A static frisson charged the air that hadn’t existed a minute before.
Having Knox’s eyes on me felt…good.
He gave me a small head nod, then his gaze slid away, and I was relegated back into invisibility.
What a strange response to have to that man.
“Let me give you a tour,” Eric said as he led Knox away.
Knox glanced back over his shoulder once and caught my eye, which made me blush and quickly look away.
As soon as they were out of hearing range Emerald said, “Well, he’s going to be a gloomy one, I can tell. He might be hot as hell, but he didn’t even say hi to us.”
“He gave a little head nod. Maybe he’s tired from his trip.”
Emerald laughed. “Maybe…”
He was hot.Hotterthan hell.
But that didn’t matter much in my life. It was what was inside that counted. At least for me.
Knox looked like the perfect guy to have a wild fling with, but he wouldn’t beanyone’sfuture husband.
He had the air of a wild animal about him, completely in control but capable of feral acts.
I studied the man as he walked away, grateful that I hadn’t needed to speak. My words would have come out all twisted and tangled. I had aparticularlyhard time talking to handsome men. The better-looking they were, the less I could articulate coherently.
Emerald poked me. “Are you looking at his ass?”
“Most definitely not!” I told her, flushing to the roots of my hair. “And you better not be either. You’re a married woman.”
She laughed, “I only have eyes foroneass now.”
I knew she was completely smitten with her man. No other guys existed in her world anymore. I wanted that kind of love affair.
The kind where you meet someone and instantly know they’re theone.
Knox wasdefinitelythe one… for a quick tumble in bed.
Too bad I was so shy I’d never do something like that. I missed out on a lot in life because of my shyness. I glanced back at his retreating form, soaking in the sight of him while he couldn’t see me watching.
Chapter 2
Knox
I slipped away from the party and into the shadows of the cool, wintry night. My eyes were adjusting to the dark out here, and I felt mostly blind right now looking out at the inky outline of the woods beyond the deck.
This mountain might be the darkest place I’d ever been. The only light for miles came from inside the house. And that was the one place Ididn’twant to be.
Eric meant well, but he was a little too earnest, like one of those guys still living out his football years long after they were over. Except in his case, it was his military years.
The guy had greeted me on his front steps wearing an Army Ranger 75th Regiment battalion sweatshirt and a matching cap, his dog tags hanging visible around his neck.
Then tonight he’d trotted out a whole crew of ex-military buddies. And now that everyone had a few beers in them, the military stories were starting to come out.
It was the last thing I wanted.
Tonight I was bone-tired and shell-shocked from the rapid change to civilian life. I just needed some time alone to sort my head out.
