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Shelley’s voice brought him back to the present. She sat in the passenger seat looking more beautiful than ever. Everything about her seemed brighter tonight, from the happiness in her eyes to her smile. Even the way she held his hand felt warmer, better than before—and before had been damn good.
He wanted to keep making her happy and was really glad he’d planned a surprise for her.
“It wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun without you. But was my family overwhelming? I know we can be a rowdy bunch.”
“Are you kidding? They’re great! I’ve spent my whole life wishing for a family like yours. I can’t imagine how you and Trent and Derek moved away. Your family is so full of love and support. They’re warm and wonderful, and…I know I’m gushing, but I can’t help it.”
“I love when you gush.” He turned onto the street and made a sharp right onto a narrow dirt road that led up into the woods.
“Where are we going?” Shelley peered into the darkness. “Is this even a road?”
“Sort of.” He parked the car and went to the trunk, shouldered two duffel bags he’d packed before picking up Shelley, and helped her from the car.
“Is this the part where you kill me and bury my body?” she teased as they followed a dark trail deeper into the woods.
“Only if it’s really possible to love someone to death. But even then, I’d give you a proper burial,” he teased right back. “These are my old stomping grounds,” he said as he snaked his arm around her waist and led her up a big hill. “My brothers and Sierra and I used to run around these woods like wild banshees. We’d build forts and chase each other around.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“There are so many places like this that I haven’t even thought of for years. Tonight, Shell, this is all for you.”
He let go of her hand and bent down in the dark to fiddle with something. A few seconds later, strings of white lights illuminated an enormous tree trunk that grew up from the ground at a slight angle.
The trunk bloomed wide, horizontal to the ground, like a giant hand, palm up, with gnarled branches like long, thick fingers that reached up toward the sky. Lights followed the thick trunk, guiding a path up roughly built steps that led to a platform in the palm of the tree.
There, in the center of the platform, was a tree house—just like the one she’d told Quinn she’d always dreamed of having as a little girl.
Chapter Twenty-four
“QUINN…” SHELLEY WHISPERED into the night. “I’ve never seen anything like this! It’s amazing.”
This was no ordinary tree house. It was built with plywood walls that had been whitewashed. A hole was cut as a window, and there were shadows cast inside from what she imagined were more lights. A railing of tangled branches bound together with rope surrounded the structure.
He pulled her in close. “Welcome to your night in a tree house. One item off your bucket list.”
Shelley swallowed against the lump thickening in her throat as he continued speaking.
“I can’t promise to be with you every day, but I hope to make the days—and the nights—we’re together ones that you’ll never forget.”
He sealed his lips over hers, and Shelley melted against him, wishing he’d never leave but knowing it was inevitable. They’d discussed a long-distance relationship and had agreed to it. So even though she couldn’t imagine a day without him, loving Quinn meant loving all of him.
Shelley was a strong woman. She knew she could do anything. She’d never needed a man, not for one stinking thing.
But as Quinn pulled her in even closer to him and deepened the kiss—his heart beating fast against hers—she finally realized that when you loved someone, need had nothing to do with the ache of wanting that person with you every minute of the day.
QUINN LAY BESIDE Shelley on the blankets in the love nest he’d created just for them, complete with pillows and a bottle of wine.
“I can’t believe you went to all this trouble to decorate your childhood tree house for me,” Shelley said. “How old were you when you built it? And whose idea was it? Derek, since he’s so into building things?”
“I was thirteen, but it was actually my mom’s idea. We were tearing around the house with way too much energy, so she not only suggested that we try to build a tree house, but she brought us to this tree, too.” Quinn smiled as he remembered the sunny April morning they’d followed their parents and traipsed through the woods. “She called this Inspiration Point, because she said it looked like a giant hand that held all our dreams. When we had a problem to work out or we were just out of sorts, she’d say, Head up to Inspiration Point. You’ll sort it out.” Quinn looked around the small room, taking in each of the boards they’d pounded together with hammers and old nails. “She was right. I came up here a lot over the years. This is where I slept the night before I left for college. This is where I made the decision to leave the island and start my business in Annapolis. It was like my big goodbye to the island.” And now, he thought, he was here with Shelley...about to say goodbye again. Knowing it was going to be only a week or two before he was back on the island didn’t make it any easier to go.
