Rendezvous with Danger (Reunited Series) (17 page)

“Yeah, that about sums it up.” Alandra shifted in her seat to face her sister. “I need for you to help me come up with a game plan to get Quinn to fall in love with me again. I want the man I married back and I’ll do anything.”

Natasha frowned. “Girl, I saw the way that man kissed you yesterday. And the way he looked at you,” she fanned herself, “could have melted a glacier. I have a feeling you don’t have to do anything.”

Alandra sat back against the soft leather and glanced out the side window, remembering the intimate moments in her apartment. “Quinn and I have always been physically attracted to each other, but I want more. I need more. I want all of him or nothing.”

“And what makes you think you don’t have that? From what I can tell, he’s playing the husband role to the max, even showing concern about your well-being by providing you with a driver and a body guard.”

Though Quinn hadn’t confirmed it, she was pretty sure the man driving the town car was more than just a driver. He had military and bodyguard written all over him.

“He’s moved you into his home, has assured you he’d provide for your every need, and he’s funding a shopping spree. What more proof do you need that the man loves you?”

“I need him to say it,” she said quietly. “I love him and if I go along with this farce I’m going to be the one who ends up hurt. Other than a little flirting, I can’t tell if he really wants what we had. Instead, he wants us to pretend we’re happily married to draw out whoever was behind the attack in Tzbekystan.”

“You know, you still haven’t really told me about that time. Why bother seeking out these people if you’ve moved on and established a new identity?”

Alandra touched her sister’s arm. “Tasha, the less you know the better. All you need to really know is that I’m Velvet Aguilar, an ER nurse.”

They made small talk for the rest of the ride, and Alandra couldn’t remember the last time she did any real shopping, especially at the mall. The little shopping she’d done recently had been in thrift stores and online. Saving every penny to ensure she could fund the expenses accumulated by searching for her killer didn’t allow for such luxuries.

The driver pulled up to the Oak Brook Mall’s valet parking area and rounded the car, just as the valet opened the back door.

“I have it,” the driver, Stan, said and helped both her and Natasha out of the car.

Alandra had yet to see him smile. He wasn’t as tall as Quinn, but what he lacked in height, he made up in width. An incredibly built man with a deep tan, he had shoulders that were as wide as a door opening and tapered down to a narrow waist.

“Stan, you didn’t have to get out. Just tell us where to meet you in a couple of hours.”

His facial expression remained impassive. “Your husband wants me to go wherever you go.”

“I see.” Alandra wasn’t sure how she felt about having a bodyguard but if it made Quinn feel better, she’d tolerate it.

They went from store to store and Alandra was glad Natasha had come along. She wasn’t much of a shopper, but it was her sister’s favorite pastime.

“Mmm, let’s go in there.”

Alandra followed her gaze to a lingerie boutique. She turned to Stan and whispered, “If you’d prefer not to come in here, it’s okay.”

He didn’t bat an eye. “I go where you go.”

Alandra shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“How about this?” Natasha held up a red see-through nightie. “If you want to make sure you own your husband’s heart, this will do it.”

“I already told you we don’t have a problem in that area. I want,” she started but stopped when she spotted a dominatrix number, whip and all.
Now that would be more to Quinn’s
liking.
She glanced at the price tag and winced.

Natasha ambled over to her. “Why are you worried about the price? Didn’t he tell you to buy whatever you wanted?”

“Yes, but…”

“Alandra, what is wrong with you?” She pulled her off to the side. “I have never known you to be afraid of anything, or suffer from low self-esteem, but that’s exactly what I’m seeing now. This wishy-washy attitude is not very becoming. You’ve always gone after what you wanted. If Quinn is the man you want to spend the rest of your life with, you better snap out of it.”

Alandra couldn’t say anything. Since being back in Quinn’s life, she was an emotional mess, unsure of how to deal with him.

“If you want Quinn back, all of him, then you’re going to have to be yourself. Be the kick-ass woman he fell in love with the first time.”

Alandra grinned mischievously. “You’re absolutely right.” She walked back over to the dominatrix outfit and found her size. “By the time I’m done seducing Mr. Hamilton, he’ll be begging to have me back in his life, permanently.”

