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“What?” I ask, my mind still trying to accept that it’s him and not my best friend staring down at me.

“I’m a man, Corie girl. Of course, I’m attracted to you. Have you looked in a mirror lately? Although, I am sad to hear I’m not your type.”

“What?” I say again. “No. I mean, yes, you’re my type. I mean, not you. But men. I like men. Not that I have anything against women who don’t, but I do. I really, really do,” I ramble before clamping my mouth shut. I just need to stop talking.

Knox laughs. It’s a low, throaty sound that I feel between my thighs. How is everything this man is and does sexy? “Good to know.” He winks.

“Landry went to pick up food,” I tell him.

He nods and takes a seat on the edge of my lounger, exactly where my brother sat not ten minutes ago. We’re not even touching, but it feels intimate.

Forbidden.

“Sloane’s coming over,” I say, because apparently, when it comes to Knox Beckett, rambling is all I’m capable of.

“Nice. You ladies have big plans for the evening?”

“Just a chill night in.”

Knox nods. I wish he’d take off his sunglasses so I could see his eyes. I can’t see them, but I feel them as they take me in. “How’s the job search coming?”

“Meh. It’s not, really. I’ve been applying, but no hits yet.”

He places his hand on my thigh, and the heat of his skin and the feel of his rough, calloused fingers feel better than they should. “Something will come up,” he says with all the confidence in the world in his tone.

“I hope so.”

“It will.”

“I wish I had your confidence. I’ve been applying for jobs for a month now, and nothing.”

“Manifest it into the universe, Corie girl. It will happen.” He gives me a soft smile, and I’m glad I’m sitting because I know my knees would be weak, and I’d embarrass myself further by falling on my ass because of a single look from this man.

“Hey, hey!” Sloane calls out. She’s wearing a pair of athletic shorts and a tank top. I can see the strings of her swimsuit around her neck, and she has a bag in her hands as she makes her way to us.

“Took you forever,” I tell her.

“Well, it’s a good thing Knox was able to keep you company.” She looks between the two of us. Her eyes twinkle with mischief, and I know she will drill me with questions.

“I know we were supposed to cook, but Landry insisted on picking up Chinese,” I tell her.

“Please tell me you ordered me some sweet and sour chicken. That sounds so good right now.”

“Yep,” I say, smiling up at her.

“You are the bestest best friend in the entire world.”

Knox and I both laugh at her. He turns to look at me and smiles. “Yeah, Corie’s pretty great,” he agrees with my best friend, and my heart gallops in my chest.

No. It’s more than a gallop. It’s more of a trample. Think of a herd of elephants running. That’s what it feels like in my chest right now. “Oh, go on,” I tease as I wave my hand in the air, and we all laugh.

“Food’s here!” Landry calls from the patio door. “In or out?”

“In!” Sloane and I call back.

Knox tilts his head to the side in an unasked question.

“It’s hot out, and no one likes to eat when they’re all sweaty.”

“Air conditioning is a beautiful thing, Beckett,” Sloane tells him. “Besides, our girl here looks a little pink. I think it’s time for her to take a break from the sun. Corie, your cheeks are rosy,” she says.

Her tone tells me she thinks she’s being sly, but we all know she’s calling me out on my tinted cheeks, because it’s more than just the sun, and there is no hiding that from either of them.

“We better get you inside,” Knox says as he stands and offers me his hand. “We can’t have that gorgeous skin getting burnt.”

I glance at Sloane, and her mouth hangs open, showing her surprise.

She quickly grins and winks before turning and heading into the house.

I place my hand in his, allowing him to help me stand from the lounger.

Before I can pull my hand from his, he traces my knuckles with his thumb, and that simple act lights me on fire. I feel that soft caress everywhere.

“Th—Thanks.”

He swallows hard and nods before dropping my hand. I quickly grab my phone and smile up at him. “We’d better get in there before they eat it all.”

“That just means we’d have to go out to dinner,” Knox says as he falls into step beside me.

“No, no, we can’t have that. You have game tape to watch, mister,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.

He doesn’t say anything until we reach the back door. One hand grabs the door handle while the other lands on the small of my back. “Something tells me that I’d have no regrets.” His hot breath hits my already-heated skin, and I shiver.

Knox doesn’t seem to be the least bit affected as he pulls open the patio door and leads me inside. Once we’re both over the threshold, he drops his hand from my back, and I miss the feel of his heated palm against my skin.

I ignore my body’s reaction to Knox, take a seat at the table next to Sloane, and dig into my food.

I need to get control over this. I’m a grown-ass woman acting like a teenager.

Knox has always been my crush, but that doesn’t mean I can lose my mind.

He’s just a man. A man who is also my brother’s best friend.

He’s never been a viable option for me. That doesn’t change just because he’s now more accessible.

“Thanks for this,” I tell my brother.

He nods and keeps chewing. The guys start to talk about the upcoming season while Sloane and I are content to sit and listen to them.

When we all finish eating, I jump from my seat and start to clean up.

I reach for Knox’s empty container, but he pulls it toward him, which makes it just out of my reach.

“It’s empty,” I tell him, amused. What? Does he plan on licking the container clean?

“You don’t have to wait on me. I can get it.” He winks and takes mine and Sloane’s containers out of my hand before I realize what he’s doing. He grabs Landry’s and heads toward the kitchen to throw them away.

“Is he always this stubborn?” I ask Landry.

“Pretty much.” He chuckles. “My guess is his momma would kick his ass if she caught him letting you pick up after him.”

“It was just a nice gesture.”

Landry shrugs. “That’s who he is.” He gives me a thoughtful look. “You know… Mom, she would…” He starts, but his voice trails off.

“Yeah,” I agree, swallowing back the sadness of missing her. It’s been over four years, and it still feels like yesterday. But he’s right. Our mom would have scolded him, too. My brother might joke around a lot, but he’s a good man. The best I’ve ever known.

“Ready?” Knox says, coming back from the kitchen.

“Let’s do it.” Landry pushes back from the table and stands.

Sloane and I are quiet as we watch them leave the dining room and head for the theater room.

“You want to go watch game film, don’t you?” Sloane giggles.

“Yep,” I say, not even bothering to deny it.

“If it helps, I’m pretty sure he feels it, too.”

“Feels what?” I play dumb.

“Whatever this intense chemistry or foreplay or whatever it is the two of you have going on.”

“Nothing is going on.”

“Uh-huh. Sure,” she sings, linking her arm through mine, and we head back to the pool.

The only thing going on is my libido not understanding that Knox Beckett isn’t ours and never will be.