The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient, #2)

by Helen Hoang

Khai had no idea how to articulate his current state, so he gave his usual answer, “Okay.” “You missed kendo practice last weekend.” That was kind of a big deal. Khai never missed practice— not even when he was sick— but Esme had asked him to take her to Berkeley. And if she asked, he knew he would give her anything. If he could. “Sorry, I was busy,” he said. Quan laughed as he rubbed at his buzzed head. “Tell me about it. I’m so busy with this CEO shit I hardly have time for anything. That’s why I haven’t checked up on you before now. She’s not who I expected Mom to pick for you, but she’s great. I’m surprised you don’t like her.” Khai started to correct his brother and say he did like her, but he frowned at his drink instead. If he said he liked her, Quan would probably start matchmaking. He didn’t want that. It was hard enough to stay away from her as it was. “What don’t you like about her?” Quan asked. “She’s fun and hot as fuck.” He couldn’t answer that question. There wasn’t anything about Esme he’d change. Not a single thing. “I’m just not interested.” As he said the words, however, they felt uncomfortably like a lie. Their relationship wasn’t even physical, and he was already half addicted to her. He needed to keep them apart. For both their sakes. He dug the paperback out of his inner coat pocket and flipped through the pages with his thumb once before he caught himself. “You’re kidding me,” Quan said, pinning a disgusted look on the book. “You’re going to read wi...