KNOCK ME OFF MY FEET

  Quinn chuckled. "So Stanny-O tells me."

  "And I went to Marjorie when I was in trouble and needed a plan. She covered for me when I came home drunk after my junior prom. She took my side in the whole Griffin fiasco."

  Quinn's head jerked up. "Griffin fiasco?"

  Audie sighed. "Helen nearly croaked when I brought Griffin home with me. You might have noticed that he's a black man."

  Quinn grinned. "And a real snappy dresser. So what happened?"

  "Oh, it was hell, basically. Helen would barely speak to me and threatened to cut off my inheritance if I didn't break up with him, all worried about maintaining her position in society. It was ugly. She was ugly. The funny thing is, I know now that Griffin and I hung on much longer than we should have—we make much better friends than lovers—but we did it to spite her." Audie scrunched up her face at the memory. "It wasn't a very mature thing for me to do."

  The amusement showed in Quinn's eyes.

  "I think that's why I started smoking, too. Just to piss off Helen."

  "You smoked?" He looked shocked.

  "Yeah. Just a few a day, but I'm pretty much over them now. I noticed smoking was affecting my lung capacity on the soccer field, that and getting older."

  Quinn cocked his head and appraised her openly. "You do look downright elderly, Audie."

  "Thanks."

  "So you were talking about Marjorie and Griffin."

  "Marjorie stuck with me. She told me to follow my heart, fight for what I wanted, that sort of thing. She played go-between for Mother and me. She was wonderful. She did the same when I was dating Tim Burke."

  Quinn sat quietly for a moment, and Audie watched his mouth pull into a grimace.

  "You started dating Tim in late March last year, and your mother was killed in late April. You were dating Tim when your mother died. Is that correct?"

  "Yes."

  "And your mother didn't like Timmy, either?"

  Audie saw where this was headed and smiled sadly. "No, she didn't particularly like him, and yes, the reason was because he was Catholic."

  Quinn's expression remained quite grim. "And did Tim know how she felt?"

  "Yes. I mentioned it."

  "Did they ever argue or have words?"

  "What? No. Of course not. They knew each other from city functions, but I don't know if they ever said more than two sentences to each other."

  They sailed on for several moments in silence, Quinn lost in his own thoughts, staring at his hands, then staring out over the water. Audie watched him, wondering where he would go next in his questions, fascinated with Quinn the detective as much as she was with Quinn the man.

  "Did Marjorie live with you?"

  Audie laughed a little. "No, but she and Helen were so involved in the column that she was there a lot. I never understood why Marjorie never got married—she's such a great woman, smart and funny and adventurous. Did you know she went climbing in the Himalayas about ten years ago? But she only had the poodle."

  "A fine animal indeed."

  "Oh, there were more than one, Quinn! She went through a bunch of them. As soon as one died, she got another, and they all had men's names."

  Audie laughed to herself and checked the boat's trajectory and speed. "Let's see if I can remember them all—Bill, Ted, Frank. I think the one she's got right now is named Mark."

  Quinn chuckled, too. "Her husbands?"

  "Exactly!" He watched Audie's eyes sparkle in delight. "Marjorie and her gentleman poodles kept Drew in joke material his whole life, believe me. Still do."

  "So what's your relationship like with Marjorie now?"

  Audie smiled a little and shrugged. "She's my rock, both at work and personally. She does my research, writes the columns, deals with readers, runs the office. Plus, she knows me better than just about anyone, and is always willing to listen when I bitch and moan. She keeps me sane."

  Quinn leaned closer and studied her face, wondering if she was going to cry or yell at him when he asked her this: "If she does all that, then what's left for you to do, Audie?"

  She didn't cry or yell. Audie took a long sip of beer and chuckled.

  "That's a very good question, Detective." She waved her hand dramatically up to the sky and projected her voice. "I pretend I'm Homey Helen, of course! I'm an actress—star of print, stage, and TV screen, all pink and cute and perky and … oh, hell … what a joke." Her hand fell down in her lap and she shook her head slowly. "I'm a joke, Quinn."

