“He’s in love with her,” I whispered softly.
Knox turned and looked down at me, all mussed hair and hazel eyes. “What?”
“He’s in love with her,” I repeated, watching his nostrils flare at the mention of the word “love”.
We sat like that for a moment, breathing and staring at each other. The air was thick but not with tension. Something else. Arousal. Intimacy. Desire. Longing.
“You wanna go somewhere with me?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah.”
Chapter 13
Twenty minutes and a pit stop to Knox’s truck later we were sprawled out on a tremendously soft gray blanket in a sand dune that overlooked almost the entire beach. The air was heavy with only a warmth that summer can bring with bonfires dotting along the sand sporadically. The sound of the waves crashing was a distant soundtrack as Knox tugged me against his side, my leg drifting up over his hip.
“You know what I think?” he asked softly.
“Tell me.”
“I think you were supposed to come home.”
“Because you were so hard up for a lay?”
He laughed and I felt it rumble through his chest. “Seriously, I think you were meant to come back.”
“Like fate?” I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut as a wave of emotion rolled through me. Was I supposed to come home? Was the nightmare that happened in New York supposed to bring me back to Port James? Was I supposed to find my way back to the life I knew, my life with Knox?
He trailed his warm fingers down my bare arm and nodded. “Sort of. I just think maybe our story didn’t end with you leaving. It was like a thing in the middle of a play. What’s that called?”
“An intermission?”
“Yeah, an intermission.”
Tears pricked my eyes at his brutal honesty and I buried my face in his chest, inhaling his scent. “Maybe,” I whispered finally, biting my lip and trying to steel myself up for what I was about to say next. “Maybe I was supposed to get lost in New York and find my way back to you.”
He shifted us so that I was on my back and he was above me, his arms caging me in with his palms flat on either side of my head. My dress rode high on my thighs as I tucked my bare feet behind his knees, my hands sliding up his chest and linking around the back of his neck. If we were playing the honesty game then I knew what I needed to say next. “This is getting dangerous.”
His eyes were heavy lidded as he stared down at me. “I don’t care and neither do you, Abbs.”
“Yes, I do.”
“No, you don’t. If you did you wouldn’t have let me drag you up to the dune where I first kissed you.”
My head whipped around so fast I almost smashed my nose on his wrist. I pushed against his chest until he was on his knees and I was sitting up and looking around. “Really? Is this really where…”
Knox put his hand over his heart in a faux hurt gesture. “You don’t remember? Are you kidding me?”
I remembered. How could I forget? Knox was my first everything, but apparently in my alcohol fueled state I didn’t realize we’d walked right into a memory. A beautiful, wistful memory that had me on the verge of tears all over again.
“Do you hate me?”
His eyebrows skyrocketed and he jerked back as though I’d slapped him. “Hate you? Why the hell would I hate you?”
My voice shook as I spoke. “For leaving? Do you hate me even a little? Because… because I would hate me.”
If I never left all those years ago things would have stayed the same. Knox and I would have probably been married by now with a kid or two. He wouldn’t have had to suffer through his dad’s death all alone. I probably would have co-owned the store with Simone and figured out a way to play matchmaker for her and Robbie. Maybe I would have figured out what the hell was going on with Logan. I never would have been attacked.
Knox reached out and swiped his thumbs under my eyes, dragging away tears I hadn’t been able to hide. “Never. New York was huge for you, Abbs. It was life changing. You were doing what you wanted to do and kicking ass while doing it. But I wasn’t willing to move to the city and I had my life figured out here. I had to let you go figure yours out. Even if you’d wanted to I wouldn’t have let you stay.”
“We lost so much time.”
“Look where we are now,” he shot back.
I did look. We both had successful careers and friends that the other had yet to meet. We weren’t the same people we were five years ago and still had so much learning to do. Maybe we had to grow apart in order to come back together. Maybe we needed to experience life alone to see what we really wanted. Maybe I wouldn’t feel guilty forever, or maybe I would.
Maybe the best thing to do was just not think too hard about it.
I don’t remember who moved first, but one minute I was staring at him and then I was flat on my back again, Knox’s mouth slanted over mine as his tongue hungrily parted my lips. The kiss was carnal and dirty and exactly what I needed. He bit my bottom lip and sucked on my tongue, silently demanded that I give him more.
His fingers slid down my sides and under my dress, gripping my thighs almost painfully as they wrapped around his waist. I could feel how hard he was as he ground himself against me, my own hips lifting. I needed more friction. More Knox.
“Fuck,” he muttered and sat up again, his hands going to his belt buckle.
I slapped his hands away and he laughed, a laugh that ended on a low groan when I began palming him through his jeans. I traced the outline of his cock with my fingers and then leaned forward repeating the motion with my tongue as he fisted my hair in one hand and tugged hard enough to make me look up at him.
“You want it?” he asked, undoing his belt with one hand and gripping my hair with the other. “You want my cock in your mouth?”
I gave a small nod and gasped when he tugged my hair a little harder, the slight pain shooting straight down to my core and making me clench.
“Say it,” he ordered, pushing his jeans down.
