Love Is in the Air (92 page)

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Regina could not believe how good Quinton felt inside her. It was like he belonged there—like he filled a part of her that needed to be full. The initial sting of penetration had transformed into the most overwhelming surge of pleasure she had ever felt. Regina’s hips met Quinton’s with each thrust. She could feel a burning, tingling heat in her groin and knew that he was near climax. If Quinton kept up the pace, it would be only a few more seconds. Regina would regret them ending this sensory cascade, but she knew men could not help it. They had no control over their orgasms.

Opening her eyes to watch the man above her, she found Quinton grimacing with each thrust. Sweat clung to his face and his jaw muscles bulged with each movement.

Kissing his jawline and stroking his back, Regina asked, “What’s wrong?”

Quinton did not answer. He just found her mouth and kissed her. But even his tongue showed how much discomfort he was in. Regina slowed her pelvis. Something was wrong. “Quinton, what is it?”

“Nothing.” The man tried to reestablish the rhythm, but it was obvious he was having a hard time.

“Talk to me,” Regina pleaded. “Was it something I’ve done?”

“No,” Quinton was nearly out of breath. “Look, it’s embarrassing, okay? I’ve got some blisters, that’s all.” He kissed around her eyes. “Now, relax and enjoy.”

But Regina could not relax or enjoy if she thought Quinton was in pain. But nor did she want them to stop. Quinton did his best to start over, but Regina was getting spoiled. She wanted that last position that had made her insides explode. There was one other option, but Regina barely dared to think about it. She could get on top of Quinton. The very thought caused Regina to feel sexy and a bit naughty. Wayne had begged her, but she had always stuck to the missionary position. It seemed far less dangerous.

Before she could stop herself, Regina whispered, “Roll over.”

Quinton shook his head and tried to kiss away Regina’s concerns, but she was feeling daring and in control. Using her hips as leverage, Regina pushed Quinton over to the right. Never letting him slip out between her legs, she landed on top of him. For just a moment, she sat there not moving. Quinton lay under her, his hair damp from the exertion, and his chest heaving with excitement. God, he looked good.

Regina wanted to begin again, but she realized that she did not know how. What did the woman do when on top? The whole dynamic was flip-flopped. Luckily, Quinton seemed to know what to do as his hands settled onto her waist. Using his hands as a guide, Regina began riding on top of him like she might trot a horse. Only no trail ride ever felt like this. He filled her up inside and seemed to put pressure on all the right places. Regina had to contain herself from screaming out loud. The pleasure was downright sinful.

Then Quinton did the most bizarre but wonderful thing. Before Regina could object, his finger found her clitoris. As he thrust from the inside of her, he massaged the outside. The sheer magnitude of the sensation sent Regina backward. Thank God Quinton’s other hand caught her and held her on his hips. Between his finger and the new angle, Regina forgot to breathe. At first she thought it was pain, but then Regina realized she had crossed into ecstasy.

Quinton slowed and she dug her fingernails across his chest. “Don’t stop, please.”

She could feel him harden even more inside her. Panting, Regina tried to catch her breath, but could not. Again, the paralyzing sensation captured her body and rocked her world. Her privates tightened, and the flesh stiffened under Quinton’s touch. What was happening? She had never felt this before. It was like having bands constricting down upon her. Regina could feel every inch of Quinton inside her in a way she could not before. Regina could not control her fluttering eyelids as the sensation reached its climax. In a burst, all this pent-up energy came pouring forth. Her whole body arched, and Regina could not help but cry out in delight. The feeling surged through her, causing these wonderful contractions all through her groin. When the sensation finally extinguished itself, Regina was left spent. Involuntarily groaning, she collapsed on top of Quinton. Their sweat mingled under her.

Quinton kept their hips moving, but Regina was little help. She was still too exhausted and fascinated by what had just happened. Regina had thought that she’d had orgasms before, but obviously she was sadly mistaken. Regina had never experienced anything of that magnitude before. Anything else was like a ripple in a quiet pond rather than the crashing waves she just felt.

Quinton kissed her earlobe and fondled her breast. “Do you mind?”

Regina tossed her wet hair to the side and snuggled against him. “Mind what?”

“If I come now?”

