Nick Gordon, 22, a young man many say Whitney Houston considered like a son to her, denied that he is now dating the singer's teenage daughter after numerous media reports questioned their relationship.
"We're just close,” Gordon told ABCNews.com about his relationship with Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19. “Just going through her mom's passing and grieving together."
His statements may not be enough to dispel the gossip, however, thanks to a few recent encounters. On Tuesday, TMZ released a video of the two walking hand-in-hand into Romeo's New York Pizza in Atlanta, later kissing and embracing one another.
Brown hasn't spoken about the relationship, but has been retweeting support sent to her on Twitter, including “@ndgordon media sayin its wrong what u & @REALbkBrown are doing but u 2 not even blood related soo they gettin upset 4 no reason.”
She also retweeted, “If people don't understand that's their problem. Do what makes you happy.”
Although he was not legally adopted, sources say Gordon began living with Houston and her family a decade ago due to family problems of his own. Houston’s brother, Michael, told ABCNews.com that Gordon was “like a son to (Houston).”
Gordon seemed irate about the gossip, tweeting, "For the stupid ppl out there she gave birth to 1 child. And she trusted me with EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!…She called me her" God Son." I swear some ppl in this world act like they don't have a brain…"
Brown and Gordon were apparently close before Whitney Houston's death, as Brown tweeted in November 2011 that she loved “sleeping with big brudder.”
Brown recently spoke to Oprah Winfrey about how she is dealing with her mother’s passing, commenting she had to “keep going.” She did not address her relationship with Gordon.
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