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Chapter Two

C orie

“Your man’s looking fine tonight,” Sloane says, far too loudly for my liking.

“Hush,” I scold. “He’s not mine.” I’ve sworn off men since my relationship disaster and breakup with my ex, Conner.

Besides, my brother has made it known that his friends and teammates are off-limits.

That has messy written all over it, and I don’t like messy.

He tried to warn me away from Conner, and I thought he was just being overprotective.

I should have listened and not given that man the time of day.

“Funny, you didn’t ask me who I was referring to. There are lots of gorgeous men in your brother’s backyard tonight.”

I glare at my best friend, but that makes her grin.

“It’s just Landry and four others.” The party has died down now that the sun is setting.

Sloane and I are the only two ladies here.

Landry doesn’t invite the random women he hooks up with to his house, and the guys are not allowed to bring a date unless it’s serious.

Landry claims it’s some unwritten rule that houses are sacred or something like that.

Whatever the reason, I’m glad I don’t have to watch some jersey chaser fawn all over him.

And no, the him I’m referring to is not my brother.

Knox Beckett has been my crush since I first laid eyes on him when I was eighteen years old.

He had just been drafted to the Rampage, and my brother decided he was taking the new quarterback, or QB, as he called it, under his wing.

Landry claimed they were destined to be best friends since, one, they played together in college—Landry’s two years older than Knox—and two, the quarterback and the wide receiver have to be best friends. It’s football law.

Landry Reynolds’s philosophy, ladies and gentlemen.

“Those five are fine as hell,” Sloane replies. “I wouldn’t say no to any of them. Well, I would tell Knox no, because he’s yours, but the other four… come to momma,” she says, taking a sip of her drink.

“I think it’s time to cut you off,” I tell her, barely holding in my laughter.

I’ve missed my best friend. “And yuck, not my brother.” I pretend to gag.

Landry is a great-looking guy. Even as his sister, I can admit that, but I do not want to think about my best friend and my brother.

Hell, I don’t want to think about my brother with anyone. I shiver at the thought.

I’m aware that makes me a hypocrite because Knox is Landry’s best friend, but I’m telling you, I would not kick that man out of my bed.

“He’s purty,” Sloane says with a cackle.

I sigh. “He is. They all are.”

“So, you’re back. You finally going to make your move?”

“What?” I whip my head around to look at her. “No, I’m not going to make my move. I have no move. This is Knox Beckett we’re talking about. The number one-ranked quarterback in the professional league. There are no moves. That man can snap his fingers and have any woman he wants.”

“So, snap your fingers.” Sloane shrugs.

“Okay.” I hold my hand in the air and snap my fingers. “See, nothing happened.”

“You working on your magic, Corie girl?” a deep voice asks from behind me.

I know that voice. My eyes widen, which makes Sloane laugh. “Nope,” I say, not bothering to turn to look at him.

Knox steps up beside me and places his hand on the small of my back, just as he did earlier, and I have to fight the urge to melt into his touch. “You need something?” he asks. His lips are close to my ear, and I can feel his hot breath fan across my cheek.

“Oh, she needs something all right.” Sloane smirks.

“All set,” I tell him. I hate to do it, but I step away from his touch and move to sit on the empty lounge chair.

Sloane and I have just been standing here chatting and catching up, but with Knox this close, I’m going to need to sit before I do something crazy, like lean into him.

I can only imagine how well that would go over with Landry.

“Why are you ladies over here all by yourselves?” Knox asks, taking a sip from the bottle of lemonade in his hand.

“Just catching up.” I smile at him, hoping that it doesn’t show that my heart is racing like a wind turbine because he’s over here talking to us.

Sure, I’ve talked to him on several occasions, but it’s just Sloane and me in this little corner of the yard, by the pool. All the guys are over by the fire pit. He had to seek us out, and that information makes my little heart kick into overdrive.

“Are you checking up on us, Knox Beckett?” Sloane teases.

I’m glaring at her because that sounded flirty, but she keeps her eyes on him. I’m certain if I stare hard enough, she’ll be able to feel it.

“Nah, Landry wants to play Name That Tune. I told him I’d come over and see if you two wanted to join us.” His eyes shift to me, and I feel my face heat.

“Oh, you know my girl never loses that one,” Sloane says.

“Yeah? You like music?” Knox asks me.

