Page 18 of Demo
“Good question,” Knox answered after a brief pause. We rolled to a stop at a light just before the entrance of campus near my dorm. “I just want to laugh and smile without having to try, and you make me do that. I had fun tonight, and I thought we could do it again. But I’m not going to beg for your attention.”
Warmed by his confession, and hoping it wasn’t a load of crap, I decided to share something with him, as well, as we pulled into a parking spot outside my dorm.
“Can I be honest with you?”
“Why start now?” he shot back.
Shocked, I let out a huff. “Oh, just forget it!” and I tugged on the door handle, flinging it open.
Knox’s hand shot out and he grabbed my wrist, tightly, then immediately loosened his grip. “Sorry … Sorry,” he said. “What were you going to be honest about?”
“Nope. Never mind.” I pulled my arm free and jumped out of the truck and slammed the door.
“No. Wait!” He hopped out and ran around the front to stop me from walking. “I’m sorry. I can’t control my sarcasm sometimes. Wasn’t trying to be an ass. Really, I want to know what you were going to say.”
Shoving my hands into my pockets, I looked down at my feet as they kicked at some loose gravel, then I looked back up at Knox. “If I’m being honest, I didn’t expect to like you as much as I do.”
A smile slowly stretched across his face. “I knew it. You’re in love with me.”
With a final eye roll, I moved to step around him as he again reached out to grab hold of my wrist, this time tenderly. “OK, look,” he said. “Just do me a favor and text me once you’re inside your room and have the door locked, so I know you made it inside safely.”
I looked from him to the door about thirty feet away. “Knox, we’re right here. You practically walked me to the door.”
“Yeah but it’s almost three-thirty in the morning now and there’s probably a bunch of drunk people wandering around. Just—” he reached around me and pulled my phone out of my back pocket, then held it up to me. I knew what he was insinuating, and after a brief standoff, I reluctantly entered my pin in the phone to unlock it “—text me once you’re inside.” I watched as he typed in my phone.
“OK! Fine!” I gave in.
We stood staring at each other for a minute. I eventually looked down, then around, then back at him only to find that his eyes never left my face. He pushed a strand of hair out of my face, this time with his finger. “Goodnight, Lyzbeth,” he said softly.
“Night, Knox,” I replied as I brushed past him and made my way toward the dorm. I bound up the few steps, and as I opened the door, I turned back around to see him leaning against his truck with his arms and feet crossed. That must be his favorite pose, I decided.
I gave a girly wave, then mentally kicked myself for doing so, and went inside. Once I climbed the two flights to my floor, unlocked the door and entered my room—which I occupied alone—I immediately started pulling my clothes off, letting out a groan as I unclasped my bra and let it fall to the floor. In just my underwear, I pulled on an old T-shirt I slept in that barely covered my lady parts, then grabbed my phone to shoot out a text to Knox.
When I saw how he entered his contact information, I did yet another eye roll, shaking my head and fighting back a smile.
Really?! Mr. Banana Hammock?
Three dots appeared almost immediately, and I pulled back the curtain of the window, which looked down on the parking lot where I left Knox. He was still standing by his truck, this time hunched over his phone. With his head cast down I couldn’t see his face, but I saw his shoulders shake with laughter.
Have you never seenFriends?
Oh, I’ve seen it. Just surprisedyouhave
I looked out and saw the shoulder shake again.
Just wait ’till you see how I entered your name in my phone ;-) And, baby, you should know I’m full of surprises
I’m sure you are … Now get in the car and go the hell home before someone runs you over
I hit send and about three seconds later saw Knox’s head snap up and his eyes dart around the building facade for a beat before they landed on me. Looking up at me in the window, a streetlamp illuminated his face, and I could see a huge smile stretch across it with bright eyes.
He looked back down at his phone, and I immediately felt mine vibrate in my hands.
You’re a bossy one.
I simply looked out at him and nodded. I saw him laugh wholeheartedly, and I did the same.
Chapter 7
