Read Online Bringing Delaney Home (Cates Brothers #1) by Lee Kilraine - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lee Kilraine
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that.”
“You know, I get it. Hell, I got it back then. Why would you need to slum when you had your pick of girls, Mr. Football Star. I knew who I was. I was Richard and Belinda Lyons’ girl.”
“That had nothing to do with it. You didn’t know what you were asking for.”
“I knew what I was asking for; you just didn’t care.”
“The hell you say. I cared too much. So, yes, I turned you down for sex, but I held you in my arms while you slept. We spent the whole night in the back seat of my car. And the next three nights after that too. I wasn’t the one who snuck off each morning while you were sleeping either, was I? I wasn’t the one who refused to talk about what happened.”
“There was nothing to talk about. Nothing happened.”
“You know that isn’t true.”
“The truth is Greer went away to cheerleading camp, and I lost the buffer between me and my dad. He behaved better when Greer was around. Without her, he let fly all the bitterness and hatred he’d been tucking away. You were my escape.”
“I get it. But can’t you see, Delaney? It was just like when you kissed me in front of the boys’ locker room three years earlier. You weren’t really kissing me. I was in your path when a part of your world was falling apart.”
“I needed you.”
“You needed a warm body.” Quinn’s blue gaze glittered with accusation, his voice carved through her defense.
“That is not true!”
“That’s exactly what happened. When you asked me to make love to you, you didn’t really want me , but your life was falling apart and you wanted someone to hold on to. I was in the way again. And I did give you someone to hold on to. Just not the way you thought you wanted.”
“Please don’t act like you knew what I needed better than I knew myself. You didn’t know me.”
“You’re right. I apologize. I’m willing to fix that. Hell, it was years ago. We’re both different people now anyway.” He held his hand out to her. “Hello. I’m Quinn Cates and I’d really like to get to know you.”
Delaney stared up at him, looking sharply in his eyes. Scenes from the last nine months of her life flashed through her head like a silent movie on speed. Her amputation, multiple surgeries, endless hours sitting in the hospital hallway in her wheelchair, her first ungainly steps with her temporary prosthesis. This was who she was now, and it was confusing and ugly even to her. There was no way someone like Quinn would understand her broken life. She turned back to gaze at the stream, its twisting, gurgling current matched the churning in her gut. “It’s probably better if we keep things the way they are.”
“You can’t deny the chemistry between us.”
Hell yes, she could . After the last nine months she qualified for a black belt in denial. “Look, Quinn, it doesn’t make sense to—”
“Sense? Since when did attraction ever make sense?” Quinn leaned one elbow on the bridge, his body encroaching on her space. “Why don’t you try me on for size?”
“I’m not much of a shopper.”
“Come on, take a chance on me.”
“I’m not big on gambling either.” Her hands tightened their grip where they rested on the ledge of the hundred-year-old bridge, the red brick cool and scratchy under her clenching fingertips.
He leaned in closer trying to catch her eyes. “It’s not really a gamble. I’m pretty much a sure thing.”
“Mr. No Commitment? The Grapevine says you’re like a bull going from—”
“Whoa, since when did you put any stock in what the Grapevine gossips about?”
Quinn stepped behind her, placing his hands on the bridge wall next to hers, enclosing her within the circle of his arms. Her hands appeared small and pale next to his large, tanned ones.
“How’s this sound? I’ll reel you in with my constant presence and charisma. I’ll charm those sweatpants right off you.”
“It sounds like you’re going to be a big pain in the ass.”
He touched her, and
“You know, I get it. Hell, I got it back then. Why would you need to slum when you had your pick of girls, Mr. Football Star. I knew who I was. I was Richard and Belinda Lyons’ girl.”
“That had nothing to do with it. You didn’t know what you were asking for.”
“I knew what I was asking for; you just didn’t care.”
“The hell you say. I cared too much. So, yes, I turned you down for sex, but I held you in my arms while you slept. We spent the whole night in the back seat of my car. And the next three nights after that too. I wasn’t the one who snuck off each morning while you were sleeping either, was I? I wasn’t the one who refused to talk about what happened.”
“There was nothing to talk about. Nothing happened.”
“You know that isn’t true.”
“The truth is Greer went away to cheerleading camp, and I lost the buffer between me and my dad. He behaved better when Greer was around. Without her, he let fly all the bitterness and hatred he’d been tucking away. You were my escape.”
“I get it. But can’t you see, Delaney? It was just like when you kissed me in front of the boys’ locker room three years earlier. You weren’t really kissing me. I was in your path when a part of your world was falling apart.”
“I needed you.”
“You needed a warm body.” Quinn’s blue gaze glittered with accusation, his voice carved through her defense.
“That is not true!”
“That’s exactly what happened. When you asked me to make love to you, you didn’t really want me , but your life was falling apart and you wanted someone to hold on to. I was in the way again. And I did give you someone to hold on to. Just not the way you thought you wanted.”
“Please don’t act like you knew what I needed better than I knew myself. You didn’t know me.”
“You’re right. I apologize. I’m willing to fix that. Hell, it was years ago. We’re both different people now anyway.” He held his hand out to her. “Hello. I’m Quinn Cates and I’d really like to get to know you.”
Delaney stared up at him, looking sharply in his eyes. Scenes from the last nine months of her life flashed through her head like a silent movie on speed. Her amputation, multiple surgeries, endless hours sitting in the hospital hallway in her wheelchair, her first ungainly steps with her temporary prosthesis. This was who she was now, and it was confusing and ugly even to her. There was no way someone like Quinn would understand her broken life. She turned back to gaze at the stream, its twisting, gurgling current matched the churning in her gut. “It’s probably better if we keep things the way they are.”
“You can’t deny the chemistry between us.”
Hell yes, she could . After the last nine months she qualified for a black belt in denial. “Look, Quinn, it doesn’t make sense to—”
“Sense? Since when did attraction ever make sense?” Quinn leaned one elbow on the bridge, his body encroaching on her space. “Why don’t you try me on for size?”
“I’m not much of a shopper.”
“Come on, take a chance on me.”
“I’m not big on gambling either.” Her hands tightened their grip where they rested on the ledge of the hundred-year-old bridge, the red brick cool and scratchy under her clenching fingertips.
He leaned in closer trying to catch her eyes. “It’s not really a gamble. I’m pretty much a sure thing.”
“Mr. No Commitment? The Grapevine says you’re like a bull going from—”
“Whoa, since when did you put any stock in what the Grapevine gossips about?”
Quinn stepped behind her, placing his hands on the bridge wall next to hers, enclosing her within the circle of his arms. Her hands appeared small and pale next to his large, tanned ones.
“How’s this sound? I’ll reel you in with my constant presence and charisma. I’ll charm those sweatpants right off you.”
“It sounds like you’re going to be a big pain in the ass.”
He touched her, and
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