Chapter 25
Well, that was different. I released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding and leaned my head back against the headrest. I could feel Knox glancing at me every now and then as he drove.
“Hey,” he said softly. I turned to face him, bending one knee and placing my leg underneath the other.
“That was cute, baby doll.” My eyebrows shot up in surprise. Cute?
“Yeah, she was cute, wasn’t she?”
“Yeah, she was, but so were you,” his eyes met mine as he placed his hand on my thigh, continuing to drive. I lifted his hand from my leg and placed it back on the gear stick.
He shot me a smirk, causing me to avert my gaze to the window. I felt his hand sneak back onto my leg.
I tried to suppress a smile, but it was futile. The truth was, his touch was comforting, and the warmth of his hand on my leg was soothing.
“Did you get a number?” I asked, not turning to look at him. I was watching the passersby outside the car window, each one wrapped up in their own world.
“Get a number? From one of the girls in the store?” I finally turned to face him. He wore a slight frown, but his eyes remained on the road. I wasn’t sure why I asked; the question just slipped out.
“No, I wasn’t interested,” he stated plainly. This prompted me to snort in disbelief and turn away from him again.
“I didn’t, Alex!” I snapped my head back around at his sharp tone. His face was etched with annoyance. “I wasn’t interested in them. They’re not my type.”
“Type? Girls are your type, Knox. Anything with two sets of lips is your type,” I laughed, which only seemed to irritate him further.
“Alex, I don’t like you thinking of me like that. I’m serious!”
“Why? It’s true, isn’t it? Knox Carter, world’s greatest womanizer. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? You had them falling all over you in there. I’m sure all five of them would’ve taken you then and there.”
He abruptly parked the car at the side of the street and turned to face me, giving me his full attention.
“Alex, please stop thinking of me like that. I’m not a womanizer, and I hate that you think of me like that. I know you’re trying to rile me up, baby doll! So stop.”
“You brought this on yourself, Carter! Sleeping around with half of this city. I’m only going by what you put out there. I’m not trying to rile you up, I’m just stating facts.
You’re in every magazine with a new girl on your arm every week, so how can I not assume you’re a womanizer when it’s plastered everywhere.
You did it all the time in high school, and you’re still doing it now. Girls are pining for your attention all the time. Don’t act like you don’t love it.
You practically eat this up everywhere you go. So don’t pull the ‘please pity me, Alex’ crap with me. I’m not stupid, I won’t fall for it!”
The silence that followed was heavy. This is what always happens between us; we always end up fighting. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, his eyes closed.
He relaxed and looked at me with hooded eyes.
“Believe me when I say that, that’s the old me. I’m not like that anymore. Please, Alex. Don’t think of me like that anymore.” His look was pleading, and I started to feel bad for what I’d said.
But he was everywhere, how could I not believe it? He was the same in high school. I saw it with my own eyes.
“Knox, it might be the old you. But, actions speak louder than words. And why do you care about my opinion of you?”
He took my hands in his, giving them a tight squeeze. He leaned into me and kissed my forehead. Feeling his hot breath on my skin, my eyes widened in shock. I sat there, frozen.
“I just do, baby doll... I just do,” was all he said before turning back to the driver’s seat and driving off again. I remained frozen as the car started to move.
I felt as though my body was anchored to the street and the car was moving away from me. Why does he keep doing things like this? It’s so confusing.
The silence between us was thick. The low murmur of the radio in the background allowed me to drift away with my own thoughts.
Celine Dion’s “The Power of Love” was playing softly.
I began to hum along to it, turning the dial to raise the volume so I could sing along.
This was my grandparents’ favorite song to dance to.
I smiled at the memories of listening to the song.
I remembered them dancing together on an empty dance floor at Cole’s wedding while I sat at the table, admiring the love they had for each other.
I leaned my head back, singing softly to the song while allowing the memories to play in my head.
I smiled to myself, momentarily forgetting where I was. Feeling a hand on my leg once more, I turned to Knox, who wore a soft expression on his face. I closed my eyes to hide my embarrassment.
“Don’t stop,” his voice was gentle, catching me off guard.
I opened one eye to see him shifting his gaze between me and the road. I repositioned myself in my seat, looking back out the window.
I sat there in silence, not moving or saying a word. His hand began to rub my leg up and down.
