeling like I could go with the flow of any conversation. I was also used to feeling like I had my shit together. Hell, I was an FBI agent and handled high-end financial fraud. Questioning those suspects was challenging because they usually had a lot of money and were accustomed to getting their way or buying their way out of tight spots.
But Sasha’s protective teenage daughter had me feeling like I didn’t know what to say. I cleared my throat. “I’m not planning on hurting your mother.” Stating the obvious was always a good place to start.
“Of course, you’re not planning on it. Even assholes don’t plan on it.”
My heart ached a little for this girl who clearly loved her mother and wanted to make sure no one hurt her.
“I know you just met me, but I promise your mom means a lot to me, and I have no intention of hurting her.”
Quinn’s lips pressed together and twisted to the side as she blinked at me. “It’s just she’s never introduced me to anyone. She’s trying to play it cool, but she’s so not cool.”
I bit the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing because Quinn was dead serious. I nodded slowly. “I understand your point. I don’t think your mom would’ve introduced me if—”
I cut myself off. I didn’t know what to say to this girl to convince her that what I wanted was her mother to realize we had a real thing here.
Quinn nodded as if I had somehow done something to satisfy her. “Good, you don’t know what to say either.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I countered, abruptly wondering if hell counted as a curse word and if I could say it in front of a fifteen-year-old, specifically Sasha’s daughter.
As if she freaking read my mind, Quinn offered, “Hell is a place, not a swear word. Mom swears in front of me if you were wondering. She tries not to, but she slips up.” At my chuckle, she continued, “My point was, you’re not trying to be slick. If you were, then as soon as you left, I would tell her not to go to dinner with you again. But you’re not slick, and you’re not cool. And, apparently, you’re stumbling over how to explain how you feel, so that’s a good sign.”
Sasha happened to return to the living room at this moment, her eyes bouncing between us. “Quinn, what did you say to Noah?”
It was only then I realized my mouth had actually dropped open. Good Lord, her daughter had me gaping like a fish.
Quinn thought the whole thing was hysterical and threw her head back with a laugh. “Nothing,” she said when she finished laughing. Sasha sat down beside me again. “I was just asking him his intentions.”
Sasha’s cheeks went pink. “Quinn! It was a dinner date. You’re also not my parent. I’m your mother.”
“Yeah, but you don’t date.” Quinn arched a brow, her eyes glinting with mirth.
Sasha glanced at me. “I am so sorry.”
“No need to apologize. It was rather clarifying.”
Sasha narrowed her eyes as she looked toward Quinn again. Quinn finally stopped giving me the side-eye and enjoyed her calzone. She even told me that it was really good.
After the show was over, I decided it was best to leave on a high note. I said my goodbye to Quinn, and Sasha walked into the hallway with me. When the latch on the door clicked behind us, I spun her around, pressing her against the wall and dipping my head to breathe in her scent along the side of her neck.
I felt the shiver run through her and couldn’t resist dropping a hot kiss just below her ear. That led to another and another before I dragged my tongue along the side of her neck, nipping lightly as she arched into me, letting out a low moan. My cock was swollen and aching. Desperate for more, I lifted my head, claiming her mouth with mine. God, I fucking loved kissing her. She made these little sounds in her throat that drove me wild. I could feel her warm, soft curves pressing against my chest.
My hand slipped under the hem of her shirt, coasting over the curve of her belly and cupping a breast. I could feel the tight peak of her nipple and pinched it lightly. She rocked her hips against mine. I slid my other hand down to cup her bottom, pressing her against my arousal. I was throbbing for her. I was on the verge of finding my release in my pants, something I hadn’t done since I was a teenage boy. One kiss led to the next, and her palm slid under my shirt, her touch silky and smooth.
I didn’t even hear the door behind us open until a voice said, “Excuse me.”
My lips broke from Sasha’s abruptly as I lifted my head and glanced over my shoulder. I kept Sasha shielded, seeing as I had one hand up her shirt.
An elderly woman was standing in the doorway directly across the hall. She had curly silver hair and wore a hot-pink bathrobe with bunny slippers. She eyed me with unabashed curiosity. “You must be Noah,” she announced.
I managed to stealthily get my hand out from under Sasha’s clothes. Blessedly, I had already put my jacket on before I walked out the door, so I smoothly adjusted it to obscure my arousal as I turned.
Sasha looked over at the woman I presumed was her neighbor, Melanie. “Hey there. Eavesdropping?” she teased.
Oh, good. Sasha didn’t seem too upset at the interruption.
“Of course. Somebody’s got to get some around here.”
Sasha rolled her eyes. “This is Noah.” Looking at me, she added with a sweep of her hand toward the woman, “And this is Melanie.”
“Nice to meet you, Noah,” she said with a smile.
“Likewise,” I offered.
“I’m not a witch, just a nosy old lady. Plus, I keep an eye on things,” Melanie offered with a grin.
“Much appreciated,” I replied, dipping my chin in acknowledgment.
“You best do right by Sasha,” Melanie added.
“Melanie!” Sasha pushed away from the wall. “He’s an old friend.”
