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“Yet you keep talking to me.”
His eyes held mine for a second too long. Something in the air shifted. His gaze dropped to my legs. Briefly, but I noticed. And judging by the way his jaw tightened, so did he.
Then he looked away. I pretended I didn’t notice. Because lately, pretending was something we were both good at.
****
A few hours later, I was in my room reading when Knox knocked on the door. I looked up and found him standing there, slightly dark eyes tracking me.
“Yes?”
“You’re coming with me,” he stated.
It took a few seconds for the words to register. I dropped my books and peered at him with widened eyes. “Are you serious?”
“Yes?” Then he smirked. “What did you think this is? Get your ass off the bed and let's go.”
I squealed, hopping off the bed and racing to throw myself at him without thinking. He startled but somehow managed to catch me before I fell to the floor. Our chests pressed against each other, I stared at his face, the smile draining off mine. His fingers flexed around my waist, heat singeing my core.
I swallowed. “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“I might have an idea.”
I smiled. He took one look at me and shook his head, holding up a finger before disappearing down the hall. When he returned, it was with jean shorts and a cardigan.
“Put those on. It gets cold in the evening.” I was about to express my appreciation when he held up a finger. “And don't say thank you. I've had enough of them from you to last me a lifetime.”
“Where are we going?” I asked as he handed me the helmet.
“To the mall. We're going shopping.”
I grinned as he taught me how to sit on the bike. When we took off, a yelp escaped me as I wrapped my hands tightly around him. I expected him to protest, but he didn’t say anything. I was able to ignore the deep rumbling from the bike in my core. Soon enough, we arrived at the mall and went straight to the food section, where he watched me select groceries.
It hit me in the middle of doing that, surrounded by so many people going about their day, that life did not stop. Everything was still so normal. That was the strangest part. But for me, who had to hide in safety from a man keen on making my life miserable, it felt like stepping into a life I wasn’t sure I was allowed to have anymore.
I walked beside Knox, holding the basket while he pushed the cart. The same man who could probably scare an entire room silent stood in the cereal aisle debating two brands.
I watched him, then asked, “You’re serious right now?”
He looked at me. “What?”
“You’re comparing cereal.”
“It matters.” I laughed. He glared hard at me. “The texture matters. How don't you know that?”
“It’s cereal,” I said plainly.
“You say that like it’s meaningless.”
“It is.”
“No.”
I shook my head, reining in my teasing. “Who are you?”
He stared at me. “Knox.”
“Exactly. And Knox Graves does not care about cereal. At least that's what your reputation says.”
