A Mighty Quinn Seduction (The Mighty Quinns) (4 page)

“Can we discuss this later?” he asked.

“There’s nothing to discuss,” Claire said. “I’ve given the information to Dex and he’ll do what he wants.”

“Even though it’s a bad idea?”

Claire studied him for a long moment, as if trying to discern the depth of his sincerity. “He’s my brother. It’s his film.”

“And I’m...”

“I don’t know what you are,” Claire said.

Ian drew a deep breath, then stood up. “I see. Well, I guess we’ve reached an impasse. I’m just going to be going now.” He started toward the door and expected her to call out to him. When he glanced over his shoulder, he found her staring down at the book.

This night would not turn out as he expected. But then, history had a habit of rewriting itself before it even occurred. Maybe this was the way it was always meant to be between them.

Ian opened the door and stepped into the hall. At least he didn’t have any regrets. For the first time in his life, he’d said everything he’d wanted to say. The door clicked closed behind him. Except to tell her that he was falling in love with her.

“Better to keep that to myself,” Ian murmured.

* * *

C
LAIRE
KNEW
SHE
’
D
probably see him that day. Though they’d spoken on the phone several times over the past three days, she and Ian hadn’t seen each other. So when Dex had asked her to help film some exterior shots of Aileen at her country house, she’d jumped at the chance to meet one of her favorite authors—and to possibly see Ian again.

“Are you all right?” Marlie asked.

“Fine,” Claire said. She held onto a light reflector and watched as Dex spoke to Aileen, giving her directions on what they were about to film.

“You seem a bit preoccupied.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“How is it going with Ian? Are you two getting along? He can be a bit stuffy, but he’s being so helpful to us.”

“It’s been just grand,” Claire said, nodding emphatically. “And he has been...helpful.”

Their week of denial had been up the night they fought over the orphanage. She’d known the deadline was at had and she was sure Ian was thinking about the same. But then a silly fight had come between them. This was exactly why she hadn’t bothered with men. It always ended in disaster and this one more quickly than most.

She heard footsteps on the gravel behind her and was almost afraid to turn, knowing it was probably Ian.

“Claire, could you spare a moment? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

She turned to face him and their eyes met. “I—I’m busy,” Claire said.

“Oh, I’m sure I can handle that...thing. Whatever it is.” Marlie grabbed the reflector from Claire and held it out in front of her. “Go ahead. I’ll come get you if your needed.”

Reluctantly, Claire turned and walked toward the house, Ian at her side. She hadn’t talked to him in three days and yet, she hadn’t been able to put him out of her mind.

Once she had a chance to put their disagreement in perspective, she realized that she’d used the conflict as just another creative way to sabotage a relationship with a man. Her feelings for Ian were growing far too deep and too fast. She’d thought a day or two apart would be enough to cool the infatuation between them, but things had only gotten worse. She’d missed him terribly.

How could they have sex now? Especially when it would actually mean something? No doubt he had no intention of changing his mind about the orphanage story and he’d be angry when he learned that Dex had every intention of talking to Aileen. He probably already knew considering the dark look on his face.

Claire followed Ian though the entry hall and up the stairs. He opened a door and she stepped into a beautifully decorated sitting room. On one end sat a lovely painted desk in the French style. “Aileen lets me use this as a office when I’m here.”

She slowly crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. “What did you want to say to me that you couldn’t say outside?” Claire asked.

Ian locked the door behind him then leaned against it, as if he were reluctant to come closer. “I’ve been thinking about our discussion the other night and I’ve come to the conclusion that I was wrong. You have your professional responsibilities and I have mine and we shouldn’t interfere with each other’s work.”

“That’s it?” Claire asked. Had he considered the ramifications of that argument or even cared that it had called an end to their budding relationship? Or was his job all he cared about?

“No, that’s not it,” he continued. “I’m sorry that I said what I did. It was wrong and it was not how I truly felt and you have to know that I’d never, ever do anything to hurt you. You believe that, don’t you?”

Claire nodded. “I do.”

