The Mighty Quinns: Eli (7 page)

“No, it's really a million dollars. Your great-great-aunt is Aileen Quinn, the very famous Irish novelist. She's a multimillionaire and she's giving away her money to the direct descendants of her four brothers.” She pointed to the papers. “It's all there. You just need to take a DNA test to prove you're a Quinn.”

Eli scanned the words on the paper, but they all seemed to meld into a giant blur. What the hell was happening here? He'd sat down at the table with a bottle of whiskey to contemplate his future with Lucy Parker. And now, just an hour later, he had four siblings, a great-great-aunt and a boatload of money. “Why didn't you tell me this earlier? I've been home for three months.”

“I wanted to wait for the right moment.”

He glanced over at her and saw the look of distress on her face. “What? There's something else?”

Annalise nodded. “And before I say anything, you have to understand that I've always wanted to protect you and to make things easier for you.”

“What?” Eli asked.

“The DNA test. It may or may not prove that you're Max Quinn's son.”

The news hit him like a slap to the face. Though he hadn't spent a lot of time thinking about his father, he had assumed that Annalise had been telling the truth all along.

“It was just one night. He was a climber with another expedition, and once I took up with Max, it was over. And considering the number of nights I was with Max...well, the odds were definitely in his favor.”

Eli shoved the chair away from the table and stood. “I gotta get out of here.”

“Darling, please don't be angry with me. I've just tried to do what was best. I really believe Max is your father. You look like him. You look like your brothers.”

Eli shook his head. He could forgive his mother for a lot of things, but she'd never lied to him. And now, this whole fairy tale of his fatherhood might be a complete fabrication. For all he knew, his father was still alive and completely unaware of his existence.

He glanced down at the papers that were clutched in his hand. He wanted to burn them, to forget any of this had ever happened. What did he need it for? He knew exactly who he was. Would a million dollars and a few siblings change that?

Eli strode to the back porch and grabbed his pack, shoving the papers inside.

“Where are you going?”

“I have no idea,” he said.

“Please, don't leave. Let's just talk about this. I don't want you to be angry with me.”

“I'm not,” Eli said. “You're right. You were just trying to protect me.” He paused and cursed beneath his breath. “But there are times, Annalise, when I wish you'd just get your damn act together and at least pretend to be the parent in this relationship.”

He slipped his pack onto his shoulders and jogged down the front steps. Eli wasn't sure where he was going, but he couldn't stay here any longer. There were too many things to sort through in his head and it would be impossible to do with Annalise hovering over him, trying to plead her case.

As he jogged out to his truck, his mother watched him from the front door of her bungalow. “I love you,” she shouted. “Please don't forget that.”

There were plenty of places he could go to lose himself, favorite spots that he and Buck had explored over the years. But he steered the truck out of town, in the direction of the trailhead that would lead him to his grandmother's cabin. It felt right to go there, to be with Lucy, to find out what she thought of everything that was happening in his life.

Cursing softly, Eli pulled over to the side of the road. When had she become so important to him? Lately, he couldn't go an hour, much less a day, without thinking about her. And now, when his life had suddenly turned into a chaotic mess, she was the only person he wanted to see.

Hell, he should be able to handle this on his own. Life's little problems had never confounded him in the past. But there was comfort in knowing that Lucy would listen and tell him what was simple and true. She had an uncanny way of cutting through all the crap and getting right to the heart of the matter.

Still, after their disagreement earlier that day, Eli wasn't sure she'd welcome him back. He understood her need to maintain her independence, but was she really intent on driving him away? Or was there something else at work?

In just a very short time, they'd formed a unique friendship. More than a friendship, a romance. And though it didn't follow the normal course that most romances did, it was still something that continued to intrigue him. He didn't want to put it aside simply because Lucy had some misgivings or fears that she couldn't articulate.

She might insist she didn't need him, not in the traditional sense, but right now, he needed her. And though he was treading in very unfamiliar territory, without even a map or a compass to guide him, Eli had to follow his instincts. Right now, those instincts were leading him back to the mountain.

* * *

S
HE
'
D
SLEPT
IN
that morning, her naked body curled beneath the soft, faded quilt, her face buried in the down pillows. Though she'd looked forward to Eli's visit, the aftermath was almost too much to bear.

Groaning, she reached for the video camera on the bedside table and flipped open the screen. She found the footage she'd taken yesterday in her garden and replayed it, her gaze focused on Eli. He'd discarded his shirt and wore just his hiking shorts and his boots. A shiver skittered down her spine as she paused the video to take a closer examination of his chest and belly.

“God,” she murmured. It might be a lot easier to put her feelings aside if the sight of his body didn't send her into paroxysms of desire. Her fingers twitched as she remembered the feel of his bare skin beneath her hands.

Searching for something to distract herself, Lucy tossed the camera aside and crawled out of bed, grabbing an old T-shirt to pull over herself. Riley lifted his head from the other pillow, then yawned and went back to sleep.

Rubbing her eyes, she crossed the room and set the teakettle on the woodstove then opened the front door and carefully rebuilt the fire. Then she put some granola into a bowl and mixed some powdered milk and water to pour over it. As she ate, Lucy went over her list of tasks for the day. She was two logs behind on the cabin, she still had more of the garden to dig up and she needed to erect a rabbit fence.

By the time she was finished eating, the teakettle was boiling. She made herself a cup of coffee, added powdered creamer and sugar, then opened the front door and stared out at the morning sky. Exhaustion seemed to drag her down with every step and she sighed in frustration. She'd been hoping for rain, but the sky was clear.

This was exactly what she didn't want. She'd spent the entire night tossing and turning and thinking about the last words she'd said to Eli and now she was too tired to work.

