Someone that gave her thoughtful gifts at the holidays. Who knew when she was working hard and did little things to show he appreciated her. Who brought her home a piece of luxury she’d never in a million years be able to afford.

  Those lotions and creams he’d given her a few days ago. She’d laughed when he handed them to her. He looked unsure then, but said, “The office girls and my patients rave about them. I just thought since you work so hard, why not have a little guilty pleasure each day?”

  “I thought you were my guilty pleasure,” she’d told him.

  Then he did laugh, looked around to make sure the kids were nowhere close, and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m happy to be your guilty pleasure and wish it was daily, but how about you think of me when you use these.”

  “Do you give these to all your nannies?” she’d asked, partially joking, and partially wanting to know if maybe he was trying to buy her. She didn’t want to think that. She didn’t want to think that he’d consider her something like a mistress that he had to buy things for. That was the last thing she wanted to ever be considered, and she sure as hell wanted to nip it in the bud if that was the case. She was no one’s whore.

  “I have a package for Jennifer right over there,” he’d said, pointing to the box on the counter.

  “Oh. Well, in that case, I’ll accept. Thank you.”

  She felt better knowing that it was a nice thing he’d done for Jennifer, too.

  Reaching up, she ran her fingertips around the necklace she hadn’t taken off since Max gave it to her. She’d put the last ten minutes of her conversation with Ally from her mind. She had to. The last thing she wanted to do was run right now.

  Angel wings. Max said he was watching out for her, and she’d take solace in it for now.

  Twenty minutes later, after a lot of self-lecturing while she put the groceries way, she grabbed her phone, and sent him a message. Kids are at friends’ houses for a few hours. It sure is quiet at home.

  ***

  Max felt his phone vibrate in his pocket but ignored it while he was with his patient. He was hoping his Saturday morning rounds were fast. Normally Dena or Amber took care of the rounds if he wasn’t on call for the weekend. Both girls had plans today and he’d said he’d deal with it. It was the least he could do; they worked hard.

  “Everything looks good, Ms. Weller. I’d say you can be discharged today if you’d like.”

  Ms. Weller was a weight-loss patient who’d had more loose skin than she felt comfortable with. She was going to be one happy person once she was fully recovered. She’d had a lot of skin to remove and ended up having to stay an extra day in the hospital due to blood loss.

  “I can’t wait to go home. How long before I can see the results?”

  “It can take months to see the final results. Remember, you’re healing and are going to be swollen for a while, too. When it’s all said and done, I’m positive you’ll be pleased.”

  “I know I will. I’ve been saving up for this surgery for years. Anything will be better than what it was.”

  He laughed. These were the type of patients he liked. Someone who took a step to better their health and the final stage was just feeling good about themselves. She wasn’t going to be a bikini model by any means, but she wanted to look in the mirror and have the last traces of the overweight woman long gone. Her words to him.

  “I’ll just finish up your paperwork and then the nurses will be in to start getting you ready for discharge. Call and schedule an appointment in the office for next week.”

  “Will do. Have a great weekend.”

  He nodded and walked out, pulled his phone out of his pocket and read Quinn’s message. Oh yeah, he was about to start his weekend off great.

  Max drove home faster than he should have, since he didn’t want to take the risk the kids would change their mind and come home early. Not that that ever happened.

  He pulled in the driveway feeling like an eager kid waiting for a big gift. It was foolish, he knew, but it’d been too long since he and Quinn had any time together alone. Before Christmas break, and it seemed like a lifetime ago.

  He entered the kitchen but didn’t see any sign of her. He was getting ready to check upstairs when he walked by the laundry room and saw her folding towels. The washing machine was running, which would explain why she didn’t hear him.

  “I never knew laundry could be so sexy.”

  She jumped and dropped the towel in her hand. “Max, what are you doing home so early? You scared the crap out of me.”

  “I took your text as an invitation to rush, was I wrong?”

  “No,” she said. “But you didn’t respond, so I figured you were busy.”

  He started walking toward her. “I didn’t want to waste any time typing.” Grabbing her by the waist, he picked her up and set her on the small table the towels were stacked on. “I needed to get my hands on you.”

  “I was hoping you’d feel that way,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into his kiss.

  His hands started to roam under her shirt, then inside her bra. Pure softness and so wonderful. He could become addicted to her and it was too scary to even think about.

  “I always feel this way,” he mumbled and lifted her shirt up and over her head, tossing it across the room, then disposing of her bra next.

  “What’s your hurry?” she asked. “We’ve got time.”

  “Don’t care. Not risking it. I’ll slow down next time,” he said, just before his lips attacked her hardened nipple. Soft rose-colored and begging for his attention. He didn’t want to disappoint her by any means.

  He pulled her into his mouth, sucking gently, then harder yet. Her moan of encouragement hit him hard in the pit of his stomach. His teeth grazed her a touch, and when she moaned louder he had to nip her.

  She slid her fingers in his hair and held him there, silently telling him what she wanted, what she needed, and letting him quench the hunger that had been building in him since he’d gotten her message.

