Until Next Time (17 page)

And with his groans, the pushing of his thighs against hers, she knew he felt the slow build as well. The build turned into a burn, the movements more hurried, but still easy.

He suckled her breasts between strokes and kissed her with genuine tenderness, which she’d come to learn was simply Quinn. As her back arched, her inside clambering and exploding into a long, wonderful climax, Quinn finished with two long strokes, his body shaking above her.

Her breath rushed out from the tremors still sliding through her, from the complete and utter way Quinn had showed her that slow and steady does, in fact, win the race. She couldn’t help the grin that split her cheeks.

“Something funny?” he asked against her ear.

“Nothing’s funny.” She snuggled against him, enjoying the weight of his body on hers. “I must say that a leisurely pace is quite…enjoyable.”

“A first for you?”

Good thing he couldn’t see her face, Piper was certain it was beet red. “Yes, actually.”

He slid next to her, pulling her back against his chest, and tossing the throw cover that had been perched on the side over their bare bodies. “There are lots of different ways to make love, Piper.”

She tensed.

He must have felt the change in her body because he said, “Not
that
kind of love, Piper. How about I say ‘sex’? There are lots of different ways to have sex. Better?”

She relaxed. “Yes. And I like that way—with you.”

He kissed her hair. “Good to know.”

Piper listened quietly as Quinn’s breaths lulled, signaling his sleep. She remained curled against him, completely comfortable with his body encircled over hers like it was natural. It wasn’t natural. Piper had never allowed a man to sleep over at her house. She’d never actually slept over at a man’s house either.

But she wouldn’t ask him to go. She wouldn’t wake him. She was too sated, too content with the gift he’d given her even after he knew how she felt. No one had ever dug so deep in her feelings, and for some reason, the fact that he cared to know made her want to share even more with him.

That, coupled with the fact that she allowed herself fall asleep next to him, calculated to mistake three and four. Or was it four and five?

Gracious, she’d lost count. Which was the biggest mistake of all.

Chapter Thirteen

The ringing of Piper’s phone made her snap upright, bolt across the floor—still naked—and fumble through her clothes until she found the device.

Breathless, she answered, “Downing and Sons Funeral Home, this is Piper. How can I help you today?”

The solemn voice of Mrs. Daisy floated through the line as Piper eyes adjusted to the early morning light splashing in through the cracks in her wooden blinds. Quinn was rustling about, no doubt awoken from her hasty bed, well, couch exit.

“Yes, I see.” Piper’s voice took its business tone. Mrs. Daisy was the assistant to the county coroner, who by Piper’s estimations were the only other two people in town who got less sleep than she did. Unless you counted the handful of other funeral directors. “You gave them the number, then?…Of course…Yes…Thank you.”

“Work?” Quinn’s gravelly voice echoed through the small space. Her gaze found his, and there was an unmistakable gleam in those eerie light depths as his eyes raked over her body. Her still-naked body.

“Holy smokes.” She went to cover herself with her hands, but that proved futile as Quinn jumped up—as naked as she was—crossed over to her and wrapped her in his arms.

“Good morning, Piper.”

She inhaled the scent of sweat and fading soap embedded into his skin, allowing herself another moment of satisfaction. “I’ve got to go pick up a body.”

He leaned away, kissing her forehead before he did. “Not a good way to start the morning conversation.”

“With me, it’s what you get.”

He swept the hair back from her shoulders, placing his lips on her collarbone. A kiss, a nibble, and a lick later, Piper was ready to shove her cell phone down the garbage disposal.

“It’s one of the things I love about you,” Quinn said quietly.

She froze.

His head lifted, his lips were curled into a prominent frown. “Again, Piper, not that kind of love.”

“Habit.”

Easing away, he shuffled around the room, collecting his clothes. “Do you think you’ll be busy tonight?”

She began collecting her own clothes, making sure to throw the dress haphazardly around her body to give her a least a little bit of modesty for the morning. “Depends on how much my phone rings today. It’s been quiet lately, though.”

He shimmed into his pants, and Piper couldn’t help but admire the cut of his muscles. There was something about a man with only jeans on. Something sexy.

“I’d like to see you later.”

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

“There’s this thing going on down at the Oshkosh Airfield. Since Grandpa is a veteran, there’s an air show in remembrance for Grandma.”

“That’s so sweet.” And saddening. She’d forgotten that Quinn had lost his grandmother less than two weeks ago. And George had lost his wife. They’d been married for so long and yet the night before, George had seemed to be doing well, surrounding by loving family. He was probably dying on the inside and trying to hide it from his loved ones.

“There’s actually a large air show going on there today, and Grandpa’s is starting at five. Would you like to go?”

