Page 95 of What We Got Wrong

Quinn looked like she wasn’t sure, like maybe she was going to protest. She took so long to respond that Liv started to pull away. But just as she was about to move, Quinn grabbed her, pulling her in for a kiss that bordered on aggressive.

Yes. This was what Liv needed, and they made quick work of wrenching off clothes, the desperation making them clumsy. When they were both fully exposed, Quinn pulled Liv from the living room, leading her to Liv’s room, to the room they shared.

“Lay down,” Quinn said, directing Liv to climb into the bed, and Liv did as she was told, crawling up to the headboard before stretching out her limbs, waiting, waiting for Quinn, who had paused, just watching. Liv got the sense that she was trying to commit this moment to memory, and yeah…she understood that completely.

Soon, Quinn was following her up the bed, soft skin against soft skin, Quinn’s hips settling between Liv’s thighs as her knees fell to the sides. Quinn thrust her hand between them, filling her quickly, first with one finger, then two, using the force of her hips to support the movement of her hand. Liv could feel the difference in the way Quinn was fucking her, her long, slow strokes deeper than ever before, like she was trying to make a permanent impression.

For what Liv figured were similar reasons, she found herself dragging her nails down Quinn’s back, relishing the gasp that escaped Quinn’s throat, the way it made her press that much harder into Liv. It was devastating and glorious. Liv had never been touched like this. It felt incredible.

It felt like goodbye.

It didn’t take long for Liv to come hard and fast, and they collapsed into the bed together, limbs entwined. They fell asleep clinging to each other in a way that felt wrong and so, so right.

When Liv woke up, Quinn was gone.

Chapter 35

Quinn

Now

When Quinn went to meet up with Mel in the lobby of the hotel, she felt like she was operating with the worst hangover of her life. She wanted to go to Liv’s room, to beg her to give them a chance, to be friends or fuck buddies or get married, whatever Liv wanted, to keep her in Quinn’s life. She wanted to close the door on this week, maybe to pretend it never happened, maybe to keep it as a memory, something to grow from but not move into.

She found Mel with Audrey, Liv’s cousin much more casual than she’d presented herself the rest of the week in leggings and an oversized T-shirt, face bare of makeup. She grinned, though, when she saw Quinn, and it was Audrey who walked over first, Mel lagging behind.

“It was nice to meet you,” Audrey said, sounding genuine as she shook Quinn’s hand.

“Nice meeting you, too, Audrey,” Quinn replied. Her eyes darted to the side, not really wanting to say this next part in front of Mel, but she didn’t have a choice. “Will you keep an eye on her? Please?”

Audrey nodded. “I promise.”

Shortly after, Quinn and Mel hopped into the shuttle that they’d scheduled to take them to the airport, and as soon as they were settled in the van, Mel turned her full attention to Quinn.

“So, what happens now?” Mel asked.

Quinn snorted. She had no fucking idea. But she scrunched up her face, playing at being confused. “What do you mean?”

Mel’s eyebrows—flawlessly shaped, to be sure—looked like they were going to jump off her forehead. “Quinn. You spent this whole week in some weird, strangely hot mix of circling each other and being naked. You’re saying you don’t want to stay in touch?”

“It has literally never mattered for a single moment what I wanted when it came to Olivia Palmer,” Quinn said, bitterness seeping into her tone.

“You sound like an angsty teenager, not a grown ass adult. Did you talk to her?” Mel said. “Do you even know what you want?”

Of course, that wasn’t the problem. She’d always known exactly what she wanted when it came to Liv. Because things with Liv had always been messy. She didn’t always listen, she had a habit of not being honest with herself, sometimes it seemed like she was actively trying to stay unhappy…but also, she had been one of Quinn’s best friends. They had fun together, they supported each other. The connection they’d had in college—call it a friendship, a relationship, whatever—was the closest Quinn had ever allowed herself to get to another person, and…she had loved Liv. It was just the truth.

What could she possibly want more than to see what could happen between them if, as adults, they allowed themselves to explore, to see if they could have something genuine? Because it felt like they could be good, it really did. Despite the logistical issues—living in different states the biggest of those concerns, though it was also clear they each had careers that were demanding and would need to be navigated carefully, especially if their businesses intertwined—it felt like they had the potential to be great.

It also felt like they could break each other permanently.

“I don’t think I need tough love this morning,” Quinn groaned. “Can I please have a few days to process before you rip into me over all of this?”

Mel pulled out her cell phone, and Quinn, leaning as she was into her friend, watched as she navigated to her schedule. “I can allow that. I’m scheduling ‘tear Quinn a new asshole’ for 9:00 AM on Monday, does that work for you?”

Quinn rolled her eyes, but played along. “You have my calendar. Just make sure I’m not booked with something else.”

“Your reckoning is scheduled,” Mel said a few seconds later, and Quinn heard her own phone ping with the notification.

“You’re so stupid,” Quinn replied, but there was affection in her tone.