Page 13 of Knox (Graeme #3)

Second Date

I was exhausted by the time Ian told everyone to go home.

They headed offstage to change, and Finn told me Damon was taking them to the hotel.

Adam walked up to me and held out his hand.

Reluctantly, I dropped the keys into his palm, and headed to the office to grab my coat.

I left the clipboard on the desk and shrugged into the heavy wool.

Warm hands lifted it over my shoulders, and I turned to find Adam standing behind me.

"I'm waiting for Knox," I murmured, and he nodded.

"I'm not a punishment, Josh."

"No, but you're Jasper's brother. How am I supposed to go on a date with you shadowing me? It's weird."

He cocked his head to the side. "Understandable. How about takeout? We'll pick it up, and then I'll take you both home."

I slumped against the desk. "I don't get to drive myself again, do I?"

Adam laughed at me before he shook his head, letting me know I was correct.

"Josh?"

I turned to find Knox standing in the doorway dressed a lot like me, minus the coat. He looked really good in the sweater, and I cleared my throat before I said something stupid. "You ready? Adam suggested we order takeout? Unless you want him to go with us?"

Knox raised his eyebrows and glanced at Adam. "Um, no thank you. You're cute, but, no."

Adam laughed then, a full throaty sound, as he shoved me towards Knox.

The man wasn't much older than us, and I cringed at the thought that he just might join us to embarrass me.

What did he know about me? He liked to tease Jasper, and I didn't want him to bring up anything that would make Knox think I was bad.

Knox slipped his hand in mine, and I shoved the door to the outside open while Adam brought up the rear. He winked at me, and I glanced away to keep from looking at the man.

Adam unlocked the doors, and I let Knox slide in first. Adam climbed into the driver's side and readjusted the mirror. "Chinese?"

"Orange chicken," I murmured. "Don't forget Ian."

"I wouldn't," Adam said as he started the engine and let the car warm up before backing out of the space.

This ride was silent, unlike the ride to the playhouse, and when we reached the shopping center with our preferred Chinese restaurant, Adam left the car running while he went in to order and get our food.

"I'm sorry," I said, and Knox smiled.

"It's okay. I half-expected you to have a guard before now. You are Josh Graeme."

I frowned. "Knox, you didn't ask me out because-"

"No," he cut me off. "I asked you out because I wanted to. Though, I did want to pay for it."

I laughed. "Yeah. Well."

He reached across the seat and linked our fingers. "It's okay. I think I like eating in your room anyway, as long as you don't invite Adam."

"Aw, come on. He's cute," I teased.

"He is, but I'd like to have sex with one person before we go adding a third." Knox blinked and jerked his head back. "I said that out loud."

"I'm not a virgin," I murmured.

"Hope not. One of us needs to know what we're doing."

"So, you're planning on naked?"

"Maybe." He licked his top lip and whispered, "I could be your birthday present?"

Two days? No, three. We'd known each other for three days. Well, that wasn't true. Knew was the wrong word. Been doing something for three days. We'd known each other for years.

"Josh?"

I took a deep breath and made the mistake of looking into those eyes. Thick black lashes, high cheekbones, and full lips…

He snapped his fingers in my face as he laughed. "Are you overanalyzing again?"

"No, I wasn't thinking at all."

His cheeks flamed, and I touched a finger to the gorgeous shade of pink. He was the popular boy, and I was the nerd in hand-me-down clothes, with no friends. How did we end up here?

The driver's door opened, and I jerked away as Adam set the box in the passenger seat. "Don't mind me."

Knox and I sat as far away from each other as possible on the ride home, and when Adam parked in the bay, I hopped out, grabbing the food on my way in.

Knox was right behind me, and we left Adam to his own devices.

I set the box on the kitchen island, pawing through it for our food, while Knox found us two bottles of soda.

We hurried up the stairs when Mom's bedroom door opened, and Knox kicked my bedroom door closed behind him.

Neither of us wanted to talk to the rest of them. Didn't think I could handle any more teasing from Adam tonight.

I set the containers on the steamer trunk and took my coat off, hanging it up in the closet before removing my boots. Knox was already on the loveseat, and he smiled when I joined him.

"So, orange chicken is your favorite?" he asked as I grabbed a set of chopsticks.

"It is, yeah. It's also Ian's."

Knox stuck his chopsticks in my box and snagged a piece before I could stop him. He grinned and held out his box, offering me some of his sweet and sour chicken. I cut my eyes at him before grabbing a piece.

Again, we talked about everything and nothing.

Jasper would have wanted to discuss Lacey, but Knox didn't care about her one way or another.

He was more interested in me. It was strange to talk about myself, but I did.

He didn't laugh once when I told him about Ethan being an ass.

Jasper made fun of me after Ethan slashed my tire on our date.

"So, Jasper is an ass," Knox said as he fed me another bite. "Well, now, he's Lana's ass."

"She's your sister. How do you feel about that?"

"Not sure anyone has ever asked how I feel about anything. Lana and I aren't that close. Haven't been since we turned twelve and she discovered boys."

I arched a brow. "You didn't discover boys?"

He nodded and fed me another piece of chicken. "In kindergarten, when the prettiest little boy smiled at me. He had the best blue eyes. Now, they are more green, but then they were blue. Do eyes change color?"

"If I remember correctly, you told me to stop looking at you like that."

"You scared me, Josh," he said softly. "My father isn't so different from Ethan. He kicked me out after he got Grayson to agree to a marriage between Lana and Jasper. I was supposed to go into the navy, and give up my horse to the guy who took my place. Dad didn't expect to see me with you."

For a moment, I worried that his interest in me was to get back at Jasper, but I also remembered kindergarten. Knox Daniels was the boy I discovered when I discovered boys. "I'm glad you're here."

"Are you sure?" He took my box away and set it along with his on the steamer trunk. "Josh, I never want you to think I used you."

He leaned closer, and I stood, holding my hand out to him. He took it, keeping his gaze on mine. I walked him out of the room and across the hall to his door. I wasn't ready to jump into bed, which would happen if we stayed in my room.

I pushed him against the wood and brushed my lips over his, nipping at his bottom lip.

He opened, and I angled my head, sliding my tongue between his lips.

He pushed his hips into mine, and the hard line of his cock pushed against me.

I drew away slowly and opened my eyes, watching him through my lashes. "Goodnight, Knox."

He smiled slowly. "Goodnight, Josh."

I headed back to my room to clean up our mess, and closed the door, leaning my forehead against it, willing my erection away.

What was I doing? Moving on felt too foreign at the moment. But Knox felt too right to ignore.