“Hi,” I manage to say, my voice betraying just a hint of the nerves I’m trying to hide.
His grin spreads wider, like he’s been waiting for this moment all day. “Hi. You look beautiful.”
A dimple pops up on one of his cheeks, and how did I not see that before? Now it’s all I can see.
“So do you.” I say it before I can stop myself, not bothering to pretend I’m not a little awkward. My aunt’s snort from the couch yanks me back to reality. Oh, right, she’s still here. Wonderful.
Knox doesn’t seem phased, though. He extends his hand, the other holding up an umbrella to shield us from the relentless rain. “Shall we?”
I don’t hesitate. “Yes, please. Bye, Aunt Rose!” I call out behind me.
“Bye, Rose. I’ll have her back by curfew,” Knox teases.
She waves but I barely notice, because the second I step outside, he takes my hand without hesitation, his fingers wrapping around mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world. My heart stumbles. Just once. Maybe twice.
He walks me to his truck and opens the passenger door. I climb in, and before I can even reach for the seatbelt, he’s leaning in close enough for his cologne to wrap around me. Hishand brushes against my ribs as he buckles me in, his jaw ticking like he’s trying not to look at my mouth. The buckle clicks into place, and then he steps back, shutting the door with a gentleness that doesn’t match the strength in his frame.
I blink, momentarily stunned. This is a first. No one has ever thought to make sure I’m settled in before shutting the door, let alone buckling me in. It’s so unexpectedly sweet.
If his goal was to make me fall hard for him, he could’ve just handed me a snack and called it a day. But no, he had to go full chivalrous gentleman on me.
He sprints through the rain to the driver’s side, shaking the umbrella before tossing it into the backseat.
“Ready?” he asks.
I don’t answer right away. Instead, I take in the spark in his eyes, the way the rain’s glistening on his skin. When I’m ready, I nod. “Take it away, Captain.”
His grin widens, that mischievous glint flickering in his eyes. He shifts the truck into gear, his palm landing casually on the center console. He doesn’t say a word, doesn’t push, but the invitation to hold his hand again is there. It’s up to me.
Like there was ever a choice.
Without a second of hesitation, I slide my hand into his. The instant our fingers tangle together again, there’s a sigh inside me, like a long-held breath finally released. His hand is warm and rough in all the right places, but it fits perfectly against mine. The way his thumb strokes lightly over the back of my hand is intimate in a way that has nothing to do with lust and everything to do with connection.
I swear, nothing has ever felt more natural. More right.
After a winding drive that seems to stretch on forever, we finally round a bend and Knox’s mountain home comes into view. It’s something straight out of a storybook. Nestled against a wild expanse of towering pines, it looks less like it wasrecently built and more like it’s always existed. The dark timber logs and solid stone blend seamlessly with the landscape, like the house itself was carved from earth.
My gaze drifts to the wide wooden porch stretching across the front, practically begging for slow mornings with coffee in hand and late nights wrapped in a blanket. Beyond the house, the mountains rise up, bold and unyielding. It’s breathtaking. So perfectly still that it seems too unreal to be true.
A little slice of heaven.
I can’t help the awe that spreads through me. “This is your place?”
“Aye, it is,” he says.
I shake my head, still taking it all in. “It’s remarkable. Truly.”
He nods, the pride in his expression unmistakable. “Thank you. This was another one of my projects. Had it built a few years ago. I love it out here.”
His thumb brushes the back of my hand one last time before he shuts off the engine. “Let’s head inside. We’ve got dinner plans.”
Before I can even think about reaching for the door handle, he’s already moving, swift and sure, jogging around to my side of the truck with the umbrella in hand. I let him help me out of the truck, his hand steady on mine and guiding me as I step onto the soggy ground.
His touch lingers just a little longer than necessary as he leads me up the porch steps. The whole scene unfolds in slow motion, and with each step, I draw closer to him, more aware of his presence than ever before. His large hand rests on the small of my back, sending little flutters through me. It’s a calm kind of touch, but there’s a buzz in the air, too.
He unlocks the door, his hand falling away from me just ashe gestures for me to step inside. I hesitate for a moment, my breath caught in my chest. I was wrong before.Thisis heaven.
As I step into the entryway, my gaze is immediately captured by the floor-to-ceiling windows. They frame the view flawlessly, the mountains stretching out in the distance, their peaks brushed by the soft light, while a shimmering lake nestles between them. The room feels alive with the golden light spilling across the polished wooden floors, casting everything in a soft, inviting glow.
