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“If they start hurting, I’ll get on it,” she grumbles.
“It’s because we love you, you know.” I squeeze her shoulders and run off to find my brother.
Later that nightbefore I have a chance to even register his presence, Quinten is next to me, following me down a back hall at the restaurant. He’s been on his best behavior all night, signing autographs and chatting up the whole restaurant like it’s something he does all the time. He’s also been incredibly attentive to Fiona because every time I look over, she’s at his side laughing or touching his arm, and I’m stuck reminding myself that it’s a good thing.
“You’ve been avoiding me all night.”
“You’re on a date. I’m trying to let you both have fun and get to know each other.”
“A fake date.”
“It doesn’t have to be fake.” Part of me hates saying it, the other part of me—the logical part that tells me getting involved with him would be messy and fraught with difficulties—wishes he would date someone for real. It would keep his attention off me and seal off any ideas about what we could be if circumstances were different.
“It does. I’m only doing this to keep you happy and get things on your list checked off. But another woman could stripnaked and crawl in my bed, and I wouldn’t notice her.” My eyes lift to his when he echoes the comment I’d made about Xander.
“It’s not like that between us.”
“You’re right. I’ve waited a lot longer.”
He takes a step closer to me, and I take a step back until he has me caged up against the wall.
“Where is he anyway?”
“Who?” I ask a stupid question, realizing he means A.J. almost as soon as I do. He smirks at the fact I can’t even remember I have a boyfriend right now, fake as he might be.
“Your guy. He already run back to Chicago? He should be able to get back down here in between the Blaze’s OTAs. He should be free to be wherever he wants on the weekends especially. And yet he’s not down here. Even when your family opens a new restaurant.”
“He has kids to worry about and a life in Chicago. He can’t just run off whenever he feels like it. I knew that going in. Besides, I’m incredibly busy myself,” I say dismissively.
He smirks and leans in closer to me, his eyes studying mine. I make an effort not to let my body respond to it. Desperately trying to think of all the reasons I don’t want him.
“Fair enough. But if my girl was down here working so closely with the guy she almost married, lonely for weeks and so needy… I’d be making weekly trips to make sure she was taken care of. Dragging her back to bed any chance I got. On my knees whenever she’d let me.”
“Quentin…”
“How long has it been, Madness? A while I’m guessing from the way you sounded the other night. Was it me you were imagining between these thighs?” he whispers against my ear, leaning closer. My eyes start to close, and I can feel the heat of his body against mine.
I hear movement in the restaurant’s kitchen, and it startlesme. I blink and try to look past where his body is shielding us in the hallway.
“We’re in public.”
“We can be in private if you want. My place isn’t that far.”
“We can’t do this.”
“Because you don’t want to?”
“Because of a million reasons, Quentin.”
“That’s not what I asked. I asked what you want.”
I stare into the abyss of the dark hallway. I need to leave. I should leave. I have no business continuing to follow him down this road.
“We can’t always have what we want.” I finally look up at him again and meet his eyes. “You taught me that.”
“But you can have everything you want right now. You tell me, and I’ll make it happen.”
I start to move. Thinking of going to find Wren or someone who can keep me sane. Back to safety where I don’t have temptation at my fingertips. But it doesn’t last. A moment later, he pulls me up into his arms and before I know it, I’m pinned against the wall, my legs wrapping around his waist and his lips on mine.
