For Once In My Life (Stevens Book 2)

Chapter 5

"I am not a cause." Dana jumped out of her seat. "The last thing I want is anyone's pity. I want peace and quiet, and the ability to figure out who I am without an audience." She wrapped her arms around her and looked at the puppies playing in their pen in the lobby.

Quinn came up behind her and placed his strong hands on her shoulders. "Who you are is a strong, beautiful, and smart young lady who can do whatever she wants."

Smart and beautiful, no one had ever told her that before.

He turned her around and looked right into her eyes. "Smart and beautiful." His hand rose to her cheek, and his thumb traced her lips.

She turned her face into his hand. She had never experienced a gentle touch before him. She closed her eyes, and a tear escaped. He wiped it away with his thumb. She looked up at him and realized that she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to know what it would be like; she did not doubt that she would enjoy it. Dana licked her lips in an age-old invitation without even realizing she was doing it.

"How can you have lived such a life and still be so innocent?" Quinn shook his head his blue eyes searching her face.

"I am far from innocent." Her voice broke. How she wished she was. She wished she could offer that to Quinn. Images of her wedding night flashed in her mind, and she shivered, closing her eyes again, pushing the memories back.

As if he read her thoughts he shook his head and gave a sad smile. "You are an innocent, maybe not of the mechanics of sex, but in the joy and love that can be behind the act. I'm sure you have never experienced that before."

Her face turned bright red at the thought of her and Quinn in an intimate situation.

"See you still blush." He traced her cheek.

"Will you teach me?" she whispered. She had no clue she was going to say it. It was out before she had a chance to call it back.

He let go of her as if he had been burned. "No." It was a whisper.

She felt cold at the loss of his closeness. She couldn't blame him. She was damaged goods, and she wouldn't be able to give as much as he could, at least not in experience. He was right about that.

Just then the phone rang and broke the awkward silence, and Quinn picked it up with a curt greeting before he handed it to Dana.

"It's Bryce; he needs to talk to you."

Dana reached for the phone quickly, hoping to figure out a little of what was going on and what he was doing in New York.

"Dana I need you to call your Doctor and give them permission to release your records to me."

"I-I-I can't, No," she whispered. It wasn't that she didn't want him to know the whole sad story, although it was partly that, it was also because her doctor was close friends with her husband he would find her.

"Dana your relationship with me is confidential, I will not share them with anyone."

"That's not my only concern." She swallowed hard, fear filling her. "Doctor Eves won't give you the records even if I sign a release."

"Why not?" Bryce sounded impatient.

"He's good friends with my husband; he would only give you the basic stuff. Besides, I doubt anything else exists."

"Marcus has been served. He is aware of the situation and that you are filing for divorce."

Dana felt a rushing in her ears. "Quinn..." she turned holding out the phone to him while the world was going dark around her. "He knows."