“I’d love to.” While she’d normally balk at mixing business with pleasure, since Quinn was her pleasure, well…she’d have to change that line of thinking for now.

“Great. Do you think you could drive out and meet me there? Say four-thirty?” He slid on his shirt and shoes. Shame.

“Definitely. If a bunch of people keel over today, though, I’m not making any promises.”

He stepped toward her, encasing her in another comforting embrace. “That’s all a guy can ask for, then.”

After a quick kiss and a strange flutter in her chest, Quinn was gone. Which gave Piper time to rationalize.

She floated to the shower thinking he was good. Really good. And that she could totally do this with him. She’d been nervous at first, with all his questions and thoughts, but she could push that stuff to the side. As she scrubbed her body, she realized that even though he made her think about her beliefs, he couldn’t make her change them. No one could.

Hopping out of the shower, half wrapped in a towel, her hair hanging in a tangle down her back, she scooted into her room. After drying and managing to put on some underwear, she ripped open her closet door and froze.

The box.

She’d forgotten about it. Quinn had made her forget about. Quinn had made her forget about how she’d felt about it. But now, with the feelings of loss clawing back into her chest, she knelt before it, tracing her fingers over her name.

“Why did you keep this, Dad?”

She popped the lid open, shoving a hesitant hand inside. Her fingers curled around Mr. Hopper.

“Did you want to be close to me? Even when I wasn’t around?” Her voice cracked, her throat tightening. “Like I want you now?”

Piper’s eyes drifted to Mr. Hopper. These were items her father had so carefully kept. Did he keep these things for the same reason Piper kept her father’s old things? All the times he’d taught her about the pain of love and losing someone, had he been secretly showing her that to cherish and remember was okay? Her father had taught her so much, yet not enough, it suddenly felt like. She thought of her mother, the laughter she missed so much. The hugs she’d never feel again.

“Why did you both leave me?”

Her fingers stroked over the rabbit’s matted fur. “You both left me. And Steven, too.”

She looked up, wondering if they could hear her. Wondering if any of them even cared.

“Steven shouldn’t have loved me,” she whispered. She jammed the bunny back into the box. “And you two shouldn’t have ever had me.”

She straightened, kicking the box to the back corner of her closet. She would throw it away again. No sense in having it around. With practiced efficiency, Piper smoothed out her nerves, plucked clothes from her closet and made her way to the place where emotion could never, ever get to her: the basement of the funeral home.

<<<<>>>>>

Quinn swung by his grandpa’s house first thing after leaving Piper’s. Grandpa, as usual, was drinking his coffee and reading his morning paper under the seeping warmth of the sun on the porch.

“Morning, Grandpa.” Quinn hopped up on the porch and took the wicker chair next to his. “Even though it’s early, you shouldn’t sit out in the heat too long.”

George huffed, rustling his paper. “I’m ninety-four years old; I think I know what I can do.”

Quinn could only stifle a laugh. “I’m saying you’ll be out in it for several hours, later at the airfield, that’s all. No sense in getting more scorching sun than you need.”

“Point taken.” His stubborn brow arched over the sports section. “The fly-through go well yesterday?”

A proud smile crossed Quinn’s face. “Of course. Even without Del, KC and I have something wonderful for you…and Grandma.”

His aged eyes glistened. “I can always count on you.”

“I didn’t get a chance to ask you last night, but how did the meeting go with Piper? Did she like what you and the rest of the committee wanted to do?”

“You haven’t asked her?”

Well, no. As Quinn recalled, after that meeting the day before, he’d been busy gnawing on the shoe in his mouth. And after he’d smoothed things out with her…he had to say pleasure was far better than business.

“There hasn’t really been time, you know,” Quinn answered.

Grandpa nodded, flipping the paper. “She thought the foundation was doing the right thing—reaching out to funeral homes. Piper knows the difficultly a veteran or veteran’s wife can have when it comes to burying their loved one. Closed cemeteries and costly funerals have been a problem for a while.” He let the paper fall into his lap and looked at Quinn. “When we expanded the foundation’s mission, we simply needed to find someone to help us spread the word. Piper was more than willing to help us out. I guess she goes to conferences and stuff, learning about mortuary business several times a year. She said she’d be happy to discuss the foundation there, or even ask if we can go in as a speaker.”

Quinn sat up straighter. “Really? That’s wonderful.”

“Most certainly. She’s incredibly passionate about her business. She has such a love of death…even though that sounds strange.”

“To her, it’s not.”

