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nine

Harlow

After remaining in the stands, awestruck, for another minute after Knox kissed me, Lucia steers me out of the crowd and directly into her office at the stadium. From here, we watch the press conference where Knox tells everyone that we’re together. And Cole makes sure to mention that, yes, I am his sister, smirking the entire time.

Fucking brothers.

Lucia already interrogated me about the kiss.

Did I know he was going to do it? No.

How do I feel now? I have no idea.

How was it? Good…

But that’s an understatement. It was the most electric kiss of my life. It gave me butterflies . It wasn’t even some deep, passionate kiss. It was more than a peck but not much more than that. And still, it worked its way into my memory, already knowing I might never feel that during a kiss again. I don’t know how the hell Knox did that, but he ruined every other kiss I’ll have in my life.

When the press conference ends, Lucia turns to ESPN to see what they’re saying. And the only thing they’re talking about right now is the no-hitter leading right into a kiss where Knox Spencer shows his girlfriend to the world. I knew this would happen, but I’m still sick to my stomach.

Lucia’s office door swings open, and Rory marches inside on a warpath with a sleeping Sage on her shoulder. “Harlow Louise Pierce.” She points right at me. “What the fuck?”

“Hey, Rory… enjoy the game tonight?” I say in a dismal attempt to steer the conversation.

It didn’t work.

“Harlow. You’re dating Knox Spencer ? How and when did that happen?”

“It’s, uh… new. Just a couple weeks.”

She’s not buying it.

“I was with you on Wednesday when Knox texted you saying he wanted you to meet with him and his agent. You didn’t even have his goddamn number in your phone, Lo. Try again.”

I sigh, realizing there’s no way I can spin this so Rory will believe me. She was there when this all started, and she knew we weren’t together.

“The meeting with Knox and his agent was about this. He needs to improve his image to get an endorsement deal with Axis, and his agent thinks the best way to change his public perception is to… fake a relationship with me.” I sink into the chair I’m sitting in, bringing my hands up to my face. “I’m living in a fucking romance book right now.”

“Then you should know that fake dating never works, Lo,” Rory smirks.

“That’s exactly what I told her!” Lucia chimes in. “The couple always ends up with feelings before it ends.”

“Yeah, and you also said you bet Knox is in love with me by the end of the season. That’s not going to happen.”

Rory sits in a chair across from me, putting her hand on Sage’s back to keep her from falling. “I’m not so sure about that, Lo. Knox smiled tonight during the press conference. He fucking smiled. He does not smile for no reason.”

“He pitched a no-hitter, Ror. His good mood and happiness had nothing to do with kissing me.”

Lucia turns from the TV and swivels her office chair around to face us. “Lo, you didn’t see the kiss. I could see the damn chemistry you two had.”

“I’ve seen the kiss,” I retort. “ESPN has played it fifty damn times now.”

“Not from my vantage point. You could practically see the sparks flying.”

I just sigh. “Can we just... not tell Ella, please? You two and Cole know. I really don’t want this to get to everyone, or it won’t be believable.”

“We can manage that,” Rory replies. “Ella’s busy planning a wedding anyway, so she probably won’t notice anything weird.” Rory’s look turns more mischievous now. “Shouldn’t you be going to find your boyfriend, Lo? WAGs always leave with their man.”

“Those are the real wives and girlfriends, Ror. This is fake.”

“Not according to the media.”

I groan, realizing that I need it to look real to sell this. “I’m going to go find Knox. I told him I’d find him after the game anyway.”

“Ready to get out of here?” Knox asks me when I find him outside of the clubhouse.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here. Lucia and Rory interrogated me, so I’m exhausted now.”

He lets out a breath. “Yeah, I got into the clubhouse after the press conference, and Josh was there waiting for us to get back so he could interrogate me with Lane and your brother. Fucking nightmare, honestly.”

I laugh. “Well, at least we’re in this nightmare together then, right?”

Knox peers down at me, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. “Yeah, you’re not too bad.”

“Ooh, I went from tolerable to not too bad. I’m already moving on up.”

That earns an honest chuckle from him. “You’re something, Harlow.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“I’m not sure yet,” he says, pushing open the exit door and gesturing me through it. “Come on, I can walk you to your car. It’s pretty late now.”

