Page 58

It’s beenforty hours since the wedding ceremony where I so unceremoniously fucked Knox in a barn, and I’ve spent every minute of those hours thinking about him. I snuck out early yesterday, stopped at a local market, and in an attempt to take my mind off of him, I did Carrick-a-Rede. A sixty-six-foot-long rope bridge that spans almost a hundred feet above water. I figured concentrating on not dying would be a good way to keep my mind occupied. I wasn’t expecting to have the phantom touch of his beard running down the hollow of my neck while I swayed a hundred feet in the air.

This morning, I woke up with the urge to work out, as I randomly get on fitness kicks. They typically last a few weeks before I get over it, so I like to take advantage of them when they come. Stoney Meadow Fitness seemed like the best option for me as they have a free week trial period, and since I won’t be here much longer than that, it works out perfectly. Plus, it’s the only gym for sixty kilometers. The map said it was only four kilometers away from the inn—I don’t know what a kilometer is, but four of them didn’t seem that far.

I set my things down, throw my headphones in, and begin warming up when I find a familiar stranger’s reflection in the mirror in front of me.

“Tatertot, was it?” His accent is still so jarring with how thick it is. I pull one of the headphones out and turn to face him.

“Taylor,” I say, extending a hand.

“Dax,” he says and realization dawns on me.

“You’re the third musketeer.”

“Awe, has Browning been talking about me? That’s cute.” I can’t help but smile at the dynamic between their little friend group. Especially after Knox has been gone so long, he seamlessly weaved his way back into this town as if no time had passed. This shouldn’t be surprising considering how I’ve also felt something similar around these people. I can tell he feels like he might not deserve that type of loyalty, or that eventually they’ll stop being proud of him, but it’s taken me only a few weeks to come to the conclusion that the people in this town aren’t fairweather people. They love and admire him and that won’t change, no matter how much time passes or whether or not he’s still playing professionally.

As I worked through my sets, Dax kept me company, sharing stories of growing up in this town and how he came to buy his own gym. But to my utter annoyance, the stories I was most interested in were the ones involving Knox.

I throw a towel over my shoulder—welcoming the dopamine high I get from a solid workout and wave goodbye to Dax, who’s helping a client.

“See you tonight!” he calls over his shoulder.

My eyebrows pull together but I ignore the confusion and head back to the inn.

My feet pause halfwayup the porch when the familiar purring of Knox’s truck sounds behind me. I turn to find him rounding the hood, and even though the engine no longer rumbles, that spot just below my core still does. His black hat sits low, shadowing his eyes until he lifts it and turns it backward. As I watch him shuck off his flannel, revealing a black hoodie underneath, my chest swoops and my neck heats at the memory of that body pressed behind mine and those rough hands caressing me and gripping my hips and hair. His mouth tugs upward as if he can sense what I’m thinking.That mouth.The suction and sting it inflicted on the most sensitive part of my skin when my neck meets my collarbone—the memory has me clenching my thighs and I clear my throat in an attempt to clear my thoughts.

“Nova.”

“Browning,” I reply casually like I wasn’t just imagining us rolling around naked.

“Get dressed.”

He steps in closer like he always does and I lock my hands behind my back, looking up at him. “Where are we going?”

“The town fair.”

“And what if I had plans?” I lay the smartass tone on thick but keep my smile sweet.

“You do. With me. Now.” He spins me around and nudges me up the stairs before giving me a smack on the ass. “Go get dressed.”

“Such a brute.” I roll my eyes over my shoulder but don’t miss his sexy smile as I make my way upstairs and beg the butterflies in my stomach to relax.

“Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!”the announcer shouts. “Pick your prize, mate.”

Knox sets the giant mallet down and looks at me. “What’ll it be, Nova girl?”

I can’t stop the goofy grin on my face as I look at the hanging stuffed animals. A war wages inside of me with how pathetic it is that I feel so full over the fact that someone has just won me a giant teddy. I choose to blame it on all the fried food and the sugar that’s now giving me hormonal imbalance as I smile and point to the one in the middle.

“The orca, obviously.”

“You know that the game measures skill not strength right?” Liam huffs.

“Well, then it’s a good thing I have both.” Knox takes the whale from the attendant and attempts to swat my prize at Liam but his reflexes are quick. Liam throws his hands up, blocking his body. “Come here, gobshite.”

Liam turns, running out wide in a circle while Knox chases after him. “I might not be a professional athlete but still the fastest!” he shouts, sounding slightly out of breath. “Give it up, KB, you’ll never catch me.”

“When I do, I’m gonna beat the piss out of you.” Liam laughs but doesn’t stop, he fakes right before turning on his heel behind Dax, using him as a shield. “Come on, I’ll even let you choose what hand I beat you with.”

“You’d love to put your hands on me, Knoxy boy.” He pops up over Dax’s shoulder blowing him a kiss and Knox springs forward.