Between Us: Sex on the Beach (18 page)

I sat down beside her and rubbed her back. “James told them?”

“No. James’s buddy. Dickhead Adam.” She uncovered her face. “He must have been eavesdropping…or maybe James told him. I don’t even know.”

I swallowed hard. The news didn’t surprise me at all. I already knew Austin was innocent, so it had to be someone, right? It happened to be some douche I’d never met. “It’s okay. That’s not your fault.”

Quinn shook her head. “But it is. I told James. If I hadn’t told him, then you’d—”

“I’d still be me, and chances are? Someone else would have figured it out,” I said matter-of-factly. “It was only a matter of time, really. The truth is, I’m not even upset about being found out. I’m upset with how I reacted to it. I shouldn’t have assumed it was Austin. If I hadn’t, maybe he would have stayed with me instead of leaving. But it’s too late now.”

“Mac…” She hugged me close, and I smiled as she kissed my cheek. “You’re too good to me, you know that?”

“Please. I’m not good enough.” I let go of her. “You didn’t do anything to be ashamed of. All you did was trust a boy…”

“And look where that got me.”

I sighed. “The three of us made a mess of things down here, didn’t we? What happened to carefree sex and fun? Wasn’t that what I ordered us all to find?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged, but didn’t laugh like I expected her to. “Maybe the two don’t go hand in hand.”

I got up and cracked open the bottle of wine I’d ordered this morning. “I think we need this, and you’re going to tell me everything that happened in detail, instead of the bits and pieces I’ve gotten over texts the past few days. Deal?”

Quinn finally cracked a smile. “I think I can agree to that.”

I’
D DONE
it. I’d walked to her hotel, and now I just needed to go in and make her listen to me. I stopped walking and looked up toward her floor. Was she still there? Judging from the paparazzi parked outside of it, I’d say yes. I took a deep breath and walked through the doors, keeping my head down. No one stopped me.

Was I actually doing this? Going back after I’d said goodbye?

“Excuse me.” Someone stopped in my path before I could make it to the front desk. “Key, please.”

“Uh…” I blinked at the huge fucker in front of me. Seriously, his arms were like barrels. He could probably bench-press me without breaking a sweat. “I don’t have one.”

He rocked back on his heels. “Then you can turn around and walk right back out those doors. No one gets in without a key or clearance from me.”

“I’m here to see a friend,” I said, lifting my head to look at the dude. He had on a security shirt and had pepper spray on his hip. He was big, but I’d bet a million bucks I was faster. If I ducked under his arm, I might make it to the elevator before he killed me. “Mackenzie Forbes. You’re guarding her, I assume?”

He crossed his arms. “Is she expecting you?”

“No. I was trying to surprise her.”

“Yeah, well, that ain’t happening on my watch. You gotta be approved before you ride to her room, or you need to prove you’re a guest here,” he said, lifting a brow. “Which I already know you’re not.”

I glared at him. Huge or not, he was in my way. I should have known Mac would call in the guards after everyone learned her location. It only made sense. Actually, I was surprised that she hadn’t left already.

“I need to talk to her, and you’re not stopping me. I’ve been kicked on or punched my whole fucking life just for being alive.” I shrugged. “You’re not all that scary to a guy like me.”

“Be that as it may, you need to join the rest of the scum out there before we test that theory.” He cocked his head toward the paparazzi. “They are your friends, right, Mr. Murphy?”

“No, they’re not.” I pulled out my phone. “I assume you know her, right?”

“You could say that, yes. I watch out for men like you in Chicago. They all know not to mess with me. Maybe you need to learn that lesson, too.” He eyed me and moved his fingers. His wedding band caught the light. “I’ve been her guard for three years, and I don’t take kindly to little punks like you hurting her.”

I hadn’t hurt her. Okay. Maybe I had. But she’d hurt me, too. “Then you’ll recognize her voice.” I dialed her number, holding my breath and praying she answered.

It rang once, twice, three times. Then, she finally picked up. “What do you want, Austin?” She sounded tired. Maybe she’d been up all night, too. “I’m not in the mood to fight with you. I have to pack.”

I closed my eyes. Shit, even her voice made me more relaxed than the three beers I’d had before I got on the stage. “When are you leaving? Tomorrow or Saturday?”

She sighed. “Saturday.”

I’d been wrong. She wasn’t leaving tomorrow. We had a whole day together still—if I managed to get her to forgive me, that is. “I need to talk to you.”

“Fine.” She sighed. “Talk.”

“I want to do it in person.” I clutched the phone tight, opening my eyes and watching her guard cautiously. He looked ready to pummel me into the tile at a moment’s notice. I’d bet he would like it, too. “I can’t get through your human door, though.”

“What do you want to say that can’t be said over the phone?”

“Please.” I shifted on my feet, eyeing the elevator. If she didn’t get her guard to let me through, I was running for it full speed ahead. It would only get me to the floor under hers without someone to swipe me up there, but it was better than nothing. “I’m begging you, Mac.”

Silence. “Put Harry on.”

