Chapter 18
KNOX
It took all of my restraint and a little bit of pixie dust to keep from smashing my lips against hers. And the worst part is, she looked like she wanted me to. But I promised I’d respect her boundaries even if it had me considering taking up meditation or some dumb bullshit like that.
I meant what I said. I won’t kiss her again until she asks me to, no matter how much it pains me.
The music cuts out, making me flinch just enough to lose grip on the mop. I watch it skitter to the ground, and that’s when I realize I’ve been cleaning the same spot for five minutes even though the floor no longer looks like a Barney massacre.
Emery clears her throat, and I press my hands to my sides before facing her.
“I think I’m going to head out,” she says, shoving her hands in her pockets. She’s still covered head to toe in pink paint, including her black overalls that somehow hug every sweet curve perfectly. Who knew overalls were hot? I sure as hell didn’t until her.
“You’re not going anywhere looking like that,” I sigh, picking up the discarded mop and leaning it up against the wall. “Follow me.”
“I’m fine. I think the pink will be an improvement on those old leather se—”
“Don’t even finish that sentence. I spent a decent amount of time scrubbing those clean, so no, I don’t think it will be an improvement. Just shut up and follow me.”
Emery’s eyes go wide, and she opens her mouth before quickly clamping it shut. Apparently, she responds to authority…which is good to know.
I don’t give her any more room to speak before spinning on my heel and taking the stairwell that leads up to my apartment. A satisfied smile cracks on my face when I hear the sound of footsteps behind me.
I don’t stop until we get to the bathroom, which conveniently houses my washer and dryer. Emery steps inside the small space, making my skin hum to life. Tight areas and my self-restraint are not a good combo.
“I’m not showering here,” she says, finally breaking the silence.
I ignore her and grab a fresh towel and a washcloth out of the cabinet. The thought of this woman being naked in my house without me is devastating, but here I am making sacrifices.
“It’s not a big deal, Bambi,” I lie, letting out a restrained breath.
I set her towels on the bathroom counter and walk over to the washer.
I grab the end of my paint-soaked shirt and pull it over my head before tossing it into the appliance.
“You can throw your clothes in here, and I’ll find something for you to wear when you’re done showering. ”
I could totally wait until later to wash my clothes, but I’m a glutton for punishment, and I like it when I can feel her eyes on me.
She’s getting sloppy at covering up her staring, and that makes the tension in my body tighten to an unhealthy point that I’ll need to relieve later.
I decide to take things a step further for my own enjoyment and a measure of curiosity by reaching for my belt.
“W-what are you doing?” she asks, trying to school her voice into a neutral tone, but I hear each and every deviation.
“I’m throwing my clothes in the washer,” I say in a matter-of-fact tone. “Is that okay, Bambi?”
“Uhh, y-yes,” Emery says with a shaky voice. I like it when she gets flustered. It gives me hope even when it’s not mine to take.
“Okay then,” I reply, dropping my jeans to my ankles and tossing them in with my shirt. I hear her breath hitch, and I’m no longer in control of my friend to the south. Hopefully, my black briefs cover up my excitement.
“Here,” I say, grabbing a clean pair of sweats and a T-shirt out of the dryer. “You can wear these when you’re done.”
When I hand them to Emery, her face is a mixture of emotions.
The whites around her pupils are in full display and her lips can’t quite settle between a frown and a straight line.
All I know is I’ve caught her off guard, and if it weren’t for the fact that I can barely keep my hands off her, I’d be proud of myself.
And on that note, I decide I’ve had enough and go to leave to give her some privacy, but then a timid voice stops me.
“Why didn’t you kiss me?” Emery asks, making my entire body freeze.
I tilt my head to the side, releasing a tight crack before fully facing her again. “What?” I ask, pretending to be ignorant.
“Don’t play dumb, Knox. Downstairs, you were about to kiss me, and then a switch flipped, and you pulled away. Why?”
“Did you want me to kiss you?” I ask, crossing my arms smugly.
Her throat contracts and she shifts her weight. “I don’t know, okay,” Emery answers, blinking hard. “One second, I want to strangle you and the next…well, the next, I—” She stops mid-sentence, forcing her lips into a straight line. “This would be much easier if you put some clothes on.”
“You what, Emery?” I ask, ignoring her pleas. I take a step forward.
She licks the bottom of her lip, telling me everything before she dares to say the words out loud. And then those electric green eyes connect with mine, sending a zap of static into the air.