****

The last person Quinn wanted to see when he walked into Trudy’s Bar & Grill was Kendra Banks, a woman who still didn’t understand the word – no. He met her at Trudy’s a few months ago when he and Tyler stopped by for a drink after a late night meeting. Kendra had boldly approached him shortly after Tyler left, and he made the mistake of showing an interest in her. A few nights later, he took her to dinner and though he told her he wasn’t looking for anything serious, she’d been blowing up his phone and hounding him about going out again.

She strutted toward him, her black jersey dress flowing over her curvy body, while her short bob bounced with every step she took.

“Hey, lover, I haven’t seen you in awhile. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were avoiding me.”

Really?
Quinn glanced at his watch. Stan should have dropped Alandra off by now.

Kendra followed him to the bar, and sat on the stool next to his. “Listen, Kendra, this,” he pointed between the two of them, “is not working. Like I told you before, I’m not interested.”

A seductive smile graced her red painted lips, and she toyed with the collar of his shirt, her body rubbing up against his. “Q, I don’t know why you’re fighting it.”

Frustration yielded quickly to anger and he grasped her hands before she went for the buttons on his shirt. “Damn, girl, what part of not interested don’t you understand?” With her hands tight within his, he gave her a leveled look. “I don’t want you. I’m…not…interested.”

She jerked away from him and slammed her fists against her rounded hips. Her tirade of explaining why he was an asshole flowed from her mouth, but he didn’t hear her. A commotion at the entrance caught his attention, and his mouth dropped opened when he noticed Alandra standing in the doorway, scanning the bar. His gaze raked boldly over the woman who had captured his heart years ago, and his mouth went dry at her transformation.

Breathtakingly stunning in a red fitted dress that hugged her curves like a second skin and stopped two inches above her knees, Quinn sat staring with his heart in his throat. Normally, he preferred her hair hanging loose around her shoulders, but the way she had it pinned up, sparked a roaring fire of passion through him. He didn’t think he could wait until they got home to have his way with her. They made eye contact, and the smile on her beguiling lips stoked his internal flames and he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold out until after dinner before he made love to her.

Alandra walked in his direction but stopped when she noticed the woman next to him.
Oh hell
. No way was he going to let Kendra mess this up for him. He stood, but before he could walk across the room to Alandra, she resumed walking, an extra swing in her hips and wickedness in her eyes. Quinn smiled. He recognized the look. This was the sexy, self-confident, hottie he fell in love with.

The smile fell from his lips when a guy sitting at a nearby table grabbed hold of her arm. Quinn hoped he didn’t have to shoot anyone tonight, but he would if the asshole didn’t release her. He made a move toward her but stopped when she pointed in his direction, and the man gripping her arm looked his way. With his jaw clenched and his eyes slightly narrowed, Quinn dared him to do or say something. Instead, he dropped her arm and nodded, turning back to the people at his table.

“Hey baby,” she crooned when she reached him. She pressed her lips over his, slipping him a little tongue and running her hands up and down his chest, ignoring the woman standing near him.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said when she pulled her lips from his. “That was a helluva en—”

“Excuse me?” Kendra stepped to Alandra. “How you gon’ just kiss my man? You got it all wrong if you think you can come up in here and disrespect me like that.”

“Hold up,” Quinn said gritting his teeth. “Kendra, this is my
wife
. I’ve told you more than once, that I’m not interested in you. This woman here,” he pointed to Alandra, “is the only woman for me.”

“Your wife?” Kendra said indignantly. “You ain’t never said you were married.”

“Well, let me make it clear right now,” he said to Kendra but stared into Alandra’s eyes. “I am crazy in love with this beautiful woman and I plan to stay married to her until the day I die.”

“I don’t see a ring on her finger.”

Alandra frowned and looked around Quinn at Kendra. “I don’t need a ring to prove to you or no one else that this is my husband. I’m the one who will walk out of here with him, and I’ll be the one who screws his brains out tonight.”

A sly smile played at the corners of Quinn’s mouth. He didn’t hear anything else Kendra had to say because he was too busy thinking of all the things he wanted to do to Alandra when he got her home and out of that dress. “We’re out of here. Later, Kendra.”