“Oh, I don’t drive. I don’t even have a car. I took the subway. I’m just going to walk to the subway station and catch the line that goes to Kips Bay. The station’s only a couple blocks from my apartment.”

Knox stops walking and just stares at me. “You usually catch the subway at night and walk alone to your apartment?”

“Yeah,” I shrug. “I’ve been doing it for years.”

“Not anymore,” he says, shaking his head. “My car’s in the lot over here. I’ll drive you home.”

“I don’t need you to drive me home, Knox. The subway is fine.”

“Harlow, as far as the city is concerned, you’re my girlfriend. I don’t trust what kind of creeps will be out for you once they realize it’s you. You’re far safer with me.”

“Am I?” I ask, cocking my eyebrow. “I barely know you. You’re practically a stranger to me, Spencer.”

He sighs. “Are you really going to fight me on this?”

“And what if I am?” I look at him in defiance.

Knox brings a finger up to my chin to keep it in place as he speaks. “Then I will throw you over my goddamn shoulder and put you in the car myself, Pierce. You’re not taking the subway.”

That shouldn’t turn me on, right? Because it totally just turned me on. A controlling attitude should be a red flag. I don’t think Knox meant it to be controlling, though. I think he’s genuinely worried something could happen to me because of my new association with him.

I’m thrown off of my game now, unsteady. That might be because I have somebody concerned about my well-being for the first time since I left Derek. And Derek was hardly ever concerned. Knox is showing more concern for a woman he hardly knows than a man I dated for more than a year.

“Okay,” I relent. “Where’s your car?”

“Follow me,” he says, turning and walking off in the other direction.

“Thanks for the ride, Knox,” I say as he pulls up in front of my building. In a black fucking Maserati . “I appreciate it.”

“It’s not a problem.” He runs a hand through his hair, letting it fall around his head. The messy look suits him.

“I should probably get inside.”

“Just a minute,” he says, taking a moment to gather himself. “Thank you for doing this. I owe you a lot. Faking a relationship with the asshole of the league probably isn’t your idea of a good time.”

I laugh before responding. “I don’t know, you don’t seem much like an asshole to me, Spencer. You’re just mysterious.” I lean forward on the center console, bringing myself closer to him, inhaling the musky scent of the body wash he must have used during his postgame shower. “And I’m going to learn all about you; just wait.”

“Am I going to get to learn about you in the process?” he asks.

“That depends on whether or not you believe I’m worth knowing, I think,” I reply shyly.

“Harlow,” he says thoughtfully, placing his finger under my chin again like he did outside the stadium. “You’re worth knowing, I’m certain of that. Whatever man made you feel like you aren’t was dead wrong.”

Breathless .

I’m breathless right now, absorbing the words and trying to take them to heart. Knox doesn’t know me well, but he must be able to read me.

I just nod at him, unable to speak, before he glances at something out the window. “Fuck,” he mutters under his breath.

“What’s wrong?” I ask with concern in my voice.

“There’s a man down the street with a camera pointed right at us.”

My eyes widen. “How did they find out where I live already?”

“Paparazzi are some shady motherfuckers.” He sighs. “Do you want to really sell this?”

I nod, giving him the permission he’s looking for. He leans forward, and his lips find mine again. This time, Knox kisses me deeper than he did at the game. He snakes an arm around my waist and angles his head, bringing his tongue to glide against mine.

If I thought the kiss earlier was good, this one is mind-blowing . I’m losing myself in this. I know we’re putting on a show, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy myself while we are.

He slowly pulls away, his face flushed and looking as flustered as I feel. I awkwardly sit back, grabbing my bag from the floor. “I’ll, uh… I’ll see you on the plane tomorrow, Knox.”

“Have a good night, Harlow,” he says as I step out of the car and close the door behind me. I glance back before I step into my building, finding Knox scrubbing a hand over his face as if trying to calm his racing thoughts.

His thoughts probably aren’t racing, but mine sure as hell are. How do I act normally after a kiss like that ? I don’t think I can.

I throw open my apartment door and toss my bag on the floor before heading to my bathroom. I’m in desperate need of a release right now. I’ve got a waterproof vibrator and a mind full of naughty thoughts, so a shower is what I need before I can fall asleep tonight.