Free Strong, Silent Type by Lorelei James Page B

swearing to never let her get so far out of his reach again. “God, I love you. Don’t ever leave me…I can’t…”
    “Ssh. I know. It’s okay. I’m here. We’re both here.”
    After they’d leveled their breathing and their heart rates returned to normal, she shuddered beneath him. He raised his head to peer into her eyes. “Cold?”
    “With two hundred pounds of hot rancher on top of me? Hardly.”
    “Am I too heavy?”
    Libby shook her head.
    He kissed each nipple and pushed upright. Studying her face for signs of pain, he slowly pulled out.
    “Sore?”
    “No. And even if I was, I wouldn’t mind. Because you just fulfilled one of my fantasies.”
    “Really? On the kitchen table?”
    “Mmm-hmm.”
    “Well, hot damn.” After Quinn tugged his sweatpants in place, he helped her sit up and noticed her eyes darted to the pile of dishes beneath the rumpled tablecloth. “Sorry I ruined supper.”
    “Don’t be. Being with you, having you look at me like that…”
    “Like what?”
    “Like you used to. Like I was everything.”

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    Lorelei James
    Quinn rested his forehead to hers. “You are everything to me. You always have been. I’m sorry it got to the point where you ever doubted that.”
    “Me too.”
    The moment, while brief, seemed to reinforce a connection between them Quinn hadn’t realized was broken.
    Libby’s stomach rumbled.
    “Since I wrecked supper, and you’re clearly starving, can I take you out?”
    “Good Lord, I’m a mess. By the time I get myself cleaned up, every place within thirty miles will be closed.”
    “You do look kinda mussed. But it’s a well-fucked, well-kissed kinda mussed.”
    “Quinn McKay!”
    He loved that indignant tone, mostly because it was all for show. “Tell you what. Let’s go to the Tasty Treat Drive-in. We don’t have to get out. I can sneak a couple kisses between feeding you curly fries. Like we used to.” He nibbled on her lips. “And we might finally christen the damn truck after six years.”
    Libby leaned back. “We’ve had sex in your truck.”
    “No, we haven’t.”
    “Yes, we have.”
    “When?”
    She appeared to be thinking. “Shoot. I thought after some big McKay bash you and I…” Libby looked him expectantly.
    “We did. But that was my old red Dodge years ago, not this one.”
    “Huh.”
    “What?”
    “Just remembering the first time we had sex in your pickup.”
    He cringed. “I’m surprised you ever had sex with me again.”
    “It wasn’t that horrible.”
    “Well, it sure as hell wasn’t romantic. Woulda been better if we’d waited and done it in my bed rather than on a pickup bench seat in the middle of a damn pasture. You deserved better.”
    “I didn’t care. I just wanted to be with you.” A wistful look crossed her face. “Sometimes I think we’ve come so far…and then I look at you and still feel like that unsure sixteen-year-old girl.”
    That jarred him. “Unsure about me?”
    “No, unsure on why you picked me .”
    “Why?”
    “The McKay boys’ reputation for preferring wild girls. I’ve never been wild.”
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    Strong Silent Type
    “I ain’t ever been like my cousins when it comes to skirt chasin’. Didn’t interest me.” He allowed a small grin. “On the other hand, I’m likin’ that you’re finally gettin’ wild with me.”
    “But, you could’ve had any girl.”
    “Don’t matter. I didn’t want any other girl besides you, Libby. Then or now.”
    Libby’s gaze roamed his face. “What are we doing?”
    Quinn knew she wasn’t referring to their supper plans. A temporary break from the issues would do them both good, so he deliberately misunderstood her. “Soon as you slip on some clothes, we’re headed to the Tasty Treat.”
    Her mouth opened. Closed.
    “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
    “Fine.” She hopped off the table. “But I’m not sharing my chocolate malt with you.”

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Chapter