Quinn groaned.“I’ve made a mess of this.I didn’t even think about your family.As soon as he looked at me, I knew I had to make it clear to him that I’m not available.”
They’d reached the line where visitors from Wildstone and the Citadel were gathering.Heath turned to face her.
“Did you see the look on his face?Because he’s not accepting this without a fight.”
“Yes, I saw.I just wish I understood why it’d be important for him to marry a total stranger.Because there’s no doubt in my mind that’s what’s on his mind.”Quinn glanced at Heath, her expression worried.“What’s in it for him?”
The need to protect her surged inside Heath again.He’d experienced it a few times over the course of their friendship, but nothing like this.And not at all like this sense of losing himself in those beautiful hazel-green eyes.His gaze dropped to her pink mouth, making his pulse quicken.Not for the first time, he wondered what it would feel like to kiss her.He looked up to her eyes.
They’d grown hooded, and her lips parted almost as though in invitation.Was she feeling this too?The little voice that’d been keeping him from asking her out urged him to back off.He’d only get hurt.Heath glanced to the side and noticed the cashmere coat and found the duke-let surreptitiously watching them.
Dang.It probably looked like Heath had been about to kiss Quinn, and he’d turned away.He faced her again.
“Heath?”she asked, sounding confused.
He did the only thing he could.He kissed her.
It was only supposed to be a peck, but as soon as their mouths touched, everything changed.His senses turned hyperaware, the pleasant floral fragrance she liked enhancing the sweetness of her lips.She tasted like the strawberries they’d had for dessert.He pulled her closer.
Quinn seemed to melt against him, sliding her hand up to cup his jaw.He deepened the kiss.
“Heath?”Coop’s voice called with a note of censure which brought Heath back to himself.
They broke apart.Good grief.What had Heath done?Quinn met his gaze, wide-eyed, her cheeks flushed, which brought out the freckles on her nose.He gave it a quick peck and muttered, “It was for the duke-let.”
Before she could look for the guy, Heath turned her toward the approaching Coop and Lia.He put his arm around Quinn’s shoulders and tried to make eye contact with his sister to indicate their little royal audience behind them.
Coop’s confused expression and the crease between his brows showed he might not approve of the kiss.Did that mean he didn’t think Heath and Quinn would make a good couple?Or did the big guy think Heath was taking advantage of her?
Fortunately, Lia seemed to understand something was going on and whispered to Coop.He scanned the crowd and nodded.
“That was a close call,” Quinn muttered.
“Yeah, I hope this doesn’t get me killed.”
She chuckled, waving them over.“At least we can tell them the truth.”Quinn pulled the camera from her bag.“But heaven help me if we have to kiss again.”
“Yeah,” Heath agreed wholeheartedly, though he sensed she might be feeling a little differently about it than he was.
Quinn’s handstrembled as she pulled a lens from the bag.That kiss had just flipped her world upside down.Sure, she’d always thought Heath Savage was cute in his nerdy way, and maybe she’d dreamed of kissing him a few times.But those had not prepared her for the real thing.
For pity’s sake!How did a guy who spent so much of his time in front of a computer monitor get to be such a good kisser?Not that it mattered.She’d decided long ago that her career would come first.Guys were a distraction she didn’t need.Quinn glanced at where Heath was talking to his sister and brother-in-law.And what a distraction.
“We also have festivals in Glenloria,” Viktor said from behind her.“I would love to show you, Your Roy?—”
“Don’t say it,” Quinn hissed, spinning to glare at him and hitting his chest with the long lens.
His two bodyguards moved in, and Heath was at her side again in a flash.Viktor raised a hand, and his men stopped.
“My apologies.I have come to think of you this way because of how your father speaks of you.”
“Myfatherlives in Seattle, and he would never make the mistake of calling methat.”She put as much disgust as she could in the word, glad when Viktor frowned.Quinn raised the camera and took a couple of quick shots of him.
“Wait.I was not prepared.”The viscount went into a typical pose with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes while the bodyguards stepped out of the shot.“Now you may take my photograph.”
“Sorry.I do impromptu shots.I’ll get one or two posed ones but not now.”Quinn took Heath’s hand and headed toward Lia and Coop.
“You would make a good paparazzo then,” Viktor said, hurrying to catch up.“I believe they purposefully take the most unflattering pictures.”
