Loving Quinn Novel by North Rose

(Quinn)

As I drive us to the property, I put a bid on, I can feel Annie’s eyes on me. I know she wants to talk about what happened in my office and I can also feel her curiosity about where we

are gring

I have no intention of talking about what happened earlier, at it not while we are in the cat. So, I ignore the looks the is giving me. Instead, I concentre on the next phase of our

The property is out thirty minutes outside of the city. When I saw it, I feel in love with, and 1 know she will too. There is a small two-story house already on the ten-acre lot, which we will demolish because of a fire that gutted it recently. C

We will build a natural rock wall with a gate at the back of the property where there is a stone staircase that leads down to the private beach below. The plans that Daniel and Andres designed are beautiful to look at and I can’t wait to visualize that home on this

property.

I will only buy it if Annie has the same reaction to it as I did.

“How long have you and my brother, Daniel, been designing this house?””

1 put the idea in his head at the same time we talked about the lake house. I gave him Andrea’s information, then it just went from there. The property I will show you is perfect for it.”

“Did you already buy it?”

“No, I put a bid in but won’t go further unless you give me the green light to put the

vitimate offer doWELT

This seems to make Annie happy for nowc She goes silent but continues to stare at me. I can practically hear the thoughts running through her head. Normally, I love it when sh

stares at me, but right now, it is frustrating me.

“We will be there soon.”

“I am happy that you and Daniel are getting along.”

“But?” I ask.

I know there is more to it than that.

“I am slightly annoyed that you went behind my back to have these designs made. I feel left out of the decisions. You three designed both our future homes without my input. I will live in these homes too. Did you think of that while you were doing this?”

Well, there goes the entire point of the surprises.

“That is why both sets of plans are rough drafts. So that you can get with them both and add in what you want or change what you don’t like. I wanted to surprise you after all the stressful **t with Dionne, the accident, and Kyle’s upcoming court case.”

“Oh.”

Her voice is soft as she responds to me. I glance over at her to look in her eyes, only to find that she is now staring out of her window. Well, today seems to be our first day full of misunderstandings, jealousy, and hurt feelings.

It was bound to happen. I just didn’t think it would be all in one day. Fantastic timing too.

“Annie, I didn’t mean to cut you out of anything. I swear. All I wanted to do was give you a surprise. One that I very much want your input on. If I didn’t, I would have just given the green light on both projects, bought the property, then told you about it when they were

done.”

When she doesn’t respond to me, I shut my mouth, then just keep driving. I feel another argument brewing within her. This makes me think that something far more than just the designs and what happened in my office is going on with her.

Is it the DNA test?

The results should be in within a few days. I can’t make time go faster or backwards to change the events that ha happened. I have done all that can be done.

Twenty minutes later, I pull into the driveway. It is lined on both sides with several types trees native to the San Francisco area. The driveway is a long twisting route up a hill that leads to a large circle driveway. The minute the trees open to clear the way and I see the wrought-iron gates, that same feeling from when I first came here washes over me.

of

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Home.

This place feels like home. Only one other place has felt like this for me. Well, one woman.

Annora’s gasp from beside me causes me to look over at her. Her hazel eyes are wide as she looks around the area. I can tell she is envisionlig our house here.

“There is more to be seen beyond the gate.”

After pressing the button to open the gate, I drive through, then stop in front of the crumbling home. I have seen pictures of the original structure. Daniel and Andrea used some of that design when they worked on the new design..

“What happened here?”

“Come on, I will tell you the history of the house, then I can tell you what happened.”

I

nods her head, then gets out of the car after I put it in park and stud li nt, Fegler 7

my hand when I join her on the walkway. Despite the damage done to the house by the fire, the landscape is still in good condition. The groundskeeper has maintained it since the owners moved on to their new home. I must admit that it surprised me they want to sell the land rather than rebuild the house.

An hour later, we have explored the entire property and we are now back at the car sitting in the hood. Annie’s face is glowing with excitement as she talks about all she would do with the backyard, the swimming pool area, and added ideas to the designs Daniel and Andrea made. Her anger at being left out of the initial design is long gone.

Much like I had hoped it would be once she saw the property. She felt the same tug that I did. This place, surrounded by trees on two sides, enclosed by a high stone wall, will give us privacy and peace. With what we have in mind, I have a great feeling for this place and our

future.

“Give Daniel and Andrea my additions, then. It is a yes, green light our home. What will you do with the penthouse once our home is built?”

it or lease it out. What about your house?”

“I will sell it. Max needs a place to live and if he wants to buy it from me, then I will give him priority. If not, then I will just put it on the market. I love that house, but just doesn’t feel like home for me anymore.”

I glance at her as she grabs my hand.

“Home is wherever you and Grace are. It could be the penthouse, a tent on the beach, or this beautiful new home we will build. If the three of us are together, then that is home for me.”

That is exactly how I feel. My girls are my home. Since they moved in with me, my daily routine has changed. I fill each morning with Grace and Annora either rushing around to get ready for the day or the three of us eating breakfast before we all go abou r days.

Each night I come home to them.

I love coming home to them and what my life has turned into now that we are a family. The only thing that is currently preventing us from being happy, completely happy, will soon be resolved. Well, I hope it will be.

Once the DNA test proves I am not Logan’s father, I can take the steps needed to get Dionne out of our lives.

