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“Trent, Quinn, Derek, Ethan, Sierra,” their father said, “you know how much I respect all of you. The choices you’ve made, the way you live your lives, the incredible men and woman you are. But Chandler is my father. He’s not your responsibility, and I’m not going to give him the power over each of your lives. If we allow this, he’ll treat you like his puppets forever. I’ll handle it.”
Griffin rose to his feet, leaving no room for negotiation, and Abby gave each of them a kiss on their cheeks before leaving with him.
“That went well,” Derek said in a sarcastic voice. Sierra looked miserable. Trent was studying the document their grandfather had given them to find some sort of loophole in their grandfather’s plan. And Ethan was obviously dying to get back out into his fishing boat to try to forget about the whole thing.
This had been one of Quinn’s worst days in recent memory, and he didn’t think anything could turn it around. At least not until he looked up and saw Shelley come through the door.
Last night she’d been the one unexpectedly bright part of his day. If he had any luck left at all, maybe she’d be able to do the impossible and brighten up this one, too.
Chapter Six
SHELLEY WAS EVEN more beautiful than Quinn remembered. In the light of day, her skin glistened with the sheen of a fresh tan. Her dark hair was sexily mussed, cascading in thick waves over her bare shoulders, and she wore a loose, casual spaghetti-strap top with a pair of jeans shorts. Vividly remembering dragging her hips into his and her gasp of pleasure as he'd taken their kiss even deeper, when he saw that her eyes were dancing over the bar like she was looking for someone, he hoped like hell it was him.
“We need to think things over and come up with a game plan, despite what Dad said. Let’s reconvene tomorrow morning over breakfast?” Trent suggested.
Quinn was only half listening, though, because Ray Brewster, a guy who’d grown up with them on the island, had just put his hand on Shelley’s lower back. Quinn’s jaw tightened as Brewster leaned in close and said something to her. Whatever it was, Quinn wanted the guy’s hand off Shelley’s back. Now.
“Quinn?” Trent waved a hand in front of his face. “Tomorrow morning work for you?”
“Sure.” He rose to his feet.
“Where are you going?” Trent followed Quinn’s gaze. “Oh. Is that her? Cove girl?”
“Shelley,” Quinn corrected him. He’d told Trent about meeting Shelley at the cove, although he’d left out the details of the skinny-dipping and the kiss.
Trent laughed under his breath. “Looks like Brewster is making a move. You’d better go claim her.”
In his mind he already had. They hadn’t done more than walk from the cove to the cottage in the moonlight and share one incredible kiss, but it was a kiss—and an evening—that Quinn knew he’d never forget. Shelley was the only woman who had ever claimed one hundred percent of his attention, and the only woman to ever make him want so wildly, so possessively. And though he knew she’d been a little tipsy, he had a feeling that even so, he had seen the real Shelley. Sweet and passionate. Nice, yet a little bit naughty, too.
All day long he’d been dealing with his family and the resort. He’d hoped to get over to the beach to see if he could catch her to ask her out for a drink, but between dealing with his grandfather, his family, and his business, he’d barely had the chance to even take a full breath.
Now all he wanted to do was forget about all of that for a little while so that he could focus on Shelley.
Which meant getting her away from Ray Brewster, for a start. Ray wasn’t a bad guy. On the contrary, he was a nice, trustworthy guy—and in a minute he’d be a nice guy who didn’t have a shot at Shelley.
Shelley turned as Quinn approached, and when their eyes locked, the path between them immediately blazed with heat, just as it had last night. “Shelley, I was just thinking about you, hoping I’d see you again.”
Her breathing visibly hitched at his words and he nearly grabbed her right then and there in front of everyone to kiss her.
“I was hoping to see you again, too, Quinn.”
Brewster’s hand immediately slid from her back.
Perfect.
“Hey, Rockwell,” Brewster said. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen all of your brothers and Sierra in one place. How’s it going?”
Quinn had to work hard not to grunt like a Neanderthal as he quickly replied, “Things are great, Brewster. Hope they’re good for you, too,” then turned his attention back to Shelley.
But when Quinn looked into her eyes again, he was surprised to see that she looked slightly stunned. “Rockwell? As in Rockwell Island? As in Rockwell Resort?”
