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Quentin laughed a deep thunderous guffaw.

“You find that absolutely too funny for my taste.”

Quentin’s hand slipped up the side of her face, and he pulled her in, kissing her lips softly. “I don’t mean anything by it, I promise.” They shivered from the heat of their mouths. “I love it when you put on that face. It lets me know when I’m in trouble, and that you mean business.”

Dreamily, Phoebe asked, “What face is that, show me?” She wanted to see his imitation of her.

Quentin straightened his posture and dropped the smile, giving Phoebe slightly narrowed eyes and a firm voice. “I’ll have you know,” he mimicked, “I can outrun you, and anybody representing your fitness center in these heels any day.”

His voice was Foxy Brown, like that of Pam Grier. Quentin threw his head back and roared, and Phoebe sucker punched him in the arm as a smile spread across her lips.

“There’s another one you do, I call it your lawyer look.” Quentin chuckled. “When you relax your face, and give a sultry stern glare to the jury.” Quentin straightened his posture again:“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the prosecutor would have you believe that my client was responsible for initiating the encounter that cost a young man his life. It’s a serious heinous crime, and the person behind it should be punished to the full extent of the law, but fortunately, that is not Dr. Daniels, and I will tell you why.”

Quentin’s voice held a no-nonsense tone, and he moved his head from one angle to the next as if he was locking eyes with each jury member in his fantasy courtroom. As Phoebe watched him, she couldn’t help but laugh; everything he’d done was on point. Quentin reached out and tugged her nose, and Phoebe fell into his chest.

“So you’ve been watching me closely, huh?”

The limo pulled up in front of an Italian restaurant and put the car in park.

“I’ve always watched you closely.”

Phoebe scooped her arms underneath his dreads, tightening them around his shoulders. At the same time, Quentin returned the warm embrace, and for a moment, they sat and held one another.

“Are you ready to eat, my lady love?” he asked.

“Sure,” she said, “whatever you want.”

Quentin squinted at Phoebe. “You will learn not to say such things to me.”

“Why, it’s how I feel. Like you could take me down a road blindfolded, and I would go because I trust you.”

Quentin drew back to stare into Phoebe’s eyes. They were low and dreamy holding a midnight glaze.

“Do you really trust me?”

He needed to know; it wouldn’t be surprising if she didn’t with the way her brothers reacted to them dating.

“Until you give me a reason not to, I’ll always trust you, Quentin.”

He gazed into her eyes, but his thoughts traveled to Cindy. Was it important to tell Phoebe that he’d once had a physical relationship with her? It was something he considered a part of his past. There was no relationship now. So why did it matter? What’s in the past was just that, the past. Considering that for a moment longer, Quentin decided to let it go. The door to the limo opened and with Phoebe in his lap they virtually got out at the same time.

Hand in hand, they strolled inside for a romantic dinner to finish the night. But Phoebe couldn’t help but notice the slight hesitation in Quentin’s eye when she’d mentioned him giving her a reason to distrust him. The way her gut squeezed even though it was just a tiny bit, left a little gloom inside that she didn’t want to recognize.

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