When I didn’t say anything more, I felt Knox’s gaze piercing me. I sensed there was a question burning the tip of his tongue. “What?”
His eyes remained focused on me as he leaned in closer. “I’d like to know what prompted you to get on birth control?”
I’d made the mistake of taking a sip of wine when the words were coming out of his mouth and I choked. I took another drink, trying to stop the spasms, but it took a minute to get under control. He was still watching me, clearly waiting for my answer.
I opted to go with the truth. “Peer pressure.”
The answer didn’t seem to go over well because his green eyes bored into me. “Explain.”
I smiled, ensuring he understood it wasn’t anything nefarious. “Siobhan mentioned going to the clinic because her birth control had run out. She asked if I was good on mine. I didn’t know what to say and the next thing I knew, I was getting birth control pills.”
Kieran’s chuckle eased some of the tension.
Knox’s gaze cut to Kieran before returning to me. “You were a virgin.”
“Yes. I was.” I nodded, laughed through the discomfiture consuming me. “Taking birth control pills didn’t make me not one. And I figured, you know … one day I wouldn’t be. Better to be safe than sorry.”
I took another drink of wine, pretended my ears weren’t flaming. I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation with them.
I noticed Knox and Kieran looking at one another. They seemed to be sharing another silent conversation, something they often did.
“Just whatisthe nature of your relationship?” I prompted, glancing between the two of them.
Both their heads turned, a set of blue eyes and a set of green eyes boring into my face. I couldn’t read either of their expressions.
“You’re more than just business associates,” I continued, watching them carefully.
Knox was the first to look away, his gaze swinging to Kieran’s. They shared another of those silent conversation looks before Knox exhaled.
“I think we’ll table that discussion for another day.” He peered at his watch. “It’s getting late.” His attention returned to me. “Regardless of your decision about school, morning comes early.”
I smiled, amused by the fact that Knox Montgomery expected me to go to bed at eight o’clock.
~~~~
Knox
“How do you plan to explain thenature of our relationship?” Kieran asked when we arrived back at the apartment after dropping Emily off.
I’d been tempted to stay with her tonight, but I knew she would’ve gotten little to no sleep. Considering the decision she needed to make, I’d opted to give her some time and space to mull it over without me pressuring her one way or the other.
I couldn’t promise I would do the same tomorrow.
“I figure the show-not-tell method would be more appropriate,” I told him. “When the time’s right, we’ll reveal it to her.”
Kieran’s gaze was hot when he looked my way.
“What?” I smirked. “Did you think I was going to keep it from her?”
“It had crossed my mind.”
I poured a crystal tumbler with two fingers of scotch, went to one of the burgundy leather sofas, took a seat. “What happened when you and Emily returned to her apartment earlier?”
Kieran wasn’t looking at me, but I saw the devious smile that pulled at his full lips. He didn’t respond quickly, rather pouring his own scotch before taking a seat on the sofa opposite mine. He crossed an ankle over his knee, mirroring my posture. He was clearly going for nonchalant, and he probably would’ve pulled it off if it weren’t for that gleam in his eyes. The same one I’d witnessed when I arrived to pick them up for dinner.
Despite my efforts to get the details out of him via text message earlier in the afternoon, Kieran hadn’t revealed anything.
Yet.