“At the same time, I would never do anything to hurt Aileen, either. I’ve talked to Dex and I’m hoping to discuss the matter with to Aileen first, before he and Marlie do. And if it doesn’t go well, I’m going to ask that they don’t press the issue.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Claire said.

It was as if that simple opinion was all he needed to close the distance between them. In a few long steps he was at the bed, then kneeling at her feet and pulling her into a long, delicious kiss.

Claire pulled him up, their mouths still locked together and he stretched out beside her on the bed. Her body reacted instantly to his touch and she hadn’t realized until that moment how much she’d missed. In such a very short time, he’d become a necessary part of her existence, like breathing or eating or sleeping, she needed him to live.

His hands skimmed over her body, brushing aside her jacket and then her blouse until he found a spot of bare skin. Claire arched into his touch, the warmth of his fingers causing a flood of desire to race through her body. In the back of her mind, she wondered if they ought to do this, here and now. But she couldn’t seem to stop herself—or Ian.

They tugged at each other’s clothes, pulling off just enough to find new places to kiss and caress. But it wasn’t enough for Claire. She pushed up on her knees and began to undress, staring down into his eyes as he watched her. When she was left in just her bra and knickers, Ian rolled off the bed and began to shed his shirt and trousers, kicking off his shoes and socks along the way. And when he was left in just his boxers, he crawled back onto the bed, kneeling in front of her.

“We’re going to do this,” she whispered.

“Yes.”

“And we’ve waited a week.”

“More than a week.”

“And there’s something else you ought to know,” she murmured, her gaze fixed on his mouth.

“Nothing you say is going to stop what we’re about to do.”

Claire sucked in a sharp breath. Was that really true? She was about to find out. “I’m not very good at this. I mean, I’m good at the sex, but I’m terrible at the part that comes after that.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said.

“But I don’t want you to think that I’m taking this lightly, because I’m not.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and yanked her body against his. “Neither am I.” They tumbled onto the mattress. Claire laughed as they rolled around the bed, kissing and pulling off the last of their clothes. A mixture of joy and relief filled her. They’d weathered their first storm and come out fine.

He hadn’t planned ahead and brought a condom, but there was no reason to worry as Claire had taken birth control since she was a teen. She always been careful with the men she’d bedded, insisting on a condom, but this time, she knew she could trust that Ian hadn’t been sleeping around.

Reaching between them, she slowly ran her fingertips along the length of his stiff shaft. Her touch caused him to draw in a sharp breath and as she continued, he groaned softly. She wanted to please him, to show him how good it could be between them. But Claire was also impatient and couldn’t keep herself from jumping ahead a few steps.

She rolled on top of him and pinned his hands over his head, weaving her fingers through his. Straddling his waist, she slowly slid her body down until his shaft made contact with the damp spot between her legs.

Slowly, she took him inside her, inch by inch, until he was buried deep. The sensation was enough to make every doubt she’d ever had about men melt away. This was so perfect and so right and for the first time in her life, Claire allowed herself to feel it completely.

Ian smoothed his hands over her hips and when she began to move, he controlled her pace, slowing her when he came close to the edge, then urging her on when he needed more. Her body responded to each and every stroke, her own release coming closer and closer. And when she was just a heartbeat away, he flipped her onto her back and drove into her, the new sensation sending her into a riot of spasms.

Claire’s fingers dug into his broad shoulders as he weathered her orgasm. But then, it was too much and he joined her, his body arching against hers before his inevitable release.

When they were both completely spent, the last ounce of pleasure washing over them, Ian curled up beside her and threw his leg over her thighs. “That was lovely,” he murmured, pressing his lips to the curve of her shoulder.

“Yes. Well done.”

“Yeah?” He pushed up on his elbow. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better are you?”

“No. You were quite good. In fact, brilliant. Yes, I’d have to say you were...more than brilliant.”

“That’s good to know. I’ve never have a woman tell me that?”

“Really?”

He nodded. “I’ve never been able to talk the way we talk. It never seemed entirely proper.”

“And now?”

“And now it’s the most natural thing in the world.”

