The hand curled around her hip flattened to press her down against the mattress as Nora sat up, looking so beautifully disheveled that it made Quinn’s heart ache, and Nora arched a brow as she insisted, “I’ll do it.”
Quinn huffed a laugh. “I’ll come with you, then.”
“You really don’t—”
Quinn sat up to cut her off with a kiss. “I want to.” Outside the bedroom door, Fort let out a slightly more panicked bark, and she reached down to give Nora’s ass a little slap. “Come on. I love walking on the beach at sunrise.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were strolling down the beach with Fort trotting happily ahead of them with his leash dragging along the damp sand as he dodged in and out of the remnants of the waves that rolled up onto the shore. The beach was nearly empty, save for a dozen or so surfers floating in the water beside the pier who were waiting for the next set of waves to roll in, and Quinn sucked in a deep, bracing breath as she reached out to take Nora’s hand.
“Not a bad way to start the day, right?” Quinn asked.
“Not bad at all,” Nora agreed, squeezing Quinn’s hand lightly. “Though it would be warmer in bed.”
Though the sun hadn’t been up long enough to chase the nighttime chill from the air, Quinn was more than comfortable in her shorts and hoodie. She frowned as she asked, “Are you cold? Would you like my sweatshirt?”
“I’m fine,” Nora insisted with a little shake of her head. She dragged her free hand through her hair and smiled up at Quinn. “Thank you, though.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
Quinn let go of Nora’s hand and draped an arm over her shoulders to pull her closer instead. “How’s this, then?”
Nora looped her right arm around Quinn’s waist and sank into her with a happy sigh. “Perfect.”
The ease with which they fit together tugged at Quinn’s heart, and she closed her eyes as she soaked in the feeling of Nora curled against her side, the quiet roar of the ocean, and the crisp, salty sea air that seemed to cleanse her soul. “Yes, you are.”
“Hardly.” Nora bumped Quinn’s shoulder with her head. “But walking with you like this? Definition of perfection.” Her eyes sparkled as she added, “It’s so perfect, in fact, that I’m pretty sure we watched something similar in one of those cheesy Christmas movies you insisted on putting on yesterday.”
Quinn rolled her eyes. “They’re not cheesy.”
“They absolutely are,kjære,” Nora retorted, her voice ringing with laughter. “I still can’t believe you knew all the lines from that one with the girl from Ohio who found her soulmate—who just happened to be Santa Claus’ son, of all people—working as a scuba instructor in the Florida Keys.”
Quinn blushed as she defended, “It’s about Christmas magic! And finding love. And—”
Nora giggled and pulled Quinn to a stop. Her eyes shone with tenderness as she pressed up onto the balls of her feet, and she lifted her left hand to cradle her jaw as she whispered, “You’re beyond adorable right now,” against Quinn’s lips before kissing her so sweetly that it stole the air from her lungs.
Quinn held Nora tight as the kiss ended, and a smile bowed her lips as she murmured, “You’re not Santa’s daughter, by any chance, are you?”
“Sadly, no,” Nora laughed. “But this…” Her voice trailed off as her fingers flexed against Quinn’s jaw. “This feels pretty magical.”
Quinn moaned softly as Nora’s lips molded to her own and lifted her left hand to Nora’s cheek as she deepened the kiss. She cradled Nora to her as their tongues stroked and swirled together as they lost themselves in a string of slow, reverent kisses that were so achingly tender they made her head spin. Her heart fluttered into her throat as their kisses eased to a series of lingering pecks, lips fitting lightly together as they clung to this moment for as long as they could, and she smiled as she whispered, “Definitely magical.”
It was then that Fort decided to come back to check on them, and Quinn’s eyes widened when she was hit by seventy pounds of soaking wet golden retriever as Fort wrapped his front legs around them with a delighted bark.
“Fortissimo!” they both scolded.
Fort’s eyebrows pinched in a charming show of doggy confusion.
Quinn gave him a gentle shove. “Down, buddy.” She brushed one last kiss over Nora’s lips and then sighed as she looked over at him. “That was rude.”
Fort cocked his head and smiled up at them.
You’re lucky you’re so goddamn cute,Quinn thought, rolling her eyes at him as she glanced at Nora. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, fine.” Nora grimaced as she looked down at her side. “Just wet.”
Quinn chuckled, but before she could say anything, Fort let out a loud, “Woof!” that drew their attention just in time to watch him sprint off down the beach toward a cluster of seagulls that had made the unfortunate decision to land in his vicinity. She shook her head as she watched him go bounding through the surf. “He won’t catch them, right?”
