by Tessa Teevan
“Good to know,” Knox mutters.
“For what it’s worth, bro, I didn’t see a thing,” Clay offers.
“I’d kill you if you did.”
“Nah, maybe just maim me a little. Maria? She might kill me.”
That piques Sunny’s interest, and instead of everyone focusing on my boobs, she launches into a rousing game of twenty questions for him. I take the distraction to pull Knox’s earlobe between my lips, tugging gently before releasing it.
“You should know: These boobs are for your eyes only,” I tease.
His cock twitches against my ankle, which is wrapped just below his waist. “Same goes for this, babe.”
Somehow, we spend the rest of the day without any more overheating (temperature-wise, of course) and with no more near boobage spills. Knox quickly loses the growly, possessive manner when it comes to Sam and Clay, and I’m happy to concede the chicken fight to Sunny and Joe, even though Knox and I both know we’re the true victors.
A long day of fun in the sun, cold beers, and playing in the lake is followed by an even more rambunctious evening at Mickey’s playing pool and taking over the jukebox—where Sam serenades a pretty brunette with a rousing rendition of Eddie Money’s “Baby Hold On.” She pretends to be unaffected, but when he uses his pool stick like a microphone and shimmies his shoulders in her direction, she’s clearly watching him out of the corner of her eye.
“As soon as I have you alone, I’m gettin’ you out of those shorts and takin’ you against on the porch. Wanna see you come in the moonlight, Melia.”
Knox’s whisper, coupled with the hot breath on my neck, shoots electricity throughout my entire body. I don’t turn to look at him. I tilt my head, my voice low for only him to hear. “Stop teasing me, Knox.”
His hand brushes my breasts. “You in a hurry, babe?”
My shuddering breath is answer enough. Instead of hauling me off, he saunters towards the pool table, leaving me in a puddle of lust. Sunny takes pity on me, but she really just wants all the sordid details.
I’m left counting down every minute until we leave the bar and fall into bed again. I’m also already planning my excuses for us to hole up in the house tomorrow.
Fanning my face, I turn my attention back to the jukebox, trying to get my mind of all the wicked things we’ll do later. Sunny and I can’t help but clap along when Sam gets to the Uh! part, which he naturally pairs with a hip thrust. We whoop and holler, and just as the song ends, he takes a bow then joins Joe back at the pool table. The girl turns around in her stool, seemingly surprised that he didn’t come to join her, and I just shake my head when I catch Sam’s eye and he winks.
It’s not long before she’s walking over to the jukebox, lingering as she goes through each disc as if she’s reading some ancient Greek text. Her waiting pays off. Sam sidles up to her, fling an arm on top of the jukebox,. Floppy brown hair falls in his face, and he offers her an award-winning smile.
Two minutes later, he’s leading her to a booth in the back corner.
“And another one bites the dust,” Sunny chirps, holding a shot glass up towards Sam, who just shoots her a charming grin back. “Our little Sammy’s growing up. Maybe he’ll actually get past second base with this one.”
I promptly spew out the sip I just took. “Sam?” I choke out.
“That’s a conversation for another day. For now, let’s just cross our fingers and toes and pray this heat wave brings us as much good luck as it’s brought you.” She winks. “Don’t look now, but that tall drink of water whose been staring at your tits all day keeps tossing glances your way. Pretty sure you two aren’t shutting down the place tonight.”
I want to listen, not look, but the heat of Knox’s eyes blazes across the bare skin of my shoulders. I can’t help myself. And I see that Sunny’s right, except she doesn’t know what I do. The way he’s watching me isn’t at all unlike the way he did this morning after he’d made me come multiple times.
My thighs press together and I squirm under his scrutiny. He nods towards the door and I can’t down my drink fast enough.
After quickly saying our goodbyes to the gang, Knox and I stumble out of Mickey’s. He hooks an arm around my waist, tucking me into his side. I respond in kind, placing my hand in the back pocket of his shorts, reveling in our closeness, and thinking back on how much has changed in the past twenty-four hours.