Then, I will work on getting Annie to fully trust in herself. I will not waste the faith she put in me. I am hers. Always and forever.

“Quinn?”

“Yeah?”

“I know I hurt you earlier and you don’t want to talk about it further, but I need to clear the air before we go home.”

I sigh heavily, then pull my hand away from her as I stand up off the hood of the car. jealousy she feels is understandable. I never want her to feel like her feelings don’t matter.

The

So, we will have this conversation now.

“Ask anything you need to know.”

She takes a deep breath, then stands up. When she looks up at me, I can see worry written all over her beautiful face. My past with all those women is something I wish I could change. Had I known I would find her again, I would have done things differently.

“I know I claim your past with all those women doesn’t bother me. I understand why you were with them. After hearing some of the horror you lived through, I get it. Yet, sometimes, it hits me hard.”

I want to pull her into my arms to soothe her. Instead, I stand my ground. She needs to say everything that is on her mind, then I will say what I need to. We shall see where we stand

after this.

“There is no doubt in my mind that you are faithful. I don’t doubt your love for me because | feel it every day. You show me in so many ways. I know you had a life before we came back. into each other’s lives, just like I did. I will work on that if you forgive me for what happened in your office.”

This time, I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around her.

“There is nothing to forgive. You have every right to ask questions about my life. Your feelings after I answer those questions are understandable. The conclusions you jump to before you ask the questions are as well, but just ask first before you assume the worst.”

She pulls free from my embrace, then takes a few steps away from me. I have a bad feeling that I will not like the next words out of her mouth. Her eyes are downcast as she opens her

mouth.

“I have one last question and then I won’t mention your Past again. Well, I will try not to let

the green-eyed monster win again.”

“Ask your question but look at me when you do.”

Annie looks up at me like I ask.

“When was the last time you were with another woman before I came to you the night of your birthday?”

Ah. That is an understandable question. One I am honestly surprised she hasn’t asked before

now.

“Over a month. Nearly two. I won’t lie to you about anything, but what does knowing this do for us?”

“Why did you stop?”

I take a step towards her, closing the distance she put between us, then cup her face gently in my hands.

“Several reasons. The first being that I wanted you, only you. I wanted to be better for you. and Grace.”

“The second reason?”

I let go of her face so I can wrap my arms around her. There is a smirk on my face as I look at her that makes her frown at me. This reason will make me sound like a conceited, overconfident jerk, but it turned out to be true.

“Those looks you kept giving me on Sundays when I dropped Grace off. You ld stare at me, bite your lip, then blush and look away when I caught you staring. You wanted me too. More than you were willing to admit until you finally gave us that second chance.”

Her face turns an adorable shade of pink as I lean in to kiss her nose.

“Ok, that makes me feel a lot better. Knowing that you weren’t with any other women in our home was an enormous relief as well.”

“The penthouse was my sanctuary. I never wanted it tainted with that part of my life.”

“Thank you for being honest with me and for not being mad.”

I tilt her lips up to mine, then kiss her softly. She holds me close as she bites my lower lip. Our kisses quickly heat up as we pour our emotions out into each other. When I feel myself hardening for her, I pull my lips from hers.

“As much as I would love to take this further, we need to go home. Grace will be there soon.”

Annora pouts for a moment, then walks to the passenger door to get in. As I walk to the driver’s side door, my phone rings. I fish it out of my pocket, then frown at who it is. It is detective Morris, one of the two detectives who are investigating the hit and run.

I answer the call after the second ring, wondering why he is calling me instead of Annie.

“Detective Morris, have you found the person who ran Annora off the road?” I listen to him for a moment, then walk to Annie to give her the phone.

She looks at me with just as much confusion and anticipation as I am feeling.

“Your phone is in the car and so he called me to see if I was with

you.

“Do you have news, detective?”

I wait calmly as she listens to what he is telling her. When she hangs up the phone and hands it back to me, her face is red with anger. They know who did it.

“Who?”

“Lana.”

I wasn’t expecting it to be that crazy b**h, but now that I think back on the custody hearing, I can see her being capable. She doesn’t strike me as being smart enough to steal a car, then ditch it. Unless she hired someone to do her dirty work.

“Did she do it herself or hire someone?”

“She hired someone. It was his print they found, and he rolled on her fast. They gave him a deal if he told them who hired him. So, he did.”

“Is she in custody now?”

“Yes.”

“Do they need anything from you right now?”

Annora shakes her head.

“Then let’s go home, have a game night with Grace, and not think about that crazy b**h

until tomorrow.”

“Quinn, I want to know why? Why did she try to kill me? I have done nothing to her. Lana. was the one sleeping with my husband. He left me for her. Is she angry that I pressed charges when he tried to kill me? What was I supposed to do? Let him off and just pretend it never happened?”

“We will go tomorrow. I will go with you. For now, there is nothing you can do. Don’t give her anymore time in your head than you already have.”

Annora rushes to me, then presses her face to my chest as I wrap my arms around her. Lana Wells will be punished for her crime. I will make sure of it. For now, I will do my absolute

best to make sure she and Grace are safe.

“I got you, Annie. Always.”

“I love you so much, Quinn. Take me home to our daughter. I need to hold her, see her.”

We get in the car, then I drive us back into town. We grab Chinese food on the way home to make our daughter happy. My girls are my world.

I will make anyone who touches them regret ever being born.