It really hadn't been fair to burden him with all her insecurities. He'd walked away as confused as she was. But she was quickly reaching a point of no return with him and she had to do what was right for this project.

He'd become too important to her. She spent too many hours daydreaming about him, wondering what he was doing when they were apart. She couldn't count the number of times she'd wondered how to get ahold of him, aching to hear his voice for just a minute or two. The computer had become a looming temptation and, had she known his email address, she might have given in.

But loneliness was a sign of weakness. She'd lived almost her entire life by relying solely on her own wits and resources. She'd had parents once, and then foster parents, but they'd given her so little that she'd learned to expect nothing from other human beings.

Only now Eli had walked into her life. And in just a few short encounters, he'd managed to make her want more. She used to revel in her solitude but now all she could think about was having him here with her. As a friend and a companion. Maybe even a lover. One day a month just wasn't enough.

She understood why she was so attracted to him. He was sexy and charming, of course, but it ran deeper than that. There was an intellectual connection as well. He understood what she was trying to accomplish here; he got that it wasn't just some reality TV show, it was deeply personal to her. She'd never felt that kind of understanding and acceptance with anyone before.

She wasn't an easy person to get along with, she didn't trust people enough to make good friends. But with Eli, the walls just seemed to disappear. There was an ease to their conversations that she found comforting. They'd enjoyed the same books and laughed at the same jokes. They were both a bit cynical yet secretly optimistic.

There was also the physical aspect. She couldn't deny the way he made her feel when he touched her or kissed her. And in the hours before she fell asleep, the desire she'd been trying to bury all day long would surface and she would construct wild sexual fantasies about the two of them, fantasies that sometimes made her blush.

But the most startling thing that she'd found in Eli was an emotional connection. He made her feel safe and confident. She knew that at least one person in the world cared about her. And when he was near, Lucy was genuinely happy.

And yet, even with all this to offer, she'd made a deal, and a promise to herself that she'd see this project out to the end. It had seemed simple when she'd signed the contract. And the last thing she'd expected was a handsome, sexy man walking into her life and turning it upside down.

With a soft sigh, Lucy stared out the screen door, her gaze fixed on the meadow. A warm breeze skimmed over her bare legs and she drew a deep breath. She'd get back on track today. There was plenty of work to do in her garden and she still had logs to cut for her cabin.

Riley nudged at the door and she let him out. The dog took off down the steps and a few seconds later began barking. “Riley!” she called, stepping out on the porch.

She stopped short when she saw the tent, set up just below the steps. A few seconds later, the flap opened and Eli crawled out, rubbing his eyes against the morning sun. Lucy stared at him, wondering what could have possibly brought him back to the cabin. But then he smiled at her and she realized she didn't really care. He was here and she was happy again.

With a soft cry, she ran down the steps and threw herself into his arms. His mouth came down on hers, fast and desperate, his tongue slipping between her lips and tasting deeply.

She'd never felt this way before, so wild and uninhibited. She stopped thinking rationally and operated on pure instinct. Her hands tangled in his hair, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, her body arched against his until she wasn't sure where she ended and he began.

“Tell me what you want,” he said, his breath warm against her ear. “Say it.”

“I want you,” Lucy replied, tipping her head back so that his lips could taste the curve of her neck. Her pulse raced and her breath came in short gasps and when he carried her over to the porch and set her down, she sighed softly, pulling him along with her.

She thought at first he was wearing shorts, but then realized he was dressed only in his boxers, the thin cotton fabric providing little barrier to his growing erection. With a smile, she rubbed her hips against his, causing a groan to slip from deep in his throat.

“Are you all right here?” he asked.

She nodded. “Fine.”

“I don't want you to get...splinters.”

His concern, though sweet, seemed at that moment to be completely ridiculous and Lucy began to giggle. He drew back and looked down at her. “Sorry,” she said.

“Splinters could be a problem.”

“I guess they could. But then, there are also the bears. We could be attacked while we're, you know, in the midst of it all.”

“And there are the snakes. You've got to watch out for rattlesnakes.”

“Mountain lions,” she said.

“We could get struck by lightning.”

“Would you like to go inside?” she asked.

“Isn't that against the guidelines?”

“To hell with the guidelines,” she muttered.

He grinned and shook his head. “I think we'll be just fine right here. But I do need to take care of one thing.” He pushed away from the step and walked over to his tent. A few seconds later, he returned with a small plastic packet.

“You came prepared?”

“I keep a supply in my bag,” he said. “Just in case.”

“A good rifle, a comfortable pair of hiking boots and a supply of condoms. What every man should pack before heading out on the trail.”

He braced his hands on either side of her head and leaned into her, his body brushing hers in a provocative way. “Are we going to spend all our time talking or should I kiss you again?”

“Kiss me,” she said.

He pulled her on top of him, settling her legs on either side of his hips before he began a slow, lazy exploration of her body. Her T-shirt came off after only a few moments and the feel of the summer breeze on her naked body made every sensation more intense.

Eli drew her closer, nuzzling her breast before teasing at the nipple with his tongue. Lucy wondered why she'd been so afraid of this, so determined to push him away. There was nothing wrong with enjoying the physical attraction between them.

He shifted, his hard shaft pressing against the damp spot between her thighs. Suddenly, she couldn't wait any longer. There was no need for seduction. Lucy knew exactly what she wanted and she was determined to have it.

She reached down and hooked her fingers around the waistband of his boxers, then slowly drew them down along his hips. When he kicked them aside, she found the condom and tore open the packet.

Eli closed his eyes as she smoothed the latex over his shaft. A moment later, she moved above him until his erection pressed at her warm entrance. Grasping her hips, Eli gently guided her down on top of him, drawing her closer until he was buried deep inside her.