I handed Harry the phone. “She wants to talk to you.”

Harry lifted the phone to his ear. “Yes, miss?” A nod. “All right.” He hung up and handed me the phone. He cracked his knuckles and stepped in my path. “She said to get rid of you with as much force as necessary.”

I swallowed hard and lifted my chin. Un-fucking-believable. She refused to let me talk to her? Bullshit. She would have to remove me forcibly and make a scene if she wanted to play that way. “Then do it. I’m not leaving on my own accord until I talk to her, no matter how many times you crack your knuckles.”

Harry laughed, throwing his head back. Holy shitballs. His laugh was even deeper than his voice. “I’m messing with you. She said to let you through without hurting you.”

I released the breath I’d been holding. “Oh. Good.”

“Go on, before I change my mind.” He moved aside, watching me with those unflinching brown eyes the whole time. “And don’t make her cry again, or you’ll answer to me.”

She’d been crying? Well, shit. I hadn’t meant to hurt her.

He walked me to the elevator and swiped his card, allowing me to ride up to the top without an escort. The whole way up, my knees were wobbling and my hands were sweating. I knew this was my only chance to make my point. My only chance to get a happy ending with her. And, man, I needed that chance.

That’s what I had to tell her. She needed to know, no matter how she felt about me, she had to know
I
needed
her
. That I didn’t want her to go. That I wasn’t ready to call it quits, no matter what I’d said yesterday during our fight.

I knocked on the door, my heart racing faster than a fucking NASCAR racecar. I stood there, staring at the wood door. When it opened, my gaze fell on her flushed cheeks and messy hair. She didn’t have on any makeup, and she wore a cowboy hat, a pair of jean shorts, a plaid shirt, and cowboy boots.

She’d never looked more gorgeous.

“Hi,” I said.

She blinked at me. “Hi.”

“Why are you wearing a hat?”

She pulled it off and tossed it behind her. “I was about to leave.”

“Oh. Well, we need to talk.” She didn’t step out of the way, but she didn’t close the door in my face either. “Can I come in?”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” she said, nibbling on her bottom lip.

“I was wrong last night.” I leaned on the doorjamb, holding her gaze. “Please let me in?”

For a second I thought she would say no. Her gaze dipped low, skimming over my ink and then going even lower. By the time her green eyes met mine again, I was sure she’d shut the door in my face. But then she stepped back, motioning me inside. “Look, I’m—”

“Wait. Let me talk first.” I walked inside, closing the door. I tossed my phone on the table out of habit. It was time to man up and be completely honest. To tell her how I felt. For better or worse, she needed to know. “I wrote you a song, and I was going to sing it to you like I said I would last night, but I changed my mind. Instead, I’m going to tell you this: I want to love you.”

I
BLINKED
at Austin, doubting my hearing. Had he just told me he wanted to love me? Who said something like that? You either loved someone or you didn’t. You didn’t want to
try
to love someone or have to guess at it.

It just happened—at least, I think that’s how it worked.

And I still couldn’t believe he was here. I’d been getting ready to go to the bar to find him, despite the media frenzy it would cause, because I couldn’t leave without letting him know how I felt. I’d never felt so deeply for a guy before. He’d changed me, for the better, and I’d wanted to let him know that.

But then
he
had called
me
.

“Wait. What?” I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I’d dozed off or something. “What are you trying to say?”

“I don’t know.” He yanked on his collar. “Fuck.”

He paced in front of me, restless energy rolling off of him with each step. He wore a Redskins hat, a black T-shirt, and jeans paired with a pair of dark blue kicks. In other words, he looked like the Austin I’d come to know and care about.

But…he’d walked away from me yesterday. He’d been the one ready to throw it all away. He’d been the one who left. Now he was here, talking about wanting to love me? “I don’t understand,” I said, shaking my head. “Why do you
want
to love me?”

“Let me start over. I had all these people at my show tonight. Tons, actually. And I sang a new song. A song I wrote after I walked away yesterday. I couldn’t sleep last night. Couldn’t rest. Couldn’t stop thinking about what we could have been.” He dragged his hands down his face. “I know it’s crazy, and I know we had a rough start. But I can’t shake the feeling that you’re the one. And I’ll be damned if I’ll let you be the one who got away, too.”

I let out a weird, strangled sound. He didn’t need to say another word. I was his if he wanted me. No questions asked. No hesitation. I was
in
. “Austin…”

“I know I hurt you.” He dropped his hands and approached me, his eyes open and vulnerable and so beautifully blue that it hurt to look at him. He stopped directly in front of me. “I know thinking we can make this work is fucking stupid and impetuous—some might even call it a daydream. But I can’t let you go without a fight. I think, if you let me, I could love you so damn good. I could make you happy, and you’ll save me from myself. Just say yes. Just give me another chance.”

“Yes. So much yes.”

Before I could say another word, he closed his hands around my shoulders and kissed me, his mouth fitting mine perfectly. I gripped his biceps, holding on tight so he’d stay right where he was. I didn’t want to lose him again.