by Kells, India
It should have been slow and easy, a mere taste before letting her go. Instead, when Josie’s mouth opened to him, the silent invitation turned the kiss incendiary. His tongue traced her lips before delving inside her mouth.
Knox fought himself, but it wasn’t a battle he could win. His body only wanted to possess and explore her. Then he realized his hands were grabbing her hips, pulling her against his undeniable erection. Josie’s breathing was harsh, her eyes half-closed, her hands circling his waist. She wasn’t trying to pull away but wasn’t pulling him closer either.
He was about to find the good sense to break off the kiss when her tongue swirled against his and a sigh escaped her lips. It turned him into a hungry wolf. He pushed her back and trapped her bottom against the counter. One of his hands went to her hair and slid into the silky strands before fisting it so he could better angle her head and control the kiss.
All tentativeness in her vanished as the palms of her hands slid over his coverall until they reached the opening and slid inside. Knox’s breathing was becoming more labored, so was Josie’s. His brain turned to mush at the thought of being touched by her and touching her in return.
It was the familiar sharp boom of the compressor in the shop that brought him back to the present and where they were. He tore his mouth from hers and stepped back, the loss of contact so painful, he’d had to shake his head.
Josie was gripping the counter with both hands, clearly needing it to stay up straight. Her upper chest and cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen from their make-out session. Her bright eyes looked at him as if trying to comprehend what had just happened, but he didn’t have any answers, apart from the obvious.
“I’m sorry, Josie. I shouldn’t have touched you. That was inappropriate.”
She blinked several times until she finally nodded. “You’re right. Inappropriate is the word. Please don’t touch me again, Mr. Knox.”
As she talked, coldness descended upon her, her usual detachment returning although when her hands went back to the keyboard, they were shaking slightly. Before he could say another word, she asked him a question.
“Why do you need to buy that part so cheap? Usually, you never skimp on the orders.”
Knox nodded, deciding to take the out she offered him and ignore what had just happened between them. “It’s for Mr. Holmes. I’m still working on his truck. Pick the part that has the quickest delivery and put it on the shop’s account.”
He turned to head to the back of the shop when her voice stopped him. “I know Mr. Holmes. He’s a proud man and won’t allow you to pay for the part for him.”
He sighed and glanced at her. “I’ve charged him enough for the repairs. He needs that part and I know he can’t afford it. I just want him safe on the road.”
Josie angled her head, a speculative look on her face. “I can produce a fake invoice if you like. The real one will be in the system and show the correct price, but the fake one will only show the reduced price. Let me know how much you want to charge him, and I’ll make sure to make the necessary adjustment and split the cost in the system under the shop account.”
Knox felt a smile tingle his lips, or was it the remnants of their fiery kiss? “Good suggestion. Thank you, Josie.”
She nodded and turned to her screen, but not before he saw her cheeks turn a soft pink.
“Also, I’m planning to do an inventory and I need your help. I haven’t had the chance to do one since buying the place, and I think we might be buying parts we already have. I was thinking about doing it next Monday. Would that be okay with you?”
Her entire body tensed at his words, and Knox found it strange, so he tried to reassure her about his intentions. “It won’t be just you and me. Marvin, Tom, and Gage will be here as well. The more hands-on-deck we have, the faster we’ll be done. You can update the system as we go. And you’ll get paid for it, of course.”
And still he saw her hesitate. “Can I get back to you? I need to check something first.”
“Of course, let me know and I’ll check with the others.”
Knox saw her relax a bit as she continued typing, and suspicion started to buzz in his mind. However, he stepped back and returned to his office.
Just as he sat, Gage popped his head through the door. “Do you still want to kick my ass, or can we talk about what you want for dinner? There’s nothing in the fridge and I hate being hungry.”
Distracted, Knox waved his words away. “Buy whatever you want, I’ll give you some money. Don’t wait for me, I’ll probably be home later than usual.”
An amused glimmer lit his friend’s eyes. “Well, is the ol’ man finally getting lucky with the pretty Josie?”
It was tempting to lose control at his insinuation and lash out at him again, but he reminded himself he’d no right to scratch that itch. However, he could satisfy his curiosity about Gage’s intentions. “Be respectful, would you. Josie is doing great work replacing Georgia. We can’t afford to scare her away.”
Gage leaned against the door frame. “Contrary to the rumors, I don’t pin every woman I meet against the wall. Especially when you’re interested in her.”
“I am not.” Saying those words tasted foul in his mouth. “If you want to make a move keep in mind it’s a small town and when you leave, you may have more of a negative impact than you intended.”
Gage’s amusement dampened a little. “I’ll keep that in mind, my friend. I’m not sure if I’ll stay here or not. Don’t worry about me. To be honest, I’m more worried about you, Knox.”
And on those cryptic words, Knox watched his friend turn and walk back into the shop.
Chapter 6
Knox was ready to bash his head on the dashboard of his truck by the time he got behind the wheel. It was late, he was tired and grumpy, and all he wanted to do was wrap his hands around Josie Baird’s throat and choke her until she got some sense into her head.
