Chapter 9
Knox knocked on Quinn’s door and waited for her to answer. It had been so hard not to focus on this date all day. Instead, he’d gotten his work done, did some interviews, signed some things for a charity auction, then made sure everything was set up for tonight.
The door was yanked open and Quinn stood there, looking flushed. “Sorry! It was a long day at work and I was late getting home and, gosh, it’s hot out, isn’t it?” Quinn’s hair was down, she was wearing jeans, a cute stretchy shirt, and then a heavy chunky button-up sweater over it.
“It’s a little chilly,” Knox said with some warning as Quinn slid her sweater off and tossed it back into her townhome. “You might want to bring that with you.”
“I’m good. I’m way too hot for that sweater. I didn’t know how to dress. Is this okay or do I need a dress?” Quinn looked worried and it caused Knox to reach for her.
He tucked her head under his chin and gave her a hug. “You’re perfect just as you are.”
Quinn snuggled against his chest and Knox felt like a king. It felt as if he’d won the biggest game of his life.
“Where are we going?” Quinn asked when she finally pulled back.
“It’s a surprise.” Knox held out his hand and wrapped his fingers around hers before leading her to his SUV. Knox opened the door for her and waited until she was settled before closing it.
Knox was nervous as he drove, but not because of the date. He knew Quinn would love it—at least the Quinn he knew in college would. Now he hoped he was right about the kind of person Quinn was or still is.
“You said your day was long. What was going on?” Knox asked.
He hated the way her whole body sagged with the question.
Whatever was going on at work was visibly weighing on her.
“Just a little problem I’m trying to solve.
” Quinn leaned forward and looked out the front window.
“Are you taking me to the movies?” she asked, some of the sadness in her voice from work disappearing into excitement.
“I am. I know how much you love movies . . . and movie snacks.”
Knox parked and leaned back to grab his Lexington Thoroughbreds hoodie and a baseball cap before getting out to open Quinn’s door. He tugged on his cap as they walked by some couples out for a date on Monday night.
“What are we going to see?” Quinn asked, almost bouncing into the theater. Then she took a deep breath and sighed with a smile. “Smell that chemically manufactured butter. I can’t wait to drench my popcorn in it.”
Knox chuckled as they walked to the concession line, grabbing all of Quinn’s favorite treats to go along with a large extra butter popcorn.
Knox had managed to stay off people’s radar so far, but to get to their theater he had to tell them who he was.
He approached the bored-looking teenager collecting tickets and lowered his voice so the couple behind them didn’t hear him.
“Ticket.”
“Knox Everett. I called yesterday.” The kid’s head popped up and her eyes went wide as she began to pull out her phone. “And I’ll take a picture with you after the movie if you don’t blow my cover. Deal?”
The teenager nodded her head eagerly. “You’re in theater number three to the right.”
Knox sent her a smile and headed to the theater.
“Knox, what movie are we seeing? There’s nothing on the sign,” Quinn asked as she looked at the blank screen above the door to theater number three.
“I guess we'd better go inside and make sure this is the right theater.”
Knox opened the door and Quinn walked in as she talked about some of the movies she’d recently seen. She paused when she turned the corner and looked at the seats. “I don’t think we have the right theater.”
Quinn looked around the empty theater, her hands full of all the snacks she couldn’t wait to eat.
The air conditioning blew and she shivered.
If she’d known they were going to the theater, she would have brought the sweater.
She was always cold in theaters. But first they had to get to the right movie.
“This is the right one. We’re right up here.” Knox climbed the stairs and went halfway down the row so they were in the exact middle of the theater.
“We must be early then,” she said as she set some of the candy on the seat next to hers along with her purse. She shivered and then winced when Knox’s knowing smirk appeared.
“Don’t worry, you don’t have to say a word.” Knox said, standing up to grab the hoodie he’d carried in. He turned towards her and Quinn found herself right back on that street so many years ago. “You just have to lift your arms.”
Quinn lifted her arms and he pulled the big hoodie over her. The sleeves hung long, the hem hit her lower thighs, and it smelled just like Knox. Little did he know he’d never get this hoodie back either. Not when it smelled like him.
“And don’t think about giving it back either,” Knox said, grabbing the big tub of popcorn and taking his seat. “Unlike my college one, this one has my name on it, which means you now have my name across your back. Wear it every day if you want.”
Quinn knew she blushed as her insides melted like the butter on her popcorn.
He liked her with his name across her back.
How was this real life? She pinched herself as she took her seat to just make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
The lights dimmed, Knox held out the popcorn for her, and then the movie started.
“The Cutting Edge! I didn’t know this was replaying in the theaters.” Quinn leaned back and got ready to watch her favorite movie.
“Just for you.”
Quinn was focusing on the intro of the movie when Knox spoke, but when it registered everything clicked into place and she spun in her seat to stare at him. “You rented out the theater to watch my favorite movie with me?”
“And I’ll do it every time to see you this happy.”
Quinn didn’t want the night to end. The movie had been fun and she was high on her extra butter popcorn and the way Knox had reached over halfway through the movie and took her hand in his.
Then she forgot to watch the movie when Knox’s thumb began a slow travel over her knuckles.
After the movie ended, he made sure to carry all the treats to the SUV so that she could enjoy them tonight.
They’d taken a detour home to his favorite food truck for a real dinner.
They sat at a picnic table, eating tacos, and talking until she couldn’t hide a yawn.
It was the perfect night after a horrible day.