My mouth watered, literally watered, at the sight of his length. Long, thick with pre-come dripping down the swollen head had me aching to have him between my legs. “I want your cock in my mouth.”
I reached forward and grasped his hips, pulling him forward and flicking my tongue against his tip, tasting the saltiness of him. Repeating the motion, I took Knox a little deeper and released him with a pop, spurred on by the growl that came out of his mouth and the way his grip on my hair tightened. When he urged me forward I took him deeper, using one hand to grip him at the base of his cock and sliding my tongue down his shaft.
He released my hair and locked his hands behind his head, seemingly fighting to control himself. I went to work, hollowing my cheeks and taking him deeper with every stroke of my mouth.
“Abby,” he groaned as I looked up at him, sliding my tongue over the velvety head. “Fuck, you gotta stop.”
“Why?” I asked with a small smirk. “You don’t like it?”
His fingers quickly worked the buttons of his shirt and then he was pulling it off. I slid my hands over his chest and down his abs, tracing the v of his hips with one finger. Tucking his fingers under my chin, Knox tilted my chin up as he leaned down and kissed me slowly. Taking his time.
I reached behind my back and slid the zipper of my dress down, feeling his fingers pull the straps down my shoulders. When the material pooled at my waist he pushed me back against the blanket and hovered over me, pulling the dress the rest of the way off and tossing it somewhere in the sand.
He kissed my neck, my chest, between my breasts and then lower. He licked at my stomach and bit my hip playfully while he tucked his fingers in either side of my little green thong and pulled it down my legs.
I was bare, exposed, naked in a sand dune and I’d never felt so free.
Knox kissed just above the apex of my thighs as he pulled a leg over each of his shoulders. I could feel his breath on me and my cheeks flamed while I gasped, my h
eels pressing into his back. The first lick up my slit made me gasp. The second made me moan. The third had me bucking my hips against Knox’s face. His tongue circled around my clit before he sucked, applying an exquisite pressure that had me arching my back and pulling on the thick strands of his hair.
“Knox,” I whimpered, too close to say anything else. The second he pushed one long finger inside me I was a goner, gripping my own breasts and arching my back as I cried out his name. He didn’t stop until my legs went limp and I was panting, running my fingers softly through the hair I’d nearly ripped out.
When he moved up my body and settled between my legs I kissed him deep, tasting myself. Had I been able to speak I would have told him that this was quite possibly the most erotic moment of my life. But then he was pushing into me and forcing me to arch for him and a loud cry tore from my throat.
“I love the sounds you make,” he whispered roughly in my ear. “I love the way that wet little pussy grips my cock.”
Knox always had a dirty mouth and five years later it still ruined me. “More,” I whimpered as I brought my legs up high, pressing against his ribs.
“You want more, baby?” he asked. It wasn’t long before he was fucking me hard and fast, the sounds of harsh breathing and skin slapping filling the air. “Come for me,” he demanded, his jaw clenched and his hands holding my hips in a bruising grip. Quickly, he licked his thumb and slid his hand between us, rubbing circles over my clit while I writhed underneath him. I cried out once, twice, three times and then my orgasm was rushing through me as I clenched around him and my nails raked down his back.
“That’s my girl,” he groaned and gave one final thrust, holding himself deep inside me as he climaxed with my name on his lips.
We lay there sated and spent for a few hours, talking and laughing and dozing. I’d just started to drift off again when I felt Knox’s lips against my temple whispering that we needed to move inside before the sun came up.
After getting a solid three hours of rest I awoke to Knox kissing my bare shoulder, tugging his black dress shirt down my arm. “I hate to do this,” he said between kisses. “But I have to go open up the gym.”
I groaned into the pillow, sore and exhausted, before snuggling close to him. “No, you’re warm. Stay.”
Now it was his turn to groan as he slid a hand down my back and cupped my bare bottom. “Don’t do that to me, I’d stay if I could.”
I wiggled my butt enticingly and when his hand cracked down hard against my flesh I yelped. He did it again and I gave an over exaggerated moan in the hopes that he’d cave and stay.
Alas, it didn’t work and soon enough he was getting dressed in last night’s clothes. In comfortable silence we made our way down the stairs, only stopping at the way too familiar voice coming from the kitchen.
“Okay, time to go,” I whispered and started pushing Knox towards the door.
I should have known things wouldn’t be that easy.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” Logan appeared in the living room.
I watched as Knox’s back straightened in a dominant gesture then watched as my brother did the same thing. Jesus, it was like watching Animal Planet. “Listen, man, I’m seeing your sister again. I don’t want any trouble but that’s the end of it.”
“Fuck you,” Logan spat and took a step forward. Robbie appeared behind him. “You won’t see her again, got it? You have no idea what you put her through last time and now you have the nerve to come back and sleep in her bed? In my brother’s home? Get the fuck out.”
Offended, my hackles rose and I narrowed my eyes. “Lo, what the hell is wrong with you? I’m a grown woman and I’m fully capable of making my own decisions.”
“Yeah,” Knox, offended and antagonistic, chimed in. “Yeah, she’s a grown woman. Trust me.”
