Page 75 of Shuttered Hearts

“Of course.” I open the door wider, and as she passes, she brushes her hand over my chest like she’s trying to make sure I’m really here.

“Ava!” Caleb calls as he stands from his seat, throwing a wink my way. “You better bring your bag with you! You can stay with Emily and me tonight!”

“What?” she calls back.

“My sister is here, and I don’t think you want to be here for whatever is about to go down.”

“You are not funny,” Quinn tells him, and I fight a smile.

“Let’s get out of here,” Ava says, rushing down the stairs with her bag over her shoulder. “See you both tomorrow.” And then it’s just Quinn and me standing next to the closed front door.

“I’m sorry,” Quinn blurts, dropping her purse on the floor.

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” I reach for her, but she moves, pacing the space before I can touch her.

“Yes, I do. I’ve been all over the place this past week, and I hurt you last night when I told you I needed space.” She turns to me, stopping in the kitchen.

“No, I understood that.” I take a few steps toward her.

“That may be true, but I still didn’t go about it the right way. I was scared and didn’t know how to handle it.”

“Scared of what?”

“Everything,” she whispers. “But mostly, I was afraid I’m too much like my mother and that I would wake up one day and run from all of this, from you.”

“Quinn—” I go to close the distance between us, but she stops me with a raised hand. I’m instantly on alert. I’ve been uneasy all morning, trying to figure out where Quinn and I stand. The fact she won’t let me near isn’t helping any of it.

“No, I know it doesn’t make sense, but it’s what I was thinking, and I needed to understand why she did what she did. So when she walked into The Diner this morning, I knew it was my chance to ask her.” She lowers her hand. “Not that any of it helped.” She shakes her head, glancing down at her feet before looking back at me.

“She didn’t give me a real reason for any of it. But then I talked to Dad when I got home, and I don’t know why I didn’t just talk to him in the first place. He’s always has a way of saying things to make me hear them. Maybe it’s that he puts me at ease. Like I know I won’t be judged for thinking or feeling the way I do, so I’m just left open to hearing him.” She lifts her shoulders in a small shrug. “I don’t know, but he gave me more insight into my mom and their relationship, and it clicked.”

“Quinn—” I get a few more steps before she stops me again.

“No, let me get this out.” She takes a deep breath. “I may have some similarities to my mother, but I’m not her.”

“Okay.” I don’t move this time.

“I love you. I want to try this thing for real. I want to wake up to you in the morning, have lunch with you in the afternoon, and dinner in the evening. I want to talk to you about the students I’m worried about and the students who make me love my job. I want to keep dancing with you and leaning on you. I don’t want to go through this life without you.”

There are tears in her eyes, and I want so badly to reach out and touch her, but she’s already stopped me so many times. “Can I touch you now?” I ask.

“Yes.” She lets out a watery laugh, and I don’t hesitate to cup her face.

“I love you too. So fucking much.” I wipe the tears falling down her cheeks. “I knew it the night of Max’s birthday party; though, I fought it for a while.” I smile ruefully.

“The idea of opening myself up to someone after everything that happened with Melissa terrified me. Looking back on it, I never felt for Melissa what I feel for you, yet I was completely willing to alter my life to fit her wants. I didn’t want to do that again. And then you come barreling into my life, making me question everything I thought I knew.” My eyes move over her face, studying every facet. “I don’t want to go through this life without you by my side, either. I want to be there with you through all the ups and downs life throws our way.”

“Can you kiss me now?” she asks a smile on her face and tears falling down her cheeks.

“Oh, I’m gonna do more than kiss you now, Bug.” I crush my lips to hers in a bruising kiss, giving her all of me.

thirty-five

QUINN

The second Declan’slips touch mine, I melt into him. This is exactly where I want to be—in his arms, pressed against him.

His lips trail over my cheek, to the spot behind my ear, back down my neck, and up to my lips again. His hands roam all over my body, almost like he needs to make sure this is real.

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