Page 38 of Child of Mine

After what feels like an interminable, awkward pause, I say, “Listen,” at the exact same moment that he says, “You know—”

He holds out his hand to me. “You go ahead.”

Tell him,Izzy pleads.

But I can’t seem to get the words out.

Finally, he lifts a hand between us. “I know what you’re going to say.”

“You do?”

He nods. “Swooping in and picking you up without asking permission was totally out of bounds.”

Since that’s not at all what I was going to say, I just shake my head. “It was fine. I’ll be fine. It’s all… fine.”

He laughs. “So, you’re… fine.”

“Uh. Yeah.”

You’re just so sex-starved you’ve lost your native language,Quinn mutters.

Stop talking about sex!Izzy says.

He nods, perusing the cabin. “Layout’s same as ours. Except there, James’s crap is everywhere.”

“Yeah, I, uh… got lucky with a single room.”

Which means you could get lucky with him,Quinn sing-songs.

Not without telling him first,Izzy says.Right?

Our long-lost libido can be found again,Quinn says.

Not without telling him—

It’s only when a cool, dry palm lands on my damp, hot forehead that I realize I’ve screwed my eyelids shut.

“Bella, are you in pain?”

Yes,Quinn moans.I’m aching for your touch.

“No, I’m… just…”

If you’re not going to tell him, just ask him to leave, and then we’ll all calm down,Izzy says.

I open my mouth to do just that, but what comes out is, “I could use a little distraction. I think there’s a deck of cards…” I lean over, open up the drawer of my bedside table, and pull out the deck I noticed when I unpacked.

“Sure.” He takes the cards from me.

And then I realize my mistake.

There’s no chair in this room!Izzy gasps.And the other bed is way across the room.

He can sit on the bed, Quinn says with a smirk.

N-no, he can’t—that’s too… Izzy stutters.

“I’ll just—” Awkwardly scooting sideways, I make room on the bed. “You can… sit.”

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