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Phoebe waved him off and turned back around, purposefully ignoring Quentin’s probing gaze.

“Phoebe!” Jordan called out, reaching for her again.

“Leave me alone! I didn’t come all the way down here for you to follow me. I need to be by myself.” Phoebe continued to trek down the beach.

“There’s no one down the beach this way,” Quentin said to Jordan.

“We’ll have to watch her from here. She wants to be left alone.”

They both stood there watching Phoebe stroll down the beach.

“What do you think is wrong with her?” Jordan asked.

Quentin let out a breath and pulled a hand over his face.

“From that outburst, I would say she’s tired of being treated like a child.”

Jordan frowned. “I was just messing with her, man. I do that all the time; she’s never lashed out like this.”

“Maybe she’s tired of it. You know she’s been saying for years we need to mind our business.”

“That’s only when it involves some dude she likes,” Jordan said. Quentin didn’t respond, and Jordan pulled his eyes away from Phoebe’s disappearing form to Quentin’s emotionless face. “She’s not seeing anybody, is she?” Jordan asked.

“Nah, not that I know of,” Quentin responded.

Jordan cast his eyes back down the beach. “She’s gotta be seeing someone. I’ll find out,” he promised.

There was a brief moment when Quentin sized Jordan up, but just as quickly he shook the possible confrontation from his mind. He was going crazy. In his heart, Quentin knew Phoebe was the one, and tonight he’d crossed the line with her, but he was unapologetic. There were only two things he could do. Have what he knew would be an unpleasant interaction with his best friends, or leave Phoebe alone. Neither of those options were satisfactory for Quentin.

“I’m going to get closer, I can barely see her now,” Quentin said.

“Hey,” Jordan called out.

Quentin glanced back to him.

“Make sure she’s all right, and bring her back.”

Quentin nodded, turning his stroll into a steady jog.

Phoebe stood still with the wind against her face, catching her hair in its swiveling currents. Her outburst had been a first, but it had been brewing a long while. What could she say, Phoebe was severely frustrated, and it was time they all knew it.

“I told you to leave me alone,” she said, keeping her eyes on the crashing waves at the shoreline.

“You know I can’t,” Quentin said.

Phoebe closed her eyes, and her heart raced.

“You should,” she said. “Playing this song and dance with you doesn’t work for me, Quentin. I’ve never been one to play around, so you really should just leave me alone.”

With her eyes evading him, Phoebe sucked in a breath when a cloud of warmth hovered over her. She knew he was standing behind her, but she wasn’t prepared for his touch. Again, her eyes shut when his hands tread across her shoulders. Her body betrayed her, instantly rising with arousal. His arms followed, engulfing her in the sanctuary of his chest. His lips dropped down to her ear, and his warm breath toasted her against the cool sailing winds.

Phoebe tried to gain her strength. “You may want to be careful touching me. I’d hate for someone to see you.”

Quentin turned her to face him. “They only want what’s best for you,” he said. “I only want what’s good for you, too.”

Phoebe’s smile was cynical. “I guess this is the part where you tell me, you’re no good for me, right?”

Quentin pushed out another breath. “You have to understand, Phoebe, your brothers and I have been through a lot together. I will never be good enough for you in their eyes.”

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