“I guess I’m loosening you up then.”

“Well done, you,” Ian said. With a low growl, he pulled her body beneath his and kissed her. Claire stretched her arms over her head and smiled. This had all gone exceedingly well. In truth, better than she’d ever imagined. And she’d realized that the feelings coursing through her were nothing to be feared. She could want him, and maybe even love him, and still be the woman she’d always been.

4

C
LAIRE
STOOD
IN
the kitchen of her flat, dressed only in Ian’s discarded dress shirt. Ian watched her from his perch on the counter as she fried eggs in a pan on the cooker. He was wrapped in a faded quilt he’d dragged from her bed, naked beneath.

He didn’t feel the least bit inhibited or uncomfortable in her presence and they’d spent most of the weekend wandering half-naked between the kitchen and the her bedroom. Ian wondered what he’d done with his spare time before he met Claire. Making love to her seemed to be the only crucial task in his life these days.

“I have to go to London for a few days,” Ian said when she handed him a plate of eggs. “Actually, I was going to take the ferry over on Friday night.”

“Whatever am I going to without you?” Claire said, a smile curling her lips. She ran her hand along his leg, slipping it beneath the blanket in a tantalizing caress.

“Well, I don’t think you’ll need to wonder because I thought you might like to come with me. Can you get a few days off from work?”

Claire shook her head. “Not now. We don’t have another holiday until Christmas. And I just bunked when I took that day in Dublin.”

“Then we’ll make it a weekend trip,” he said. “We’ll come back on Sunday night.”

Ian could see that the option was tempting. “What would we do?”

“My parents are celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary with a party and they’ve requested my presence. I thought you might be my date? You know, make the evening more tolerable.”

“You want to introduce me to your parents?” Claire asked. She shifted uneasily, clearly unenthusiastic about the request. “I really think it’s a little—”

Ian reached out and pressed his finger to her lips. “Don’t let it worry you. It was just an idea I had.”

“But I would like to come. I will come with you. And I’ll find something interesting to do while you attend the party. There are libraries and museums. Would that be all right?”

He smiled. “Yes, that would be agreeable.”

“Agreeable,” Claire said. “Whoever thought that word would be used to describe me?” She jumped up to sit beside him, then took is fork and stole a bite of his eggs. “Tell me about your parents. You don’t talk much about them.”

“There’s not much to say. They’re both academics like me. My father teaches philosophy and my mother teaches Shakespeare at small university just north of London. They adopted me when I was six months old.”

“Do you remember your birth mother?” she asked.

Ian shrugged. “I’ve met her a couple of times but we’ve never had a relationship. She was sixteen when she had me and has a family of her own now. She’s doesn’t really want me in her life.”

“I’m sorry,” Claire said.

“Don’t be. My adoptive parents gave me opportunities I never would have had. I got a wonderful education and grew up in a safe home. We traveled every summer and I saw so many interesting places. Though they weren’t the most affectionate parents, in retrospect, I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I am grateful.”

Ian paused. He’d told her so much already. Why not tell her everything? “They were never very affectionate and I was never sure that they even cared about me. So I spent most of my childhood afraid that they would give me back.”

“What?”

He nodded. “I think that’s why I’ve never really been good at relationships. I was afraid if I invested too much, or trusted to deeply, that I wouldn’t be able to handle the rejection.” He forced a smile. “So, I guess if you’re going to send me back, you should let me know early on.”

“I think I’m going to keep you,” she said. “I’m getting used to having you about.”

He leaned close and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Good. I like it here.”

“We do make quite a pair,” she said.

“So, you’re going to come to London with me?”

“I am.”

“I promise to show you a good time,” Ian said.

“Oh, are we going to spend the entire weekend in your bed?”

“No. Not the entire weekend. But I’m afraid we won’t have much time for sight-seeing. We won’t get there until Saturday morning and then we’ll have to leave Sunday morning.”

“The trip will be fun,” Claire said. “I think it’s time we spent some time together outside my bedroom.”

“We’re in the kitchen. We could always give the counter a go.”

