"They are pretty big, aren't they?"
"Huge," he agreed, "but you're not the least bit afraid, are you?"
"Not of the idea of starting a new business or moving to a new place." She followed the seam of his jeans with her index finger, thinking over his question. Shelley was comfortable talking about things she loved, but she wasn't accustomed to talking about things that frightened her to anyone but Taryn. No man she'd dated had ever cared enough to ask. "But that doesn't mean other things don't scare me."
"Like what?"
She shrugged, buying time and debating whether she should open up to him in that way. She felt like she was teetering on the edge of either falling all the way in with Quinn...or backing off from that huge risk.
Clearly able to sense her hesitation, he laced his fingers with hers and pressed another soft kiss to her lips. "I don't mean to push you too far, or faster than you're ready to go, Shell." It warmed her to hear the same sweet nickname he'd called her last night when he was giving her more pleasure than she'd ever known before. "I just want to be closer to you, to get to know you better. I've never wanted that with anyone before, but I can't help wanting to know everything about you."
The sincerity in his voice, and in every wonderful thing he'd said and done since he'd apologized to her on the boat the previous morning, sent her tipping straight toward him and had the truth falling from her lips. "I want that, too, Quinn." She paused as the step she was taking sank in. Sharing secrets. It was a big, trusting step. One that she realized felt completely right.
"I'm not afraid of normal things, like bad guys or sharks."
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," he said with a smile. "Want me to take a guess?"
"Sure." She tried to imagine what he'd say, but he'd surprised her so many times already, she knew whatever she guessed would be wrong.
"I think you're afraid of being cast aside, like you don't matter."
Her chest tightened. "How do you...?"
He touched his forehead to hers. "Just from the little things you've said, it sounds like your parents didn't know how lucky they were to have you as their daughter."
She didn't even try to speak. She knew no words could fit past the thickening in her throat. She gazed out over the water to try to deal with how strongly his incredibly sweet--and on-point--words had affected her. Had anyone ever seen into her heart this clearly?
He cupped her cheek and stroked her jaw, both a lover and a friend as he said, "I'm sorry, Shell. I'm sorry for every single time you've ever been hurt. And I'm so damn sorry that I ever hurt you."
She looked up at him, knowing everything she was feeling was in her eyes but not wanting to hide anything from him anymore. "You already apologized. And I've forgiven you, Quinn." And between yesterday and this moment they were sharing on the sand right now, Shelley realized that she truly had. Yet that didn't change how her parents, and everyone in the world she'd grown up in, had always treated her, did it? "I suppose it's silly, isn't it, how I can be a confident businesswoman who's not afraid to start over in a strange place where I only know a handful of people, but am afraid to be ignored, or forgotten, at the same time?" She tried to smile but couldn't quite get her lips to move in the right direction. And she couldn't keep the words from continuing to spill out, either. "How I can have so many friends and yet be afraid of never finding someone who thinks I'm enough? Someone who loves me for exactly who I am."
THE SADNESS IN Shelley's voice tugged at Quinn's heart. How could she think she wasn't enough for anyone? She was the brightest light in his life and he'd known her only a few days.
"My mom always says that love finds us when we're busy living our lives, and that one day we realize the person we've just met or the person we've known our whole lives is the only person we can't live without." He'd heard her say that a million times, and yet as he repeated the words, it was as if he were hearing them for the first time.
Shelley rested her head on his shoulder. "Your mom is really wise. I like her a lot."
He ran his hand over her hair, loving how soft and full it was and wanting to tangle his hands in her curls as he kissed her while the sun rose and the seabirds began circling the shoreline. "She likes you too, Shell."
And so do I, exactly as you are.
"I'm glad you came by this morning, Quinn."
"I was getting ready to go for a run when I realized that I can go for a run any day, but I only have a few days left to watch the sunrise with you."
"You gave up your run for me?"
She sounded like he'd given up air instead of a sweaty sixty minutes. "You have no idea how special you are, do you?"
She blushed, and it reminded him of how sweet--how perfect--she'd looked last night on the boat.
He gently lifted her chin so she had to look at him, and even that one small touch sent his heart beating faster. "Every time we're together you make me think about things I thought I'd left behind ages ago." He had to stroke over her lower lip with his thumb, then had to follow that light caress with a kiss in the exact same place. "You make me see them all differently. That night we met at the cove, I was so pissed about being back on the island and taken away from my business at such a critical time. But then I saw you splashing in the waves, so carefree--"
"And naked. Don't forget naked." She laughed, while heat continued to spark between them, bright and hot. He was so damn glad to see that her smile was back. "That probably helped."
"Naked always helps," he agreed, smiling as he ran his fingers over the gorgeous curve of her neck and shoulders. Wanting her. Always wanting her, even as he said, "But when I saw you playing in the water, it was like my favorite cove, the place I'd used as a brooding ground, suddenly looked different. It was you, so bright and carefree, that turned that cove from a serious sulking spot into a little piece of heaven. That night I was running from everything piling up on my shoulders, trying to figure out how to get off the island as fast as possible, and then...there you were. You're the first person, the only person, who has not only obliterated thoughts of work, Shelley, but also made my heart pound like this. It's like everything turned from black-and-white to a kaleidoscope of color the moment I first saw you."