Regina jerked upright. Quinton had not climaxed? “Oh, my God. I shouldn’t have been so self-absorbed. I shouldn’t—”

“I wanted to watch you. Now you watch me.”

The tingling began in her groin as she leaned back and rode Quinton again. This was all so new and wondrous. A man held back to let her orgasm first? And now he wanted her to participate and watch him? Regina felt like one of those women featured in
Cosmo
or something. It was a little bit naughty and sanctified at the same time. As she rocked on top of him, Regina studied his face. Pleasure was so evident that it was almost hard to look upon. His hands were firm against her hips, guiding her at a fast and furious pace.

Quinton urged her to lean over him and she adjusted her weight to take in all of him. He groaned in appreciation as Regina bent down and sucked at his nipple. His thrusts became more forceful. He was pressed so deeply inside her that she was not sure where he ended and she began.

Suddenly, Quinton’s pelvis stopped, but he urged her on. “Keep going. Keep going…”

Regina did not need much encouragement. Her own groin was begging for more. Quinton’s fingers dug into her flesh as he arched against her. He called out something that Regina did not understand. His orgasm was so strong that she could feel him flow into her. The sensation triggered her own excited pelvis, and she felt another orgasm take hold. This time she did not fight it. Regina let the sensation flow over her like a warm shower. With each jerk of Quinton’s body, she felt another riptide of pleasure. Too soon, Quinton fell quiet.

Crumpling on top of his chest, Regina panted, too out of breath to even tell Quinton how grateful she was. He was still inside her, warm and wet. She never wanted him to leave. Regina never knew it could feel like this. That two could merge and lose themselves in the moment. They had not been two people making love— they had been one. It was the single most perfect night of her life.

The mood was slightly dampened as a cold wet tongue licked her cheek. “Get away, Hurricane,” Quinton scolded, but Regina realized the dog was not Quinton’s. It was hers.

Bolting upright, Regina was shocked to find her Doberman wiggling in front of her. “Fury? What are you doing here, girl?”

Before Regina could think about this quandary any more, a teenaged voice called from deep in the forest. “Mom?”

“Oh, my God, Michael!” Regina harshly whispered. Quinton nodded curtly and helped lift her off him. Whether her knees were weak from making love or panicking, she could not tell. Both of them scrambled for their clothes as they heard Michael’s footfalls get closer and closer. Why did this have to happen now? What in the world was Michael doing way out here, and how did he find her? Regina was barely able to throw on her jeans and shirt before Michael rounded the corner.

“Mom!” Her son looked far younger than his seventeen years. His face was streaked with tears, and blood splattered his Mötley Crüe T-shirt. The youth flew into her arms and sobbed violently. He did not seem to notice that Quinton was only half dressed, and underwear littered the forest floor.

“Michael, what’s wrong? What happened?”

Her son was too hysterical to even speak. Regina examined his arms and found two large gashes on his right shoulder. “How’d this happen?” When the teen did not answer, Regina grabbed the boy by the arms and made him look her in the face. “Michael! Where did you get these cuts?”

“Oh, Mom! We were at the sawmill, and Evan turned on the switches and… and…”

Regina could not process it all. “What were you doing out at the mill, Michael?”

Suddenly, the boy looked cautious, and he sniffled a bit before answering. “Just fooling around.”

“Fooling around? Michael!”

Regina was startled by Quinton’s voice. “You weren’t playing, were you?”

Michael would not meet the man’s stare or answer his question.

“Quinton, what do you know about this?” Regina was so thoroughly confused and disoriented that she didn’t care who told her what happened, as long as someone did.

The man circled around and stared down her son. “It’s been you, hasn’t it? The sabotage?”

Regina’s eyes flickered from Quinton to her son. Could he be right? Could it be her own flesh and blood who had done these things to his own father’s company?

“Michael. Answer him.”

The boy just sobbed and shook his head violently.

Quinton’s voice sounded more angry and hurt. “You framed me, didn’t you?”

“Framed you? What are you talking about?” Regina paused, but Quinton would not answer, so Regina turned to her son. “Michael? What is going on?”

The boy collapsed into her arms again, and his story spilled out with his tears. “It’s been us doing the stuff around the lumberyard. Me and Evan.”

