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“About a million reasons, starting with the fact that you shouldn’t be risking injury to your hands and ending with the fact that we just had an argument.”
“You mostly argued with yourself there. I did very little talking.” He has the audacity to smirk.
“Nevertheless. There was a heated argument.”
“That? A heated argument?” He glances back in the direction we both came from like he’s revisiting events. “I don’t think so. That was just foreplay. I figured you were gonna bite a few times before you settle down.” His eyes run over me with amusement.
“You—” I struggle to find the right words.
“Excuse me.” He leans forward, his arm brushing against my bare leg as he pulls the trunk lever, and I hear it click. His eyes slide to the side, self-assurance sparkling in them, and then he walks around to the back of the car. Meanwhile, my heart is pounding in my chest and goosebumps spread in the wake of his touch. I do not need goosebumps from Quentin Undergrove right now—or ever—but especially right now when I’m trying to prove I can handle him.
“You’ve got a jack and a spare. If you want to hop out, I can get this done pretty quick.”
“I’m calling the rental company,” I insist, but I’m still on hold, listening to music, occasionally interrupted by a robotic voice that tells me reps are helping other people but will be with me any moment. They needed to choose this moment. Hurry the hell up.
I get out of the car though, less to let him jack it up and more to tell him to put the things back in the trunk. But when I reach him, he levels me with an incredulous look.
“You could do that, or I could just show you, and we could get it done without you sitting around and waiting for them in a parking lot for a couple of hours. Pretty sure half your problem right now is that you’re hangry, and I’d hate to see what you do to them if you go even longer without dinner.”
“You’re rude. Do you know you’re rude?”
“So I’ve heard. Do you know you’re stubborn?”
“I’m very aware.”
“Glad we’ve got that covered. Now…” He pulls the tire out from under the floorboard of the back of the SUV and grabs the jack. “Let’s get this done.”
“If you get hurt and they blame me that you broke a nail on your throwing hand, what then?”
“You want to do it?”
“I told you. I don’t know how.”
“I’m surprised Tobias or Easton never showed you how. Your dad I get. I doubt he ever does anything he doesn’t have to.”
“I’m sure my brothers know how to change a tire. They just didn’t have the opportunity to teach me.”
“How is Tobias anyway? Still hating my guts?” He positions the jack and starts to crank it up while I cross my arms over my chest and try not to stress about the potential danger this poses.
“He never mentions you. He’s engaged. So is Xander. Rather ironic that you’re the last man standing, honestly.” I say the last bit out of habit. A stream of thought I shouldn’t have shared because now there’s an elephant here with us. Quentin’s eyes flash up to mine for a moment before he feels the same awkwardness I do.
“Xander too, huh? How long did you cry over that one?” He doesn’t look at me, but I see the furrow of his brow in profile.
“There might have been some Nutella and ice cream involved.”
“His future wife doesn’t have a protection order out against you?”
“Very funny. Harper’s lovely. I’m invited to the wedding actually. And I’m going to be a bridesmaid for Scarlett. She’s Tobias’s future wife.” I don’t know why I’m divulging all these details. Mostly I guess so we don’t have to talk about our own failed wedding attempt.
“Invited to the wedding? She’s living dangerously. Better have someone there to stop you when they ask if anyone has any objections.” He pulls another one of the lug nuts off and adds it to the growing pile.
“He’s utterly obsessed with her and has been for years. I could crawl naked into his bed, and he wouldn’t notice me.”
He stands suddenly, a move that brings him dangerously close to me since I’d been leaning over slightly to watch himwork. His eyes catch on my face, studying me like he can read every thought I’m having about him. He smells good. Like fresh soap and cologne with just that little bit of him at the end. I didn’t realize how much I miss it until it’s right there, impossible to ignore.
His voice is rough when he speaks again. “I’ve got to get a tool out of my truck. This one is stuck.”
I blink and take a step back, nodding silently before he moves past me. I bite my lip and take a deep breath, closing my eyes and cursing myself for being so easily swayed by his presence. I’ve got to get it together. He’s a client. I’m his PR rep now. The past is the past.
