son.
Shoving her arms down her sides, she forced Quinn’s hands away. “I think that’s enough massaging for now.”
“Really?” Disappointment was heavy in his voice. “I was just getting to stuff I really know how to do. Sexy massages are all the rage, you know?”
She forced herself to laugh, trying to capture the playful mood she’d been in before. “I’m sure they are, but I think that’s taking things too fast.”
Although he gave a long sigh that sounded as though he were suffering, Larissa was relieved when he refastened her bra.
“I guess if a sexy massage is out, we should go swimming instead,” he said. “We have time for a quick dip before heading back to civilization.”
Larissa sat up slowly, adjusting herself to make sure nothing stuck out of the side of her bra before turning to face Quinn. “I don’t have a swimsuit. You didn’t say we’d be swimming.”
He spread his hands wide. “Who needs a swimsuit? No one is here but us and the horses. They won’t mind, and I certainly won’t.”
“You’re a contradiction, you know that?” Larissa pulled her blouse back on. “You come across as this super serious, grumpy person, and then you bring me out here and...” She shook her head. “If this is the real you, who in the heck is that guy I went to the company party with?”
Quinn lay down and pillowed his head in his arms, once again staring at the sky. “That’s the guy with too many responsibilities who’s afraid to let his parents down. That’s the guy who took over once I finally agreed to train for Dad’s position.”
“Finally agreed?” Larissa was sure she detected a hint of regret in Quinn’s voice. “What did you want to do instead?”
“I can show you.” He hopped up, extending his hand to help her to her feet. “We have to go into the cave, so be careful. It gets slick.”
When she stepped off the blanket, he bent to pick it up.
“We’ll need something to sit on,” he said. “Most of the blankets and pillows I had in there are ruined by now.”
He led the way to the waterfall, stepping up onto the slippery rocks with a sure-footed stance that Larissa knew she couldn’t match. Still, she’d watched Quinn make it there before and she had on good tennis shoes. It should be possible.
She cautiously stepped out behind him, skidding down the first rock in a sickening lurch that caused her lunch to revolt in her belly. Shuffling across and testing each rock carefully before trusting it with her weight, Larissa finally looked up to realize she was only halfway across and Quinn had already disappeared behind the fall.
“You can do this,” she told herself firmly.
It might have been a good idea to mention she was afraid of heights before Quinn went off without her. Even glancing down and realizing how far of a drop it was to the water below made her dizzy.
“Keep moving forward.” She gritted her teeth, not sure if the coaching was helping or not, but determined not to let fear rule her.
“Larissa?” Quinn’s voice was raised to shout over the roar of the water. “Give me your hand.”
Relieved that he’d come back, Larissa placed her hand in his, relinquishing her fear to him. She knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t let her get hurt. She was safe with him.
At least as far as the waterfall was concerned.
Her heart and her secrets were another matter.
Chapter Twelve
Q uinn pulled Larissa into the safety of the cave. He felt like a grade-A asshole. She trembled uncontrollably and he drew her into his arms, smoothing back her hair and kissing her forehead. “I didn’t know that would scare you. I shouldn’t have suggested we come in here.”
Her arms wrapped around his waist and she shook her head slightly. “It’s okay. I’m a little afraid of heights and those rocks were slippery. It’s not your fault, but thanks for coming back for me.”
He leaned down and kissed her again. “I’ll always be here for you, if you let
Shoving her arms down her sides, she forced Quinn’s hands away. “I think that’s enough massaging for now.”
“Really?” Disappointment was heavy in his voice. “I was just getting to stuff I really know how to do. Sexy massages are all the rage, you know?”
She forced herself to laugh, trying to capture the playful mood she’d been in before. “I’m sure they are, but I think that’s taking things too fast.”
Although he gave a long sigh that sounded as though he were suffering, Larissa was relieved when he refastened her bra.
“I guess if a sexy massage is out, we should go swimming instead,” he said. “We have time for a quick dip before heading back to civilization.”
Larissa sat up slowly, adjusting herself to make sure nothing stuck out of the side of her bra before turning to face Quinn. “I don’t have a swimsuit. You didn’t say we’d be swimming.”
He spread his hands wide. “Who needs a swimsuit? No one is here but us and the horses. They won’t mind, and I certainly won’t.”
“You’re a contradiction, you know that?” Larissa pulled her blouse back on. “You come across as this super serious, grumpy person, and then you bring me out here and...” She shook her head. “If this is the real you, who in the heck is that guy I went to the company party with?”
Quinn lay down and pillowed his head in his arms, once again staring at the sky. “That’s the guy with too many responsibilities who’s afraid to let his parents down. That’s the guy who took over once I finally agreed to train for Dad’s position.”
“Finally agreed?” Larissa was sure she detected a hint of regret in Quinn’s voice. “What did you want to do instead?”
“I can show you.” He hopped up, extending his hand to help her to her feet. “We have to go into the cave, so be careful. It gets slick.”
When she stepped off the blanket, he bent to pick it up.
“We’ll need something to sit on,” he said. “Most of the blankets and pillows I had in there are ruined by now.”
He led the way to the waterfall, stepping up onto the slippery rocks with a sure-footed stance that Larissa knew she couldn’t match. Still, she’d watched Quinn make it there before and she had on good tennis shoes. It should be possible.
She cautiously stepped out behind him, skidding down the first rock in a sickening lurch that caused her lunch to revolt in her belly. Shuffling across and testing each rock carefully before trusting it with her weight, Larissa finally looked up to realize she was only halfway across and Quinn had already disappeared behind the fall.
“You can do this,” she told herself firmly.
It might have been a good idea to mention she was afraid of heights before Quinn went off without her. Even glancing down and realizing how far of a drop it was to the water below made her dizzy.
“Keep moving forward.” She gritted her teeth, not sure if the coaching was helping or not, but determined not to let fear rule her.
“Larissa?” Quinn’s voice was raised to shout over the roar of the water. “Give me your hand.”
Relieved that he’d come back, Larissa placed her hand in his, relinquishing her fear to him. She knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t let her get hurt. She was safe with him.
At least as far as the waterfall was concerned.
Her heart and her secrets were another matter.
Chapter Twelve
Q uinn pulled Larissa into the safety of the cave. He felt like a grade-A asshole. She trembled uncontrollably and he drew her into his arms, smoothing back her hair and kissing her forehead. “I didn’t know that would scare you. I shouldn’t have suggested we come in here.”
Her arms wrapped around his waist and she shook her head slightly. “It’s okay. I’m a little afraid of heights and those rocks were slippery. It’s not your fault, but thanks for coming back for me.”
He leaned down and kissed her again. “I’ll always be here for you, if you let
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