“You always had a great voice, baby doll. Please don’t stop,” he pleaded, but I didn’t want to sing anymore. In fact, I wanted to turn the radio off, and that’s exactly what I did.
“Alex, please say something.”
It was a few moments before I answered.
“Something.” I heard a light chuckle from him. We stopped at a red light and waited in traffic. I heard the seatbelt being stretched and felt his arm rest against my side.
Still not turning around, I felt his hand move the hair from my face and he kissed my cheek. My breath hitched in my throat and I felt a warmth spread through me.
My heart was pounding, a rhythm that echoed the proximity of his body. This was a sensation I shouldn’t be experiencing. He was my brother’s best friend, just like Wes. I couldn’t allow myself to feel this way. It was wrong.
If we were discovered, we’d both be in deep trouble. But why was I reacting so strongly to him? It wasn’t the first time he’d touched me, or even kissed me.
“Are you hungry?” he murmured into my hair, his nose barely grazing my skin. I nodded, finally summoning the courage to meet his gaze. Our eyes locked, his darting back and forth between mine.
I found myself unable to look away, even as my stomach rumbled in response to his question. He looked amused at the sound.
Why was I feeling like this? It was just Knox.
We continued our drive to Soho, ending up at a low-key Italian restaurant. His presence seemed to elevate the energy of the place. We chose a table at the back, away from the windows.
As I perused the menu, the waitress introduced herself, her attention focused primarily on Knox. She seemed a bit star-struck.
When she returned with our drinks, I noticed her top was pulled lower and her skirt was hiked up a bit higher. She leaned in close to Knox as she recommended certain dishes. I sat there, my head resting on my hand, waiting for their interaction to end.
I let my gaze wander around the restaurant, catching the eyes of two men sitting a couple of tables away. They raised their glasses in acknowledgment, and I offered them a polite smile before returning my attention to the menu.
They were both strikingly handsome. One was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome, with bright green eyes.
The other had a surfer vibe, with sun-bleached hair, a dazzling smile, a golden tan, and bright blue eyes that rivaled Knox’s.
They both looked like they spent a good deal of time at the gym.
I stole another glance at them, only to find they were still watching me. I tried to suppress the smile that was threatening to spread across my face, biting my lower lip in an attempt to hide it.
I wasn’t accustomed to this kind of attention.
The restaurant was cozy, small but inviting. Family photos lined the red brick walls, suggesting it was a family-owned establishment.
My attention was drawn back to the waitress, who was now lightly touching Knox’s arm as she read off the menu. I looked up to find him staring at me. A pulse of energy shot through my body, causing my heart to skip a beat.
The pulse echoed in my ears, so loud I was sure he could hear it too. I quickly downed the drink she’d brought over earlier, hoping to quench the sudden dryness in my throat.
I glanced back down at the menu, feeling like I’d read it a hundred times since we’d arrived. Couldn’t we just order already?
“You ready, baby doll?” Knox seemed to read my mind. I snapped my head up to meet his heated gaze and offered an awkward smile, nodding slightly.
“I’ll have the sizzler pizza,” he said.
“Sure you can, Mr. Carter,” the waitress replied flirtatiously.
“Can I have the pasta pesto?” I asked.
“Kay.” That was all I got? He received a flirty wink and a “Sure you can, Mr. Carter,” and all I got was a “Kay”?
I’d had enough. I was tired of being ignored all day. This was why I didn’t like going out with Knox—I was always pushed to the side and forgotten. I didn’t need this.
I began to swirl the straw in my water, the ice clinking against the sides of the glass.
“Hi, I hope I’m not interrupting something. But I was wondering if I could get your autograph and maybe a quick picture?” A tall blonde girl in shorts and a shirt approached our table. Really?
Was there anyone else who wanted to flirt with him? I just wanted to go home. I shouldn’t have agreed to help him.
“Sure,” he said, standing up to sign her autograph.
When he handed back the pen, she passed her phone to me. “Do you mind?”
I forced a tight smile and took her phone, snapping a picture of the two of them.
“Thanks! It’s nice to meet you. You’re much taller in person...” I tuned out the rest of her conversation. I didn’t want to be here anymore. This was just too much.
He sat back down a few minutes later, a napkin with her number scrawled on it in his hand.