His heart was pouring out of his mouth and he couldn't stop it. Didn't want to stop it. Not when she deserved to know everything he was feeling. "You know what I'm most afraid of right now?" He cupped her cheek in his hand. "Of dimming your bright light. Of you realizing that I'm exactly that guy you don't want to be with. A workaholic like your father and my grandfather."
"Oh, Quinn. Don't you know you're already showing me you aren't that guy? Right here, right now, sharing this moment on the beach with me when we both know you could be holed up in your room poring over contracts and getting ready for meetings. Honestly, I respect how hard you work and how successful you've become. I just--" She drew her brows together, as if she were searching for the right words. "I just want whatever man I end up with to put me on par with work. Not above it, not below, just on an equal level."
"I know I might not be the guy to be saying this when I've never been able to find any sort of balance in my life, but you deserve so much more than to be on par with anyone's work."
As if on cue, Quinn's phone vibrated. "How's that for bad timing?" he mumbled in an irritated voice.
She laughed. "Go ahead and answer it. You just spent an hour watching the sunrise with me, and it was like a dream come true. Only better."
He kissed her again, wanting to take his time to drink her in as the light from the sunrise poured over them both, but when his phone buzzed again, he made himself draw back to read the group text from Trent.
"Speak of the devil who looks like my grandfather." He looked up into Shelley's clear green eyes and told her, "Looks like Chandler's summoned us all to his office. He's made his decision."
Chapter Fifteen
HOW COULD ONE text lead to such conflicting feelings?
When Quinn walked Shelley back to her
cottage and kissed her goodbye after confirming their plans to meet at the cove that evening to watch the fireworks, he didn't want to leave. More than anything, he wanted to spend the rest of the day with her, exploring the island and pointing out all of the places he knew she'd love. But between his grandfather's nonsense and the four e-mails he'd already received this morning from Rich about the merger, he knew he was lucky to even be able to squeeze in another few hours with her tonight.
He ran his hand roughly through his hair, trying to fit the warring elements of his mind into some semblance of normalcy. He wanted Shelley. Boy did he ever want her. But he had a business to run, and in a few minutes he'd find out if he was going to be set free to run that business--in which case he should be leaving on the next flight out of town rather than going to see the fireworks with Shelley--or if he was going to be saddled with rearranging his entire life to save the resort.
The thought of disappointing Shelley by having to cancel their date tonight slayed him. Her voice sailed through his mind. You just spent an hour watching the sunrise with me, and it was like a dream come true. Only better.
But she was the one who was better than any dream could ever be.
So he wouldn't disappoint her--or himself, damn it. No matter what happened with his grandfather, Annapolis would wait until morning.
And then after that...well, he really hoped that he and Shelley could figure out how to make a long-distance relationship work. They could see each other when he was in town, leaving her plenty of time to get her work done when he was in Annapolis.
But he already knew it wouldn't be the same as just being able to spontaneously drop by her cottage in the morning to watch the sunrise together, or to be able to make love to her every night after it had set.
Quinn's phone vibrated with a text from Rich as the elevator doors to his grandfather's suite opened. Just got confirmation about Joseph. It's no longer a rumor. Our competition is definitely pursuing him. Big-time.
Great. Just what he needed right now on top of everything else, to worry about losing one of their best executives to their biggest competitor.
He texted Rich back before heading toward his grandfather's office. Find out the stakes. We'll match/beat. Whatever we have to do. Off to talk to Chandler.
Rich texted right back. Put your balls in a paper bag and hand them to him--it's quicker.
Rich was right. Chandler Rockwell had them all in a very precarious position. One Quinn never imagined he'd be in.
Shelley hadn't offered him any advice on the situation. She'd simply been there to listen this morning, which he'd really appreciated. But he knew she would never put up with a situation like this. No, she'd simply change it into a situation she did want.
He was still floored at the idea that in just a few days she'd pretty much decided to rent a cottage and move her business. It took huge guts to risk everything by picking up and moving your company and your life. I've never been afraid of failure. I don't entertain the idea of failure, either. I'd much rather focus on being hopeful and having fun making sure things work out the way I want them to. Clearly, he could learn a thing or two from her playbook. Seeing his siblings hovering outside Chandler's door, Quinn knew all of them could.
He was about to speak when Sierra put a finger to her lips and pointed to Chandler's office. "Dad's in there giving him hell," she whispered.
"Dad?" His father didn't need to fight their battles. "We told him we've got this covered."
"He's been our buffer for this long," Derek reminded him in a low voice. "Did you really think he'd kowtow to Grandfather's demands now?"
Ethan stuck his head in the group, his expression fierce. People often thought that just because Ethan wasn't always shooting off his mouth like the rest of them, he was a pushover. But that was just plain wrong. In many ways, Quinn often thought that Ethan was the strongest one of them all.
"I say we barrel in and put a stop to this here and now," Ethan said, his normally relaxed voice hard and unwavering. "It's our terms or the deal is off."
