"So good," I groaned through a full mouth, giving two thumbs up.
"Told ya!" Sophia giggled. "My daddy's the best cook in the world. You should try his pancakes."
"She's exaggerating," Quinn added. "Pancakes and tacos are about the extent of my culinary prowess."
I swallowed and smiled brightly. "Then I guess we're all lucky Sinful Sweets expanded, huh?"
He lifted his bottle of beer and tipped it in my direction. "I thank God every day." Then he took a pull, and I was mesmerized by the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. Damn, even his throat was sexy.
"It's almost bedtime, Angel," he spoke, pulling me from my lusty haze. "Go brush your teeth, and I'll pick a book to read to you."
"Can Ms. Lilly read me a story tonight?"
I glanced sideways at Quinn. After his blowup the one and only time I babysat Sophia, I didn't want to risk pushing my luck by overstepping my boundaries, so I said, "Why doesn't your dad read you a story while I clean up."
I stood and began gathering the dishes when I felt Quinn's hand land softly on my forearm. "You don't have to do that."
That simple touch sent a spark of electricity through my bloodstream. "I don't mind. Besides, you cooked, it's only fair, right?"
His eyes held mine for several seconds, and I swear, I could feel something intense coming from the pale green depths, but before I could place it, he stood and broke the connection. "Okay." He looked to his daughter and gently commanded, "Get a move on, sweetheart."
Sophia pushed from her chair and came at me, wrapping her arms around my waist. "'Night, Ms. Lilly. I'm glad you had dinner with us."
"Me too, honey." I returned her hug as best as I could with my hands full of dirty plates.
She bolted from the room and Quinn started to follow, but stopped before passing me, leaning in close to whisper in my ear, "Don't leave yet. I'll be back in a few."
Another tremor worked through my core. "Okay," I whispered back.
He disappeared down the hall and I headed for the kitchen and dove into scrubbing dishes like my life depended on it in an effort to temper my raging hormones.
I was so busy scouring the skillet Quinn had used for chicken that I hadn't heard him enter the kitchen. My body gave a startled jolt as he reached up and brushed my hair over one shoulder before placing his lips on the sensitive skin. This time I jolted for an entirely different reason.
"You scrub that any harder and you're going to take the Teflon right off."
I dropped the scrubber and moved the skillet under the water, giving it a good rinse. I'd just picked up a plate to wash when Quinn's tongue darted out and ran along the cord in my neck. It felt so good, no … it felt amazing. I didn't want him to stop, but in the back of my mind, I knew it probably wasn't a good idea. "Should you be doing that right now with Sophia only a few rooms away?"
"She's dead asleep. Won't hear a thing."
I cocked my head to the side to give him better access as my eyes fluttered closed. "Jeez. That was fast."
He stood and placed his hands on my hips, spinning me around to face him. "Babe. I've been with her for twenty minutes." My eyes got big, making Quinn smirk. "Just how long were you scrubbing at skillet?" he asked, humor laced through his words.
"Uh … "
He chuckled and bent close. "Fuck, you're cute."
I grinned widely, watching as his gaze trailed down my face to my mouth. "That dimple kills me," he muttered, closing the rest of the distance and placing a kiss on my cheek, right where it depressed every time I smiled. I melted into his big, strong body as he moved from my dimple to my lips and began kissing me. It started soft and slow, feather-light pressure of his mouth against mine. Then his tongue ran along the seam of my lips. I opened for him and the tone of the kiss changed completely.
He kissed me so thoroughly, with such deliberateness, that I got completely lost in the feel of him. My hands snaked around his back and yanked up his sweater in order to get to the warm skin of his back. My nails dug in and I moaned into his mouth as pleasure coursed through me.
Something about that noise spurred him on. A deep, low growl worked its way up his chest and down my throat. His fingers on my hips clenched then moved. Before I could process what was about to happen, he grabbed my ass in both hands and hauled me up his body. My legs wrapped around his waist, locking at the ankles, and I twined my arms around his neck as he set me down on the counter beside the sink.