“I’m here, you know. You don’t have to talk about me like I’m not.”
Melanie ignored me, casting a sharp eye on Sasha. “I have a bone to pick with him, not you.”
Good grief. First Quinn, now the neighbor. Sasha had not warned me that she had a gauntlet I had to pass and more than one test on the way to winning her heart.
“I promise I will do right by her,” I said, addressing Melanie. “I already told Quinn something along the same lines.”
Melanie nodded. Her gaze swept from the top of my head all the way down to my shoes and back up. Nothing about it was sexual, but holy hell, I felt as if she were X-raying me.
She looked toward Sasha. “He’s cute. He’ll do.”
Sasha’s cheeks were bright red. “After Quinn and this, he’ll probably never come back.”
“No chance of that.” I laughed because what I wanted to say was for Sasha’s ears only.
“He’ll be back,” Melanie said confidently. “Nice to meet you.” She closed her door, and we could hear the bolt sliding in place.
“Sorry about that,” Sasha said with a shake of her head. “I’ll walk you down.”
We stopped on the landing at the bottom of the stairs. I stepped to her, palming her cheek and looking into her eyes. “You’re not going to scare me away, Sasha.” I dusted a kiss across her lips.
“What about Quinn and Melanie?” Her eyes searched mine.
“Nope.”
I couldn’t resist one more kiss, although that didn’t help with the state of my cock, which protested mightily as I drew back. I’d have to take matters into my own hands tonight.
“How about I take you and Quinn to dinner tomorrow night?”
Sasha’s eyes widened comically. “Are you serious?” she sputtered.
Chapter Fifteen
Sasha
By the time Noah left, on the heels of another breath-stealing kiss, I had to lean against the wall in the foyer downstairs. I needed a minute to gather myself and scramble my wits together. Once I could breathe and my knees weren’t threatening to give out, I headed back upstairs.
The second I crested the top stair onto the landing on the second floor, Melanie’s door flew open. Her grin was wide. “Noah is totally hot,” she announced. Melanie might not be young, but she acted like it sometimes.
I was hot all over. I bit my lip and tried to give a nonchalant shrug. “I won’t argue the point on that.”
Her eyes took on a gleam as they swept from my head to my toes. “He kissed you again, didn’t he?”
I leaned against the railing at the top of the stairs. “You know, you’re seventy-five years old,” I pointed out, completely sidestepping her question.
“Obvious much?” she countered quickly. “So what? I may not be getting any myself, and frankly, I’m past that stage, but I can certainly enjoy it vicariously.”
I sighed. “Yes, he kissed me again.”
“Want some tea?”
I could always use a late-night chat in Melanie’s comfortable kitchen. I nodded. “As if I’d say no.”
I followed her into her apartment, which was basically a mirror of Quinn’s and mine. We walked through the archway into her small kitchen. She filled the kettle, setting it on the stove.
We’d been neighbors and friends long enough that I didn’t wait for her to tell me to have a seat. That was a given. Just as she had a key to our place and could come over anytime for dinner, or tea, or whatever.
The anxiety that had welled after Noah left started to dissipate. Frankly, I didn’t know what to do about this man who turned me on like no other and who was so comfortable because I knew him from before. Yet I didn’t know how this would play out.
“What kind of tea?” Melanie asked over her shoulder as she pulled two mugs out of the cabinet by the sink.
“Do you have chamomile? I need something that will help me fall asleep.”
“Of course you need something to help you fall asleep. I’m sure you’re wide awake. Yes, I have it.”
I laughed. A few minutes later, Melanie was sitting across from me, and steam rose from our respective cups of tea.
“So that was Noah,” she began.
“Yep.” I lifted my teacup to take a sip, but it was too hot. I set it down on the table. “He wants to take Quinn and me to dinner tomorrow. I’m not sure about that.”
“What does Quinn think?”
“I’m not sure. He asked me in the hallway. She was polite tonight. He also bribed her with a calzone.”
“From where?”
“I forgot what it’s called. It’s right near that sandwich place we love by the old bank. It really is good.”
Melanie’s eyes lit up. “Oooh, I’ve been there. Very good place, but not too trendy.”
“Yeah. You’ve heard of it?”
Melanie smiled. “Of course I have. My John used to take me there. We loved it. You forget, but we lived over in that area when I was in college. It was a long time ago, and I don’t drive these days, but I’m sure the same family owns it. Smart man to offer to get Quinn a calzone. I know how much she loves those.”
“I know.” I took a breath, letting it out before finally taking a sip of my tea. “Do you think I’m crazy?”
Melanie gave me a dry look. “Absolutely not. You went on a date. It’s not like you have to worry about this man doing anything horrible. You’ve known him and his family for years.”
I’d told Melanie a little bit about Noah after my week in Haven’s Bay with him. “Yeah, but Quinn’s not used to me dating.”
Melanie tightened her lips and cast me something approaching a glare. “You don’t need to be alone forever. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were aiming for that. You’re not irresponsible. You haven’t been dating and running through men faster than some people do their rosary beads when they pray.” I snorted at that. “It’s obvious he likes you. And he’s a honey, very easy on the eyes.”