Before last night, Knox was always there, but today, it’s been different. He’s more attentive than before, or perhaps I’m just noticing it more. Little touches all throughout the day. Light kisses on my neck, my shoulders, and even my temple on occasion. His fingers nearly always find mine, entwining them, even if it’s just our pinkies keeping us linked.
It reminds me of what he told me the night of our first date: that every time he sees me, he wants me more. And after a week of teasing, last night unleashed something inside him to where he can’t get enough. He can’t seem to keep his hands off me, much to Sunny’s delight. Fingers trace across my skin almost unconsciously, and every time it sends shivers down my spine, Knox whispers naughty words into my ear that make me want to drag him back to my place and have my wicked way with him. Hell, he makes me want to do what I said—hole up in the lake house for the rest of the summer and not come up for air until it’s time to go home.
I certainly felt that way as we were getting ready for a night out at Mickey’s. But just as I told Sunny, and even though I’m becoming addicted to Knox in an alarming way, I came back to Crystal Cove to refind myself. To be with my friends. And that’s what I intend to do.
Just with Knox by my side.
When we get back to the house, Knox makes good on his earlier promise. I’m kind of surprised we even make it to the porch before my shorts are around my ankles, with Knox taking me from me behind. It’s hurried, frenzied, it’s so damn erotic that I lose all my inhibitions and lose myself in him, instead.
If I thought our porch romp was any indication of how the rest of the night would go, I’d be wrong.
Once we’re inside, Knox hits the brakes, slowing things wayyyyy down, no longer in such a hurry. But there’s more where that came from. What we do inside is even more explosive than the night before. Though it shouldn’t surprise me, it does. Not that I thought our being together is a fluke, but instead of me on top or him fucking my brains out, he’s different.
Just like I told Sunny: He is everything.
He pleasures my body in the laziest fashion, and I mean that in the best way possible. The attention he lavishes only heightens my arousal. Slow, lazy kisses becoming teasing nibbles on my nipples, then my clit, paired with determined strokes of his thumb that threaten to send me over the edge. Each time my orgasm crests, Knox retreats, bringing me slightly back down to Earth only to make me soar once again.
He’s relentless in his pursuit until I threaten to shatter with need if he doesn’t embed himself deep inside me soon. The anticipation drives me wild, and as he takes his time kissing, licking, sucking, and caressing my skin, anticipation grows to new heights. Each sizzling touch, each intoxicating kiss, each shiver-inducing caress sends dizzying sensations throughout my body, and by the time he finally plunges into me with one deliciously deep-seated thrust, I’m putty beneath him.
And this is just the beginning. Knox takes me more times, in more ways, in one night than I’ve ever experienced before.
He takes me; I ride him. From behind, bent over the side of the bed. Me on the edge of the bed while he stands with my legs resting on his shoulders—rendering him impossibly deep inside me, filling me nearly to the point of pain.
Each position proves more explosive than the last, and the more intimately we connect, the more he seeps a bit deeper into my heart. When we’ve finally exhausted ourselves and Knox settles into bed behind me, his arm curling around my waist, I’m flooded with unexpected emotion and it feels like my heart could burst with happiness.
I’m an idiot for thinking I could continue to ha
ve meaningless sex with him. Especially now that I’ve gotten to know him—and have found that I like the guy.
I really freaking like the guy.
And I have no idea what the hell I’m going to do.
THINGS FALL INTO PLACE RELATIVELY easily after Clay leaves to go back home, eager to be with Maria again. Though we’ve already spent most of our time together, Knox no longer feels he has to check in with anyone. He’s focused solely on me, and I’m not going to lie: I’m becoming pretty damn accustomed to it.
Our daily routine, which I’ve come to adore, consists of sleep, sand, sun, sex—wash, rinse, repeat. There’s been no more talk of the future, of the time beyond the summer, and surprisingly, I’m okay with that. Like I told Sunny, while I could see myself becoming addicted to this man, I know it’s physical, and that’s the only type of connection we’re going to forge. And that’s fine by me. I’m more content than I’ve been in far too long, and I plan on making the most of it. Not to mention, between the heat and Knox, I fall into bed exhausted beyond belief every single night and enter a state of pure bliss. My brain doesn’t even have time to race if it wanted to.
