Page 112 of Dust to Dust

I gave him a sad smile. “I think I do.”

“Oh, there’s just one more thing.”

“Seriously?”

He nodded. “Quinn can’t know.”

“Kellan,” I groaned.

I didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets from Quinn. The most important part of a relationship was trust, and I would be lying to him. Well, maybe not lying, but I’d be somehow deceiving him.

“I can’t have him knowing.”

“But how can you possibly keep this from him or Dare?”

“Dare’s focus is on opening a casino, and as for Quinn, I figured we would do it on his off days.”

Furrowing my brows, I replied, “But what about the bouncers? Won’t they say something?”

“I can bribe a few to keep quiet, and it wouldn’t hurt for you to smooth things over with Brady so he thinks that you’re fine with doing private dances for me.”

“Seriously?”

He gave me a sheepish grin. “Yes.”

“You’ve really thought this out, haven’t you?”

“I have.”

Heaving a sigh, I suggested, “You think we should have a drink before we do this?”

“What would you like?”

“Well, I’m not really supposed to drink on the job.” When Kellan shot me a look, I replied, “Okay, fine. I’ll take a margarita on the rocks.”

Kellan typed something on his phone. “They’ll be here in five minutes.”

“Nice.” I motioned next to me on the couch. “Why don’t you sit down?”

“Okay.”

After he eased down beside me, Kellan leaned forward to put his elbows on his knees. He rubbed his hands over his face. Then he shifted back onto the couch.

“Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

He jerked a hand through his hair. “It’s just now that it’s come down to it, it’s hard to say it in front of you.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s personal.”

“I imagined as much.”

He grimaced. “I mean, it’s sexual.”

“Oh,” I murmured. No wonder he was having a hard time. “Don’t be embarrassed. I mean, when it comes down to it, you’ve seen me practically naked. There’s not much left between us, right?”

Kellan’s Adam’s Apple bobbed. “I tried not to watch you on the pole or when you had your top off. You know, out of respect for Quinn.”

---