“I would agree.” He tossed the paper off his lap and leaned forward.“Her kindness to her clients is key, and I find it truly astounding that she can
see
what people need when literally dealing with death’s door.” He grunted his approval. “I mean look what she did for me. Us. This family. It was like she knew everything we needed without even asking. Like an angel almost…”

Quinn had to keep from rolling his eyes. His grandpa had only seen the side of Piper that Piper let people see. The compassionate side. Not many people would notice she perfectly managed to balance compassion and detachment. But Quinn had seen it from Day One. It was one of the things that had drawn him to her.

“At any rate,” Grandpa continued, “she’ll be an asset to the foundation. I think she said the next conference is coming up in a few weeks. She’ll let us know if we need to send someone to speak on our behalf.” His eyes twinkled.

Quinn knew that look. “Me, right?”

The old man gave wrinkled smile. “You or Kacey. But you’re better with people, I think. And Kacey has Sarah to think about. And since you and Piper seem to have a thing going, you might as well be the one I send.”

“Great. Thanks.” Quinn rose, patting Grandpa on the shoulder. “I’ve gotta get to the airfield and make sure everything’s copasetic. Pre-flight checks and stuff. Dad gonna give you a lift later?”

“Yup.”

“Good. In the meantime, stay out of the sun.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

With Grandpa chuckling behind him, Quinn jumped of the porch, a little lighter on his feet and made his way to the car. He sped home, showered and ate, before heading to the airfield. He couldn’t wait to show Piper this part of his life.

Come to think of it, Piper had never asked about any part of Quinn’s life. Not what he did, where he worked, or what he did for fun. While normally that would be strange, Quinn figured it had something to do with the detached compassion aspect of Piper’s life. And since she wasn’t too keen on love, he imagined Piper didn’t want to get too personal with lovers.

Well, that wasn’t going to work for him. He already knew far too much about her and he was itching to know more. If she wouldn’t ask, he would take her by surprise and show her.

<<<<>>>>>

Piper was wheeling Mr. Baxter in to the cooler as the phone on her hip buzzed. She rolled him the rest of the way in and secured the latch before answering.

“Downing and Sons Funeral Home, this is Piper. How can I help you?”

“Hey, it’s Jessica.”

Oh, good grief. Piper had forgotten all about Jessica and Lenny’s accident on Friday. She hadn’t even called to ask if the boy was okay. Or if Jessica was okay. She suddenly felt like a very, very bad boss. And friend. She frowned, thinking this was the first time she’d called someone a friend. She didn’t get close enough to have the
f
word. Too personal.

“Goodness, Jessica,” Piper said, suddenly out of breath. “I’m so sorry I didn’t call you. How is everything? Lenny okay? You okay?”

Jessica’s voice was confident. “Yes, everything is fine. I’m sorry I didn’t call you sooner. I know how busy you are, so don’t feel bad about not checking in.”

Piper swallowed her relief. She still felt like crap, though. “It’s horrible manners on my part. You’re a valued employee and…friend.” She was testing the word and found it didn’t sound all bad. Based on Jessica’s silence, Piper had caught the young woman by surprise.

“Right now we should be worrying about you and your son,” Piper continued. “Tell me what I can do to help.”

Jessica rattled on about Lenny’s fractured femur as Piper took care of cleaning up the prep area. She was relieved the little boy was fine and still very shaken up that she’d neglected someone who’d always gone out of her way for Piper. Piper’s rule of compassionate detachment was proving to be difficult to swallow. She offered to let Jessica have a month of work off—paid—and more time if needed to arrange proper care of Lenny. She’d figure out how to handle the funeral office’s day-to-day operations later.

When she got off the phone, she called Mrs. Binger, the best caterer in town, and arranged to have prepared meals delivered to Jessica’s home for the next month. She also called Mr. McKetchum at the rental place and arranged for Jessica to have a van for as long as need be. There was no way Jessica could cart a little boy with a broken leg back and forth to the doctor in her little hatchback. It was expensive, but well worth the smile she heard over the phone when she called Jessica back and told her not to worry about anything.

She finished the prep area and headed for her apartment, keeping a close eye on the time. She had to be at the airfield soon.

Even after going through all that trouble for Jessica—not that it was trouble—Piper still felt strangely empty. Jessica could’ve lost her son in some terrible accident and Piper hadn’t had the time or the inclination to give the poor woman a call. What was wrong with her? That thought made her feel suddenly wretched. Grumbling, she stomped into her kitchen and pulled a large chocolate bar and jar of peanut butter out of the cabinet. Plopping down on the couch, she went about snapping the chocolate bar into perfect rectangles and dipping them into the peanut butter. One by one she ate them, enjoying the calming feeling she always got when eating her favorite sulking treat.