"Agreed," Sierra said, already heading for the door.
As the five of them made their way into the room, they heard their father saying, "Your grandchildren are twice as capable as either you or me." Griffin was clearly furious as he leaned over Chandler's desk. "You're belittling their hard-earned successes by using the island residents as collateral for your warped need for control."
"It looks as though those capable adults are here to speak for themselves." Chandler's face was stoic as he watched Quinn and his siblings storm into the room.
Didi stood behind Chandler's wheelchair. Her lips curved up as she watched them take their places behind Griffin.
Griffin turned, catching the eye of each of them, before moving between Trent and Quinn. Trent and Quinn exchanged a knowing glance. Quinn leaned forward and eyed Derek and Ethan, who, without uttering a word, understood and nodded their approval. Sierra's wide grin confirmed that she was all in as well.
"We'd like to amend our previous offer." Trent spoke in his most professional tone. "Our offer now includes the six of us taking over the resort. Our other stipulations remain the same. All or nothing."
In all his years of building his shipping empire, Quinn had never felt as proud as he did right then, standing alongside his family with their shoulders squared and their chins held high. The fact that their grandfather almost looked impressed didn't escape him, and suddenly he wondered again if there actually had been something to the conversation he'd overheard between Chandler and Didi.
Still, Chandler sat behind his enormous desk like a king on his throne. As he'd previously done, he didn't acknowledge Didi, standing dutifully behind him. He didn't show any signs of emotion, either, beyond the hint of what Quinn had thought might be a smile, and even that was now gone. He simply folded his hands in his lap and nodded.
"Your terms are accepted. I have other things to take care of now, and I would appreciate it if you would all leave me to them."
Without another word, the six of them walked out of the room and down the wide hallway to the elevators. Once out of earshot, Quinn draped an arm around his father's shoulder.
"Way to listen to your kids, old man. We had it covered, you know."
His father's broad shoulders rose with his laugh. "You guys had it covered before you even stepped foot on this island." He embraced Quinn, and as they stepped into the elevator, he said, "I'm so damn proud of all of you."
"Thanks, Dad." Trent blew out a breath. "Now all we've got to do is divvy up the work and figure out how to run this place."
"I've got to get out on the boat and catch some fish," Ethan said. "But I'll check back later."
"Sounds good." As the tension from Chandler's office began to funnel out of all of them, Trent elbowed Quinn. "Where were you this morning? I saw you leave before sunrise."
"I skipped my run to watch the sunrise from the beach with Shelley."
"Watching the sunrise from the sand?" Derek reached his hand under Quinn's collar.
Quinn swatted him. "What the hell?"
"Just looking for the leash, that's all." Derek let out a deep laugh as he dodged another, much harder, swat from Quinn.
"Did you bring your laptop so you could multitask while you watched it?" Sierra teased him.
"No. Jesus, you guys." He followed Sierra out of the elevator with his brothers in tow. "I am allowed to have a life, you know."
"Sure you are, but you've never wanted one before, that's all." Sierra looked beyond pleased. "I knew Shelley was special."
"Special?" Derek asked. "Wait, you mean you're not just going for the old island fling?"
Quinn slid Derek a narrow-eyed stare and growled, "Watch it." He didn't like his brother--or anyone--talking about Shelley like that.
Everyone looked surprised by his reaction, but fortunately Sierra stepped in by saying, "I've got to get back to the restaurant. When do you guys want to meet again to go over the resort stuff?"
/> "The fireworks show is tonight, and your mother won't allow me to miss that," his father said.
Derek mimed holding a leash this time so that no one would swat him. Everyone laughed, even though they knew it only encouraged him.
"I've got a ton of work to do, too." Quinn thought of Shelley and wrestled again with the idea of putting off work to spend the day with her. But any way he turned it, he was already way too far behind to take off for more than a few hours at the fireworks tonight.
"I know all of us are loaded down by our current schedules, but we've committed, so we need to make it happen." Trent consulted his watch. "How's five this afternoon at Sierra's?"
"Fine. Text me if anything changes." Ethan took off through the lobby.
"I'll be there at five," Derek said. "But then I've got to leave the island as soon as we have this all settled."
"You can't leave until we come up with a schedule that will appease Chandler," Trent reminded him. "We have some leeway with the ninety-five percent rule, but it's not like you can just disappear."
"One year, Trent," Derek said, his voice grim. "That's my commitment. I'll figure out the rest."
"Trent," Quinn said, "I hate to break this to you, but I'm also out of here soon." It was going to be like walking a tightrope between spending time on the island to appease his grandfather and running his own business. Just another heavy rock to add to the pile he was already carrying on his shoulders. And that was without even trying to factor in all the time he wanted to spend with Shelley.
"What the hell did you two think?" Trent shot at them. "That you could commit and then leave it to the rest of us to run? Hell, I have a ton of work to take care of with my law practice, but I'm not dashing out of here as soon as I can."
"Maybe you should be," Quinn shot back. "How are you going to manage that while you're here for a year? Or"--he couldn't help but add in the heat of the moment--"are you just planning to stick around the island, hoping that Reese will take you back?"