  Moving to the other breast, he did the same, never wanting to stop when she started purring in her throat. A man could get lost in those sounds. The sound that he was satisfying a woman just the way she wanted.

  But he sought to give her more, so he quickly undid the button on her jeans, lifted her and then pushed them off her legs along with her underwear.

  “Oh, the counter is cold,” she said, giggling when her bare butt touched back down.

  “I’ll keep you warm,” he said right before his mouth dropped between her legs and he went to work.

  Sweet, moist, and pleading for his touch. He had to taste her fully, completely, every part of her. He couldn’t get enough—he’d never get enough of her.

  She was leaning back on her hands, her legs up and around his shoulders now, giving him better access, telling him she was loving this as much as he was.

  A long stroke with his tongue, top to bottom and he felt her shiver, so he did it again, then again.

  “You just love to tease, don’t you? Send me over, Max,” she begged.

  So he did, with his mouth and his hands. Tasting, touching, sliding in and finding the right spot, then curling his finger a bit and bull’s-eye, there he was.

  Her legs tightened on his shoulders, her body quaking under his touch, and she panted out heavy breaths.

  Another swipe of his tongue, then he started to suck until his name was ripped from her throat, the sound hoarse to his ears.

  He stood up when he knew he’d rung every last drop out of her. The tightness in his pants was almost unbearable.

  She let out a long sigh. “Wow. Have I told you how good you are at that?”

  “No, but it sure is nice to hear.”

  She grabbed the waist of his pants and yanked him forward. “I guess I need to show you what I’ve got so that you can return the compliment.”

  He hoped it meant what he thought. Since she just undid his pants and lowered them, then said, “Let’s switch positions. You get on the table,” he was pretty sure it did. Nor did he hesitate to comply.

  She stood before him, wrapped her small hand around the length of him, grinned and lowered her head—then went to work. Sure, she had to mimic him, he didn’t expect otherwise and loved what her tongue started doing to him.

  But she didn’t stop there, because one thing he learned about Quinn was when she decided to take on a task, she gave it everything she had.

  She licked him, she sucked, she bit and she all but swallowed him whole. His legs were shaking and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold back.

  He tapped her on the shoulder to let her know she needed to stop before it was too late. Only she shook her head at him and started to work harder and faster, her mouth, her hands, and there was nothing he could do. No way he could stop.

  “Quinn!” he shouted, but she continued, so he gave in.

  After his explosive release, she slithered up his body and wrapped her arms around his neck, then kissed him lightly on the lips. “Admit it—I’m pretty good, aren’t I?”

  Huh, what did she say? Oh yeah, pretty good. That was putting it mildly. “Not bad, but I think if you work at it a bit more, you could be as good as me.”

  She laughed and hugged him tighter. “Then I guess I need more practice. What do you say? I’ll practice on you if you practice on me?”

  It was the best suggestion he’d heard in a long time.

  Vacation

  January came and went. The kids were enjoying their skiing and snowboarding lessons and not complaining so much about the frigid cold. Unlike Quinn.

  She thought she’d be used to the cold by now, but she hated the winter. At least she was living in a house that was nice and toasty warm with no drafts and no worries about conserving heat, so that she didn’t get sticker shock when the bill came.

  Mia never did call again, not since Christmas Eve, and Lara didn’t seem fazed in the least. She didn’t even balk when Max told her half the clothes that she received for Christmas she wouldn’t be allowed to wear. Of course her happy bounce and grin along with, “I didn’t really like them anyway,” helped.

  The kids were finishing up their homework, Max was in his office working, and she was looking through recipes on the computer, trying to come up with something new and exciting to make.

  “Quinn, do you have a minute?”

  She turned to see Max come in the kitchen. “Of course.” She grinned at him while he looked around the kitchen and family room.

  “Where are the kids?”

  “Lara just ran up to her room to find a book and Davey’s over on the couch. Can’t you see him?”

  Max took a step out of the kitchen, then leaned way over to see Davey was hunched in the corner, half under a blanket reading a book.

  “Oh,” he said, his face showing that he wasn’t pleased. She knew darn well he was hoping they were out of sight so he could touch or kiss her. It had become a game of sorts between them, sneaking kisses and sly looks.

  “What did you want to talk to me about?” she said, smirking at him.

  “Winter break.” He pulled out a chair and sat down. “I just got off the phone with my father and he and my mother would like to see the kids during winter break.”

  “We’re going to see Grandma and Grandpa?” Davey yelled from the couch.

  “It’s been over six months.” Max looked at her. “The kids spent some time with them this summer. Anyway, I cleared my schedule at work to fly out on the Saturday before President’s Day and to come back that Friday. I’m on call the weekend we get back.”

  “Okay. I’ll make sure the kids are all packed for the trip before you go. It’s a few weeks away, right?”

  “Just two weeks, not long at all. I’d like you to go with us.”

  “Me? Why? I mean, if you’re taking the kids there to visit with your parents and you’re there, isn’t it like a vacation? You don’t need me there too, do you?”

  “Don’t you want to go to New York with us?” Davey asked.

