Page 18 of Possessed By Knox
“You’re not wrong about the trophies, but I didn’t get them from thumb wrestling competitions,” I say, amused by the prospect. “I’m in my final year of college, studying aerospace engineering.”
He whistles, seemingly impressed, as everyone is when I tell them what I do. I wait for the questions that typically follow, prep myself to answer them, but he just says, “Well, if you ask me, I think you’d make a great addition to the thumb wrestling community.”
I laugh, and this time, I make no effort to hide my amusement as I throw my head back and let it out. I’m still laughing when he leads us down a narrow alley. The hum of the city fades as the brick walls close in, and I catch the smell of something delicious, like garlic and roasting meat. Knox stops at a heavy wooden door, almost hidden like a shadow, and pushes it open. Warm light spills out, revealing a cozy, intimate space.
“This is a hidden gem,” he says, his hand tightening on mine as we walk in. “Discovered it by chance one day. I’ve never brought anyone here else here before.”
I’m still processing that when someone calls out to him, and when I look up, I spot a woman across the room with long, flowing white hair and eyes that sparkle with mischief. Her skin is a beautiful, rich brown and her features are striking. She must be around sixty, maybe a little older, but her eyes are bright and there’s such grace in her movements as she walks across the room. “I see you finally followed my advice and got yourself a pretty little thing.”
I should be offended by the objectification, but the way she says it, with such warmth, has me smiling instead. Knox puts out a hand in greeting before he’s yanked into an embrace, and I find myself getting pulled into one as well. God, she’s strong too.
“Hello there, Mrs. T,” Knox says, chuckling when we all break apart.
“I’ve been wondering what’s kept you away, and now that I know, I’m not too mad at you,” she says, turning to me. “Did this boy tell you that I practically raised him?”
“Raised?” I turn to Knox, who’s the furthest thing from a boy. “You just said you discovered the place by chance.”
“Yeah, well, I was fourteen.”
“With a mood so foul and an attitude to match,” the woman says with a laugh before pushing us to an empty table. “Now sit, sit.”
I take a seat across from Knox and stare up at the man who’s shown me more good bits about this city than I saw in the first eighteen years of my life, and I realize with overwhelming anxiety that I just lost the freaking bet.
***
I’m still reeling from that realization when we finish our pizza and Knox suggests a walk along the Lakefront Trail, and I allow myself to fall even deeper for the man as we walk along the beach and have ice cream. When the sun is fading, he turns to me and says, “Your sister and Ransom should be back at the clubhouse now.”
I haven’t thought about Abby or her boyfriend for hours. Heck, the thought of breaking them apart barely crossed my mind all day, and his words feel like a bucket of cold water. My throat closes up at the thought of parting from Knox, and words become a chore to get out so I simply nod.
The ride to the clubhouse passes by way too fast, and I start wringing my hands as we walk up to the door. It’s a habit I dropped years ago, one that started as a sign of my anxiety before a major test and now…what am I so nervous about?
Two days! That’s how long I’ve known this man. Sure, I’ve felt his hands on me, breathed the air from his lungs, and shared a meal with him, but that’s no reason to feel this way, so I try to hide it from him by sliding my hands into the pockets of my jeans.
We walk silently to the elevator and step in. I wait for him to press the button for the fourth floor, where Ransom and Abby’s apartment is, but instead, his finger touches the number eight. My heart jumps to my throat, but I don’t question it. I already know where this is headed. I’ve known for a while now.
Despite the roaring in my head, neither of us speaks until the elevator doors open to reveal a wide hallway with rows of four doors on each side. Knox takes my hand, leading me downthe brightly lit hallway to the last door. He takes out a set of keys and slides one in the door before pushing it open, but he doesn’t step in.
“Is this okay?” he asks, turning to look at me, and I gasp at the burning intensity in his eyes, a fire that leaves me feeling hot all over. “I’m not ready to give you up yet. And if I’m not wrong, I have a bet to collect on.”
“You do,” I whisper, my eyes crossing to the open door and into a living room beyond.
“Abby and Ransom will just have to wait.”[KB27][KB28]
“Actually, they’re not back yet,” I admit. “Abby told me that she and Ransom had a date tonight and would be out late.”
“But you let me bring up you here.” It’s not a question.
I nod, swallow. “Yeah.”
Everything he needs to know is in that single word, and he nods once before he pulls me into the apartment. He kicks the door shut behind us and there’s a sense of urgency in his steps as he walks me down a small corridor and pushes through a door to the left. My eyes fall on the massive bed in the center of the room, moonlight filtering in through the window, but I’m allowed only a brief glance before his mouth is on mine.
He had a single glass of wine tonight, and I just drank water, so why the hell do I feel lightheaded? He kisses my mouth like he’s a man drowning and I hold the air he needs to make it shore. It drives me crazy, tears through my mental defenses, and leaves me wanting more.
I whimper when he tangles his fingers into my hair and grips hard, tilting my head up as he deepens the kiss, pushing his body against mine so I can feel the hard press of his erection. “Fuck,” he growls, breaking the kiss to trail his mouth over my jaw and then down my neck. “What have you done to me?”
“The same thing you’re doing to me.” I gasp when he nibbles at my earlobe before kissing the sensitive spot behind it. “Knox—”
“I want you,” he growls, grabbing the top of my shirt and yanking down hard, sending buttons flying all over. He reaches back with one hand and tugs at the clasp of my bra before dragging it down my arms along with the shirt. “I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to you.” He attacks my jeans next with just as little effort, leaving me in nothing but my panties. “You are so fucking hot, little bird.”
