N. Walters: Quinn's Quest

Quinn growled. “Do that again and I’ll rearrange that pretty face of yours.”

Michael grinned. “Fair enough.” He thrust out his hand. “Congratulations.”

Quinn stared at it for a moment and then took it. They did that male shoulder-bump thing that manly men did.

Bethany shook her head. She’d never understand the workings of the male mind. One minute they could be ready to kill one another, the next they were best buddies. Michael lightly touched her shoulder and then left them to head upstairs.

Hank was the last of the pack to stop in front of them. “We’ll find her,” he promised. “We’ll find Chrissten.”

“Thanks.” Quinn offered his hand to the other male. They shook and Hank nodded to her before following the rest.

Then it was just the three of them. Craig seemed so alone among all the werewolves. Not that he’d ever said anything, but Bethany knew he’d have to feel strange about it all. Reaching out, she hugged him. “Thank you for accepting me into your family.”

He returned the embrace and whispered in her ear. “You make him happy and he deserves that.”

Bethany’s eyes stung and she nodded. This family needed to be whole again. And they would be. She truly believed that.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go to bed.” Quinn wrapped his arm around her waist and urged her toward the stairs. He glanced over his shoulder at his younger brother. “You coming up?”

Craig waved his hand. “In a bit. I have a few things I want to check out.”

Quinn frowned and Bethany sensed his concern for his sibling. “Don’t work all night, okay?”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine.” With that parting statement, he disappeared down the hallway into Meredith’s office and shut the door behind him.

“I’m worried about him.” Quinn stared at the closed office door.

“I know.” There was nothing either of them could do. They were all dealing with Chrissten’s loss in their own way. “We’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” he asked. He brushed his lips over the top of her head and the hand on her back pressed her closer to his side.

“Hmmm, maybe not in the last ten minutes,” she teased.

He grinned and scooped her into his arms. “I’ll have to do something about that.” He carried her up to their apartment and into their bedroom. He kicked the door shut, keeping the rest of the world at bay.

As he lowered her to the bed, he said the words she’d never get tired of hearing. “I love you, Bethany. You’re my miracle. My hope.”

“Oh, Quinn. You’re mine. I love you so much.” Their lips met and her body heated, ready to show Quinn just how much she loved him.

Down the hall in another apartment, Hank lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He could hear Kevin settling down on the couch out in the living room. Feminine laughter filled the air and a door was slammed shut.

His arms were locked around a pillow. He buried his face against the white cotton and inhaled, trying to block out the noise from the happy couple in the apartment down the hall. He didn’t begrudge Quinn and Bethany their happiness. He wanted the same thing for himself.

“I’ll find you, Chrissten,” he vowed.

N.J. Walters has always been a voracious reader of romance novels and decided one day that she could write one as well. The contemporary story, Discovering Dani, was the very first novel she wrote while living in a little town much like the one Dani O’Rourke lives in, though all other similarities to Dani’s life pretty much end there. Then she wrote another one that followed up on Dani’s friends and neighbors. But she didn’t consider herself a “real” writer yet.

Just a few years later N. J. had a mid-life crisis at a fairly young age, gave notice after ten years at her job on a Friday and received a tentative acceptance for her first published novel (an erotic romance) from a publisher on the following Sunday.

Happily married to the love of her life, with his encouragement and support she gave up the job of selling books for the more pleasurable job of writing them. She now spends her days writing novels of her own. Werewolves, vampires, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to do it. And some days she actually feels like a “real” writer.

N.J. enjoys hearing from readers, and she can be reached at njwalters22@yahoo.ca. You can check out her web site at www.njwalters.com.