After countless nights at my place, I finally cajole Knox into bringing me to his. He warns me, calling it a work in progress, and when I walk through the front door, I burst into a coughing fit.
“Good Lord, Knox. Have you considered dusting lately?”
He grins at me. “Why do you think I invited you over?”
I shoot him a mocking glare then wander through the first floor, taking in the sparsely decorated space. “How long have you owned this place?” I ask, because it appears to be barely lived in. As he’s spent all of his nights with me since Clay left, I’m not surprised, just curious.
He rubs a hand on the back of his neck. “Ah, I found out about just before I came here.”
“You found out about it?”
His hand stops mid-caress, and his gaze falls to the floor before coming to meet mine. Now I’m curious as to the cause of his apprehension, but just like he’s given me time and space to tell him—or, in my case, not—about personal things in my life, I follow suit and keep all my questions to myself.
He turns a kitchen chair around and sits backwards in it. “Long story short, Mom thinks I’m a workaholic.”
Considering he’s barely twenty-two and hasn’t graduated from college yet, I can’t imagine how that’s true. “Uh huh,” I say simply, hoping it urges him to continue.
“You might be surprised to find out that I’m not some poor country boy.”
I can’t help the giggle that escapes my lips. I bring my hand to my mouth in mock surprise. “Well, I’ll be, Knox. I would’ve never guessed with the pristine Thunderbird or the fancy motorbike your brother kept trying to get permission to ride. Here I was thinkin’ you were just some bad boy James Dean wannabe lookin’ for a girl to shack up with for the summer. Are you telling me that you, the man with the fancy watch, the perfect haircut, and the shiny car, have money?” I ask, in my best Southern belle accent—which isn’t all that great.
Knox rolls his eyes. “Okay, okay. I get it. Not like I was hiding it or anything. It’s just… Where I come from, people expect me to act a certain way. Be a certain man. Here, I’ve found I can be a more relaxed version of myself, a version I didn’t even know existed. For the first time, I haven’t had work or my future on the brain twenty-four-seven, and I have you to thank for that.”
I’m squealing on the inside. Somehow I maintain my cool and offer him a bright smile. “Glad to be of service.”
Knox’s eyes darken and I throw a towel at him.
“Not that kind of service! So you come from money. So what? I’m not exactly hurting, either. After all, I’m here for the entire summer, no bills, play money, and barely a care in the world.”
I could tell him the truth about me, but what’s the point? It seems we’re both keeping each other at arms’ length when not in the bedroom.
“Trust me. I’m still trying to figure out how to talk you into fucking on the hood of that beauty in your garage.”
My cheeks flush. I still haven’t told him about my parents. I don’t know why. It…just hasn’t come up. If he knew that was my dad’s car, he might rethink his plans for it. Then again, from what I’ve come to know of Knox, not much will get in the way of what and when he wants to fuck.
“I fucking love it when you blush.”
Not melting. Not melting one bit.
“So, how’d you end up with this place?” I ask, changing the subject.
He runs a hand over the back of his neck. “You know how I work for my dad? And plan on working there after graduation?”
I nod.
“It’s legacy. Dad built the business into what it is not for himself, but so he could share something with—and one day leave it to—Clay and me. Since I was a kid, I’ve known what my future would hold, and since my dad’s the greatest man I’ve ever known, it’s my mission to make him proud.”
“That’s sweet, Knox.”
“Now you’re starting to sound like my mom.” He treats me to an eye roll. “I spent more time during my childhood at Dad’s office than I did on the playground. In high school, I dabbled in sports for a bit, but that didn’t stop me from continuing to learn from my old man. College—pretty much the same. I go to Dad’s alma mater, worked for him in between classes and during every summer since eighth grade.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. Don’t get me wrong. I was there because I wanted to be, not because of Dad pressuring me. If I’d have told him that I wanted to be somewhere else, he’d have driven me himself. So that’s how my life’s been for the last ten years. Except this year, instead of going to work my dad for the summer, Mom bought me this place—as my first investment, as she calls it. She ordered me to spend the summer here fixing it up so I can rent it out in the future. Learning more responsibility while also having fun, she claimed. I grumbled the entire way here. Until I saw you.”