  "Your fans love you."

  "They love Homey Helen. They don't love me."

  "Then what are you going to do about it?"

  Audie stared at Quinn as if he'd just fallen from the sky and landed in the cockpit next to her. "Do?"

  "That's right. What would you rather be doing with your life, Audie? I'm thinking more anger management classes, maybe."

  Quinn realized that when she laughed the way she was doing right now, all throaty and loud, it sent ripples across his skin. Ripples of pleasure. Her laugh gave him an amazing amount of pleasure.

  "Well, you're thinking right, Detective." She took another sip of her beer. "I'd love my old job back. I'd like to coach again."

  "Then why don't you?"

  "Because of the promise I gave my mother."

  "The promise you gave a woman who didn't love you?"

  Audie said nothing for a very long time, realizing that Quinn did indeed have half a brain and it worked just fine.

  She took comfort in the soft rocking of the boat, the wind, and the silence around her. As aggravating as he was, she was glad Quinn was here. There was something about the man—his no-nonsense conversation, his rock-solid physical presence—that made her feel good.

  She glanced at him slyly, at the defined muscles in his neck and shoulders under the thin T-shirt, the finely shaped arms and hands. It dawned on her suddenly that she'd not taken anyone on the boat with her in nearly eight years—not since Griffin. She had to look away.

  "We haven't talked about what happened at my house that night." Quinn waited patiently until she turned back to him.

  "That's because you've avoided me since then."

  Quinn pursed his lips. "Not entirely true, and I meant we haven't talked about it yet today."

  "I'm trying to pretend it didn't happen," she mumbled.

  Quinn drummed his fingers along his beer can. "How's that working out for you?"

  "Ha!" Audie glared at him. "It's not."

  "Me, either."

  She studied Quinn more directly, not caring if he caught her. She was allowed to look at how the wind tickled his sun-streaked hair. She could look at his wide, straight mouth and the keen eyes—it was her boat, after all, her brother's boat at any rate.

  And the longer she looked, the more pronounced the pulling inside her became, an opening up that was unfamiliar but not completely unpleasant.

  "I need some time," she said suddenly. Audie hadn't really planned on saying anything at all—let alone that—and her words surprised her.

  "It's your call," was all Quinn said.

  He continued to look at her, all crooked grin and dancing eyes, and Audie let go with a huge smile. She hadn't realized she was holding it in, and it was a relief to smile at him the way she needed to.

  "I really do like you a lot, Quinn. It's the weirdest damn thing."

  "I like you, too," he said, rubbing a hand over his mouth, as if hiding his smile. He shook his head. "We make an interesting couple, that's for sure."

  They sailed for several hours, down to Hyde Park, where they anchored for lunch, and back to the North Shore. She taught Quinn the basics of sailing—how to read the wind, how to set the sails and determine right-of-way—and she let him take the wheel for most of the way back north. Then she sat back and watched him for a long period of comfortable silence.

  Quinn was a quick study, and he was calm and steady behind the wheel. Despite the sunblock she'd seen him slather on at least three times during the day, he was slightl
y sunburned across his nose and cheeks, and his eyes sparkled in contrast to the rosy skin.

  He cut a fine figure at the helm of the Take a Hint, broad shoulders held straight, the clean line of his nose, his trim legs covered in light brown man-fuzz.

  She was thinking that Quinn had put his hands all over her legs, but she'd yet to do the same to him. Then she reminded herself of the truth—she wasn't quite ready for Quinn.

  In silence, she once again thanked Rocky Datillio for his perfect timing.

  "Hey, Audie. Can I ask you a question? It might sound strange."

  She laughed. "You've been asking me strange questions since we left the dock, Detective."

  "Yeah? Well, this one's personal."

  "They've all been personal."

  "I mean about you."

  "Sure, Stacey. Go for it." Audie saw an expectant look in Quinn's eye and then watched as he hesitated—something she'd never seen him do. What in the world did he want to know? Whatever it was, it must be very important to him.

  "My question is what do you like to do in the winter in Chicago—say, February, typical Sunday afternoon sort of thing?"

