Virgin (A Real Man, 2) Read Free

fact we weren’t together , I wanted her to know she meant everything to me.
    “As much as I love the idea of you going with me and toughing this next year out, I wouldn’t want you to do that, Quinn.” She pulled away and stared up at the sky. “Have you ever thought about how tiny we really are?” A moment of silence passed before she spoke again. “Have you ever really thought that out of the entire world, the universe, the great blankness above us, that we are just these little specks of cells and energy?”
    I heard what she said, but I was too focused on her, at the way she looked staring up at the sky, at the vulnerability and sadness I saw on her face.
    “It’s only a year of school before we can be together again, but it feels like someone is ripping out my heart, Quinn.” She looked at me then, that vulnerability so raw, so real, that I felt it in every cell in my body. “I know to outsiders looking in I’m being dramatic, but I can’t help it. I love—”
    “I love you, Isabel,” I said, cutting her off, not about to hold this in anymore. She didn’t move, didn’t even show emotion for long moments. “I am so fucking in love with you, and have been before I even know what that emotion was.” I cupped her face again and leaned down so we were eye to eye. “Ever since I met you when we were ten, I felt something in me start to grow. As the years went on, that affection grew to what I feel now.”
    I heard her gasp a little, just a tiny sound that left her lips parted, but I wasn’t going to stop. I couldn’t. Now that the words were out, hanging between us, I wanted to lay it all bare.
    “I didn’t want to say anything before because I was afraid of ruining the friendship we have. Having you in my life, even if only as a friend, is what I’ll take, because the alternative isn’t an option for me, Isabel.”

Chapter Four

Isabel
    I couldn’t breathe, but right now that wasn’t a bad thing. The fact Quinn had just opened himself up to me, and told me exactly what I’d always longed to hear, had the world rushing around me. I felt lightheaded, my hands shook, and it felt as though my knees would lock if I tried to step away.
    “You love me?” I asked stupidly. The fact was I was shocked he’d admitted this stuff to me. For so long, I’d loved him, but I hadn’t wanted to ruin our friendship by telling him how I felt. And if he hadn’t felt the same way, there would have been this awkward wall between us.
    He held on to each side of my face, his blue eyes looking intense ... sincere. “I fucking love you so much it pains me, Isabel. I’ve wanted to tell you for so long.”
    I wanted to cry tears of happiness, but I also knew this made things a little worse. He loved me. I loved him. The separation would be so much worse now.
    But will it?
    “Did I just fuck things up?” he whispered, his voice deep, filled with emotion.
    Shit, I hadn’t said anything in return. “You didn’t fuck anything up,” I whispered. “I’m so in love with you, Quinn. I’ve kept it to myself, too, afraid it might ruin the closeness we had if you didn’t feel the same way.”
    He grinned, his straight white teeth flashing. Quinn crushed me to his body, and I closed my eyes, inhaling his woodsy, masculine scent, just letting him hold me and make things seem not so shitty. I’d agreed to come out here tonight not just to talk to him, but also to finally admit things, even if it would ruin things. Me having to move put a lot of shit into perspective.
    What would it have hurt anyway? If that wedge had been put between us, it wouldn’t have mattered because we already had distance.
    “You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted,” he said and pulled away to look into my face. “You’re the only one I’ll ever want.”
    My heart was in my throat. Quinn was a tough guy. I’d seen him on the ice, watched as he dominated it, took down the other team. Hell, if they hadn’t been forced to play against him,