‘What’s going on between you and Alex?’
Quinn wasn’t going to tell her anything she didn’t know, so he’d wait to find out how much she did know first before saying anything incriminating.
‘Well I’m sure you know.’ He folded his arms across his chest to try and signify that this was none of her business. Clearly she was not a master of reading body language, because she carried on regardless.
‘I know you both are crazy for each other, I know you kissed – well it was a lot more than a kiss – and I know she offered you a night of passion last night which you turned down.’
OK, so she did know everything.
‘I’d like to know why you turned her down.’ Immy said.
Surely turning Alex down showed more respect for Alex, why would Immy be annoyed with that? Sleeping with her and moving on felt like a dick move.
‘Honestly, I’ve been asking myself the same question,’ Quinn said. ‘But I can’t do just one night with her and then go back to being friends again. What then? I’m just meant to watch her go off with someone else, once she’d got me out of her system?’
‘You are everything to her. She has wanted to be with you for years. I guarantee if you spend the night with her, she’d be back again the next night and the night after that.’
‘How is that any better? I sleep with her three or four times then that’s it, it’s over?’
Immy rolled her eyes. ‘Or maybe she comes back to you every night.’
He stared at her in confusion before the penny dropped. ‘Have a year of one-night stands?’
‘Or whatever it takes. She’s not said the words to me but I’m pretty sure she’s in love with you and you’re in love with her. But she is terrified of history repeating itself. I don’t think anyone, least of all her, thinks you would go the same way that Liam went – I’ve never even seen you drink, let alone get drunk – but she was happy with Liam and overnight she lost him. What she feels for you is huge, maybe even more than what she felt for Liam. She’s scared of falling even further in love with you, marrying you and then losing you too. She isover the moon that you have feelings for her, she never saw that coming at all, you’re the man of her dreams. But you’ve told her you can only do something serious, probably because you think a commitment from you is what she’s looking for, and it’s freaking her out.’
‘I told her this morning that we could take it as slow as she wants. I know she needs time, I don’t want to rush her into something.’
‘So why not tone it down?’ Immy suggested. ‘A lot.’
‘Offer her something casual instead?’
Immy nodded. ‘Yes, exactly.’
Quinn thought about it for a moment. ‘Exclusively casual.’
‘I don’t think you have anything to worry about there. She doesn’t want anyone else but you. She doesn’t even want to go out on this date with Pip tonight now.’
Quinn groaned. ‘I told her to go on it, I told her not to cancel.’
‘I did too.’
He frowned. ‘Yet you’re here fighting my corner.’
‘I want this to work more than anything. I think you’ll be the best thing that ever happens to her and maybe she needs a little nudge in thewrongdirection for her to realise it.’
Just then there was a knock on the door and Quinn looked round to see his cousin Xander standing there at the shop door, looking angry.
‘Oh for god’s sake, what doeshewant?’ Immy said but Quinn was surprised to see her cheeks flush as if… she was attracted to him. He’d thought they hated each other, which always made things awkward on Christmas Day when they were both at his mum’s for the Big Christmas Day Lunch.
Immy moved over to the door and opened it a crack. ‘Yes?’ she snapped.
‘What’s going on in there?’ Xander said.
‘None of your business,’ Immy said. She went to slam the door but Xander stuck his foot in the doorway and pushed it open. Moving into the shop he glared at Quinn.
‘Quinn.’
Quinn had no idea what was going on here and why Xander was so mad. He’d always got on with very well with his cousins.
