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“I think I might actually get serial killed tonight.” She peered out of the windshield of Jules’s truck, wishing her friend was here. But by the time Jules had called her and got the whole sordid story out of her, she’d already put herself out there in a way she couldn’t take back. Because of Quinn. Because she wanted to prove to him she wasn’t a completely hopeless basket case. Just mostly hopeless. Maybe like sixty-five percent hopeless.
One last check of her phone confirmed she was, in fact, here. Here being a field in the middle of nowhere when night had fallen and the headlights barely made a dent in the darkness. She gripped the steering wheel. “I’m reasonably sure that Quinn didn’t invite me out here to kill me. So there’s that.”
A knock on the window had her screaming. She cursed when she saw the man in question on the other side of the glass. He gave her a shit-eating grin. “Scared?”
“Only totally.” And feeling particularly ridiculous about it now that she was seeing him for the first time in over a week. Eight days, four hours, and some-odd minutes.
Not that she was counting.
He looked good in his white T-shirt and faded blue jeans. Better than good. Downright edible.
And she was most definitely stalling.
Aubry took up a shoring breath and opened the truck door. “I don’t know why we couldn’t have talked in Cups and Kittens.”
“Because I’m not looking for an audience.” He motioned for her to follow him. “Come on.” He led the way deeper into the field, and it took Aubry a few minutes to realize they were actually on a dirt road.
“Well, you’re right about us having to talk. I screwed up. I’m woman enough to admit that. I’m in therapy for a reason, though I think I need to fire my therapist because you did more good in a week than she’s done in years.”
“Aubry.”
But she couldn’t stop. If she didn’t get this out, she might never say it. “And I know to say I’m a basket case is understating the problem, and that I turned every single one of my issues on you at your sister’s wedding, and I’m sorry, okay? I can’t promise I won’t have meltdowns and anxiety attacks and probably die in the first wave of the zombie apocalypse, but I will try to be better. I promise I’ll try.”
He laughed softly. “Peaches, you’re killing me.”
Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, and her mouth dropped open when Quinn stopped at the end of the track. “Is that—?”
“Old drive-in movie theater? Yeah. It hasn’t been used in over ten years, but I know a guy who knows a guy.”
“Like everyone else in Devil’s Falls.” She pressed her hand to her mouth. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. Did I mention I’m working on my issues?”
“I happen to like your smart mouth. Come here.” He motioned her closer, and she frowned when she made out his truck facing away from the screen, a couch in the bed of it. Quinn lifted her up and she took a seat on the couch, wondering what the hell was going on. He sat next to her, looking unsure for the first time since she’d known him. “I fucked up.”
“Quinn—”
“I let you ramble on. It’s my turn now. There isn’t a relationship worth having that doesn’t have its ups and downs and bumps along the road. I knew that and I still struck out at you when we were fighting. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t right, and I’m sorry.” He didn’t reach out for her, but he looked like he wanted to. He hesitated. “I know we don’t have a lot in common outside the bedroom, but I think what we do have is more than enough. We have the same sense of humor, and that’s more than most couples can say. I like how stubborn you are, and you’re sexy as fuck when you get that focused look on your face when you’re all up in your own head.”
It was almost too good to be true. Her first instinct was to argue with him, but she bit her lip and forced herself to hold still and listen. Because he wasn’t finished yet.
“I think we might be able to learn a thing or two from each other along the way, too.” He reached behind the couch and a whirling noise started up.
Aubry turned to the big screen and her jaw dropped open. “Oh, Quinn.” It was Deathmatch, on a massive screen, in the middle of a field. “How did you—?”
“How else am I going to convince you that the outdoors isn’t out to get you?” He grinned, but the expression fell away. “It might not be easy, peaches, but I’m willing to fight for you. Will you do the same for me?”
