Thanks so much for your reviews on the last chapter! Without further ado, here's the next. I hope you like it and remember, reviews are love!
The city's heat was beginning to become unbearable and Quinn longed to be back inside in the cool air of the air conditioned apartment, but she continued down the sidewalk on her way into the bakery down the street anyway.
September had rolled around before she'd even had time to blink and she'd been happier in her one month here than she'd been over the past year and a half at home. She felt like she'd been continually smiling and she was pretty sure that Puck played a huge role in that. There was this nagging part of her brain that was telling her that it was only temporary, and sooner rather than later she was going to have to go home to her life in San Diego but she was really good at shutting that voice up when she was laying content in Puck's arms late at night, or even when they were in a cab together on their way home from the movies or dinner uptown.
She stepped into the tiny bakery and was thankful for the cool air and the sweet smells that immediately came over her senses. She waited patiently for her turn. She was heading up to Puck's, and he was going to cook dinner (turns out he's a pretty amazing cook) and she wanted to bring something along for dessert since he was definitely not a baker. Earlier in the week Puck had mentioned how he loved the red velvet cupcakes they sold at this particular bakery when they'd been walking to a pizza place just around the corner. She bought half a dozen of them and grabbed the box of cupcakes before making her way back out into the scorching September afternoon.
Quinn smiled at the doorman as he opened the door for her and she just walked to the elevator and got out on Puck's floor. The door was unlocked so she slipped inside, hearing the sound of him singing along to the radio in his kitchen. She slipped her flip-flops off of her feet and padded her way through the dark navy blue of his living room and into the spacious charcoal grey and granite kitchen. He was standing at the stove stirring a pot of pasta sauce and his entire kitchen just smelt amazing. She set the box of cupcakes onto his kitchen island and slipped up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and standing up on her tip-toes to peek over his shoulder into the pots on the stove.
"Hey baby," he smiled, turning around and giving her a quick kiss.
She felt her heart beat a little faster at the feeling of his body against hers. They broke apart and she smiled at him before he went back to the stove to make sure he didn't burn their food.
"I'm sorry I'm a bit late, I stopped and picked up dessert." She explained, settling down onto a barstool and pulling a cutting board with a whole cucumber and tomato on it towards her. "For a salad?" she continued, gesturing down to the produce in front of her.
"You don't have to I got it. And what'd ya bring?"
"Its a surprise. And I want to. What are you making? It smells amazing."
"Its a surprise." Puck replied, turning around to give her an irresistible smirk.
She rolled her eyes at him in an over-exaggerated way and he laughed before turning his attention back to the stove as she went about making a salad. As she moved about the kitchen getting everything else she needed, she marvelled at how domestic they were after a month. She loved it, and she was pretty sure that he did too.
Twenty minutes later she was pouring wine into the glasses he set out on his kitchen table and he was setting out plates of penne with blush sauce and chicken parma.
"This was so worth being a surprise," she told him after the first bite of pasta.
Puck smirked at her and swallowed the bit of chicken Parmesan he has in his mouth. "I know how much you love Italian food."
She laughed and they talked about anything and everything over dinner. Everything was so comfortable with Puck, and she never felt like she had to force anything with him. She couldn't remember the last time that happened with anyone outside of her family.
He came up behind her as she was doing the dishes and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned back into him as he moved her hair over to the side and started pressing light kisses to her neck.
"Leave it for later?" He whispered softly into her ear, sending shivers up and down her spine. She gently shut off the water and turned around to face him.
"What about dessert?"
"You are my dessert babe. Whatever is in that box can wait until I've had you."
Quinn blushed and leaned up to kiss him before she broke away and made her way out of the kitchen. He followed her and later when they were eating the cupcakes in bed and he had his arm around her cuddled against his side, she realized that this was the happiest she's ever been.
"Q! Let's go we're going to be late for the movie!" Puck called, walking into her (well Rachel's really) apartment.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Quinn called back, rushing into the hallway while trying to slip her black flat onto her other foot. Puck caught her arms as she stumbled and he smiled at her as she slipped the shoe onto her foot and straightened out her dark red sundress. "Hi," she smiled leaning up to kiss him.
"Hey," he grinned slipping his arm around her shoulders as they walked out the door. She locked the door and they made their way down the elevator and out into the cooling September evening.
"I still think we should go see the new (insert big action star name here) tonight." Puck said as they weaved their way around other pedestrians on their way to the closest movie theatre.
Quinn scrunched her nose up and shook her head. "There is no way I'm seeing that. I think we should go see that new Reese Witherspoon movie with what's-his-face. They look seriously adorable together in the promos."
Puck laughed and shook his head at her. "Fuck no I am not sitting through another chick flick. Do I need to remind you that you made me watch the Notebook last night? That's enough for a week."
Quinn laughed at the look on Puck's face. "Need I remind you that you were also well…rewarded for watching the Notebook with me?"
He shook his head no and leaned his head closer to hers. "I don't care how well I was 'rewarded', there's no fucking way I'm watching a chick flick two nights in a row."
Quinn rolled her eyes and lightly pushed his chest and he caught her hand in his free one. "Compromise?" She asked.
"What?"
"The new Owen Wilson and Drew Barrymore?"
"That's a fucking deal. That movie looks hilarious!" Quinn laughed and shook her head and he caught her face and kissed her quickly. They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice the person walking in front of them.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Quinn exclaimed as they practically knocked the man over.
The man straightened out his dark grey suit and turned around to face them.
"Its fi-Puckerman?"
"Oh sorry Mike, I didn't realize it was you."
"It's no problem, I was walking kind of slow anyway."
"Q, this is the guy who works with me on recruiting new acts, Mike. Mike, this is my girlfriend Quinn."
"Its a pleasure to meet you Quinn," Mike smiled sticking his hand out for Quinn to shake.
Quinn shook his hand and smiled at him, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well."
Puck looked down at his watch and cursed. Quinn rolled her eyes and Mike laughed. "Fuck, we gotta go or we're going to miss our movie. I'll see you tomorrow man."
"See you Puckerman. It was nice to meet you, Quinn." Mike smiled at her before crossing the street.
Later on that evening, they're laying in bed together. Quinn's head is on his chest and she's tracing lazy patterns across his skin. Their legs are a tangled mess beneath the sheets and she can't remember a time where she felt this comfortable, this safe with someone in her life.
Quinn suddenly sat up in bed, suddenly remembering their encounter from earlier and Puck shot her a quizzical look.
"What's up babe?" he asked pulling her back against him.
Quinn let out a content sigh and settled herself against him once again before she answered. "So I'm your girlfriend huh?" she asked a smile gracing her face.
"Fuck yes you are. What did you think you were?"
"I wasn't sure actually."
Puck laughed a little bit and shook his head. "Well be sure now babe. You're my girl and I'll tell the whole fucking world if you want me to."
Quinn's smile grew and she placed gentle kisses along his neck and jaw. "I'm really really glad we defined this."
"Me too, babe, me too." Puck agreed, an easy silence settling over the two. This was already so different from the last time she'd been someone's girlfriend.
As she mused on their new relationship status, worry that she'd been shoving aside began to knaw its way back to the forefront of her mind, worries and thoughts that she had done so well of repressing.
"Puck?"
"Yeah Q?"
"What happens when I go home?" She asked the fear very real and very panicking to her.
"I'll probably be taking more trips out to California than I usually do. Don't worry about it Quinn, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. Usually when people told her things like that she still worried about it. But with Puck, she just felt like her going home wouldn't really change them. Not in the slightest.