Page 59 of Never Sleep with the Enemy

“Are we cool?” he asks.

“What?”

“Are we cool?” he repeats. “You and me?”

“I don’t know.” I stand back, my arms crossing over my chest. “You tell me.”

“It’s just, uh...” He straightens his leather jacket on his shoulders, it having ruffled up on impact. “You kinda made me feel like an asshole in there. With the dad comment.”

My chest tightens. “Yeah, I didn’t... I didn’t mean...”

“And you snapped at me at the wedding, too.”

“Yeah. That was?—”

“Let me finish first. Please.”

I press my lips together and nod.

Knox takes a moment to catch his breath. “I’m sorry,” he says, his eye contact warm and genuine. “I didn’t mean to be a dick.”

“You’re right to worry, I guess,” I say slowly. “But last night really was an innocent mistake.”

He looks at me, thinking hard. “It was?”

“Of course.”

“Then there’s nothing going on between you and Logan?” he asks. “I mean, he crashed the wedding. He danced with you. Now he’s pulling you up on stage at his show. It’s a lot, and I don’t like it.”

“No,” I answer, my chest pinching. “There’s nothing going on between me and Logan.”

It hurts to lie, but is it a lie?

Can a kiss really be just a kiss?

“Good.” Knox’s stance relaxes a bit, and he smirks. “Doesn’t feel good on the top ofGossipa,does it?” he jokes.

I chuckle. “Nope.”

“Been there a few times lately myself.” He looks me over with his own unique brand of brotherly pride. “Anything else going on with you lately? Feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”

“Actually, I’ve been working on some new songs,” I say.

“Oh, yeah?”

“I’d love to show them to you. If you want to follow me back, we can have some lunch and?—”

“No can do today,” he says. “Harmony’s got us down for a couple’s massage.”

“Oh.” A familiar lonely rock settles in my stomach. “Okay, well. I guess I’ll just go home and rest, like Jordan said. Practice my parts and keep ignoring the internet for a while longer.”

Knox chuckles. “Solid plan.” His smile dips, his eyes turning serious. “And if Logan tries anything again, you let me know. I’ll kick his ass. Again.”

I roll my eyes as I yank my car door open. “Okay, Knox.”

“I’m serious,” he says, shifting out of the way of the door. “You’re off-limits! Anyone even thinks of putting their grubby hands on my little sister, they’ll have to answer to me.”

I start the car and pause, giving him a wave and blowing a kiss before driving home.

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