  “It’s not that, it’s just I’m not sure you need me there.”

  “I need you there,” Max said, and she caught his double meaning. “But I’ll probably be working at my father’s practice for at least one day. I’m still part of it, and when I go back I scrub in on some of his surgeries or fill in. My mother won’t know what to do with the kids the entire time, and she has an active social life. Besides, they live in a two-bedroom condo so I just booked us a suite at a hotel downtown.”

  “Everyone’s staying in the hotel?” she asked, wondering how that was going to work.

  “Yes. There are two bedrooms and a pullout sofa. I thought you and Lara could share one room that has double beds in it and Davey could take the sofa. There’s a little kitchen and living room too. We won’t spend a ton of time in the hotel, though.”

  “What am I supposed to do while you’re working and the kids are with their grandmother?”

  She’d never been to New York before and didn’t know the first thing she should do, or would want to do.

  “Whatever you want. You’ve got time to find things to keep you and the kids busy. I’ll give you some suggestions too. Besides, I won’t work the whole time. It’ll be fun. A family vacation of sorts.”

  A family vacation. She’d never been on a vacation, period, let alone a family one. “How long does it take to drive there?”

  He laughed at her. “We aren’t driving. We’re flying. It’s a quick flight and then we’ll take a taxi to the hotel. No need to have a car in the city.”

  “Sounds like fun,” she said.

  “You don’t look so convincing. You’ve never flown before, have you?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Are you afraid of heights or tight spaces?”

  “There’s not a lot I’m really afraid of, Max. It will be fine.”

  He laughed even more. “I believe there isn’t a lot you’re afraid of, but I’m not convinced you aren’t a little scared of flying.”

  “Who’s afraid of flying?” Lara asked, running into the room. “Flying is fun!”

  “Quinn is,” Davey said.

  “No, I’m not. I’ve never flown before, so I don’t know if I’m afraid or not.”

  “We’re going to see Grandma and Grandpa,” Davey said. “Quinn’s going with us.”

  “When?” Lara asked, going over to Max and holding her arms out. Max opened his arms and picked Lara up, gave her a quick kiss and set her back down. “Winter break. Ready to have fun in the city again?”

  “You bet!” Lara squealed.

  Quinn decided it was wise to give up then. The three of them were just so excited, she wasn’t about to put a damper on it with her fears.

  ***

  A week later, Max walked downstairs trying to maintain some control. The kids were in bed, tucked in for the night, Quinn was watching TV in her room, and he had planned on turning in for the night himself.

  Until Mia called him.

  He knocked on Quinn’s door and pushed it open when she answered. “Hey, got a minute?”

  “Sure. Are you okay? You look upset.”

  He was and wasn’t doing a great job of hiding it. “Mia just called. She wants to see the kids during winter break.” He sat on the couch next to her.

  “But you have plans,” Quinn argued.

  “We do. Unfortunately, those plans coincide with what Mia was planning. She’ll be in New York the same week for work. She wanted me to fly the kids there, but when I said we were already going, she said it was perfect.”

  “She wanted you to fly them there? Why couldn’t she?”

  “I’d have to make the arrangements anyway. It’s not a big deal. Bottom line is, the kids will be upset, but at least I’ll be there, too. I know Mia and she’ll spend one day with them if they’re lucky, even though she said she wants a few days. So I guess it works out, but it just irks me she does this.”

  “Can’t you say no?”

  “I can, but I won’t. Legally she only has to give me one week’s notice and she did. I’ll be there anyway. It gives you some time to yourself.” He reached out and grabbed her hand. “It would give us a little time together too. Maybe that’s selfish of me, but I feel like I deserve it. Mia said she wants the kids from Monday through Thursday. If she actually keeps her word, which I doubt, it’s just you and me in the hotel. How does that sound?”

  “It sounds great. I’ve never stayed in a hotel before. Well, not like what you’re saying. I’ve stayed in cheap motels, but I don’t think they count.”

  No, he was sure they didn’t count in the least. “Then consider this a little vacation for you. For us. I’m looking forward to having a bit of time together, even if it only ends up being one night.”

  “We haven’t had a night together since that first time,” she said, squeezing his hand.

  He was starting to relax in her presence. He shouldn’t be upset Mia did this; it was nothing new, but it always bothered him. He hated that the kids might be upset too, but they were just going to have to spend some time with their mother.

  “Are you looking forward to it?”

  “Actually I am.”

  “We can have a real date. Dress up for a nice dinner, maybe see a show if you want?”

  “What kind of show?” she asked.

  She didn’t look too excited over it, then again, he never got into those things much either. He only went because Mia enjoyed it.

  “Or maybe not,” he said, laughing. “What would you like to do?”

  “This is crazy, but I want to go to Chelsea Market and walk around the shops. I mean, I can do that by myself one day, but I don’t know, it’s just something that I always thought of. They’ve got so many different foods there, and I like that kind of thing.”

  “So, it’s a busman’s holiday then?” He leaned over and kissed her…she was just too cute at times. She never asked for anything and she was so easy to please. He wasn’t sure how to handle it.