Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Everleigh felt like she was floating, surrounded by heat and the most delicious smell. Her eyelids fluttered open, and it took a moment for her to place her surroundings. Soft fabric brushed her cheek as she turned her head, and she recognized the furniture of Knox’s living room.
She snuggled closer as he carried her toward the bedroom, not bothering to protest. Not like there was anywhere else she’d rather be, anyway. She tightened her hold on him as he knelt to lay her on the bed, and he grinned down at her.
“Finally awake, sleeping beauty?” he said.
“Mmm…” She smothered a yawn as she tugged at his neck. “Barely. Come to bed with me.”
“Always,” Knox murmured, feathering his lips over hers in a soft kiss. “Give me a second to lock up and I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared out of the bedroom, and Everleigh forced her tired limbs to cooperate as she climbed from the bed and headed to the bathroom.
She couldn’t summon the energy to shower, so she quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth.
Knox joined her just as she was finishing, and he shot her a little wink in the reflection of the mirror.
As they got ready for bed, side by side, heat infused her chest. It felt like they’d been doing this for their entire lives, and she desperately hoped that they would spend the next fifty years happily falling into bed with each other every night, filling their house with love and laughter.
Unable to help herself, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek to his broad back.
God, she’d missed him so much. It was still sometimes hard to believe that he was really there with her.
She’d dreamed of it so many times, wished for it with every fiber of her being.
Suddenly, tears burned the backs of her eyes, and she blinked against them.
The emotion she felt deep in her heart welled upward, and she couldn’t hold back the words any longer.
“I love you,” she said.
A long moment later he shifted her around to face him. He cupped her face with both hands, his thumbs lightly stroking her cheeks as he stared down at her. “I think I fell in love with you the second I laid eyes on you.”
Her heart swelled at his admission. She opened her mouth to return the sentiment, but he spoke again before she had the chance. “I never thought I could love you more than I did then.”
He gave a slow shake of his head. “But this feeling… It just keeps growing. I swear I fall more in love with you every day. I think I’ll keep falling until I draw my last breath.”
Joyful tears burned across the bridge of her nose, and she closed her eyes to keep them from falling. Knox tightened his hold on her, and they remained entwined together for several minutes in contented silence.
“I missed you tonight,” he said.
One hand swept gently up and down her spine. “I know,” he murmured. “I'd keep you with me every second of the day if I could.”
She smiled against his chest. “You'd get tired of me.”
“Never.”
Happiness unfurled in her chest at the certainty in his voice. She tipped her head up. “Were you working a case?”
He nodded. “Yours.”
At her lifted brow, he continued. “Mason and I questioned your photographer tonight.”
Oh, my God.
“Don't look at me like that,” Knox admonished softly. “I'm trained for this kind of stuff, remember? I've been through much worse.”
And she hadn't been there for any of it. What if he’d been hurt or killed and she hadn’t known? She never would have gotten this second chance with him. Tears pricked her eyes, and she dipped her head.
Knox’s fingers slid into her hair and curled tight as he redirected her gaze to his. “I didn't mean it that way. Whatever happened in the past is done; we have the future to look forward to now, and that’s all that matters.”
Though she didn’t really want to, she had to ask. “What happened tonight?”
He was quiet for a second, seeming to debate how much to tell her. “Mason found the man who’s been leaving the photos on your car. He says someone paid him to do it, but he’s not sure who.”
A shiver rippled down her spine. Why were they doing this? She voiced her question, and Knox kissed the top of her head. “I don’t know, sweetheart, but I’m going to find out.”
There was a hint of a threat in his voice, and a little thrill ran through her. She trusted Knox to protect her, to keep her safe, and she loved him all the more for it. She still wasn’t entirely sure what would happen between them, but she wanted to put this all behind them so they could find out.