Indefinite (Salvation #6)(60)

“Ashton.”

“Quinn. I’m going to give Jackson a piece of my mind about this.”

No, she’s not. I’m not playing a game with her. “I don’t meddle in your work, you’re not going to do it in mine.”

She scowls at me, and huffs. If I weren’t running late, I might find it adorable, but I am late, and right now, she needs to move aside. “Fine. I’m so mad though.”

“You’re being overly dramatic.”

That was probably not the right thing to say.

Her eyes widen and her teeth clamp down. I swear her head is about to explode with how heavy she’s breathing. I need to walk this back—quickly. “I didn’t mean it like that. Just that the hormones are probably not helping, and you know what my job is. You know who I am.”

A smile spreads across her face, and she moves toward the chair. Slowly, Ashton sits, her eyes watch me and I know I’m in for it. “You’re right, honey. The hormones are making me dramatic.”

I don’t trust this. “Ash.”

“No, no, I get it. I wouldn’t want to worry about you. It’s not like you’re untrained.”

“I’m not saying you don’t have cause for concern.”

She puts her hand up. “I won’t even think about it again. I mean, why should I care that you’re stepping into a possibly dangerous situation when we’re finally on solid ground, right? There’s clearly nothing to be uneasy about because, you know, people have only been blown up, shot, kidnapped . . . it’s fine.”

Fucking hell. I put my foot in my mouth this time. I crouch, taking her hands in mine. “I’ve never had anyone who worried about me when I left.” Her blue eyes lift to mine. “I spent my entire military career not even bothering to tell anyone when I was gone or came back. This is new for me, fragolina. Yes, I had you for a few years, but you never cried when I left, did you?”

She nods. “I just never told you.”

My heart breaks. I feel my chest grow tighter thinking of her being sad when I was gone. I didn’t think about how she might have felt, and I fucking hate myself. “You cried?”

“I missed you, Quinn. I love you, and when you were gone, of course I worried and cried.”

Jesus Christ. How dumb am I? I don’t think there are even words to adequately describe what a fucking fool I was. I assumed she went on with her life as though I meant nothing. It was probably my own idiot way of coping too.

“I’m so sorry.”

She touches her hand on my face. “You’re making it hard to be angry with you.”

“You have nothing to worry about, fragolina.” I lean up and press my lips to hers. “I’m just going to observe, and I’ll keep my distance unless I think there’s something more. Jackson doesn’t think it’s them.”

“This whole thing is unsettling.”

I agree with her, but I don’t want her to concern herself with any of this. I’ve been trained in ways she can’t even imagine, and the last thing I’m going to do is be stupid. If it is Jackson’s former in-laws, then they’re using someone else to do it, and that’s who I need to find. My plan is to find out what I can from afar and only get close if I have to.

“I trust Jackson,” I tell her with conviction. “He wouldn’t knowingly let any of his men walk into a dangerous situation. He’d do this himself, but he doesn’t want to worry Catherine, and he doesn’t think they’re capable of any of this.”

Ashton releases a heavy sigh. “You know she’ll kill him if she finds any of this out.”

“Not my problem.”

She leans in, kissing me softly. “No, but I’ll be your problem.”

“You’re my favorite problem to have.”

Fire ignites in Ashton’s eyes. “And what exactly would you do with me, Mr. Miller?”

The sheer number of things I’d like to do with her are staggering. “First,” my voice drops. “I’d like to kiss you.”

“I like that.” She smiles against my lips. “What else?”

“Take every fucking thing you’re wearing off.”

My cock goes hard as I imagine her naked. It’s only been twelve hours since I had her, but I want her again. Hell, I want her all the time. If I could get a job where all I do is pleasure her, I’d work overtime.

“I’m liking this problem-solving.”

I grin, pull her to her feet, and wrap my arms around her. “Then wait till you see the rest of my plans.”

I’m thinking we have a lot of things to work out, so I should get busy. Then I bring my lips to hers and get very, very busy.





30


Ashton





“So, why is this so important to you?” Quinn asks while I practically drag him toward the boardwalk.

“Well, you are about to experience what should be a staple in every person’s life.”

“Eating a cheesesteak?”

I shake my head with an exasperated sigh. “This isn’t just any cheesesteak, this is a Midway cheesesteak, Quinn. It’s where all the magic happened for North Jersey girls.”

My summer didn’t begin until I had one of these. Catherine, Gretchen, and I would drive to Seaside Height at the first sign of warmth for one of these. This beach is the beach of my youth. Now, if Quinn is going to be an active participant in my future, he must experience all the things that make me—me.