“I want you,” she admits as her shoulders sag. I can tell she’s barely admitted the simple fact to herself. “I don’t know when it happened and I keep beating myself up for it, but I can’t fight it. Every time I’m near you, it gets harder and harder to ignore the physical attraction between us.”
I ball my hands up into two fists at my side. “I told you at the bar that night, Bambi. I won’t kiss you again until you ask me and I’m a man of my word.”
That and a million other reasons that don’t seem important right now. Do I want to kiss her? More than anything. Do I think that getting another taste of her will ruin me for good and complicate our little deal? Fuck yeah. But I am a sucker for all things complicated. Maybe that is my kink.
Emery blinks slowly while pulling her perfectly pink bottom lip between her teeth. Anticipation flares up my spine, and suddenly, I become very aware that I’m one article of clothing away from being naked.
“What happens if I say I want you to kiss me?”
“I feel like that’s pretty self-explanatory,” I smile, feeling the tides finally turning my way.
“That’s not what I mean,” she grunts, rolling her eyes. “I don’t want this to change things between us. I’m still not interested in anything non-physical. All of that warm and fuzzy relationship stuff needs to remain fake.”
The way her tongue clicks when she says fake tells me the word feels wrong and ill-fitting of whatever connection is floating between us.
But this is how it needs to be. Now that my dad is still on the fence about the loan, I need to focus more than ever, and adding feelings into that equation doesn’t seem wise.
Adding her to the mix period wasn’t my best idea.
But I’ve been labeled an idiot before, and I guess that’s a good descriptor of what I’m about to agree to.
“Fine, Bambi,” I mutter, dragging a hand through my hair. “If that’s what you want, then we’ll keep our relationship fake with some added benefits behind the scenes.”
Her shoulders sag. She looks disappointed I didn’t argue with her, but I shake it off. “Just physical. No strings.”
I force a smile and nod. I step closer, expecting her to change her mind, but I should know better than that by now. “Alright then. There is just one last piece of the puzzle. Two words, and there’s no turning back, Bambi. I couldn’t stop myself even if I tried.”
Emery’s chest rises and falls rapidly as her eyes sink to my lips. A jolt of excitement rushes through me. This is it. This is happening.
“Kiss me.”
I don’t give her time to take it back. I cup her cheeks and crash my lips against hers. She absorbs the kiss eagerly and steadies herself by grabbing onto my hips.
I deepen our embrace and back her against the shower door. Once she cracks open her mouth, I don’t waste any time before molding my tongue to hers. Everything between us is on fire and feels more charged than anything I could’ve imagined.
I press myself against her, and she lets out a muffled moan, only making me want more. I pull back, causing her to frown, but I quickly swipe my thumb across her bottom lip, making her knees go weak.
“You still need a shower,” I say, low and firm.
She quirks a brow at me. “Are you seriously pressing pause on this right now?”
I smile and bend down. I’m a few inches away from her ear when I say, “I didn’t say you had to shower alone, Bambi.”
Her body goes taut, and I can feel her pulse vibrating under her skin. She licks her lips and nods before undoing the first strap of her overalls. My own chest begins to rise and fall rapidly as she slowly slips the paint-soaked fabric down her body without breaking eye contact.
The way her green eyes seem to lighten with an innocent hue makes me shake with the need to speed things up. I want to see all of her, and now. But I’ve waited this long, and I can be a good boy for now.
Once her overalls hit the floor, there’s nothing left but the tiniest cropped black tank top and a pair of lace panties that look like she wore them just for me.
I drag my eyes across her body, pausing at the way her nipples pebble under her shirt and fuck…
they’re pierced. Something dark crests inside me.
Not being able to take it anymore, I decide to lend a helping hand. I grab the hem of her top and peel it off her to reveal my prize. I take in a sharp breath when I see the metal bars sticking through both peaks. God, she’s glorious.
“Fuck,” I whisper, my throat going dry. I raise my hand and let my fingers ghost over each nipple. She sucks in a hard breath, making the restrained throb under my briefs intensify. “If I knew you were hiding this dirty little secret, I would’ve gotten you to take your top off a lot sooner.”
“You’re lucky you’ve gotten this far,” she bites, adding in a relaxed giggle, and that sound does something to me. Unable to resist, I crash my lips against hers and swallow the harmonic sound of her laugh.