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“Fat chance,” I mutter “Gavin’s dad isn’t reasonable”
“Well, perhaps he will be this tio outside and take a walk You should get some fresh air You need a distraction”
“Speaking of distractions,” Dante interjects “My father is christening our new yacht today It’s sort of senti the boat we could have been killed on with a new one Plus, our old yacht was named after my mother And our new one is named for Reece”
This surprisesabout this But then, I’ve been wrapped up in my own problems lately Suddenly, I feel like a terrible friend
“I didn’t know any of this, D,” I tell hi it?”
Dante grins, a brilliantly white smile that is full of pure adoration as he stares at Reece
“The Sunflower”
I have to smile Kansas, Reece’s native state in America, is apparently filled with sunflowers It’s why Dante is always calling her his sunflower And I get a huge lu on the planet
“That is so sweet,” I tell hi up I’ve been so eain, I blame it on my injury That injury comes in sort of handy
“Isn’t it?” Reece asks happily “I couldn’t believe it when he told me”
I can believe it Dante adores her And I’ain envious of their relationship I feel ashah If anyone deserves it, it’s them
“So, we’re christening it today,” Dante continues “And I know it seeood distraction for you to co a little party on the boat afterward for close friends and it ood opportunity to talk with Stefan”
I stare at hilance at Quinn “Want to go?”
He shrugs and smiles “Sure Apparently, I’ve never met a party that I didn’t like”
He’s so casual and cool and collected about everything that itoff the handle and freaking out But he’s not He’s as cal Perfect opposites
“How about we go for that walk now?” Quinn asks me quietly
“Sure,” I tell him
We leave everyone else in the Great Rooardens
“Your concern for me is sweet,” he tells lance at him
“Of course I’ You can’t go hoht now You just…can’t”
He stops We’re hidden behind flower vines now, a good distance from the house beneath our own little canopy of white flowers I gulp a big mouthful of the scented air
“Is there a reason why not?” he asks huskily “Is there a reason why you want me to stay?”
I am frozen as I look into his brown eyes
There are hundreds of reasons I can’t even begin to list them
“Yes,” I say simply
And I lean up and presshis face down to meet mine I wrap my aro And at that realization, I pull away, breathless
“There is a reason It’s because I don’t ever want you to leave,” I tell hi in love with you”
Quinn sucks in his breath and pulls me back to hi waist with s and he holds me there, for what seems like an eternity I am surrounded by hisin his arhter
I kiss him until I can’t breathe
And then I tell him that I can’t breathe
He laughs and slides round
“What arin
“You’re going to figure out how to get out of this mess and stay here withto date And then you’re going to fall in love with me, too”
I stare at him
He stares back
“What otten started on that?”
I smile “Have you?”
He nods slowly “Mia, I’ve been falling in love with you for weeks”
It’s ain
And again
And again
And then one ood measure
“We’re going to live happily ever after,” I tell him
Quinn stares at ht happily ever after was just a fairy tale thing?”
I sniff “Sho much you know Besides, we live in paradise, Quinn Obviously, we live in a real life fairy tale”
“Hmm,” he answers “I didn’t realize that fairy tales had police stations and handcuffs and black eyes But I’ll take your word for it”
He grabs
“Quinn, et this sorted out”
Quinn glances at ly that you went to bat with your father I know that was hard for you”