Love Me (WITSEC #3)(8)

One hour. No more, I told myself and made myself walk.

As I approached my house, I saw Knox sitting on the steps leading up to my porch, drinking from a coffee mug. Walking toward him across my lawn, I pulled my earbuds out. “Did I wake you when I left this morning?”

“I went to check on Keelan and you weren’t there. Did you have a nightmare?”

I shook my head. “I woke up and my brain wouldn’t let me fall back to sleep. I figured a run would help me clear it.”

“Did it help?” he asked as he brought the mug to his mouth to take a sip.

I nodded.

“How long did you run for?”

“I only let myself run for an hour.”

Knox stood. “You’re allowed to run for however long you want. As long as you’re not running to avoid dealing with things.”

“I know. But it’s so easy to cross that line—to chase the pain that I can control versus feeling the pain I cannot. So for now, I’m going to take baby steps.”

Understanding, he nodded. “Want breakfast?”

I fought to not smile and failed. “Does breakfast come with stipulations?”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “I need my sacrificial lamb.”

I laughed. “They’re not that bad.”

“With you, they’re not that bad. With Keelan and me…well, let’s just say I’ve been told to fuck off more times than I can count.”

I snorted and started up the steps, passing him. “I’ll be over after I shower.”

He grabbed my hand, stopping me as I reached the top of the porch. I spun around, finding myself taller than him for once with him standing on the bottom step. He didn’t seem to like that and moved up a step, bringing us to equal heights. He leaned close as he pulled me to the edge. I knew what he intended. At least, my heart did. Why else would it be beating a million beats per minute?

His lips were a breath away from mine when I blurted, “I’m all sweaty.”

He pulled back enough to meet my eyes and I could see the incredulous look he wore.

My cheeks became hot. “You don’t care?”

“No,” he said simply.

“Right, ignore me,” I mumbled as I fisted the front of his shirt and touched my lips to his.

At first, his mouth stretched into a smile against mine, and then he returned my kiss. The kiss was short and chaste. I wasn’t all right with that. For too long he had held back from me. Now that he was mine, I’d stretch these moments for as long as he would let me. Before he could get too far, I recaptured his mouth and the first thing I did was suck his bottom lip between mine. The moment I grazed my teeth over it, he let out a guttural noise and his hand went to the back of my head. The way he kissed me back was anything but chaste. It was demanding and skilled in a naughty way. Especially his tongue. Gosh, that tongue was muddling my brain with the way it was stroking mine. Normally, I tried to give as good as I got, but found my resolve fading fast.

His hand flattened on my stomach before he broke away. It was probably for the best. My knees had been moments away from buckling. If I hadn’t been holding onto his shoulders, they probably would have given out sooner. Feeling his hand still pressed against my stomach, I realized that I was leaning very far over the steps. He took another step up, moving me to stand upright and safely on the porch as he did. “Go shower,” he ordered as he dropped his hand from my stomach and made his way back down the steps.

I put my hands on my hips as I watched him walk back to his house. “Because I was already going to take a shower, I’ll let that little bossy moment slide.”

He smirked over his shoulder. “I don’t care what you have to tell yourself as long as you do as you’re told.”

My mouth fell open. For a moment I was speechless. Then a mischievous smile pulled at the corners of my mouth. “Just for that, I’m going to take a longer shower. I’m feeling really dirty and there are certain areas that might need extra attention.”

Knox paused just before entering the house. I noticed his smirk hadn’t wavered as he glanced at me. “Well, if there is a need, make sure you’re thinking of me.”

Knox went inside, leaving me standing there, gaping.





I took a fast shower. Deciding to do my makeup after breakfast, I put on an olive-green sundress with cap sleeves and nude wedges I found in my closet. Leaving my hair down to air-dry, I headed next door.

Keelan was sitting at the kitchen island drinking coffee when I walked in. Noticing me, he said with a tired smile, “You look beautiful.”

I passed him, heading for the coffee maker. “Thank you.”

Knox, who was cooking at the stove, turned and his eyes looked me up and down. “That was quick.”

I stiffened for a breath before I pulled a mug from the cabinet and began filling it with coffee. “I’ve had a lot of practice getting myself…” I trailed off on purpose and turned back around with a filled mug in hand. As I passed him, heading toward the fridge to get the creamer, I finished, “Clean.”

I knew I had won when I caught the corner of his mouth lifting before he turned back toward the stove.

“Wow,” Keelan said, drawing our attention. With his good elbow on the counter, he rested his chin on his fist as he stared at me with awe. “I don’t know if I should be proud at how brazenly you delivered that or sad that you didn’t blush.”