Seduction and Surrender (The Billionaire's Temptation Series) Read online

  “Actually, he’s mine.” She ran a hand over her pup’s big head and tried to set him at ease. “It’s okay, Thor. Go on.” Her encouragement was all it took for Thor to forgive Gabe.

  They found Quinn in the kitchen, brewing a pot of coffee. It was a good start, but they’d yet to have breakfast after the morning’s commotion, and coffee alone wasn’t going to cut it.

  “Why don’t I cook us some breakfast? Gabe, have you eaten?” Emma let Quinn pull her close and kiss her temple, making her want to linger in his arms, his touch comforting after such a devastating night.

  Gabe leaned against the counter, shifting the leather messenger bag on his shoulder. “Actually, I haven’t. But…do you mind if I steal Quinn for a minute? I know you guys have been through a lot, but I’ve got some work stuff I have to go over with him, and I’m afraid it can’t wait.”

  She didn’t quite understand the look Gabe gave Quinn, but she let it go, too exhausted and mentally drained. “He’s all yours.”

  Emma focused on her cooking to keep her mind from straying to her restaurant. And yet it was hard not to think of it.

  Quinn’s fridge was nearly as large as the one she had at her restaurant, and though it was stocked with more than enough junk food and beer, there was also plenty of fresh and healthy food for her to work with. Asparagus, farm fresh local eggs, goat cheese, bacon, chives. Perfect for an omelet.

  She started her prep, though she didn’t start cooking, not wanting the food to get cold if the boys were going to be awhile. Luckily, it didn’t take them too much longer to wrap up whatever it was they were discussing. And yet, their mood, already somber due to the fire, had shifted to something even worse.

  Something was wrong. She just didn’t know what that something was.

  Quickly cooking up their meal, she got everyone fed, and though they seemed to enjoy the food and declared it to be delicious, little else was said.

  Emma cleaned up as Quinn saw Gabe off. Yet once Quinn returned and wrapped his arms around her waist, she couldn’t help but ask. “What’s wrong, Quinn?”

  “Just some complications with a project. Nothing you need to worry yourself about, sweetheart. These things always sort themselves out.” He cupped her face and kissed her. “About your restaurant—I’m happy to help you rebuild, since the insurance money might get tied up in red tape if it turns out to be arson.”

  “I hate having to ask you to loan me any money, Quinn, but…crap. I might have to. Rebuilding is going to take long enough as is, without having to wait for the insurance money to come in.” She got the sinking feeling this was all going to be a nightmare to deal with. And what if they decided not to pay up? Did her policy even include arson?

  “What if we moved the restaurant to a new location just around the block? I have another property that could easily be turned into a restaurant. We could have it up and running in no time at all, and your customer base would be the same since the location wouldn’t really change much.” His worried eyes searched her face before kissing her, though she was too distracted to enjoy herself.

  “Quinn…I appreciate the offer. It’s way too generous, but I can’t. You’re already doing far too much.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Quinn didn’t know what the hell he was going to do. Gabe had not brought him good news. Despite the fire and Gabe’s attempts to get a new set of plans passed—plans that would keep Emma’s restaurant in its current location—his investors were refusing to approve the change now that the original plans had been put through.

  It was why he hated working with investors—especially powerful ones. At the time, it’d seemed like a good strategy for building allies. Now? It might end up ruining the one relationship that truly mattered.

  Though Emma was putting on a brave face, Quinn knew she was barely holding it together, and it was absolutely killing him, especially when he had to leave her and go to work. It’d been a few days since the fire, and she looked lost—lost and heartbroken. It didn’t help that they’d yet to hear back from the arson investigator or the insurance company, which were both still compiling their reports.

  Quinn looked over the plans for Rush Street again, trying to figure out a way around his problem when Gabe walked into his office and dropped himself in a chair, undoing the buttons of his suit and loosening his tie. “I’m telling you, Quinn, the only hope you have of keeping the Old Port in its current location is to find a way to get Sullivan to agree to your new set of plans. He’s the one with the most to lose since he’d planned on putting his nightclub in that spot. The other investors don’t care much, as long as it doesn’t increase the cost or cause more delays.”