Claire reached for the buttons of her shirt and slowly began to undo them. “You better finish those eggs,” she warned. “You’re going to need the protein.

She slipped off the counter and stood in front of him, entertaining him with a sexy striptease. Ian set the plate down beside him and when she was completely naked, he opened up the quilt and pulled her body into his. Did any man have the right to be so happy? He’d never imagined he’d find a woman like Claire. But now that he had, he was forced to acknowledge the fear that he might someday lose her.

Was that what it meant to fall in love?

* * *

T
HE
CROSSING
FROM
Ireland to Wales turned rough about halfway through the four hour trip, with high seas causing a sickening roll to the ferry. Ian had secured a small cabin for them and Claire was grateful for the privacy. She groaned softly, throwing her arm over her eyes. “I’ve never been very good on ships.”

“Can I get you anything?” Ian asked.

“I’m afraid to eat for fear that I might embarrass myself and start retching. If I ask you to leave, you’ll go, right?”

“I don’t care if you get sick,” Ian said. “I’ll stay here and take care of you.”

“Just keep talking to me,” Claire said. “If I don’t think about the way the boat is rolling, then I won’t puke.”

“What do you want me to talk about?”

“Anything. It doesn’t matter.”

“We could talk about the film,” he said.

“Oh, God, I don’t want to talk about work. Choose another subject.”

“English history? How about Irish history?” Ian suggested.

She groaned. “I think we need something where you’ll do the talking and I’ll do the listening. Maybe you could sing me a song, or tell me a story.”

Ian chuckled. “Claire, if I sing you a song, I’m certain that there will be puking involved.”

She patted the spot beside her. “Just lie here with me and keep talking.”

“If I lie down with you, I’m going to want to do more than just talk,” he said. “It’s very difficult to think about anything else when I touch you.”

“I like that you can’t resist me,” Claire said. “But now would not be a good time, trust me.”

Ian stretched out on the bunk, his hand resting gently on her hip. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I could recite a poem for you. Would that help?”

She nodded, swallowing hard. “What poem?”

“I have a whole list. Every year, when I got off school for the Christmas holiday, I’d have to memorize some epic poem. And then, on New Year’s Eve, my parents would sit on the sofa and listen as I recited it before they left for the evening. I’ll do ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.’ That seems appropriate since we’re on a ship.”

“You have that memorized?”

“Yes. That was New Year’s Eve in 2001.” Ian began to recite the poem and Claire closed her eyes, letting the sound of his voice fill her head. It was so easy to imagine a life with Ian. And yet, there was something holding her back, some fear she hadn’t yet faced.

They were so different, from such different backgrounds. Was that it? Was she afraid he’d be another Simon, the kind of man who might enjoy her company while he was in Ireland and then go right back to his real life in England? Simon had been a boy and Ian was grown man. She could trust him—at least that’s what she’d been telling herself.

But how much did she really know about him? In the past, she’d never wanted to know the men in her life. It was easier to keep them at a distance if she didn’t care. But she’d grown very fond of Ian, and not just because they had a good time in bed. He was kind and caring. He understood her.

But how long would it be before she began to doubt herself, before she tried to destroy what they shared? Did she really deserve a guy as wonderful as Ian? Or would all her insecurities ruin it for the both of them?

If they were ever going to last, she’d have to start believing that she could make him happy. And that nothing would alter his feelings for her. She wanted to believe in love. But it took more faith than she thought she could muster.

Claire nuzzled her face into his chest, feeling the vibrations of his voice against her forehead. But when he stopped speaking, she looked up at him. He struggled for a moment, then remembered the next stanza and continued on.

The sound of his words lulled her into a sleepy state of relaxation and before long, she forgot about the rolling and pitching of the ferry and instead, got caught up in the poem. And when he finished the Coleridge, he moved on to Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey.” He followed that up with a few Shakespeare sonnets before launching into “The Charge of the Light Brigade.”

And when she heard the horn from the car ferry, Claire knew they were about to dock. Ian kissed her softly on the top of the head. “I’m going to go get the car. I’ll park it onshore and come back to get you.”