A “honey” was Melanie’s description of a cute guy. She tended to select the men who did repairs on the building based on how cute they were. I doubted the wisdom of that, but she’d never had an issue.
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll ask Quinn if she wants to have dinner. If she wants to go, we’ll do it.”
“It’s a good sign he wants to include her this soon. She’s the most important person in your life.”
“Of course, she is.” I took another swallow of my tea. “I wish there was an instruction manual.”
“For what?”
“Dating as a single parent.”
“Sweetie, dating is fraught whether you’re a single parent or not. I’m not going to pretend it’s not more difficult when you have a daughter to consider. I think you’re a little rusty. Might as well try with someone who obviously thinks you’re sexy and wants you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Right now, he does. But wait until I have to cancel for one in a long list of reasons. Or wait until Quinn decides she hates him.”
“Or wait until it’s not as bad as you think,” Melanie pointed out.
Chapter Sixteen
Sasha
Quinn blinked at me from where she sat across the table. “Dinner?”
I was unaccountably nervous. It was some combination of not really having any romantic relationships as an adult, really liking Noah, and having my daughter look at me as if I were an unwanted bug.
“Yes, dinner with Noah and me.”
Quinn looked down, taking a bite of her oatmeal before her lashes swept up, and she pinned me with her skeptical gaze again. “Why is he trying so hard?”
“Sweetie—” I began.
Quinn shook her head as if I didn’t understand something. “Mom, he totally has the hots for you. He’s just trying to get in your pants through me.”
I stuttered on the sip of coffee I had just taken. “Oh, my God. Quinn!”
She gave me a satisfied smirk. “He is.”
Putting aside her comment about his motives, I forged ahead. “I’ve known him since I was a little girl. He’s a nice man and would like to get to know you.”
Quinn tapped my knee with her socked foot. “It’s fine, Mom. I’ll go. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy.”
I did my best to take a deep breath carefully, so Quinn didn’t notice when I let out a slow and quiet sigh of relief.
“Where would you like to go?” I asked next.
“Well, Noah was right about that Italian place. It’s good. Why doesn’t he find a new Thai place we haven’t tried?”
“Is this a test that’s impossible for him to pass?” I asked skeptically.
Quinn cast me a sly grin. “Maybe, but I won’t be too hard on him.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, then. I’ll let him know.”
We spun into our usual busy morning routine. Quinn finished her breakfast and jumped in the shower while I got dressed. After I dropped her off on the way in and parked in the lot for work, I took a moment to send Noah a text.
I thanked the gods daily that Noah didn’t expect frequent texts. I didn’t have time when I was at work, and neither did he. We’d fallen into the habit of texting each other in the morning. When I opened my phone, his text was waiting.
Noah: Morning, gorgeous. Tell me what Quinn says about dinner.
Me: Morning. Quinn says yes. She has given you the assignment of finding an amazing Thai place we haven’t tried yet. Can’t wait to see you.
Just texting him sent my belly into a swoop. I took a breath and slipped my phone into my purse before running into the office.
Chapter Seventeen
Noah
“You’re kidding,” I muttered as I lifted my head and looked up at the doorway of my office.
My older brother, Dallas, stood there. He rested his shoulder on the inside of the doorframe, shaking his head. “Definitely not kidding. I want you on this one with me.”
“You’d have to fight to keep me off,” I replied as I leaned back in my chair, picking up a miniature Slinky I kept on my desk and spinning it on my forefinger.
Dallas stepped into my office, closing the door behind him. He slipped into the chair across from my desk. “I hate this shit.”
“Money always leads us in interesting directions.”
Dallas and I both worked in the FBI and specialized in financial fraud. Often, our cases started with one thread that unraveled into several. In this particular case, we’d been looking at money laundering through a bank that was leading us to a massive identity theft operation.
“I can’t believe Jones would risk this.” I was referring to a local Boston politician. Matty Jones had been a fixture in Boston politics for two decades, following his father’s footsteps to the Boston City Council. They reigned supreme in terms of business influence around town and liked it that way.
Dirty money was always mucking up politics anywhere in the world, but this little turn was a surprise. The Jones family tended to play it smart and careful.
Dallas shrugged. “I know. Let’s see where it takes us.” His phone buzzed, and he slipped it out of his pocket. “Hang on, let me take this.”
I nodded and glanced back at my computer screen, scrolling through my email.
“Hey, love,” he said, quickly lifting the phone to his ear after he swiped his thumb across the screen.
I knew that meant Audrey, his wife, was on the other end. The moment I thought of Audrey, my mind squirreled to Sasha. Lately, many thought roads led to Sasha, but Audrey brought her to mind because they’d been in school together. I wondered if they stayed in touch.
“On my way,” Dallas said as he ended the call.
I grinned when he stood. “You have become very good at leaving work on time,” I observed.
Dallas shrugged, casting an easy smile. “I’ve got a woman I love and a son to go home to. Work doesn’t compete.”
