No One But You

What the fuck was I thinking?

“What am I doing?”

“You’re not even listening to me, are you?” My sister snapped down the phone. “Why are you freaking out?”

“I’m going to fuck this up and then—”

“Okay, Mr. Smart Guy. Take a breath and just relax.” She sang half mockingly and half soothingly. “You two have been sniffing around each other forever. It’s sickening really. How can two people complicate things so badly before they actually realise that they want the same thing?”

“I should’ve called Dorian.”

“Maybe, but she’d just tell you that if you hurt Quincy, she’ll kill you. In case you’re wondering? She actually said that after Quincy called freaking out about your whatever it is you guys actually are. Their words, not mine. Anyway, point is James, that you’re both freaking out about nothing and acting like absolute morons. So, if I were you I’d do something low key and sweet. Maybe turn both of your phones off and just enjoy some good one on one.”

“What? Like dinner and the cinema?”

“You’re thirty-fucking-six not sixteen.”

“Then what?” I was beginning to get irate and frustrated at her mocking nonchalance.

“It’s Quincy, Jamie. What do you know she likes?”

“Cheesy 80s music, lovey dovey films, Galaxy chocolate and red wine?”

“There you go.” Her voice softened.

“So where do I take her?”

“You have a home, do you not?”

“I don’t want her to think that—”

“Something tells me that she wouldn’t mind if that was what you were thinking.” She cleared her throat and muttered, “We are never talking or hinting at the dirty again. I do not need that in my head.”

“Got it. Thanks.” I could feel my face heating.

She had no idea of the things I actually wanted to do to her best friend. My best friend. To Quincy.

“Go chop some offal, or whatever gruesome gory thing it is you do Mr. Neurosurgeon.”

“Don’t try and sound intelligent or anything.”

“That’s your job.” She giggled. And I could imagine her rolling her eyes on an emphatic shrug. “I love you, stop overthinking, just go with it. She already loves you, God only knows why.”

Love?

Loves?

Don’t go there. Do not go there yet.

I couldn’t think about that. Just the word made my heart race, in a completely insane and sunshine kind of way. But we were both freaking out, so I’d say the love thought was something that could wait for a while.

Although, I knew I loved her. But love was complicated and we were complicated enough as it was.

But Quincy was that person. She was the one that told me when I needed to get my head out of my arse, or when I needed to look at things differently. She knew how to point things out without making someone feel like shit. She made even the crappiest of days okay. Maybe she wasn’t perfect, but she was the closest thing to it for me.

I thought I’d known everything there was to know about her, but that conversation three days ago had my jaw dropping. She’d never been one to beat around the bush, but I had no idea she’d be like that when it came to what she wanted outside of her career or Pippa. She’d always been so quiet and bashful. Even that first time I’d kissed her, behind her hormonal bravado, she’d been shy and tentative—which was why I couldn’t have taken it farther even if I’d wanted to. Which I did.

I really did, but I’d felt bad enough about being the one to give her that first kiss and then fly off. Even if it had been the best fucking kiss I’d ever had…probably up until last weekend. Then that kiss…holy fuck. How I didn’t strip her down and fuck her right there and then I had no clue. Not only was she intelligent and sassy, but despite her obvious sadness she was quite literally sex on legs. Long, toned and perfect legs.