“Umm,” she said.

Claire watched as he slipped out of the cabin, then smiled to herself. She was falling in love with Ian. But strangely, the idea didn’t frighten her at all. Instead, it gave her a wonderful sense of peace. But how much longer could that last?

* * *

I
AN
STARED
INTO
the mirror above the mantle and adjusted his tie, exhaustion testing his patience. They’d spent most of the night and the next morning traveling and upon arriving at his flat in London just before noon, they’d tumbled into bed and had spent the rest of the day entertaining themselves with sex and conversation.

He was already late for his parents’ party, but he’d found it difficult to leave Claire sleeping in a warm bed for a party he really didn’t want to attend.

Ian had never felt completely comfortable in social situations and wasn’t adept at chit-chat. And no doubt he’d be forced to answer the same questions over and over again over the course of the evening: How is his career going, has he been published recently, what are his plans for the future. If he could get by with one word answers they would be “fine,” “no,” and “Claire.”

Ian grabbed his suit jacket and headed back to his bedroom. But Claire wasn’t lying in the bed. Instead, her found her in the bathroom, dressed in a sexy black frock that exposed her beautiful shoulders and neck. “Are you planning to go out?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m going with you.”

“Yes?”

She nodded. “I don’t want to spend the night alone and if I’m your girlfriend, I’m expected to do these sorts of things.”

“Are you my girlfriend?” Ian asked.

“Yes,” she said, quite decisively. She watched his reflection in the mirror, their gazes meeting. “I am, aren’t I?”

Ian slipped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Yes. You are my girlfriend. And not just a casual girlfriend. You’re my sweetheart.”

Claire smiled. “I like that. I don’t think I’ve ever been anyone’s sweetheart.”

“Good. I’m glad I’m your first, then.”

She turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re my first in a lot of different ways. I’ve never met a man’s parents before. It’s a big step.”

“And I’ve never introduced a woman to my parents,” he countered. “This will be interesting. My mother can be a bit intimidating, but don’t let that bother you. And my father will seem aloof, but he’s just chronically distracted. So, if it doesn’t seem as if they like you, that’s probably not true.”

“But if they say something to you about me, you’ll tell me, right? I mean, if I’m doing something wrong, I want to know right away.”

“I’m sure they’ll like you. I can guarantee they won’t love you, because they never show that range of emotion.” But he didn’t care if they didn’t love her, Ian thought to himself. He loved her and that was all that really mattered. It was just the two of them in this relationship and nothing anyone else said or felt would change his feelings for her.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look?” Ian asked as they walked out of the bathroom.

“No, but you can say it again.”

“You’re beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous.”

“I don’t understand why some woman hasn’t already snatched you up,” Claire said as Ian helped her into her coat.

“I suppose I just never met the right woman.”

Ian wanted to say everything that he felt. He wanted to tell Claire that she was the right woman and that he’d been waiting for her his entire life. The more time they spent together, the more he realized what a perfect match they were. They complemented each other in every way.

But Ian knew that Claire still had her doubts. He wasn’t sure what was at the root of it all, but it would take time for her to be certain.

They walked down to the street then the three blocks to the car park where Ian kept his car. He hadn’t realized how noisy London was until spending the past year in the Irish countryside. He’d grown used to hearing the birds in the morning and inhaling the fresh air.

Though he’d thought a lot about the future in terms of making a life with Claire, he’d never considered where that might happen. Would they live in London or Ireland? The move wouldn’t be easy for either one of them. University positions were hard enough to come by in England for an Englishman with a degree in English history. He couldn’t imagine it would be any easier in Ireland.

Claire had a teaching degree that might be useful in London. But would she be willing to leave her home and her brother for a life with him? Ian couldn’t imagine that she’d give up her quiet life for the rush of London.

But maybe he could entice with a career change. She’d told him about her dreams of writing a novel. He could support them both while she worked toward that goal. That would make her happy. And with Claire happy, he was certain to be happy, too.

“You look worried,” Claire said, pulling him out of his silent contemplation.