Page 48 of Knox
“Not nearly as gorgeous as you,” he said appreciatively.“Wow.”
She beamed and did a little twirl, the dress swirling around her thighs.She was barefoot, which made her seem even shorter than usual.Knox towered above her, but as always, she felt nothing but safe with him here.“It smells great in here,” he said as he walked in, handing her the flowers.
She took a big whiff, still smiling.“These smell good, too.I made homemade spaghetti sauce for dinner.It’s simmering on the stove.”
“Damn.I didn’t know you could cook.”
“Maybe I can’t.You haven’t even tried it yet,” she joked.
His lips quirked, and he followed her into the kitchen.Quinn grabbed a vase, quickly arranging the flowers, then turned to find Knox watching her.“This feels like a date,” she said.
Knox grumbled.“No way.This is just practice.On our real first date, I’m picking you up and taking you out, not having you cook for me.”
“Well, practice makes perfect,” she joked.“Can I get you a drink?A glass of wine?A beer?”
“Sure, a beer sounds great.”
Quinn grabbed a beer from the fridge, handing both it and a bottle opener to him.She stretched up on her tiptoes, grabbing a wine glass, and poured herself a glass of red from the bottle on the counter.
She felt Knox’s eyes on her the entire time, a nervous fluttering filling her belly.She hadn’t even taken a sip of her drink yet, but she felt warm, a delicious buzz moving through her.Something felt different about tonight.She’d put on a pretty dress.He’d brought her flowers.
There was no denying something significant was happening between them.
Knox moved across the kitchen toward her, his dark eyes intense.
“To our fake first date,” she said, raising her glass.
She lightly clinked her wine glass to his bottle, taking a sip of the earthy red.Knox took a swig of his beer, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the movement.He licked his lips, setting his beer down on the counter.
The air between them felt electric, the chemistry they’d always had intensified even more now.
Quinn set her glass down as well.She hesitated, suddenly feeling uncertain.She was standing so close to him, needing something she couldn’t even explain.Her entire body prickled with awareness.
“I want to kiss you,” he murmured.That was the only warning she got.Knox moved closer, edging her against the counter, one big hand wrapped around her hip.His other hand cradled the side of her face, so damn gentle.Her lips parted as he ducked lower, and then he was finally kissing her.Stealing her breath.Making her his.
Quinn whimpered and yielded to him, clutching onto Knox as if he were the only thing holding her up.
The man knew how to kiss.He took his time, savoring her, and she felt a flush spreading across her skin.Kissing Knox was so good, she was sorry they’d waited this long.She’d been missing out.Her entire body pulsed with need, and the man had barely even touched her.
His tongue trailed along the seam of her mouth, and she opened to him.Knox tasted of the beer he’d just had and something darker and purely male.The stubble on his jaw rubbed across her skin, and she pressed closer, needing all of him.
Quinn framed his face with her hands, needing to be even closer to him.His gaze briefly landed on the fading red marks around her wrists.
“You’re hurt,” he murmured.
“I’m not hurt.I need you,” she said, pressing closer and winding her arms around his neck.Her breasts pillowed against his chest, and she could feel his erection against her belly.He was big.Hard.And Quinn wanted him.
“What about dinner?”he asked, gently nipping at her mouth.
“It can simmer for a while,” she said, her voice breathless.
Knox’s big hands wrapped around her waist, and he effortlessly lifted her onto the counter, edging between her thighs.He was big and broad and right there before her, and wow.She was his for the taking.
“And what about you?”he asked, his voice husky and low.
She gasped as his lips moved to her neck, sucking, teasing.Tasting.His tongue swiped over her skin, and Quinn let out a tiny cry.
“I need you,” she pleaded.