  Quinn knew Gabe was right. But Sullivan was a stubborn bastard and would dig his feet in just to be a pain in the ass. “I’ve got an appointment scheduled with him later this afternoon. We’ve got that property by the waterfront that’s a far more valuable location, so I’m hoping I can convince him to shift his club to that location since he’d be getting a better deal.”

  “It’s only a few blocks away, so he might go for it, though damn, Quinn. That’s a huge loss, seeing that the property is waterfront and worth twice the money. And for what?” Gabe shook his head, his gaze far too judgmental.

  Quinn’s anger flared, knowing full well what his brother was thinking. “Don’t, Gabe. Not a fucking word.”

  Gabe threw up his hands, easily able to read Quinn’s mood. “Don’t get angry with me, man. I like Emma—and I get that I was mistaken about her. But you’re acting like a lovesick fool, and it’s costing us money.”

  “I can make more money—and it’s not like we don’t already have enough to absorb that sort of loss. That’s nothing, and you know it. But I can’t lose Emma. And that’s exactly what’ll happen if she thinks I manipulated and lied to her.” Quinn knew how it’d look—like he’d made her empty promises just to get her into his bed.

  “I want you to be happy, but she’s got you off your game and you know it.” Gabe shook his head, missing the fact that Quinn was getting angrier by the second. “What you need is to find some tall leggy model to fuck.”

  Quinn grabbed his brother by the jacket and hauled him to his feet—no easy task given that his brother was as big as he was. “Get the fuck out before I do something we’ll all regret.”

  Gabe shrugged out of his grasp and shook his head. “You know I only want what’s best for you.”

  “Then open your fucking eyes—because what’s best for me is Emma.”

  ***

  Quinn got nowhere with Sullivan, who was being a stubborn ass because he liked to have the upper hand on Quinn, even if it was over something petty. So much for going into the deal to make allies—one of Gabe’s ideas. Well, that’d be the first and last time he’d take on other business partners. Quinn could manage just fine without them, since he certainly didn’t need help funding any of his projects or investments.

  As for Emma and her restaurant, he just had to convince her that the waterfront spot he’d offered Sullivan was the perfect location. He’d set it all up for her, doing his best to copy her original design on Rush Street and make it even better, no expense spared. And then, once it was perfect, he’d show it to her and explain what had happened. She’d see that he’d tried to make amends, that he hadn’t meant to lie to her, but rather it was a series of unforeseen circumstances.

  It had to work.

  He got home to find the place smelling incredible. Not even the dogs budged from the kitchen to greet him, like they normally did. Instead they were transfixed by Emma, who no doubt had been throwing them the occasional nibble and scrap.

  “You’re going to spoil them.” He slipped his arms around her waist, holding her to him from behind as she continued to work, his lips making their way along the slope of her neck. The fact that he could come home to her after a rotten day…he’d never had anything like that before. And though he should be absolutely terrified at the domesticity of it all, he found it actually left h
im with a feeling of blissful contentment.

  She finished stirring the pot, adjusted the heat to a simmer, and then spun around in his arms to face him. With a sultry smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck and went up onto her toes to kiss him, her lips soft and warm against his. “You know, you’re damn sexy in a suit.”

  “Well, get your fill, darling, because I’m giving you about another thirty seconds before I strip both of us naked so I can sprawl you out over the kitchen island and bury my face in your sweet pussy.” He cupped her ass with both hands and dragged her up against him, his cock going hard as he kissed her, his tongue forcing its way past her lips, the feel of her in his arms erasing the stress of the day.

  He trailed kisses down her neck, cupping her breast and running his thumb over her nipple. But when he went to pull off her t-shirt, he realized it was actually one of his old worn tees. “I love that you’re wearing my clothes. That’s just so fucking hot.” It added to that feeling that she was his and his alone.

  “Even though it was clean, it still smelled like you.” She bit her bottom lip. “I missed you, Quinn. The place felt empty without you here.”

