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All of a sudden, he’s in my personal space again in the blink of an eye, this time crowding me backward until I bump into the wall next to the elevator. He stops a foot away from me, his hands coming up and brushing mine out of the way so he can cup my face in his palms.
“I put those tears there,” he says gruffly, swiping the wetness on my cheeks with his thumbs. “At least let me wipe them away.”
My breath hitches, and more tears fall when Quinn drops his forehead to mine with a groan. I should be pushing him away, telling him this isn’t necessary, and apologizing for the pain I’ve caused him, but I can’t move now that he’s touching me again, and I can’t think straight now that he’s standing so close.
“I’m sorry. I’m so goddamn sorry, Emily,” Quinn whispers brokenly, making me wonder what the hell is going on and if he was even paying attention to the nightmare I turned his life into last night. “Three fucking seconds, and I would take them back in a heartbeat if I could.”
His words continue to confuse me, and I shake my head in his hands, pulling it back just enough to look at him. My stomach flops when I see nothing but complete devastation on Quinn’s face as he looks at me, still holding my face in his hands.
“Please tell me I didn’t fuck everything up with you,” he begs, his gravelly voice filled with so much pain that my hands quickly come up to grab onto the material of his shirt at his sides before my knees give out.
“What are you talking about?” I ask. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the job, and I’m sorry your life is a mess again because of me, and I’m sorry I didn’t—”
Quinn’s mouth is on mine before I can finish my apology, swallowing the sob that flies out of me as soon as I feel his lips against mine, breathing life back into me in the blink of an eye. I want to tug him against me and let him warm all the cold parts that have been miserable without him for the last twelve hours, but my head is spinning, and Quinn’s tongue gently swirling through my mouth doesn’t help things or make me think any clearer.
Pulling back from the kiss, Quinn groans in frustration, and I just shake my head at him.
“I don’t understand what is happening right now,” I whisper.
“You’re not letting me kiss you properly—that’s what’s happening right now,” he informs me, his thumbs still brushing back and forth against my cheeks.
“Be serious. Why aren’t you mad at me right now?”
Quinn curses under his breath, bending his knees a little bit so his eyes are even with mine. “I am seriously disgusted with myself that I let you think for even one second that I was ever mad at you,” he tells me. “I was mad at Tyler, and I was mad at the situation, but never you. Never you. I’m so fucking sorry I made you cry. I’m sorry I hurt you, and I’m sorry you were nervous to tell me about the job. I’m so proud of you, baby. So goddamn proud of you I can’t even handle it.”
A whimper comes out of me, and Quinn quiets me with another soft kiss, whispering apologies over and over against my lips, before he pulls back again.
“I fucked up, and I said all the wrong things, and I did all the wrong things, and I’m so sorry. You scare the hell out of me too, Emily,” he says quietly, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’m scared I’m going to screw everything up, and I’m scared you’re going to realize I’m not worth all the headaches, and the bullshit that comes with my job, and I’m…”
Quinn pauses and lets out a slow breath, licking his lips and swallowing nervously before he continues.
“I’m scared to death that I am so fucking in love with you I can’t see straight, and you might not feel the same way.”
The breath I was holding leaves me with a whoosh, and my heart beats so fast it feels like I just got finished running my five-mile circuit around the island.
“What?” I ask on a shaky, uncertain breath, wondering for a minute if I actually cried myself to sleep in the wee hours of the morning and I’m really dreaming.
One of Quinn’s hands drops from my cheek to wrap around my waist, tugging me closer as he dips his head down to press his cheek against mine, whispering in my ear. “I love you. I can’t shine without you.” He tightens his arm around me as he continues, like he’s afraid if he loosens up even the tiniest bit on his hold, I’m going to disappear. “And if you ever spend the night away from me again and don’t tell me where you are, I cannot be held responsible for my actions—which may or may not include jail time for fighting all your friends—if this shit happens again.”