Regina just held her son. She was too shocked and too numb to do anything more. How could Michael do something like this? Why did he frame Quinton?

Quinton’s voice was tight with barely controlled anger. “Tell her how you stole my shirt from my truck and planted it last night.”

Michael did not have to respond. His wracking sobs were enough of an answer. Regina stroked her son’s fine hair and tried to quiet his cries.

Quinton would not let up, though. “You thought you could pin all this crap onto me. Didn’t you?”

“Enough!” Regina shouted. Quinton had every right to be livid at the boy, but Michael was still her son, and it pained her to see the child so distraught. “He’ll clear you, Quinton.” She pulled her son’s chin up. “Won’t you?”

“But, Mom, I can’t!”

Before Quinton could interrupt, Regina rushed on. “You will, Michael.”

“But Evan’s run away, and then the explosion and the fire and…”

Regina’s eyelids fluttered, and she tried to keep her voice level and even. “What explosion? What fire?” Michael tried to bury his face away, but Regina would not let him. “Answer me.”

“Evan turned on the blades, and they sparked. I tried to put it out! See!” Michael showed off the nasty gashes. “I nearly got caught, too!”

“What happened then?” Regina urged, as her son paused.

“Evan ran off so I called 9-1-1 from the phone and came looking for you.”

Regina’s guilt could not have been more profound. The realization that her son was going to jail hit her in the chest. Wayne might have been able to sweep the vandalism under the carpet, but not even Mr. Togglehorn could hide the fact that a fire was raging in his own mill. And what if someone died? She knew Michael was old enough to be tried as an adult. With his previous record and a crime like this, they wouldn’t just lock him up in the local cells. They would send him to one of the prisons upstate.

The one night her son needed her home, and she was off gallivanting around. The evening did not seem so perfect anymore.

CHAPTER 14

Quinton’s body shook with rage, causing his heart to split down the center. He was still livid with Michael, but the wounded look on Regina’s face was too painful to bear. Why had the kid gone and done this? Michael wasn’t just ruining his own life; the boy was destroying Regina in the process. What little self-esteem and self-confidence the woman had developed over the last few days was rapidly fading. It was obvious that shock and guilt were overrunning any chance that she could bolster enough courage to leave Wayne. Which meant that Michael had succeeded in demolishing Quinton’s chance at happiness as well.

He should have still been angry with the boy, but Quinton could already feel his rage melting. Quinton could not watch Regina’s loving ministrations to Michael and not be moved. The boy was obviously shaken and had no idea of the magnitude of his actions. But what teenager did? Quinton certainly had not, which added another reason to feel sorry for Michael.

Despite his growing empathy for the boy, Quinton’s stomach was still sore. Why had this all had to happen now? Couldn’t life give him just one break? Was twenty-four hours of undiluted happiness too much to ask for? At this point, Quinton would have been ecstatic with even an hour of bliss. Regina and he had been given no more than a minute or two.

“We should go and end this…” Regina said sadly.

Quinton held her eyes, but it was not the same as before. The gulf was already widening. The intimacy was shattered. She was a battered wife, and he was just a stranger to her family. Bending over, Quinton rolled their assorted undergarments into the blanket while Regina and Michael walked into the forest.

Slowly, Quinton followed mother and son. It would be a relief to have the police off his back, but the price seemed far too high. He knew in his heart that Regina would never feel the same about him again. Any thought of him would forever remind her of the tragic loss of her son. Quinton knew this deep in his bones. When he had lost Caitlyn, anything to do with the environmental movement was simply too painful to bear. He had fled, and it had taken him fifteen years to recover. Quinton was not a young man anymore. Even if he wanted to, he did not think he could wait fifteen years for Regina to come around.

Silently they walked through the thick forest. All sounds were dampened by the close hush of the huge evergreens. The mist was thick now and clung to their bodies. Small droplets of water splashed down from the branches. Aunt Whispering Flower had always said the forest was a living creature. Tonight it seemed to sense the despair of its visitors and cried at their passing. How badly Quinton wanted to reach out to Regina, but her hands were occupied with keeping Michael comforted and walking. Even Hurricane and Fury were subdued. Instead of their usual carefree running, they morosely walked alongside.