Page 14 of Knox
Knox shifted slightly, propping himself up on one elbow, shooting him a look that might have made Adrian’s knees go weak—if the movement hadn’t caused the thin blanket to fall off his shoulder and reveal the clothes he was wearing.
Baby blue pajamas with bright yellow rubber ducks on them.
Adrian burst out laughing.
He couldn’t help it. The sight of Knox, the fearsome incubus warrior, trying to look seductive in ducky pajamas was too much.
Knox frowned, looking down at himself. "Oh," he muttered, realizing his defeat. "Of course."
Adrian laughed harder. "Where did you even get those?" He struggled to form the words between fits of amusement.
"Your grandmother." Knox tugged at the pajama top self-consciously, as if he could somehow will the ducks away.
Adrian had to bite his lip to keep from laughing again.
"They’re… nice," Adrian finally managed, wiping a tear from his eye. "Very… you."
Knox shot him a look that said he knew that was bullshit. "I assure you, ducks are not my usual attire." In spite of the way he looked, the low rumble of his voice sent a shiver down Adrian’s spine. Even in those ridiculous pajamas, he managed to regain his composure rather quickly.
He was a demon born to be attractive, after all, and Adrian was not immune to his charms in the least.
"Right," Adrian said, finally stifling his laughter.
Knox shifted on the bed, settling his gaze on Adrian. Adrian looked away, but even so, he was intensely aware of Knox’s presence in the room. He’d often pictured the other man, the monster who could make people fall for him with a single glance. Adrian wasn’t surprised by his good looks, but the books had failed to describe just how good hesmelled.The faint scent of rain and something else—something spicy and musky—lingered in the air.
It was a comforting smell, a scent that made Adrian want to cuddle up under the blankets with the man who’d fallen into his life.
A thought that was scary and intoxicating all at once.
"I should probably thank you," Knox said, drawing Adrian’s gaze back to him. "For… well, for not turning me away. I realize this is all rather… unexpected."
Unexpected was an understatement. Adrian wanted to scream, to laugh, to run and hide—all at the same time. Instead, he forced himself to look into Knox’s storm-cloud eyes. They held a sincerity that startled him, a flicker of something that looked like real emotion.
"Don’t mention it," Adrian said, his voice a little rougher than usual. He cleared his throat. "It’s not like I could just leave you out there in the rain."
"Perhaps not," Knox murmured. He ran a hand through his hair. "Though I imagine it would make for an interesting chapter in your… what was it? A fictional tale?"
Adrian felt a flush creep up his neck. "It’s a novel, published in installments. A new chapter every week."
Knox nodded with a troubled look on his face. "And you enjoy this story?"
Adrian’s skin grew hotter. "It’s just a hobby."
A hobby that involved spending countless hours obsessing over a fictional demon who was now lying on his sofa bed in a pair of ducky pajamas. The absurdity of the situation threatened to overwhelm him.
"A hobby?" Knox tilted his head, studying Adrian with an intensity that made him squirm. "You have so many painting and other… what did you call it? Merchandise?"
"It’s a good story," Adrian mumbled, avoiding Knox’s gaze. "Most of the time."
He thought of the latest chapter, the one where Knox had marched into the Shadow Court, seemingly oblivious to the danger. The memory made him bristle with a mixture of annoyance and concern—a bizarre cocktail of emotions given that the object of his frustration was currently occupying his living room.
He glanced at Knox, who had a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken tension and the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.
"What the hell were you thinking marching into the Shadow Court like that?" Adrian asked finally.
Knox’s eyebrows rose. "What do you mean?"
Adrian flushed so hard he thought he was going to burn up, but he couldn’t retreat now. "The last chapter ends with you planning to confront the Shadow King without any real plan."
