“I’m Josie,” I say, because the silence is suddenly heavy in the best kind of way, and I want,need, to fill it.
He doesn’t offer a hand. Doesn’t tell me his name right away. Just tilts his head, watches me like I’m another dish he’s carefully assembling, waiting to see how I’ll taste.
“Knox,” he says finally. “Good to meet you, Josie.”
I take a bite of the taco, and holy hell, it’s fireworks. Sweet, spicy, tangy, and perfect. It shuts me up for a solid ten seconds.
He watches every moment of it.
And when I finally swallow, he leans forward just a little, voice low.
“Careful. I cook like I mean it.”
I finish the taco and hand him the empty plate, licking a bit of glaze from my thumb before I even think about it. His eyes track the motion like it’s a sin, further flaming the heat deep inside of me.
“Okay,” I say, trying to quell my rising passion, “that was stupid good.”
Knox shrugs, casual and cocky. “Told you.”
Someone behind me calls out an order, and he turns to flip food on the grill. The scent of caramelizing meat and charred peppers fills the air. It shouldn’t be sexy.
It really is.
“So,” I drawl, folding my arms and leaning against the edge of his booth. “Where do you sell this food?”
He tosses a smirk over his shoulder. “Nowhere around here.”
The answer is vague enough that it lets me breathe. Seems like he’s just passing through, perhaps working booths at markets all over the state. Who knows? No roots. No strings. Just a stranger with perfect hands and a voice I want in my ear.
“And you?” he asks, his gaze slicing back to mine like he already knows.
I match his tone, also wanting to be mysterious and alluring. “Just checking Silver Peaks out.”
He nods like that’s all he needs to know.
Interesting.
His gaze dips, just for a heartbeat, towards my lips, which are now, somehow, tingling like crazy.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Mia’s encouragement to throw caution to the wind is really getting to me. I didn’t expect my homecoming to be quite likethis.
“Here. Have a napkin.”
His hand grazes mine.
Just that. A touch. Bare skin to skin.
But it’s enough to make me inhale like someone lit a match beneath my ribs.
And heknows.
What is this man trying to do to me?
CHAPTER TWO
Josie
