Page 16 of Slow Kind of Love

“What if I did?”

“What did her profile say? Was she looking for a relationship or just wanting some down-and-dirty sex?”

“I don’t know,” he retorted, though it was a lie. Elise had been very clear. She wasn’t looking for a relationship, and at the time, he was fine with that. Until that first night. Until she’d managed to get under his skin so bad, he was like a horny fifteen-year-old.

“Okay. But what if she’s just using you for sex? You’ve got to admit, banging Link Major would be quite the notch in the old bedpost.”

He stopped dead in his tracks and glared at his cousin.

“She didn’t know who I was when we met, and if that were the case, she would have told people about us.”

“Ah. No one knows about you two. You’re her big secret?”

Fuck me, he inwardly grumbled, hating that the same thought had crossed his mind many times. “Not everyone posts their life on social media for the world to eat up and judge.”

Rose was silent for a few seconds. “But what if she’s just using you for sex, and good for her if she is, but I think you’re after something else entirely.”

“It’s more than that.”

“How do you know? Have you had that conversation?”

“Well, no, but…”

“See?” Rose giggled. “Even you have a but thrown in there.” She sighed and gave him a light punch in the arm. “I’m just looking out for you. I love you. You know that. But here’s the thing. I can tell there’s something different here, and she’s not a young, infatuated plastic thing who will be at your beck and call and do whatever you say. I’ve met her for all of two minutes, and I can tell she’s not a woman who will accept your excuses for not being there, or even your fibs when you’re out with your mates after blowing off plans.” She pointed toward the pavilion. “That right there is a different animal. She’s a grown woman, and I just wonder what it is you want with her.” Rose winked. “Aside from the obviously hot and wonderful sex.”

Sex.God, it had been weeks. He hadn’t been with anyone else since he’d laid eyes on Elise the previous summer. That thought alone should have made him take a step back, but he was distracted, annoyed and done with Rose being a pain in his butt. He pushed the thought away just as Elise glanced over again. They locked eyes.

For several seconds.

Long enough for Rose to elbow him and laugh. “You’re stripping her down to nothing right here in the open, and that man knows it.”

David’s dark frown gave Link the kind of satisfaction he hadn’t felt in days. Weeks, even. He’d told himself that he’d let her come to him. Told himself that he’d play that game.

But he was done playing.

“Give me a sec?” he said to Rose, disengaging her arm before she could say a word.

“Why?” she asked warily.

Link looked at his cousin. “I think it’s time Elise and I had that conversation.” He handed her the leash. “Can you mess about with Pepper while I take care of business?”

Rose chuckled as she accepted the leash. “I don’t know what you mean by messing about, but I’m sure I’ll be fine walking around and meeting some new people.” Rose’s gaze moved over his shoulder. “There are a lot of interesting types in this town.” She paused. “Do you know the man in the red-and-black plaid?”

Link followed his cousin’s eyes and shook his head. The guy was tall and well built, but not overly so. His hair was on the long side, poking out from underneath a knit hat and touching the tops of his shoulders. A thick beard covered the lower half of his face. “I don’t recognize him, but I know some of the blokes he’s with.”

“Huh,” Rose murmured as she walked past him, Pepper’s leash firmly in hand. “I might introduce myself.”

“He’s not your type.”

Rose glanced over her shoulder, a cheeky grin in place. “No, but he’ll do just fine.”

Link headed over to the food trucks and spied Poppy waiting with her stepson, Benji. She waved him over.

“Link!” Benji held fast to Elise’s dog as the fur ball lunged forward, excited to see Link. He bent down and scratched along the dog’s jaw and then behind its ears, laughing as Pancake groaned in pleasure.

“He like’s that,” the boy said.

“That he does.” Link straightened and patted the boy’s shoulder.

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