****

“Quinn, if I hurt myself, it’s going to be your fault,” Alandra said, allowing him to guide her blindfolded through the house.

“I won’t let you run into anything.”

Alandra’s mouth watered at the heavenly smell that assaulted her nose when they walked farther into the house. They made a right turn and she was pretty sure they were walking toward the dining room.

“I hope you still like surprises.”

Her lips turned into a full-blown grin. “I love surprises, but hurry up.” Excitement bubbled inside her and she could hardly contain herself.

“Okay,” Quinn said when they stopped suddenly. “You ready?”

“Yes,” she giggled and wiggled around as he untied the scarf from around her eyes.

Her mouth dropped opened when she took in everything before her. “Oh my, God. This is incredible.” She glanced around the dining room, a sea of candles illuminating the intimate space. The table adorned with delicate silk linens, Parchment china containing several covered dishes, and sparkling Orrefors crystal set off the table setting for two. If that weren’t enough to steal her breath, a bounty of red and white roses towered at least four feet high spilling a delicious aroma enticing enough to eat. “So this is why you made me sit in the truck for like - forever? Quinn, this is….”

She turned, but stopped abruptly when she saw him bent on one knee, a small velvet box in his hand. When he slowly lifted the lid, she swallowed hard and bit back tears, her heart beating double time in her chest. “Oh…Quinn.”

“I never stopped loving you, Lan. Will you agree to stay married to me?”

Tears slowly found their way down her cheeks and she covered her face with her hands and outright cried. She never thought she would ever hear him say it again. That he loved her.

“Lan, please don’t cry.” He stood and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and placed a kiss against her temple. “You know I can’t handle it when you cry.”

“I’m sor..ry. I can’t help it.” She looked up at him. “This is…the swee…test sur…prise, you’ve ever given me.”

Quinn frowned. “What about when I asked you to marry me in Vegas?”

She stepped out of his arms, grabbed a napkin from the table and wiped her tears. “This is different.” She stared into his eyes. “I never thought I’d ever hear you say that you love me. You have no idea how much I needed to hear it. How much I’ve longed to hear it. I love you so much it scares me sometimes. We’ve been through hell and all I want is for us to have our life back.”

 “That’s what I want too.” He stood before her, and held out the box with the ring. “So, will you stay married to me and accept this ring as a token of my love for you?”

A smile spread across her lips and she nodded. “Yes and yes!”

He placed the elegant three-carat pear-shaped ring with a double row of bead-set diamonds on her finger. Awe struck, all Alandra could do was stare at the luminous work of art, with its sparkling stones and intricate details. This moment was extra special because Quinn hadn’t given her a ring when they married in Vegas. Their wedding had been spur of the moment and he had promised to get her a ring once they returned home.

Quinn brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her on the forehead. He then lowered his head, his lips slowly descended to meet hers and he kissed her, a kiss as delicate and light as a summer breeze. His arms encircled her waist, pulling her flush against his hard body, and suddenly she wasn’t as hungry for food as she was when they first walked in.

“Mmm, I think we should continue this upstairs,” he said against her lips.

“I think you’re right, but what about dinner? You went through so much trouble,” she said when they pulled apart. She lifted a few of the lids from the serving dishes, inhaling the enticing aromas while he strolled around the room blowing out candles. “Wow, everything looks delicious. Who catered?”

“Malik.”

Alandra’s brows shot up. “Your Malik? He cooks?”

“Like a top-notch chef.” He grinned. “Trust when I tell you that you have never tasted anything as good as one of his meals. We’ve tried talking him into opening a restaurant, but he claims to only enjoy cooking for family and friends.”

“I can’t wait to taste it.”

“And I can’t wait to taste you.” Quinn brought her hand to his lips and wiggled his eyebrows making her laugh.

  They walked up the stairs hand in hand, and Alandra couldn’t remember the last time she was this happy. They stepped into the bedroom and Quinn closed the blinds and pulled the draperies.

“Are you tired?” he asked from across the room, a familiar gleam in his eyes.