He now understood why she’d hesitated to do overtime at the shop—it was because she had two other jobs lined up.
It was complete insanity! When she’d bid everyone goodbye, Knox had expected her to turn and walk toward her cabin, but instead, she’d headed into town, more specifically to the inn. After a few quick inquiries, Marvin had confirmed she worked as a maid there, cleaning the main areas and the kitchen while the guests were in their rooms.
But when Tom had overheard their conversation and added that after her shift at the inn, Josie went to the bakery to work until way past midnight, Knox thought he would lose it. It was only what Georgia had said that stuck in his mind and calmed him down, but not enough to stop him from confronting her.
So he waited for her to leave, stalking her, bundled up in his coat, seething at how she was working herself to the bone like that. No wonder she looked so tired.
It was well past two in the morning when she finally emerged from the bakery with the owner, Tony Alman. Well into his sixties, Tony had a jovial face all the time, even in the dead of night it seemed.
They talked a moment, Tony adamant about something, before Josie finally sighed and nodded and they got in Tony’s car. A true gentleman, Tony drove her to her place, and Knox followed at a distance, reassured there were still good people around. It would have been folly for her to walk home at this hour on the deserted road. How many times had she done it? The thought fueled his anger.
Tony dropped her by the road and Knox passed them, driving until he found space to turn and head back. Josie was gone, probably already inside her house when he parked at the curb. Her driveway was as snowed in as before with only the trail that Josie made each morning and night showing someone lived there.
Knox hesitated. Should he go and confront her? It wasn’t his life, and after all, she was just an employee. She wasn’t under his care. Or was she?
Cursing, he shut the engine and got out of his truck before he could think more into his actions. There was no way in hell he would be able to sleep after finding out what he had. As he wade
d through the snow, he tried to find the right words to confront her, but none came. He was lucky that despite the clouds, there were slivers of moonlight reflecting on the white banks, making it possible to see in the darkness. When he rounded the trees, he saw the cabin. Although Georgia was right when she’d called it a shack. How was this tiny hunting camp still standing? Even in the moonlight could he see how damaged and run down it was.
The flickering of candlelight reflected on the frosted windows. When he realized she didn’t have electricity, Knox started moving again until he reached the door and knocked on it. “Josie! It’s me, Knox. Spencer Knox. Open up.” He realized his voice sounded harsh, and the situation was more than a little strange. It was the middle of the night in the silent forest. He probably looked like a stalker—the dangerous man he knew he was. But not to her.
Immediately his anger deflated, and he sighed, regretting his foolish impulse. As he was about to turn away, the door opened, and Josie’s pale face appeared.
“What are you doing here at this hour? Are you lost?”
Words seized in his throat when he saw the bluish bruises under her eyes caused by utter fatigue. In the dark of the night, her skin was paler than usual. Seeing her on the brink of collapse made his anger surge again. “I need to talk to you.”
She blinked but didn’t move, holding the weathered door half-closed as a barrier between them.
“I’m not going to touch you, Josie. You have my word. And I’m a man of my word, I assure you. Please.”
Still she hesitated. “Let me put on my boots, I’ll join you outside…”
“Josie. Please let me in. It’s too cold to have a conversation out here.”
A few seconds passed before she finally stepped back and silently indicated for him to enter.
One glance inside made him clench his jaw in indignation. The cabin was even smaller from the inside. It was a single room, with the bare essentials. The tiny bed in the corner looked more like a cot than a proper bed. On the small counter was a basin with a few dishes. Near the fireplace was a couch that had surely seen better days, and with the blankets on it, Knox suspected that she slept there most of the time. It was slightly warmer inside than it was outside, and that was probably because they were shielded from the wind. The ancient frosted windows didn’t keep in the warmth from the fire either. Everything was clean and tidy, but he could see the run-down nature of the place. The shack would break apart with the first major storm. How it had survived until now was a miracle. He also didn’t know how she’d survived in these conditions for so long.
His attention returned to Josie who was standing proud and defiant in front of him, challenging him to say anything about the state of her home. Instead, he turned and went to the fireplace, quickly bringing the kindling to a blaze, not that it would do any good, there were just too many places for the cold to get in. Only then did he glance back at Josie who hadn’t moved an inch since he’d entered.
He could have gone to her but decided that reasoning with her would be the best approach. He sat on the frigid floor, his back to the stone fireplace and gestured for her to sit on the couch in front of him.
Her head held high, she made her way to the sofa and sat. He knew for a fact she was cold and it made it difficult for him not to snatch her away to his place. The idea surprised him but wasn’t to be ignored. Instead, it whirred in his head.
They held each other’s gaze for a while, as Knox searched for the right words. “I suspected you were running yourself into the ground but certainly not to this extent. I know about your jobs at the inn and the bakery.”
Her eyes dimmed as her glance slid to the dancing flames. “You came here in the middle of the night to state the obvious?”
“I came here in the middle of the night to try and understand why you’re exhausting yourself like this. Do I not pay you enough? Is that why you can’t afford a decent place?”
