The drive along Pacific Coast Highway was amazing. The ocean stretched on forever. The sky was clear, the temperature warm. There was heavy traffic, but she didn’t mind that they had to go slow. That meant more time for her to gape at everything.
Quinn turned down a residential street. She was a little surprised to see walls and garage doors rather than houses. There were no high roofs and mansions, at least not that she could see.
He stopped in front of a closed wrought-iron gate and pushed a button on the underside of his rearview mirror. The gate swung open. Courtney saw a relatively short driveway with a four-car garage at the other end. There was a pathway leading to a modest-looking solid front door.
Quinn parked in the driveway and collected both of their bags. They walked to the front door, where he used a keypad to let them in. She stepped inside and realized the outside had been deliberately misleading.
The house was huge. She stood in a massive foyer. The floors were marble and the chandelier looked as if it might be Italian. She wasn’t sure. There was an open living room with multiple seating areas. A giant dining room that could easily seat twenty was to the left, and stairs leading down were to the right. She had the impression of expensive artwork and the studied casual air of a room designed by someone who knew what they were doing. But what really caught her attention was the view.
The entire west wall was floor-to-ceiling windows. She could see down to the beach and the ocean beyond. There was a big deck and outside stairs leading to the sand.
Quinn led the way downstairs. She followed. The second level was more living space, but this seemed to be where he might actually spend his time. There was a restaurant-size kitchen, a comfortable living room and what looked like a den. Complicated electronics filled a glass-fronted cabinet. She noticed built-in speakers everywhere, which made sense, given what he did for a living.
Again, the view dominated everything. Light spilled into the house, and she knew if she opened a sliding glass door she would hear the sound of the ocean, along with the cries of the seagulls.
They went down one more floor. She saw a nice-size guest room and the master bedroom. The latter was big, with a fireplace and a luxury bathroom. The tub was large enough for five, as was the shower. On this level, the beach was right outside. There was a huge patio and seating. She looked from him to the window and back.
“Seriously? You’re leaving all this to live in Los Lobos?”
“After a while, you stop seeing the view.”
“Then you should get your eyes checked. This is incredible.”
He chuckled and put both bags on the bed. “I assume you’re sleeping with me,” he said easily. “There’s the guest room if you prefer.”
She tilted her head. “Really? Why would I want that? Although it’s very polite of you to offer. Your grandmother would be so proud.”
He winced. “Let’s not tell her.”
“I’m sure she wants to hear about your sex life about as much as you want to talk about it.” She turned in a slow circle. “You’re really going to sell this place?”
“That’s the plan. It goes on the market next week.”
“You’re not going to find anything like this in Los Lobos.”
“I don’t want anything like this. I’m ready to move on.” He crossed to her and pulled her close. “About our few days here. I have a plan.”
“I like it already.”
He kissed her lightly. “We’ll unpack, make love, then go shopping. Tonight we’ll eat in and tomorrow I’ll show you the sights. Thursday night is the party, then we’ll drive home Friday.”
She gazed at him, taking in the lines of his face. Passion flared in his eyes. He was tall and powerful, and when she was around him, she felt better about herself. As if she could do anything.
She smiled. “So we’re just having sex the one time?”
He laughed. “I think we can do it a second time, if it’s important to you.”
She loved how he teased her. Well, two could play at that. “You’re old. I don’t want to strain your heart.”
He kissed her again. “You’re young. I don’t want to shock you with my debauched ways.”
“Are you debauched?”
“I might have been, once or twice.” He straightened. “Courtney, you know there have been other women in my life.”
Not a question, she thought, unclear on the message. “I was clear that you weren’t a virgin, yes.”
“At the party,” he began, then hesitated.
She couldn’t remember a time when Quinn hadn’t known what to say. She put her hands flat on his chest.