  “Well, I’m home now, darling.” He lifted her into his arms, so her legs wrapped around his waist, his mouth on hers, greedily kissing her as she held onto him, her arms slipping around his neck. Putting her down on the large kitchen island, he stole one more kiss before turning his attention to getting her naked.

  She helped him by shimmying out of her jeans as he yanked them off the rest of the way, her hands then moving to his suit jacket. He tossed it aside, but when he started loosening his tie, she stopped him with a rough kiss, her words spoken against his lips. “Leave the shirt and tie on—please?”

  “Like that, is it? Does it turn you on, darling? Or maybe…” He had to smile while stealing another kiss. “Maybe it’s the tie? Do you see it and think of the tie I used to bind you to my bed…making you come before fucking you roughly from behind? Is that it, my naughty little nymph?”

  “Fuck, yes…” She groaned against his lips as she stroked him through the fabric of his trousers, his cock pulsing against her hand.

  He yanked her lace panties off and nestled himself between her legs, running his hands up her toned thighs to tease her clit, letting his fingers run over her slick folds. “You’re always so wet for me, darling. I love that about you…that you’re always so eager, so willing, so needy. As if you live for me to fuck you.”

  “I do. Always…” She bit her bottom lip when he slipped his finger inside her, but only for a moment. With a needy moan, her eyes slid closed and her hips tilted towards him, searching him out, though he did little but tease her.

  Hooking one leg and then the other over his shoulders, he opened her up to him as he buried his face between her legs, lapping at her juices and sucking on her clit as he slipped two fingers deep inside her. Slowly thrusting into her, he curled his fingers, his tongue firm against her clit. Increasing his pace, he finger-fucked her on the cool granite counter, tasting her very essence as she buried her fingers in his hair, her body tightening and undulating as he pushed her close to her orgasm. She cried out as she came, Quinn’s name on her lips, though he was far from through with her.

  He continued to suck and lick her sensitive clit, as she gasped and tightened her legs around his shoulders, her words coming out on thready breaths as if she couldn’t quite fill her lungs with enough air. “Oh, fuck…Quinn…I just came…I can’t…”

  “You can and you will, darling.” He nipped and sucked at her clit, stroking the swollen and fleshy bundle of nerves deep inside her as his other hand reached up to pinch her nipple through the t-shirt she was still wearing, his arm pinning her to the island as she squirmed beneath him. And then she was crying out again, her body shaking and quivering as her orgasm tore through her, her breathing heavy as Quinn trailed kisses over the flare of her hips and the curves of her belly.

  He looked up at her, and damn, if she wasn’t the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen, with her cheeks all flushed. “Come on, kitten. I’m starving and want you to feed me.”

  She sat up and grabbed his tie, pulling him close and kissing him hard as her other hand stroked his hard cock. “But…I want you to fuck me, Quinn. Please…”

  “Sweetheart, I’ve gotta tell you…I love it when you ask me to fuck you—but I’m still going to make you wait. Let the anticipation build through the night so that when I finally fill your sweet pussy with my cock, you’ll come so hard you won’t be able to string together a coherent thought.”

  And wait Emma did, though she had to admit, Quinn lived up to his promise—and more.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sitting by Jake’s side on the sofa in Quinn’s living room, Emma tried to swallow down her emotions as she told Jake about the fire inspector’s findings. “They said that an accelerant had to have been used. It’s a total loss, Jake. The kitchen, the dining room, the bar. Nothing survived.”

  When her tears spilled over and she choked back a sob, Jake pulled her into his arms and held her tightly to him. “Oh, Em. I’m so sorry. But we’ll rebuild it, right? And we’ll make it better than ever. Have you heard from the insurance company yet?”

  “No. Nothing yet. And I’m starting to go stir crazy. It’s only been a week since the fire and Quinn’s taken some time off to be with me but he still has a business to run and he’s had to go in the last few days. I need to get back to work, Jake.” She’d been keeping busy by cooking up a storm for Quinn. Freshly baked bread, elaborate meals, sinful desserts. And she walked the beach, taking the dogs with her. Yet it still wasn’t enough unless Quinn was with her, his distracting presence the only thing that could really keep her mind from her restaurant.