I nod. “It’s kind of my thing.”

“Really, well, that’s interesting. It’s kind of my thing, too.” He winks, and it’s embarrassing what the simple move does to my body.

Sweaty palms.

Racing pulse.

Wet bikini bottoms, and I have not been in the pool.

“We’re so in,” Sloane says. She turns on her heel and skips off toward the fire.

“I guess we’re in,” I say, laughing nervously.

“Let’s see what you’ve got, Corie girl.” Knox offers me his hand to help me up.

Quickly, I wipe my palms on my jean shorts that I put on over my bikini bottoms, and I pray my nerves don’t betray me when I place my hand in his.

My hand is so small compared to his, and the warmth of his skin travels up my arm.

Knox gently tugs me to my feet, but this is me, and of course, I have to trip over my own feet and end up crashing into his chest for the second time today.

This time, though, it’s different. Knox is shirtless, and the feel of his skin pressed to mine has a flurry of desire rushing through my veins. I expect him to walk away, but he surprises me when he wraps both arms around me, pulling me close.

“You falling for me, Corie?” he asks. His voice is husky, and if it were anyone other than Knox freaking Beckett, I’d say it’s laced with desire, but this isn’t fantasy land. This is real life.

“Sorry, I’m not usually so clumsy.” My face flames, and I just want the ground to swallow me whole.

He bends his lips a breath from mine. “Good thing I’m always here to catch you.”

I lick my lips. He’s so close I could kiss him. He could kiss me, and no matter how many times I’ve fantasized about this moment, the real thing is a million times hotter than my imagination could ever create.

Knox steps away, taking his arms and the warmth of his skin with him. “Come on. They’re going to start without us.” He nods toward the fire, and it takes extreme effort to put one foot in front of the other and move closer.

Knox slows his steps and settles in beside me. His arm brushes mine as we walk, and on the inside, I’m screaming like a sixteen-year-old girl. What is it about this man that has me so enthralled?

We make it to the fire, and I see Sloane sitting on Landry’s lap. I raise my brows, and she shrugs. “I was too lazy to go grab another chair.”

“Take the one I was in,” Knox tells me. “I’ll go grab another.”

“What? No, we’ve already started. Just sit in his lap,” Sloane tells me.

There’s an innocence to her tone, and even with the light of the fire, I can’t get a good read on her, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that there is nothing but mischief shining back at me in those big brown eyes of hers.

“Yeah, you’re holding us up,” Foster complains.

“He doesn’t bite, sis,” Landry tells me. He’s three sheets to the wind. In fact, they all seem to be. All of them except for Knox.

I turn to look up at him. “You’re not drinking?”

“Nah, too close to the season starting. I don’t drink much, anyway.” He nods to the chair. “I can take the grass.”

“No, the night air is setting in, and the grass is wet. Are you sure this is okay?” I shift my weight and bite down on my bottom lip.

He steps close and lowers his voice just for me. “A beautiful woman sitting on my lap?” He pauses, leaning in just a little closer, and my breath hitches. “As long as it’s you.” He winks, takes the empty chair, reaches for my hand, and tugs me down onto his lap.

Once I’m settled, he turns me sideways and rests one hand on my bare thigh, while the other rests on the armrest. It’s the same way that Sloane sits with Landry on the opposite side of the fire.

They grew up together. They’re like brother and sister, at least I think they are.

I make a mental note to ask my best friend if she has a thing for my brother.

I know when we were kids, she used to say how hot he was.

Hell, she still does that, but I don’t think there is anything there.

I’m almost certain she’s just being my wing woman and knew that I would need a lap to sit on, as well.

Maybe I’ll owe her lunch after this. Only time will tell how this all pans out.

Our chair isn’t set as close to the fire as the others, and it feels as if we’re more in the shadows, which I’m grateful for.

The last thing I need is for anyone to pick up on the fact that I’m attracted to Knox, something I’m sure my body is betraying me with due to the heat of embarrassment I can feel coating my cheeks.

I don’t know why I’m embarrassed. So I’m sitting on a hot guy’s lap, no biggie. Just because he’s been the object of my fantasies for the last four years doesn’t mean a thing. Nope. Just business as usual over here. Nothing to see. Knox traces his thumb over my bare thigh, and I shiver.

“You cold?” he asks, his voice low so only I can hear.