  That was the big personal question? She was thinking underwear preference or prescription medications or maybe religion again.

  But the man looked downright nervous about her answer, and Audie narrowed her eyes at him for a long moment. He was obviously up to no good.

  "Winters can be rough, Quinn. You want to know what I'd consider my perfect afternoon?"

  He reached down for his beer and took a long draw, nodding.

  Audie locked her eyes on his. "I enjoy having wild, sweaty sex on the floor and then popping out to a sports bar for a Guinness."

  Quinn violently spewed his beer onto the boat deck and began coughing. Out of pity, she stood up and patted him—smacked him, really—between the shoulder blades.

  "Did I pass, Quinn?"

  "You could kill a man talking like that," he croaked, his eyes huge. "At least give me a warning next time, would you?"

  "A warning? You mean when I'm about to mention sweaty sex? Or beer and sports bars?"

  He thumped his chest. "How about 'em all, just to be safe?"

  She laughed at the sight of him, standing there in shock. It was quite satisfying, really. She sat back down, crossed her legs, and smiled at him.

  "And how about you, Detective? What do you like to do in the winter?"

  The corner of Quinn's mouth twitched as he squinted into the sun, studying her with appreciation. "Well, if we could find time for some barbecue ribs in there somewhere, that would pretty much fill my dance card."

  She laughed with him, trying her best not to imagine having wild, sweaty sex with Stacey Quinn on the floor—or anywhere, for that matter. Lord, the man bothered her, and she had to shut her eyes against the memory of him stretched out beneath her on the deck, his hands moving hot and demanding up her dress. She sighed and turned her face up to the setting sun.

  "I bet I know what you were thinking right then, Audie."

  Her eyes flew open at the soft sound of his voice, and she stared at him, caught red-handed.

  "You know, we are grown-ups—we can talk about this. I'm actually pretty uninhibited for an Irish Catholic boy, so it wouldn't embarrass me."

  Audie felt the blush spread like fire up her throat and across her cheeks. "Talk about wh—what?"

  "About the attraction," Quinn said matter-of-factly. "What's happening between us. All the kissing. All the imagining."

  She glared at him and crossed her arms over her breasts. Kidding around was one thing, but she didn't like the serious tone of his voice. "We'd better head back," she said, all business.

  "Someday, Audie, when you're ready, I plan on making love to you. I'm real interested in finishing what we've started."

  She swallowed, blinked at him, and clutched herself tighter.

  "In the meantime, I'd like to know what you like best, what feels good to you, so that I can be prepared."

  "What?" She stared at him, feeling a shudder move through her.

  Quinn's hands were on the wheel, but his body was turned toward her, his green eyes locked on hers, and there wasn't a trace of smugness in his face.

  "The moment I laid eyes on you, I started imagining what it would be like to have you in my bed. I'd like to know what it takes to make you crazy, Audie, get you wild, send you over the top. I just need a few details for the next time I find myself fantasizing about you—which would be right now, actually."

  "God, Quinn. Please!" It seemed the man got downright talkative when it came to two subjects—his family and sex.

  "It's just that right now I'm not quite sure about you, Homey. I get a feeling you want something you don't know how to ask for."

  "What the hell are you talking about?" She twisted away from him, looking out over the water. She felt trapped on this boat, trapped in his stare.

  "I get the feeling you're sexually frustrated."

  "What!?" She stomped her foot down on the oak floor timbers and glared at him.

  "Maybe you just haven't had the right lover, Audie."

  She was dumbfounded, and for several long moments her mouth hung open. He stood there perfectly somber, looking down at her with those piercing olive eyes, not a hint of sarcasm on his fine lips. She felt her breath come much too fast for someone not doing wind sprints.

  "I can wait, Audie. You asked for time, and I'll give you as much time as you need. Then…" Quinn shrugged and the grin reappeared. "Watch out, Presbyterian girl."

  "You're unbelievable, Quinn."

  "Not yet, but I will be."

  "Arrogant. Cocky. Uncouth." She jutted out her bottom lip and glared at him. "I'm thinking of pushing you overboard."

