All Good Things Must...
John Burke stretched a bit as he sat up. He turned and looked over his shoulder at the woman in the bed beside him. She was different. Quinn didn't act like most other people he'd slept with. She didn't kick him out. She wasn't ashamed, nor had she tried to start a relationship. Sure, he was brought around her friends and children, but everyone seemed to understand he was mummy's friend that made her happy.
It was a bit beyond him.
She expected nothing. Burke had to wonder what exactly Pellham Avery had done to her to leave her this way. Not that he wanted to be the one to fix it, but someone should. Quinn deserved to be married and happy. Her daughters deserved a father, and while Burke would gladly fill in as a wild uncle, he was not father material. He knew this. He had always known this, so what was he doing shagging a woman with three kids?
One of which wanted to be an Auror and asked him dozens of questions. Burke had somehow been made to promise to bring her to the MLE offices one day to show how things worked. He would never live it down. Everyone would suspect he was trying to sleep with her, and while Pepper was quite gorgeous, she was a bit young. Even he had limits. No one seemed to think he did, but Burke wasn't a total bastard. He knew when to withdraw and when to wholly avoid for the sake of his freedom and sanity.
Quinn stirred in her sleep. Burke too that moment to eye her back. She was very pale. The skin was smooth. The red hair draped across it was stark contrast. The woman really did have beautiful hair. Then again, John Burke was an expert at finding the beauty in most women. They all had something lovely to them, they all needed a bit of worship.
He'd just never found one who could hold his attention for more than a year. That, to date, was his longest relationship. If you could call falling into bed with someone every few days a relationship. That one might have carried on for longer if he had not suggested she bring her best friend into the bedroom.
That sort of thing was also the problem here.
Sarafinn Strega, the nanny and best friend, had stayed over last night. To answer calls of the kids if they needed something. She was Quinn's best mate.
She was starting to look attractive. Very attractive. In that off-beat Bohemian way of hers. The fact that she had the body of a Botticelli did not help either. He'd never understood a woman's need to look like a toothpick with an olive stuck on it. His favorite thing tended to be curves.
Finn had them. She was also funny, dedicated to her work and so interesting. He could not help but be drawn in, and now he didn't know what to do about that.
The only person who might not be sad to see him go would be Quinn's middle daughter Rainey. Now there was an unpleasant girl. She'd taken an instant dislike to him a supper. He was sure it was because he was intruding and she wondered if he was going to break her mother's heart.
That couldn't be helped. It was inevitable with John Burke. There was a wake of hearts behind him. He didn't mean to. He never promised anyone anything. It was not his fault if women saw something that was not there.
Quinn yawned as she rolled over, clutching the bed sheet to her chest. "Good morning."
He just nodded. Now that she was awake, slipping out undetected was not to be in the day's plans.
"Want me to get dressed and nip out to the Happy Hearth for some brekkie?"
Burke smiled at her. He was almost sad. They'd had a good thing, but it was time to move on. He was already far too attached to Erin, her youngest, for his own good.
Quinn eyed him. "You know, we don't have to do this anymore if you're uncomfortable. You could sleep on the couch or the guest room, but don't stop hanging around just because you think I'll be mad that you want to sleep with Finn."
He was sure he looked like a fish with his mouth opening and closing like it was.
"Don't look so shocked. I'm very practical, John. I'd like us to remain friends, however. I actually enjoy your company outside of the bedroom, and I think Erin would miss you."
He was still in shock, but a part of him knew it to be true. He wanted her friendship still. No one had ever offered such a thing. Women tended to be angry creatures when they realized they were being used to alleviate sexual tension and nothing more. They didn't want to be your friend after you dumped them. They usually didn't even want to look at you.
"You are a unique creature, did you know?"
Quinn eyed him. "None of that. I'm not going to sleep with you again."
Burke laughed.
"So what about breakfast?"
She was smiling, but really Quinn was wilted on the inside. She knew this day would come. John Burke was not a long haul. He was temporary insanity. That didn't mean she had not hoped a little in the very hidden parts of herself. She did want to be someone's something one day, something real, something that was taken into public and not denied.
It wasn't to be here.
She needed to buck up and move on. She had not been lying when she said she liked his company. Quinn did like Burke. He made her laugh. Her friends these days consisted of Finn, so she needed to hold on to the few she had. It would be tough, especially if he did manage to get Finn to sleep with him, but Quinn would manage it for Erin's sake. Her daughter was very fond of Burke, and if anything, Quinn Prewett was excellent at keeping a stoic face for her daughters.
"I have a running tab at the Happy Hearth," Burke said. "Get whatever you'd like for everyone. I'm fond of those breakfast croissants with the egg and ham in them."
"One egg and ham croissant coming right up," Quinn replied as she got out of bed and donned her robe.
