He could recall all the times his father, who was lovingly dominant, had gone to the mats, figuratively speaking, with Ben’s high-spirited mother, and how those confrontations had always ended with love. They’d never hidden the fact that they didn’t always see eye to eye. He’d looked for a love like that for a long time and had to stifle a chuckle as he realized he was staring it in the face. Now he just had to do whatever he could to hold on to it.
* * * *
The power returned sometime during the night, and Quinten was awakened by the light shining from the master bathroom, which they must’ve forgotten to switch off before getting in bed. As he’d drifted off to sleep, thoughts of Camilla and her struggles in life bounced around in his head, so it was no surprise that he’d dreamed not only of her but also the issues that crowded his mind from his own past. Wide awake, he looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table and figured that six thirty was about as late as he was sleeping that morning. Maybe he’d talk Camilla into a nap later in the day.
Smiling at the thought, he slipped from the bed, went to the bathroom, and shut the door. He was soaking his head under the hot spray of the showerhead when an equally hot body slipped in and snuggled to his chest, making a sleepy-soft sound very much like a purring kitten. His cock reacted immediately. What a great way to start his day off.
“Well, good mornin’, baby. Did I wake you up running the water?”
Her sleep-tender cheek was warm against his chest as she yawned and replied, “No, I missed you. That bed is so comfortable it’s sinful.”
A thrill shot up his spine when she pressed her curvaceous little body to his as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She purred again and rubbed against his cock, which was standing up proud and rigid between them.
“I’m not much of a morning person, but I think I could get used to it if I had you to wake up to.”
She looked up at him and then squeezed him. “Doesn’t that sound nice?” She didn’t have to say she was uncertain. He could hear it in the hesitant quality of her voice. She pressed her lips to one of his nipples, inspiring another electrical charge in him, and whispered, “Last night was so beautiful…”
He tilted her chin up so he could look into her sleepy green eyes. “Give this a chance, baby. Give us a chance. Please don’t be scared. Last night was not a one-night stand and I meant what I said. I know Ben pushed you—”
“Ya think?” The stony quality of her voice confirmed his earlier suspicion that she hadn’t appreciated Ben demanding so much from her emotionally.
He braced himself as he said, “I know it bothered you, but let me ask you a question. Do you think he did it to hurt you?”
A little breath puffed out against his chest as she sighed. “No. I know he doesn’t want to hurt me. He was just so damned pushy, like a…fricking pit bull—”
“—who loves you very much. He wanted to know what hurt you so he could make it better—so we both could. I was there with you the whole time, and if he’d gone too far he would’ve known.”
“Asshole.” Her tone was grumpy but lacked heat. He hid a smile as he imagined her pouty lip sticking out.
Quinten chuckled. “He is that occasionally, but so am I. We both feel very strongly about how hurt you must’ve been by your father, Brandon, and Tyler. But not all men are like that, baby.”
“Not in the heat of the moment anyway. Once the novelty wears off, how can we be sure this thing between us won’t just fizzle out?”
She looked up at him, and the doubt he saw there only made him more determined to win her over completely.
Quinten held her by the shoulders and looked down at her. “This ‘thing’ between us isn’t a novelty to me, damn it. It’s love. I know what real love looks like.”
Anxiety crossed her features as she searched his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you by saying that. I’m just being a realist.”
“Pessimist is more like it, baby. I’m making it my goal to show you what real love looks like and how real men act when they’re in love with a woman.”
He turned her in the shower so that the water from the showerhead cascaded over her hair and soaked her before he got down the shampoo and poured a generous dollop into his hand.
“How do you know so much about love? Have you experienced true love before?” She voiced it sarcastically as if she didn’t believe it really existed. Quinten wondered how someone as vivacious and loving as she was could doubt it was real. He’d just have to earn her trust.