  Jake sat back, though he took her hand in his, offering her a little bit of comfort. “Once you get the insurance money, you’ll be able to keep yourself busy with the renovations to the restaurant. Hopefully it won’t take long for them to cut the check, and then we’ll be back up and running in no time at all.”

  “Quinn offered to loan me the money.” Actually, he offered to cover the cost outright, though she couldn’t let him do that.

  “If you don’t feel comfortable taking the money from him, I’ll happily loan it to you. You know that, right?” He gave her hand a squeeze, worry lining his brow.

  “I appreciate it, though I’m hoping the insurance company won’t take forever.” And if they did, she supposed she’d just have to borrow the money. “The cops also let me know that they’ll be interviewing everyone who works at the Old Port—me included. So don’t be surprised if they call you down to the station.”

  “I hope they’ll also take a look at Capaldi. You know he wasn’t happy—especially after that fight with Quinn.” Jake shook his head with a sigh. “I’m assuming Quinn had good reason to deck him?”

  “Capaldi was talking shit about me, which was why he didn’t let it go. I know you don’t care for Quinn, but he cares about me, Jake.” And after her last boyfriend cheated on her and lied straight to her face, it felt good to have someone like Quinn in her life.

  “I hope you’re right, Em. Look…I should get going. Keep me updated, yeah?” Jake got to his feet and grabbed her hand, pulling her up to him. “And if you need anything at all, just call me.”

  “I will.” She saw Jake off with a hug, glad he’d been able to swing by. So used to seeing him nearly every day, she’d missed not having him around.

  It was nearly lunch time, and unable to bear the thought of rattling about the house bored, she decided to put together a quick lunch and take it to Quinn. He’d mentioned that he only had a few things on his plate, and she hoped it’d be a nice surprise for him, though she half-worried she might just be in the way.

  Emma just wasn’t used to having so much time on her hands, and though she’d brought over more of her things, it still felt like Quinn’s home, not hers. Maybe with more time, it’d start to feel like hers, too. The thought
warmed her, knowing that the last few weeks with Quinn had left her falling for him fast and hard, and he made her happier than she could have ever imagined possible.

  She loved him—and he loved her. And damn if that didn’t make her giddy, despite all her problems.

  Feeling better about things, and with the excitement of seeing Quinn thrumming through her veins like a live wire, she finished packing their lunch, and headed into town. Basket in hand, she took the elevator up, remembering the first time they met—and her meeting with Quinn afterwards. She couldn’t help but smile, recalling how furious he’d made her and what a jerk she’d thought him. How mistaken she’d been.

  Stepping off the elevator and into Quinn’s business suite, she walked up to Nancy’s desk. “Don’t suppose Quinn’s here? I brought him some lunch.”

  “I’m so sorry. He’s out at the moment, but I can contact him. Let him know you’re here.” So much for surprising him. Emma took a seat in the waiting area but it didn’t take long for Nancy to approach her. “Mr. Ryker’s on his way. If you’d like to wait in his office…you’ll probably be more comfortable there.”

  “That’d be great.” Emma thanked Nancy as she was let into Quinn’s office and then got busy setting out their lunch, oddly nervous with a flutter in her belly, no doubt due in part to the fact that she was doing something so personal in his work space. It was a rather public announcement that they were together, and she just hoped he wouldn’t mind.

  There were some papers on his desk, and though she didn’t want to move his work, she didn’t want to get food on it either. Still…she hated people messing around with her own stuff, and wanted to extend him the courtesy—until a set of blueprints caught her eye.

  She immediately recognized the building as the one housing her restaurant, and if she’d had any doubt, the address on the corner of the plans verified it for her. The plans were impressive, and she couldn’t help but get excited at the thought that her restaurant would be in such a gorgeous building—once her restaurant was rebuilt.