I was quick to jump between them just as Logan lurched forward. Thankfully, Robbie expected as much and grabbed our brother by the back of his shirt and tossed him backwards before pointing as Knox.
“You’re fuckin’ asking for it,” Robbie shouted. “Get out of my house, Fitzgerald,” then he looked down at me. “I don’t need this shit, kid.”
I had to admit that I was offended by what Knox said. Not only was it blatantly antagonistic, he knew that making a comment like that would set Logan off. But for Robbie to blame me for any of it was a complete joke considering he was perfectly fine with everything last night.
I stayed quiet as I followed Knox outside, watching his angry, stiff posture as he stormed across the yard to his truck.
“Seriously,” I said finally. “Why would you say that?”
He looked at me, gave a short, hollow laugh and shook his head. “Jesus fucking Christ, are you joking? I’m the bad guy?”
“Did I say that?” I shot back and when he said nothing I continued. “I will deal with my brothers, Knox. But why make some innuendo about us? You knew exactly what you were doing when you said that. You know Logan’s temper and you pushed too far.”
He glared at me. “You know what? You’re right, Abby. You’re absolutely fucking right. I knew I’d set him off if I made a comment about Princess Ashford.”
My skin prickled at the use of the nickname that was given to me in grade school by kids who thought I was a snob because I came from money, as if I had some choice about being born into a wealthy family. “Don’t do that,” I whispered.
Knox’s eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth as if to say something else. Instead, he turned on his heel and climbed into his truck, peeling out of the driveway like he couldn’t leave fast enough.
Chapter 14
Four days later not only had I still not heard from Knox, Robbie and Logan were giving me the cold shoulder as well.
Ever since the fight in the driveway and him speeding off like a bat out of hell, Knox seemed to be avoiding me like his life depended on it. I’d tried to catch him at the gym a few times but according to Greasy Hair (whose name I learned was Tom) Knox was always either not there or too busy with paperwork. Refusing to be a complete psycho, I refrained from going to his house or blowing up his phone. Nope. On the fourth day I left a simple text that summed up how I felt about him and his complete silence:
You’re an asshole.
As for my brothers, I needed them to get their heads outta their asses so that we could plan our parents’ damn anniversary party. Oh yeah, my mother left me a not so subtle voicemail reminding me that she and my dad would soon be celebrating “thirty five years of wedded bliss” and she’d love her kids to plan “a little something” as a gift for them. Sure, I planned parties for a living and sure, I could do it by myself. But as of one of three Ashford children it wasn’t solely my responsibility to do it.
“All the men in this town suck,” I grumbled to Simone as I helped her set up the new ruby display. Seeing as it was July and she liked to do special displays for each birthstone we were in the process of setting one up right in the front window of the shop.
She smiled and waved to a few people as they passed by on the sidewalk outside. “Can you not look so miserable, please? You’re scaring off potential customers and I need to make a living. Just take a deep breath, Abby. Inhale with the good, exhale with the bad.”
I was in the process of telling her where to shove her inhale/exhale bullshit when the bells sounded in the back of the store, signaling there was a new customer.
“Be right with you!” Simone yelled in her best customer service voice. “Can I trust you to finish this and wave at a few people?”
“Simone, I am perfectly capable of-”
“Hello!” she said, already conversing with someone else.
I rolled my eyes and finished up the display, pasting a very fake smile on my face and waving at a few people who strolled past outside.
I didn’t want to be juvenile, but I was pissed off. Pissed off that Knox was reverting back to the old habit of giving me the silent treatment and pissed at my brothers for refusing to acknowled
ge the fact that I was no longer a child.
For so long, my stalker was calling the shots, anticipating my moves and, essentially forcing me to live in fear. He was making decisions for me and it felt like a prison. I didn’t need the same treatment from my brothers and it felt like a slap in the face that they were acting as though I couldn’t fight my own battles. Yes, there was some animosity between Knox and Logan, and I was fully aware how lucky I was to have a brother that cared as much as he did, but name calling and trash talking was childish coming from two twenty seven year old men.
“Well, shit, why do you look so angry at the earrings?” a voice spoke directly behind me.
I turned and saw Caleb looking at me with raised eyebrows, his hands in his pockets. His glasses were on and he had a ball cap on his head.
“Nothing, I just… hate men,” I responded lamely.
He laughed and then nodded. “Maybe I should stay out of your way.”
For the first time all day I found myself smiling. “I think you’re in the clear for now.”
Caleb followed me around the store as I adjusted and fixed up the displays, helping me clean up a table that was strewn with twine bracelets. We worked together in silence and I had to admit that it was nice. My anger dissipated a bit as I had something to focus on, and it reminded me of the high school days. Me and Caleb working side by side in the computer room. There were times when we didn’t speak for over an hour, but there was a friendship, a camaraderie in the silence.
“Have you thought any more about the article?” he asked once we were finished. We ambled out onto the back deck, looking out at the ocean. The sun was warm on my bare skin and the air smelled like salt.
“Honestly? No,” I laughed. “I’ve been preoccupied.”
Keep Me Safe: A Small Town Suspenseful Love Story (Port James Book 1) Page 10
