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“We have to talk,” I said when I felt him stop beside me.
“I thought you might say that.”
I glanced up at him and looked away again. “I’m not ready for us to be public. If everything goes to shit for us, I’d rather people not know.”
I was nervous, uncomfortably so, and my arms tightened around my waist.
“Do you really think it’ll go to shit?” he asked.
Even though it was difficult, I forced myself to face him. “Kenan, you’re my best friend. I know we’ve already crossed those boundaries, but you’ve never had a serious relationship, for a very good reason, at least, according to you,” I pointed out.
“Neither have you,” he returned.
I knew him well enough to know he was feeling defensive. I could hear it in his voice. “I know I haven’t,” I said quietly. “But it’s not like I have my pick of men the way you have your pick of women. If you wanted to get married, you could probably get married tomorrow. Plenty of women would line up to sign up for that. It’s not that easy for me.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw as he swallowed. “It’s not that easy for me. You’re beautiful. I just don’t think you see that.”
I took a quick breath. “Whatever. We could debate this. That’s not all that’s at stake. I work for your family, and I like my job. I don’t want things to get awkward there. I’d rather not have this be common knowledge. Not now.”
Kenan finally nodded. “I understand. We’re already best friends, so we can just keep it that way publicly. We see each other all the time.”
“No PDA,” I said firmly.
Kenan’s lips quirked at the corners. “Fine. Understood. Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
ChapterTwenty-One
KENAN
Just as Quinn reached for the door, I caught her by the elbow. She glanced up at me. “What is it?”
“Just a sec.”
I palmed her cheek before bending low to capture her mouth with a kiss. I’d meant for this to be controlled, just a tease. I should’ve known better. The moment our lips met, I was gone. Her tongue darted out to tease mine. It was a damn good thing I could put my other hand against the door behind her because that was about the only thing that kept me standing.
By the time we broke apart, we were both heaving. “What the hell?” she mused between gulps of air.
“You said no PDA,” I managed to retort as I dragged in another breath. “I had to get a little dose before we left.”
She burst out laughing. “Oh my God, is this how it’s going to be?”
I chuckled as we both straightened and stepped apart. “Yes.”
“Is that a promise?” she teased, the glint in her eyes making me want to kiss her all over again.
As it was, I had to get my raging hard-on under control. “Absolutely.”
It was supposed to be a joke, and it was. But as we stared at each other, that unsettling intimacy shimmied to life in the air between us.
I cleared my throat. “We should go.”
I held the door for her, my hand reflexively reaching to touch her, to slide down over the sweet curve of her bottom and coax her forward.
* * *
“Well, we pulled it off,” Adam said from my side.
