Amanda swallowed, her desire ratcheting up in earnest. “Well, ifit’s for the good of the relationship.”
Quinn stood and extended her hand. “Let me take you to bed?”
She’d phrased it as a question, but there was no question abouther intention or who was going to be in charge. A seemingly impossible mix ofemotions swirled through her: desire, love, but also something more. Quinnsomehow managed to make her feel safe but bold, reckless even. A heady mix forsomeone so used to playing by the rules and worrying about everyone andeverything but herself.
Maybe one day she’d find the right words to explain it, to letQuinn know what a magical gift she’d given her. For now, words weren’tnecessary. She tucked her hand in Quinn’s and allowed herself to be ledupstairs.
* * *
With Amanda nestled in the crook of her shoulder, Quinn feltabout a thousand times better than she had a few hours before. But there wasstill something hanging between them. Something she’d not been brave enough tosay. “I didn’t say something earlier that I should have.”
Amanda’s hand, that had been stroking her chest, stilled. “What’sthat?”
She shifted and rolled over so she could look Amanda in the eye.“Before I do, I need you to know it’s not the afterglow talking.”
Amanda laughed and shook her head. “Noted.”
She took a deep breath. “The reason I asked for a break, saidthat I wanted us both to sort things out, was because the stakes felt so high.”
“I get that. I really do. And I hope you know I backed offbecause I wanted to respect what you needed, not because I didn’t love you.”
“Um.” All the ways Quinn imagined telling Amanda how she felt,having Amanda beat her to the punch hadn’t been one of them.
Amanda’s eyes narrowed but she didn’t speak.
“Oh, God. I’m sorry. I said ‘um’ because I was about to tell youI love you and you saying it first totally caught me off guard.” So much forbeing smooth and confident. Since the ship of saying the right thing hadsailed, she took a deep breath and prepared to keep going. Only Amanda didn’tlet her finish. Instead of answering with words, she placed a hand on eitherside of Quinn’s face and pulled them together.
Amanda’s lips felt like sunshine and promise and happily everafter.
The kiss, more a statement than anything else, stopped the inaneflow of words. She was as grateful for that as much as the kiss. But whenAmanda’s mouth angled, taking them deeper, all she could be grateful for wasAmanda.
When Amanda eased back, she looked at Quinn with expectant eyes.Right. Because in all her drivel, she’d neglected the three most importantwords. Or, since Amanda had gone first, four. “I love you, too.”
“Oh, good. I was worried there for a second you were rethinkingthe whole thing.”
Quinn laughed. “I love you. I love you. I love you. I think Istarted falling in love with you the moment you approved my plans.”
Amanda laughed, too. “Don’t be silly.”
She shook her head. “I mean it. You enchanted me from thebeginning, but connecting with you like that, sharing a vision. I was a goner.”
“I was so worried I’d messed everything up.” Despite laughing asecond before, her eyes shone with tears.
“You couldn’t possibly.”
“Don’t try to downplay it now. You had serious doubts.” A tearspilled over. “Because of my actions. Or maybe inactions.”
How had she managed to make such an amazing woman fall in lovewith her? Even now, it hinted at magic. “I did have doubts, but they were asmuch my doing as anything else.”
“I’m glad you didn’t give up on us.”
“You’re not something I wanted to lose.”
Another smile. Another tear. Quinn kissed this one away. “You’llstay, right? Tonight?”
“Well, if you insist.”
Amanda angled her head. “I’d prefer it if you stayed tonight,tomorrow, and the day after that. And maybe the weekend.”
God, she loved this woman. “So bossy.”
This time, Amanda lifted her chin. “You knew what you weregetting yourself into. I’m pretty sure we literally just discussed it.”
“No complaints, merely an observation.”
“Right, right. And you like bossy me.”
Quinn shifted, bracing herself over Amanda. “I do.”
Amanda bit her lip and looked at her with as much desire as theirfirst night together. “Because then you get to turn the tables.”
She kissed Amanda’s neck, her jaw. “This is true.”
“I love when you do. Really, I love all the things you do. Inbed, out of bed. All of it.”
“Well, that’s convenient.”
Amanda arched beneath her, pressing their bodies together in themost perfect way. “How so?”
“Because I love everything about you.”
“I’m a very lucky woman.”
She thought about all the bad dates and misfires, the lonelynights and wondering if she’d fall in love again. She hadn’t used the termunlucky, but it had certainly felt that way. And now all that had changed. “Noluckier than me.”
“I love it when we agree.”
So far, they didn’t disagree about much. She wasn’t naive enoughto think it would always be that way, but she had a good feeling about theirability to navigate whatever came up. “Agreed.”
“Hey, Quinn?”
She also loved how Amanda said her name. “Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Amanda smiled. “I’m really glad.”
Quinn kissed her lightly. “So glad.”
And then she kissed her with all the care and longing and passionand playfulness Amanda had awakened in her. Things she’d lost sight of, forgotshe possessed. Things she never wanted to be without again.
Epilogue
The following spring.
Quinn drummed her fingers together. “Are we ready?”
Amanda buckled her seat belt and gave Quinn a questioning look.“I’m not sure. I don’t know where we’re going and you seem really stressed.”
She blew out a breath. “Sorry.”
Amanda reached over and squeezed her hand. “Don’t apologize. Talkto me.”
Amanda’s concern went a long way in calming her nerves. “I’drather show you. Is that okay?”
Amanda moved her hands up and down, indicating herself. “I’mhere. Completely in your hands.”
The trust gave Quinn the shot of courage she needed. She put thecar in gear and pulled out of Amanda’s driveway. “It’s not far.”
“All right.” Amanda’s smile was a mixture of encouragement andamusement. She probably thought Quinn was a little off her rocker.
In some ways, she was. She and