When I walk towards him, he flips around in the chair where I straddle his waist. My arms hook around his neck, and I meet his eyes. “So, instead of listening to your mom, you’ve let me distract you?”
“Pretty sure distraction’s what Mom was hopin’ for, babe.”
Jesus, is it wrong to ridiculously adore it when he calls me that?
“Then what do you say you take me to the bedroom so I can distract you some more?”
Knox is up and out of the chair in a flash, hoisting me up with him. My legs wrap around his waist, and I laugh as he tears through the house before depositing me onto a waterbed. The sensation of rolling water underneath me takes me by surprise.
He peers down at me with a devilish grin. “Ever fucked in a waterbed, Melia?” he asks, his voice a low, husky drawl. The way he lazily says my name shoots heat straight to my loins.
I rise, grabbing the material of his shirt and bunching it up into my fist. “I’m pretty sure I’ve never fucked before I met you. Definitely not in a waterbed. Think I’ll enjoy it? I don’t know. I’m not sure it’ll be all that good with the water sloshing around.” I’m teasing, and he knows it.
With a low growl, he rips off his shirt and launches himself at me. One hand fists my hair as hot breath finds my ear. “I’ll show you just how fucking good it can be.”
A short while later, I’m a convert. Waterbeds are a hell of a lot of fun.
“It’s dusty, smells like floor cleaner, and I’d much rather be in your bed.”
With one eyebrow raised, I eye Knox standing in the doorway of his kitchen. Shirtless. Gleaming with sweat. Sun-kissed skin stretching across muscles that shoots a few little quivers straight to my panties.
“I’m pretty sure all we do is spend time in my bed, Knox” I tease, because, well, it’s the truth.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“On the contrary. It’s turning out to be the best summer yet.” As soon as the words escape my lips, I regret them. I don�
�t want Knox to get the wrong idea. Not that it’d be the wrong idea, but I don’t want him to run off if he has any indication I’m starting to wish we didn’t have an expiration date.
He grins, apparently oblivious to the conflict brewing inside me. “Hafta say I agree. But you know what? You’re right. We need to adventure outside of your bed. What do you say we head to your place, christen the shower, then head to Mickey’s for burgers and beer? Or if you want, we can go out somewhere a bit nicer, like that Italian place the next town over?” he asks, rubbing a bit of grease off his hands. “We have plenty of time left to get this place in order. I need to order fixtures, a new toilet…” He trails off on a tangent about everything left to do.
When his mom told him she’d found him a fixer-upper, she wasn’t kidding. Not that today hasn’t been a blast. It’s been refreshing. Like every other day with him, I’m realizing what a great team we could make—which is unfortunate. He has plans for his future, ones that don’t include me, but I’ve genuinely enjoyed helping him rehab this place. Or the way I could see myself spending my life like this. By his side.
Except his place isn’t here. Neither is mine.
I shake the thought out of my head and focus on the joy of the day.
Maybe after Knox, photography isn’t the only thing I’ll pursue.
I stretch my arms wide with a yawn. “Mickey’s sounds perfect. Plus, Sunny was just complaining that I haven’t spent enough time with her this summer.”
Knox stops in his tracks. “Sunny, whose mouth is practically glued to Joe’s every time we’re around them? That Sunny?”
“Just the one,” I laugh. God, he fits in so well. Too well.
He grins. “So you’re down for Mickey’s… How ’bout that shower?”
“It might take a while to wash off all the grime of this place.”
“Far as I’m concerned, we’ve got all the time in the world.”
If only that were true.
Apparently, home repairs have an aphrodisiac quality. By the time we reach my house, we’re leaving a trail of clothes from the door leading to the shower. Knox methodically cleans every inch of dirt off my skin, his lips following along. We may be in the middle of a heatwave, but I swear I’m living with perpetual goose bumps thanks to this man. He’s driving me crazy, taking his sweet-ass time getting me primed. Just when I’m nearing my breaking point, Knox makes good on his promise.