  One of his brows arched high, the grin widening. "And I'd take you with me. I think I'd like seeing you in a wet T-shirt."

  And then something happened that shocked Audie as much as it did Quinn. Her eyes filled with tears and her chin trembled and she said very softly, "Please stop teasing me."

  Quinn thought his heart would break. The heat rushed through him, his knees felt weak, and he groaned out loud at his stupidity. Apparently, he had a lot to learn about this woman.

  She could kick the hell out of a soccer ball, put on a show for the world, make him laugh, kiss him hard—yet her heart was fragile, and apparently, he'd just stomped all over it.

  "Jesus, Audie." Quinn held out his hand to her. "If I go over there, I might crash your boat, so please come here to me."

  Audie brushed away her tears with the back of her hand and stood close to him, melting as his arm wrapped around her waist.

  "I was just having a little fun with you. I'm sorry."

  She nodded and leaned against him. "I think it just got too close to the truth, is all."

  "Which part?"

  "Oh, I don't know … the part about me being sexually frustrated, not having the right lover—the part about me looking good in a wet T-shirt."

  He tilted back a bit to gauge her expression. They started laughing together and he gave her a friendly squeeze.

  "Let's go in," she said.

  "You got it, Skipper."

  "You actually did good today, Detective."

  He looked down at her again. "Really? And here I was thinking I've got a hell of a lot to learn."

  Audie smiled sweetly at him and dropped her gaze to his mouth and back up to his eyes. She rubbed his back. "You're doing OK, Quinn. The wind can be kind of fickle out here sometimes."

  Quinn let go with a deep, satisfied chuckle, keeping his eyes locked on hers for a few moments, his arm snug around her waist. "Come over here, Audie," he said softly, guiding her in front of him. He pressed a hand to her stomach and pulled her against him while he headed for shore.

  Audie closed her eyes, feeling the wind on her face, the heat of Quinn against her back, the pressure of his hand on her belly. The truth was she wanted to know exactly how unbelievable this man was. She wanted
to be in his bed. She wanted to find out if there was a man who could love her for who she was, not who he wanted her to be—and she wanted to know if Quinn was that man.

  But she wasn't sure she could handle one more disappointment. She didn't know if she had it in her.

  Audie inhaled deeply and felt Quinn's hand rise and fall with the movement of her breath. She felt him press closer to her. She wondered what he really wanted with her.

  Tim Burke wanted arm candy for his political career. Will Dalton wanted to write a book about her and her mother. Kyle Singer wanted to convince the Greater Chicagoland viewing area that he was straight. Russell Ketchum wanted control over the business.

  And Audie wasn't quite sure of everything Darren Billings had wanted, but she was sure it didn't require clothing or a college degree.

  Something was different about the man she felt so solid against her back. He made her laugh. He could be sweet. He could be blunt. He was tidy. He was sentimental. And the force of his physical presence was overwhelming—a new experience for her entirely—because Quinn filled her senses, made her blood pound and her skin tingle.

  He just felt good to her. He felt right.

  Audie opened her eyes to the evening light on the water and felt Quinn's lips brush her hair. She snuggled back against him a little tighter.

  There was no way to predict all the things he'd ask of her. But right at that moment, it seemed all he wanted was to be with her—just plain Audie—and that was a good place to start.

  The sun had disappeared by the time the sails were neatly folded away and the Take a Hint could be tied down for the night. Quinn took a long time meticulously wiping down every bronze fitting on the boat with a shammy skin. Drew would be shocked.

  They carried their gear and walked side by side up the wooden dock. The imposing house loomed in front of them, lit up from the inside and rising high and wide on the crest of the lawn.

  The sensation was so soft at first that she thought a moth had brushed against her skin—but it was Quinn's hand, reaching for her in the twilight.

  "Audie…" He smiled sweetly at her. "I wanted to say thanks for today. And I wondered if I might kiss you."

  Quinn laid down the things he was carrying and took the lunch basket and towels from Audie's frozen hands. She stood breathless, waiting.