Read Online In Too Deep by Sharon Mignerey - Free Book Online Page A

was holding up. “You may. Time to go get dressed, sweetie.”
    Annmarie climbed down from her chair, set the bowl of milk on the floor near the window, then lifted the cat from the windowsill and set her in front of the bowl. When Annmarie skipped away, Lily glanced back at Quinn, giving in to her need and resting her hand over the top of his.
    â€œThanks to you,” she said, “I had the best sleep I’ve had in weeks.”
    He grasped her fingers for an instant before letting them go, his gaze far too somber when he met hers.
    She didn’t need the Ph.D. after her name to recognize the man was uncomfortable in the extreme. Her sisters had both lamented about awkward morning-afters. Personally, she had never experienced one. Though she had fallen asleep in the man’s arms, this morning didn’t count as a morning after, either.
    â€œAre you okay?” she asked.
    He nodded. “You?”
    She caught his gaze. “Wishing—” She took a deep breath and plunged ahead. “Wishing I’d told you I wanted to make love. Wishing I were braver.”
    Something in his eyes fractured and his jaw clenched. “I think you’re plenty brave. But the truth is, you don’t know anything about me, and I didn’t expect…didn’t have any way to protect you.”
    â€œFrom what?”
    â€œAre you crazy? From me. From a possible pregnancy.” He jumped to his feet and glared at her. “Or… For all you know, I could have HIV or—”
    â€œDo you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œOr anything else?”
    â€œNo. But that’s not the point, damn it.”
    She rose to her feet and took a step toward him. “Then what is?” When he glanced blankly at her, she added, “The point.”
    â€œI’m not one of those strays you’re known for picking up.”
    That baffling hurt was back in his eyes. “It never occurred to me that you were.” She took another step toward him.
    He retreated a step. “Why in hell—”
    â€œDid I climb into bed with you?” She shrugged, then told him the truth. “I’ve lived my whole life being the good girl, doing what was expected of me.” She took another step toward him and he backed up one. “That was the old me.” She closed the space between them until she could feel the heat from his body though they weren’t touching. “An aneurism in my husband’s brain burst while he was having lunch. Two days later he died.”
    â€œI’m sorry,” Quinn murmured.
    She met his gaze. “So am I. But you know what that taught me? Finally? That nothing is sure. That today is all there is. That you’d better grab what you want when you have the chance because tomorrow it could be all gone.” She touched one of the buttons of his shirt with her finger, not quite sure enough of herself to put her arms around him, but aching for him to give her some clue that she’d be welcome if she took that final tiny…huge…step into his arms.
    Pretending to be far more courageous than she really was, she looked up and found him watching her with the eyes of a man being tortured. “So, that’s my regret. That I once again took time to think, instead of taking what I wanted. I’m so sick of being a coward.”
    â€œThat’s not true,” he said quietly. He held her gaze for a long moment, his eyes deeply searching hers. They held the colors of the earth and ocean and stormy sky, framed with lashes any woman would envy. “Not making love was forthe best,” he finally said, glancing up when something behind Lily caught his attention.
    She turned around and found Rosie at the doorway and headed for the cupboard where the crackers were kept.
    â€œGood morning,” Lily said.
    â€œMorning,” Rosie returned, reaching into the cupboard. She pulled down a package of soda crackers, then took a bite of one,