‘Quinn thinks I need to go on this date with Pip tomorrow.’
‘The nice one you’ve been chatting to?’
Alex nodded.
‘I think you should too.’
‘You just told me I should trust Quinn and go for it, or words to that effect. You even quoted Hemingway.’
‘But I think you’re right, it will be something big if you go out with Quinn. How could it not be? You’ve practically been dating for the last four years anyway, without the kissing and the sex. He’s round here every day, you work alongside each other, you go on days out and holidays as a family. You two hug. He comes round here three or four nights a week to hang out with you and Zara. And you’re in love with him. If you went out with him now, you’d probably be engaged by Christmas. And maybe you’re not ready for something so life-changing. Maybe you need something a bit more low-key first. If nothing else dating Pip tomorrow might give you some perspective of what you really want. Maybe what you need right now is a nice date, with some flirting, not a marriage proposal.’
‘Quinn didn’t propose.’
‘No, but he said he wanted something serious.’
‘I’m not using Pip to get myself ready for Quinn, that’s not fair.’
‘I’m not suggesting you do,’ Immy replied. ‘You might like Pip and decide to give things a go.’
‘I don’t want that either. I only want to be with Quinn.’
‘Then be with Quinn.’
‘Is this some dumbass reverse psychology?’ Alex said.
‘No, I’m too tired for that. You told Quinn you wanted something casual, but you can’t have that with Quinn. So you either decide to go big with Quinn, have something casual with someone else or have nobody for the rest of your life.’
‘Harsh.’
‘But true.’
Alex shook her head. Her head was such a mess right now and she hated that Liam had had such an effect on her that all these years later she couldn’t even fall in love like a normal person. He had broken her but could his brother really be the one to put her back together again?
CHAPTER 8
Alex was busily wrapping presents for Zara’s teacher and teaching assistant the next day. Heavy snow was forecast for the rest of the week and Alex wondered if the school would just close early for the holidays, in which case the presents would have to go today. Problem was she was making a terrible mess of it. She was a wreck. She hadn’t slept a wink of sleep all night, part of her remembering the most incredible kiss of her life and part of her squirming over turning Quinn down. He had offered her everything she wanted and she was an idiot for walking away from that. She didn’t know how things were going to be between them today. How could they continue being friends after that kiss and that conversation? Would he even come today or would he avoid her? In a way she kind of hoped for the latter; meeting him was going to be awkward as hell.
She heard a knocking on the kitchen door and knew it would be him. She looked up as he let himself in andher heart slammed against her chest. Her desire and need for him after that explosive kiss were still there and seemingly were for him too from the way he was looking at her. Would a one-night stand have changed this sexual tension that crackled in the air between them or would it have made it a million times worse?
‘Hi,’ he said, softly.
‘I wasn’t sure you’d come.’
‘I will always be here for Zara. But I won’t be around the studio today.’
‘You promised it wouldn’t change anything between us.’
‘And it won’t. I just need some time to process this and work out how to be around you without wanting to pin you to the nearest hard surface and make love to you.’
Her eyes widened in shock. ‘You know I want that too.’
‘I know, which makes it all the more difficult.’
She stared at him, desperate to kiss him again. But with Quinn it was all or nothing and she wasn’t sure she could do all.
‘I’m going to cancel my date with Pip.’
‘No, I don’t want you to do that.’