She could do this. She was good at pretending she wasn't hurt. She would lock herself in the bath and cry later. With a silencing charm.
{SUMMARY} Quinn and Burke end their fling on a friendly note.
It was a bit beyond him.
She expected nothing. Burke had to wonder what exactly Pellham Avery had done to her to leave her this way. Not that he wanted to be the one to fix it, but someone should. Quinn deserved to be married and happy. Her daughters deserved a father, and while Burke would gladly fill in as a wild uncle, he was not father material. He knew this. He had always known this, so what was he doing shagging a woman with three kids?
One of which wanted to be an Auror and asked him dozens of questions. Burke had somehow been made to promise to bring her to the MLE offices one day to show how things worked. He would never live it down. Everyone would suspect he was trying to sleep with her, and while Pepper was quite gorgeous, she was a bit young. Even he had limits. No one seemed to think he did, but Burke wasn't a total bastard. He knew when to withdraw and when to wholly avoid for the sake of his freedom and sanity.
Quinn stirred in her sleep. Burke too that moment to eye her back. She was very pale. The skin was smooth. The red hair draped across it was stark contrast. The woman really did have beautiful hair. Then again, John Burke was an expert at finding the beauty in most women. They all had something lovely to them, they all needed a bit of worship.
He'd just never found one who could hold his attention for more than a year. That, to date, was his longest relationship. If you could call falling into bed with someone every few days a relationship. That one might have carried on for longer if he had not suggested she bring her best friend into the bedroom.
That sort of thing was also the problem here.
Sarafinn Strega, the nanny and best friend, had stayed over last night. To answer calls of the kids if they needed something. She was Quinn's best mate.
She was starting to look attractive. Very attractive. In that off-beat Bohemian way of hers. The fact that she had the body of a Botticelli did not help either. He'd never understood a woman's need to look like a toothpick with an olive stuck on it. His favorite thing tended to be curves.
Finn had them. She was also funny, dedicated to her work and so interesting. He could not help but be drawn in, and now he didn't know what to do about that.
The only person who might not be sad to see him go would be Quinn's middle daughter Rainey. Now there was an unpleasant girl. She'd taken an instant dislike to him a supper. He was sure it was because he was intruding and she wondered if he was going to break her mother's heart.
That couldn't be helped. It was inevitable with John Burke. There was a wake of hearts behind him. He didn't mean to. He never promised anyone anything. It was not his fault if women saw something that was not there.
Quinn yawned as she rolled over, clutching the bed sheet to her chest. "Good morning."
He just nodded. Now that she was awake, slipping out undetected was not to be in the day's plans.
"Want me to get dressed and nip out to the Happy Hearth for some brekkie?"
Burke smiled at her. He was almost sad. They'd had a good thing, but it was time to move on. He was already far too attached to Erin, her youngest, for his own good.
Quinn eyed him. "You know, we don't have to do this anymore if you're uncomfortable. You could sleep on the couch or the guest room, but don't stop hanging around just because you think I'll be mad that you want to sleep with Finn."
He was sure he looked like a fish with his mouth opening and closing like it was.
"Don't look so shocked. I'm very practical, John. I'd like us to remain friends, however. I actually enjoy your company outside of the bedroom, and I think Erin would miss you."
He was still in shock, but a part of him knew it to be true. He wanted her friendship still. No one had ever offered such a thing. Women tended to be angry creatures when they realized they were being used to alleviate sexual tension and nothing more. They didn't want to be your friend after you dumped them. They usually didn't even want to look at you.
"You are a unique creature, did you know?"
Quinn eyed him. "None of that. I'm not going to sleep with you again."
Burke laughed.
"So what about breakfast?"
She was smiling, but really Quinn was wilted on the inside. She knew this day would come. John Burke was not a long haul. He was temporary insanity. That didn't mean she had not hoped a little in the very hidden parts of herself. She did want to be someone's something one day, something real, something that was taken into public and not denied.
It wasn't to be here.
She needed to buck up and move on. She had not been lying when she said she liked his company. Quinn did like Burke. He made her laugh. Her friends these days consisted of Finn, so she needed to hold on to the few she had. It would be tough, especially if he did manage to get Finn to sleep with him, but Quinn would manage it for Erin's sake. Her daughter was very fond of Burke, and if anything, Quinn Prewett was excellent at keeping a stoic face for her daughters.
"I have a running tab at the Happy Hearth," Burke said. "Get whatever you'd like for everyone. I'm fond of those breakfast croissants with the egg and ham in them."
"One egg and ham croissant coming right up," Quinn replied as she got out of bed and donned her robe.
She could do this. She was good at pretending she wasn't hurt. She would lock herself in the bath and cry later. With a silencing charm.
{SUMMARY} Quinn and Burke end their fling on a friendly note.