But now Knox was walking her to her door and it was coming to an end.
Quinn had thought her feelings for Knox had been strong when they’d been in college.
She was wrong. Those feelings had grown and matured over the time they were spending together, just as they too had grown and matured since college.
It wasn’t a crush. Quinn had genuine feelings that were taking root and growing.
“I had a great time tonight, Q.” Knox paused at the door, his hand still holding hers. “I hope we can do it again soon.”
“I would like that.” Quinn didn’t rush to open her door.
She looked up into Knox’s eyes and saw them drop to her lips.
She temporarily forgot how to breathe. Was Knox going to kiss her?
For once she didn’t overthink anything. Quinn tilted her head back to give him access to her lips and leaned forward just enough that if he wanted to kiss her, he’d take the hint, but not so much that she was dangling in the wind if he didn’t actually want to kiss her.
Knox didn’t keep her waiting. He dropped her hand and moved to cup her cheek with one hand and rested the other on her hip. “I’ve dreamed of this moment since our first tutoring session,” Knox admitted a second before his lips touched hers.
Quinn sighed into him, her body leaning into his as his arm moved from her hip to wrap around her back and anchor her to him.
The kiss was gentle as if he were savoring every moment.
Until Quinn made a noise as she melted into his every touch.
Then the kiss changed. His fingers moved from her cheeks to spear her hair.
He used it to angle her head and that changed the kiss completely.
It turned heated and Quinn hung on for every second of it.
She’d been kissed before. Plenty. But never like this.
Never like he could pick up on every thought of hers telling him how to kiss her.
The second she thought just like that! Knox doubled down and kissed her into oblivion.
In fact, it was somewhat embarrassing how long Quinn stood there blinking after the kiss ended.
She was pretty sure this was how computers felt when they were short-circuiting.
“Wow,” Knox whispered.
“Wow is right,” Quinn replied, her fingers moving to touch her kiss-swollen lips.
“Tonight was the best date of my life, and it was all because of you, Q. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Quinn nodded, still trying to think of anything other than the kiss. She saw that Knox was still standing there with the largest smile on his face. “Did I miss something? Did you say something when I was reliving the kiss?”
Knox chuckled and reached out, taking the keys from her hand. “I’m not leaving until you’re inside, with the door locked.”
Now it was Quinn’s turn to laugh. Who did that? None of her dates. Karson wouldn’t even get out of the car to walk her to her apartment door. “I’m capable of getting inside, Knox, even if I was kissed senseless. I’ve lived on my own for a very long time.”
“I know you’re capable. It’s not about that. You’re not alone anymore. You have me. And I make sure the woman I like and respect gets safely inside her home.”
Holy good manners. There was something very hot about a guy opening your door, turning on the light, listening to make sure it was safe, and then stepping back to say goodnight. Quinn was ready for kiss number two when Knox held the door open for her.
“Thank you for the most perfect date.” Quinn rose up and placed a kiss on Knox’s cheek. “Goodnight, Knox,”
“Goodnight, Q.”
Quinn shut the door and locked it. It was only after she locked it, that she heard Knox walk back to his car. Quinn should have looked at what time it was before dialing, but she needed to debrief this whole date with her bestie, time zones be damned.
The phone rang and Helena answered it. She didn’t sound as if she were asleep, so that had to be good. However, it was very noisy wherever she was. “Quinny! What’s going on?”
“Where are you?” Quinn asked, heading up the stairs to her bedroom.
“Airport drop off. I’ll be home today, er tomorrow, finally.”
“Are you going to take a vacation?” Quinn asked.
“Are you marrying the star quarterback?” Helena retorted.
“No, but he did just kiss me into a puddle of hormones and no brain cells.”
“Shut up!” Helena screamed and suddenly the people on the sidewalk around Helena went quiet. “No, not you. My friend is finally getting with a guy who isn’t an asshole.” Then suddenly Helena was back, her voice clearly speaking into the phone now. “Tell me everything. Did you get kitty flutters?”
“If I didn’t have pants on, I would have flown away.”
“Yes, girl! If he kisses that well, can you imagine how he fuc— no, not you. Ew, put that thing away before I chop it off with a four-inch stiletto heel,” Helena said to someone else.
“See, Quinny, I told you Karson didn’t know what he was doing.
That dipshit was so insecure that he blamed you for your lack of orgasms.”
“Way to kill the afterglow.” Reality came rushing back and brought her ex with it. Ugh.
“What do you mean?”
“Karson and my old team are arriving tomorrow since I can’t fix this work problem.” Quinn gave Helena a quick rundown as she fell back on her bed with a groan. She so didn’t want their negativity right now.
Helena laughed evilly. “I’d pay you a thousand dollars to be there to see you tell that asshole that a single kiss with Knox got you closer to orgasm than Karson ever did.”
Okay, that did hold some appeal, but no. “I refuse to be anything except professional. I will show them I deserve this job. Not them.”
“Well, call me any time you change your mind and want them to get kicked in the balls.”
“Aw, that’s sweet.” Quinn had no doubts. If she called Helena and said she needed someone to be kicked in the balls without risking her job, Helena would be on the next flight to do just that.
“What are besties for but to kick your ex in the nuts? Hey, my porter is here and I need to check in. I want updates!”
“I promise I’ll send you all the updates. Love you, Hel.”
“Love you too, Quinny.”
Quinn hung up the phone and smiled at the ceiling. Just the memory of that kiss made her whole body hum with energy. She couldn’t wait to see what happened next between them.