Page 44 of Demo
“Okaayyyyy,” Knox put an arm around my shoulder and steered me toward the empty chairs his dad had pulled up to the table.
“Let’s get you guys a drink,” Bram said, raising a hand to flag down the waitress.
“NO!” Knox and I both shouted.
The whole table turned to look at us, and I swear someone stopped the music. We looked at each other, and I held in a chuckle as Knox stammered, “We, uh, we just, don’t really feel like drinking tonight.”
“Okaayyyy,” Bram said, sounding just like his younger brother a moment ago. “Do you have any strong objection to tacos, because we ordered a bunch for the table? But if that offends you, we could—”
“Tacos are fantastic,” I interrupted, my cheeks no doubt flushed.
“Bram was just filling us in on that site you guys secured up on the ridge,” Emily said, throwing us a bone and introducing a new topic of conversation. I gave her a tight smile, and she gave me a wink.
What was meant to be “one quick stop” ended up with a full meal and churros for dessert, but honestly, I didn’t mind. Of course, I was eager to be alone with Knox, but it was also nice to see him interacting with his family and to see what he was like in his environment.
As the night wore on, I could tell he was getting anxious to get me alone, as well. His hand would drift down to rest on my thigh or reach up to brush my hair behind my shoulder, or give my hand a squeeze on my lap. It felt so natural, and the stolen glances we gave each other between “shop talk” made me feel like we had a little secret, even though our attraction was anything but a secret to anyone who bothered to look our way.
“Well,” Knox finally said after a break in conversation, “I think we’re gonna get going.” He nodded in my direction, and I rose with him.
“Thanks so much for inviting us to join you,” I said as I accepted hugs from all his family members.
“I’m staying with Em tonight, little brother,” Bram said as we turned to walk away, and I didn’t miss the little wink and grin he gave Knox who, again, rolled his eyes, and put a hand at my back to steer me toward the sidewalk.
“They’re all really nice,” I said as he practically dragged me along.
“Mmmhmm,” he nodded, almost angrily.
“You OK?” I asked as we crossed a side street and turned a corner. I knew he lived somewhere close by, but I wasn’t exactly sure where.
“No,” Knox clipped.
“What?”
“No. I’m not OK?”
He gripped my elbow and steered me up the front stoop to his apartment building. Yanking a set of keys out of his pocket, he fumbled through them before getting the front door open, and then he gently pushed me up a narrow set of stairs.
“Did I do something?” I asked.
Knox didn’t respond as he grabbed my hips to stop me outside a door, and then he used the same set of keys to unlock that one. He pushed the door open, then put his hand at my back once again and steered me in before him. Flicking on the light, he slid the door shut, locked it, and turned to me with a predatory gaze.
We were standing in a small entryway that opened right up to a living room/kitchen/dining area, like most apartments around the city. I turned to look at the industrial-looking apartment that was all brick walls and dark accents, and heard Knox’s footsteps behind me as he slung his keys onto a nearby coffee table. They slid clear across it and fell to the floor with a noisy clang. His hands dug into the jeans on my hips as he roughly pulled my back to his front, then one hand wound around to my front, over my stomach, dragging my silky shirt halfway up as his hand grazed over my breast and lightly gripped my throat. Behind me, he panted.
“You said you’re not OK.” I forced out in a breathy rush as Knox slowly started to walk me forward, toward a short hallway that had a few doors on each side.
“Nope. Definitely not OK.” He ran his nose down the side of my neck, then nibbled my ear.
“What, uh, what’s wrong?” I stammered as the hand on my hip pulled me closer to him, and he steered me into the first room on the left.
“Wrong? Oh, I don’t know, baby, does this feel wrong?” he asked as he moved his hand from my hip and threaded his fingers through mine, then brought my palm behind me to massage his hard groin.
“Oh,” was all I could respond, turned on by his vulgarity and afraid to admit it.
Knox slowly spun me around, trapping me against a dresser, and brought his hands up to the sides of my face, and I circled my hands around his wrists. He kissed me sweetly.
“My problem,” he kissed my left cheek, “is I’ve been sitting a goddamn foot away from you …” He kissed my right cheek. “Which is too close …” He kissed my lips again. “And too fucking far away …” He trailed kisses down my neck. “And I had to sit there and watch you drink with those lips, and watch this throat of yours bob as you swallowed …” He trailed kisses back and forth along my collarbone. “And watch you lick salsa off your fingers …” He returned to my mouth and sucked my bottom lip between his teeth, releasing it as he returned to nuzzle my neck. “All the while Bram went on about fuckingGame of ThronesorThe Jersey Shoreor God only knows, because I wasn’t fucking listening …”
I chuckled at that. “He was talking aboutThe Bachelor.” I burst out in laughter as Knox harumphed into my neck. “Hand to God, Knox, he was talking about the latest episode ofThe Bachelor.”
