Chapter 19
Knox
She sat across from me, looking over at me with a gentle smile. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have a girl like Lorelai in my life. I now regretted telling her to take a hike all those years ago. We’d wasted so much time not being together that now I didn’t want to waste another moment. I was so thankful that she’d given me a chance.
“Dinner really was great,” she said, picking up her glass of wine and taking a sip.
“That it was,” I said, still unable to take my eyes off her.
She softly smiled, then looked up at me, a hint of worry lining her eyes.
“What is it?” I questioned, taking her hand in mine.
“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head.
“Was it the interview? You said it went fine, or are you now having second thoughts?” I questioned, ready to march into Joanna’s office in the morning and give her a piece of my mind.
“Oh no, it went well. Very well, actually. Joanna was great, and supportive. I’m not worried about that in the slightest.”
“Good. Then what is it? I can tell there is something on your mind.”
I watched as she shifted in her seat, then raised her eyes to mine. “Ah, just something between Aurora and I.” She shrugged.
“Let me guess, the move?”
“You knew?” she questioned.
“I did. Dylan let it slip when we were on the road last time. He apparently asked her a long while ago, and she refused because of the new place, but I guess now that things are more serious between them, they’ve been talking about it more.”
“I can’t blame her.” Lorelai shrugged again. “However, I’m a little concerned about the rent.”
I nodded, knowing full well that would bother her.
“I just don’t know how I am going to afford the place.”
I smiled, taking her hand in mine and bringing it to my lips.
“What if I told you I don’t see it being a problem?” I asked, fully prepared to pay her rent in full for the entire time she carried out the lease, if that was what she wanted.
Lorelai shook her head. “Knox, you will not help me pay rent,” she said, pulling her hand from mine.
“Hey, look at me,” I said as she looked away from me.
Finally, she brought her gorgeous brown eyes up to mine.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about us.”
“I know. You told me that the other night.”
I let out the breath I was holding along with the tension in my mid-back. This conversation had been weighing on my mind for days. I just hoped she was ready for it.
“I know I did,” I said, looking around at the full restaurant. I was glad I’d paid the bill. I really didn’t want to have this conversation here in the middle of the restaurant. “Want to get out of here?” I questioned.
She smiled and nodded.
I stood up from the table and waited for her to take my hand. We made our way out of the restaurant and down to my car, where we both climbed in and took off toward my place.
When I pulled into the driveway, Lorelai looked over at me.
“We didn’t need to come all the way to the outskirts of the city. I thought we were spending the night at my place?”
“We were, but I decided this might be better,” I replied. I climbed out of the car, made my way around to her side and opened her door. Then we went into the house. Once inside, I grabbed us each a drink from the kitchen, and then I took her hand in mine and pulled her down the hall toward my bedroom.
“Knox, already?” She giggled.
I smiled and looked at the shock on her face when I stopped outside of one of the spare rooms. I’d told her I used for storage, and I had up until three weeks ago. I shoved the door open and flipped the light on. Her jaw dropped as she looked inside.
“What is this?” she questioned, stepping inside the room.
I followed her in and watched as she took in everything. I’d had the entire room done up in different shades of purples. There, against one wall, was a purple couch, complete with a purple throw and large pink pillows. In front of the picture window, I’d had a wooden desk placed, complete with a new computer. She walked over and ran her hand over the desk, then turned to the large bookshelves. I’d purchased a few collections from her favorite authors and had arranged them on the shelves, leaving most of them empty for her to place her own things.
“What is this?” she repeated, looking up at me in confusion.
“Do you like it?”
“Like it? I love it, but…Knox…seriously, this is way too much,” she said as she made her way over to the bookshelf, taking in the books that I’d purchased.
I leaned against the wall, taking her in. It wasn’t too much; it was what I wanted. I wanted her here. I just didn’t know how to tell her.
“I am not sure I understand, though,” she said, turning and frowning at me.
I smiled, reaching for her hands. “There is nothing to understand. When Dylan told me he was going to ask Aurora to move in again, it got me thinking. We spend so much time apart because of my travel schedule. I miss you so much while I’m gone, I don’t know what to do with myself. Then when I am here, or I come home, I normally have to share you with Aurora. So, I thought that maybe you’d like to move in here with me.”
When she lifted her eyes to mine, I could see tears already forming.
I wiped at her cheek as one tear slipped from her eye. “I hope those are happy tears.”
She threw her arms around me. “They are.”
“Good. So, this is your space. I wanted to make sure you had a space you could call your own. Sort of your own decompression space. You can decorate it however you want, add little touches to it to make it your own,” I said.
“It’s perfect already,” she murmured. “It’s honestly the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.”
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into me, bringing my lips to hers. Then I grabbed her and picked her up, making my way over to the couch in her new room and sitting down, with her straddling my lap.
“What are you doing?” She laughed.
“Think it’s time we break in this new couch,” I said, raising my brows.
She got up off my lap and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
She looked at me over her shoulder and then lifted her hand, wagging her finger in a come here motion. Like the lovesick puppy I was, I got up and followed her down the hall. Just outside my door, she shed her shirt, then turned to face me, undoing her pants, dropping them to the floor.
I could feel myself getting harder by the second as she reached behind her, unclasped her bra, and dropped it to the ground too. Once inside my room, she removed her panties and then sat down on the edge of my bed.
I made my way over to her, running my fingers through her hair as she pulled gently at my belt, undoing it, dropping my pants to the floor.
I placed my finger under her chin, lifting her face up, then bent and took her mouth with mine with a slow and gentle kiss.
“I’m falling in love with you,” I whispered as our lips parted.
I didn’t want to wait another moment to tell her. I wanted this to be our first time together when our feelings were on the table.
“I think I’ve always been in love with you,” I said as I cupped her cheek, bringing my lips to hers.
“I love you too,” she whispered, running her fingers through my hair, kissing me again.
We moved to the centre of the mattress, where I pulled her close to me and held her tight.
“I want us to go slow tonight. I want you to feel every inch of me while I drown myself in you.”
I took her mouth with mine and buried myself deep inside of her, my body responding to her moans.
* * *
We collapsed against the mattress in exhaustion. We’d spent the entire weekend locked in this bedroom together, only taking a break to eat, use the washroom, and shower. We ignored our phones, the door, and the entire world, and it had been the best thing we’d done.
Making love to her was so different, and honestly, it was my favourite thing in the world to do.
“You have to leave soon.” She giggled as she snuggled against me.
“Don’t remind me,” I said, kissing her bare shoulder.
“Are you going to have enough energy to make it through practice?”
I chuckled. “I hope so. Coach will kill me.”
She rolled over and rested her head against my chest, looking up at me with a serious expression.
“What is it?” I asked, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you too,” I said, just as my phone vibrated against the table, letting me know it was time for me to head out. “Just hold that thought for when I get back, okay?” I winked, slipping out from under the sheets.
“Always,” she said, resting her head down on my pillow and closing her eyes. “I only have plans to be here today. Hurry back.”