Quinn bit her lip as she contemplated, her resolve visibly crumbling by the second. Finally, after a minute of thinking, she uncrossed her arms and sighed, smiling. “Fine. But we’re not going to stay for too long!”
“Yes!” I cheered. If I’d been able to jump for joy, I would’ve.
“I’ll go let Gran know. She’ll be happy to hear I’m going out, and won’t mind watching the kids, so I’m all yours.”
My eyes widened, breath catching in my throat.
Realizing what she’d just said, Quinn groaned. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“That’s too bad,” I murmured, chuckling as her eyes widened even further.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She practically ran out the door.
I grinned, shaking my head as I stared at the spot that she’d just been in, already starting to miss her. The longer I spent around Quinn, the more I wanted her. It seemed as if I just couldn’t get enough. It was part of the reason I wanted to go out with her today. I loved spending time with Gran, Jamal, and Janiyah too, but today, I just want to focus on me and Quinn.
It was funny. I had no intentions of falling for the mesmerizing woman, but I hadn’t had much choice in the matter. She was a beautiful, capable, and sometimes stubborn woman with a heart of gold. Any man in his right mind would be attracted to her.
When she came back ten minutes later, she had changed out of her usual work attire and into a soft yellow sundress that cinched at her waist, emphasizing her hourglass shape. I found it hard to focus as she helped me to her car.
“Watch your step!” she had to tell me several times. I narrowly avoided tripping over curbs and potholes as I quickly removed my eyes from her and stared at the ground instead.
“Are you okay?” She giggled once we’d finally made it to the car, though I didn’t miss the subtle look of worry that plagued her features as she looked me over. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
I was already winded as I leaned against the SUV, massaging my leg. My muscles pulled tightly, but the slight discomfort was nothing I couldn’t handle. “I’ll be fine.” I smiled. “It’s just a twinge. It’s been surprisingly tolerable in the last few weeks. This is the strongest I’ve felt since developing this illness.”
The changes were subtle, but they were there. My muscles no longer gave up as quickly under my weight, thank God.
“I’m proud of you.” She grinned, her gaze softening before she averted it. “Come on. Let’s get to that festival now!”
∞∞∞
“Thanks,” I murmured as Quinn helped me take a seat on the nearest bench. A few kids ran past as soon as we took our seats, screaming and laughing as they chased each other around. A sea of people crowded the street, all enjoying the festival’s activities, some carrying their children atop their shoulders, some couples holding hands as they walked past the stands, some families posing for pictures in front of the beautifully decorated booths that had been set up or with the staff, all dressed in traditional clothing from Greece. There were even a few rides, the lines long and filled with excited children.
The two of us had walked around for nearly an hour. I tried to push myself to go on for longer since there was a lot more that I wanted to see, but my muscles were starting to lock up and I’d been winded since the moment I stepped out of the car, so Quinn had suggested we find a place to rest for a while.
“Mm,” came her hummed response. She was too busy biting into her last souvlaki to answer. I chuckled as I watched her close her eyes and savor the taste, her brow furrowing as she groaned. “This one is the best. Definitely.”
“You said that about the Soutzoukakia and Dolmades, too.” I smirked.
We had sampled at least seven Greek dishes so far and she had claimed that at least five of them were the best that she’d ever tasted.
“Mm.” She groaned again. “We should circle back around and grab a few more of those samples before we leave. I’ll need to taste them again just to be sure and get some for the family.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying the food so much.” I snickered, watching as she pouted after taking her final bite.
“I’m enjoying the festival in general! I’ve never been to a Greek festival before so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’ve learned some interesting things about the culture today! You seem pretty accustomed to it already. Have you come to a lot of these?”
I shook my head. “Not really. My mom was Greek. The only daughter of a Greek shipping magnate. She was very proud of her culture and we visited the country yearly. She was always trying to prepare traditional Greek food too, but she wasn’t the greatest cook.” I chuckled.
“Oh, that’s–” Quinn paused, her eyes widening as she stared at a woman who was walking past us. “Mommy?” she called.
I raised my brows, watching as the woman turned to glance toward us, her own eyes widening as soon as she caught sight of Quinn. She walked toward us quickly, a wide smile growing on her face as she looked at Quinn, but Quinn didn’t share the enthusiastic expression as she stood and crossed her arms.
“Qwinny!” The woman flicked her long braids behind her, beaming at Quinn as she pulled her in for a hug. “I haven’t seen you in a while!”
My eyes narrowed as I watched them. Quinn’s usually expressive face was blank, her body completely rigid as she refused to reciprocate the hug.
“Hello, Mommy.” Her voice was monotonous. “How are you?”