“Where and how I live is none of your concern.”
Knox cursed under his breath, seeing he was going about it all wrong. He had never worked so hard at keeping his calm with anyone before, and still, he was failing. “Don’t tell me this is what you want for your life! No electricity, no running water, and even with the fire going, it’s still cold as fuck.”
“Don’t you dare judge my decisions. I’m doing the best I can!”
“At what is that exactly? Living life the hardest way possible? Seeing how long you can continue like this before you collapse or die?”
For a moment, Josie closed her eyes, either trying to shut him out, or regain some sort of control over herself.
“You think I didn’t see how exhausted you were when you walked around town, or when you came into the shop? Georgia told me that you were going through a difficult time. But this isn’t difficult, this is complete self-destruction.”
At Georgia’s name, Josie’s eyes flew open with definite panic in them. “What did she tell you?”
“Not a lot. I was hoping you would tell me the details yourself. Why on earth would you take three jobs and live in the middle of the forest like a hobo?”
When she looked at him again, her stare was cold and dim, filled with resignation. “There’s nothing to say. I made my bed, now I must lie in it. If you’re worried I’ll be late for work, don’t. I’ll make sure I’m always on time, Knox.”
He knew she would be, and it would be her downfall. A quick check of his watch told him she would get less than four hours of sleep. He stood and Josie did the same. It was clear she was about a minute from falling asleep on her feet. Something had to be done before she killed herself. “You’re fired.”
Time stopped in the tiny cabin. Knox had never experienced that before, and it was the weirdest feeling. His eyes on Josie, he saw something fleeting cross her face, but couldn’t tell what it was before she swallowed hard and exploded.
“How dare you! How dare you fire me because of where I live or what I do. This is my life and my decision. You have no right to dismiss me because of that!”
“I can do whatever I damn well please. It’s my business, and even if it doesn’t seem so, I care about the welfare of the people I employ. I didn’t ask questions to pry, but because it’s clear you’re about to collapse. I don’t want to be part of you landing in the hospital.”
As if on a spring, Josie jumped to her feet and started walking the empty space between the couch and the bed. “Why? Why do you even care? Nobody else does!”
That made him angry, but he dismissed the feeling. It wasn’t useful to be frustrated with other’s behavior toward the woman.
“I need this job, Mr. Knox. It’s the best paying one I have.”
“And I need you too, but not at the cost of seeing you waste away day after day in front of my eyes. Certain circles may see me as a soulless bastard, but I still have some humanity in me.”
His words made her twist around and he recognized questions in her eyes, but she avoided asking them. “If you have humanity like you say, you’ll see I have no choice and need all the money I can get.”
He knew she was in debt from what Georgia has said, he just hadn’t realized how bad it was. “How much money do you need to stop killing yourself like this?” He realized the question was a mistake when she clammed up. He pushed himself to his feet and stretched. “Okay, let’s try again. Why do you need money so badly?”
Again, she looked disgruntled by the question. Knox knew he had to push some more, just a little more so he could push her to breaking point.
He sighed and went for the door.
“I need the money to gain my freedom.”
Of all the reasons he’d expected to hear, that one was the most unexpected of all, and one that made his blood surge inside him. While Georgia had told him she was paying off her husband’s debts, he hadn’t realized she was being forced. He knew all about slavery and being trafficked. He’d helped bring a syndicate down a year ago. It had been his own descent into the belly of hell. It couldn’t
be the same thing, so he schooled his features before he slowly turned to face Josie once more.
“What do you mean?”
She sighed, appeared defeated and so alone in her little cabin, it was heartbreaking. “I’m married. My soon to be ex-husband won’t sign the divorce papers unless I pay off his debts. The only thing he promised was to stay away as long as I make regular payments to him.”
That confirmed what Georgia had said, but the way she seemed to get smaller and smaller as she talked made Knox suspect something uglier. “Did he...?”
Words of that nature made him want to surge in anger, but as he didn’t know Josie that well, he couldn’t risk frightening her with an outburst now.
It took a moment, but she finally shook her head. “It wasn’t physical. Let’s leave it at that. Now you see why every single penny is so important. Please.”
How he hated to hear her beg. Her story sickened him. The solution should be easy. Reinstate her as an employee and let her deal with her mess as she was doing now. The problem was, he wasn’t the kind of man to step back and not take control.
“I will reinstate you as my employee, on two conditions.”
The hope that shone in her eyes confirmed how desperate she was.
“You come back to work for me, and I’ll double your pay, but you need to stop working three jobs. You’ll work at my shop and that’s all.”
Josie hesitated, but before she could say no or ask questions, he added, “And you’re leaving this shack and will sleep in my guest bedroom. Well, more like my half-attic as Gage is already in the guest bedroom.”
He wasn’t surprised to see her shake her head. “I can’t. I won’t impose on you. And if you had ideas of…”
Knox lifted both his hands. “I said I wouldn’t touch you. Well, unless you want me to. You have my word. That’s not what my offer is about. That kiss was a mistake. You’re way too young, and it was way too inappropriate.”