Page 55 of Parker

The way he’d said that last part, it almost sounded…

Protective.

It also made her think he wasn’t talking about simply letting someone go. Something that—right or wrong—made her inner girly girl smile.

But on the outside, Quinn was already shaking her head. “No.” She rushed to assure him. “Of course not. Everyone was really nice and very professional.”

Because he pays them to be.

“Okay. Well, if the staff isn’t the issue, then wha—”

“It’s me.” She stared up at him. “I’mthe issue here, Parker. Not them.”

The frown he still wore appeared to be etched in stone. “I don’t understand.”

He genuinely doesn’t get it.

No, he didn’t. So Quinn tried to explain. “Personal chefs, mani-pedi spa days, designer clothes… That’s you, Parker. But this isn’t me.”

“That’s okay.”

“No.” She smiled sadly. “It’s not.”

Needing space to breathe, she stepped around him and walked to the center of the impressive entryway. Following her with only his eyes, Parker shoved his hands into his jeans and remained where he stood.

“Talk to me, Quinn. What’s really going on here?”

She turned and faced him once more. With her arms hugging her center, Quinn did her best to make him understand.

“Look, I get that, for you, this is all completely normal. But for someone like me…” She sighed. “It doesn’t matter how much makeup I wear or what the label on my clothes reads, I’m always going to be this, Parker.” A truth that left her gut tightening and her heart heavy. “I’ll always be the girl who grew up in run-down row house in the south side with parents who worried more about getting high than they did their own kid. You can’t change that. You can’t changeme.” She swallowed. “No matter how much you might want to.”

“Change you?” A flash of anger crossed over his handsome face as he yanked his hands free and marched toward her. “Is that what you think? That this was my attempt to somehow make you into something you’re not?”

“Wasn’t it?”

“No.” A muscle at the side of his jaw bulged; his wounded eyes remaining laser focused on her. “It wasn’t.”

Quinn blinked. “If that’s true, why bring in the hair patrol and the fashion police? I mean, I likedPretty Womanas much as the next girl, but this isn’t Rodeo Drive, and clearly I’m no Julia Roberts.”

Parker’s lips twitched, his footsteps faltering half a beat as he stalked toward her. When he stopped inches in front of where she stood, he explained.

“This wasn’t about me trying to change you, Quinn. In fact…” Heat filled his stare as he blatantly let it fall the length of her body. “There isn’t a single fucking thing I’d change about you.”

Quinn’s lower belly tingled, her core aching with a sudden rush of arousal. But she did her best to ignore it because she still had to know, “Then what was all of that?”

“That, was my lame attempt at surprising you with what Ithoughtwould make you happy.”

“Why?” It wasn’t his job to make her happy.

Fairly certain he’d excel at the job if you’d just let him.

Blocking out the meddlesome thought, she schooled her expression and waited for his response.

“You’ve been working non-stop these last three days, trying to find a connection between Justin and the man who came after you.”

“So have you.”

“Yes, but I’ve also had other shit that required my attention. All important things, but still. I feel bad about not getting to spend more time with you.”

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