The Bookstore on the Beach - Brenda Novak Page 0,75
chance to at least meet them.”
She watched as he moved his thumb over hers. “They were shocked that you would cover their lunch—and bring out all that extra food.”
“They have no clue I have a thing for their mom.”
Autumn glanced up. “Are we crazy for trying this?”
He knew what she was talking about. “I think we’d be crazy not to.”
She nodded and faced the sunrise. “So? What did you think? Did you like Caden and Taylor?”
“I did. They were exactly what I thought they’d be—great kids. You’re lucky to have them.”
Letting go, she began building up a pile of sand in front of her. “You never wanted children?”
“I did, but—” he nudged a crab, causing it to burrow deeper into the sand “—we couldn’t.”
Quinn could tell she didn’t want to be rude enough to ask, so he volunteered the answer to what she had to be wondering. “Sarah had infertility issues.”
“Oh, I had no idea—of course. I’m sorry.”
“I haven’t told anyone except my parents. I didn’t want her to be embarrassed or feel...less than.”
“That’s thoughtful of you.”
“It was also a little selfish,” he admitted. “I didn’t want to make my own situation any worse. I think not being able to conceive was a big part of her unhappiness.” He’d been disappointed, too. But he’d been so busy trying to convince her he didn’t mind that he could never admit it.
“That would be hard for someone who wants a family. Did you ever consider adoption?”
“I wanted to adopt. I tried talking to her about it several times. But she refused, said it was too much of a gamble—that we could end up with a demon child. And if I tried to push the issue, she’d assume that I wasn’t happy the way we were—that she wasn’t enough for me—and it would start a fight.”
“I know things went bad at the end. But...were you ever happy in your marriage?”
He thought back to the beginning. It hadn’t been so terrible then. “Our marriage was going along pretty good until we started trying to have a family.”
“I see.” She lifted a fresh handful of sand and let it run through her fingers, building her pile that much higher. “So...would you like to have a child at this stage of life? I mean, if you find the right woman?”
He nudged her. “Are you checking to see what you might be getting into?”
Her eyebrows slid up. “My youngest is sixteen, Quinn. That would be a big decision.”
“Stop thinking so far down the road. You wouldn’t have to have my baby. That isn’t a prerequisite to what I hope will happen between us.” Unable to resist any longer, he pressed her back onto the sand, pinning her beneath him. “But I wouldn’t complain if you wanted to.”
He expected her to say that she couldn’t make any promises. He’d said he’d take things slow. Talking about having a baby together was not taking it slow. Wanting to peel her clothes off right now wasn’t taking it slow, either. Even if she couldn’t feel the pounding of his heart, he had no doubt she could feel his erection. But she didn’t shove him off. Their gazes locked for several seconds. Then she said, “It feels like I’ve been in love with you my whole life. How am I supposed to resist that?”
The relief and excitement that poured through him made him both weak and strong at the same time. He’d never experienced such a strange but heady sensation. “I hope you won’t even try,” he said and lowered his head to kiss her.
* * *
Autumn was making love with a man who wasn’t her husband on the beach. Her top was pushed up, her shorts and swimsuit bottoms had been kicked aside, and Quinn’s lower body was between her legs.
She’d never done anything like this in a public place. There was no one else around, but still. Nick had been far too proper for public displays of emotion, let alone touching her in a more sexual way outside their bedroom. As a matter of fact, toward the end he’d become so preoccupied with his work that they’d often go a week or longer without any intimacy at all. She needed this. She wanted this. But part of her was horrified that she could be reckless enough to ignore propriety. She wasn’t a teenager anymore.
Briefly, she thought of stopping, but it was far too late for that. She was completely carried away, drunk on desire, and she already knew she’d