Fake Romantic Knox was going to ruin all real romance for me if I wasn’t careful.
“His name’s on the police station,” I said with forced brightness.
His grip on my neck tightened again. I reached behind him and pinched the skin just above the waistband of his jeans. He squeezed harder. I pinched harder.
“I need some Advil or something,” Dad muttered, rubbing his forehead.
“You shouldn’t have a headache, Lou. Our daughter is fine. I was the one who was worried on the way down here, remember?” Mom said as if Knox and I weren’t even in the room.
“Yeah? Well, now I’m the one who thinks there’s something wrong with her.”
“Let me get you something for your head,” I offered, trying to extricate myself from Knox’s grip. But he merely squeezed tighter and took a sip of his coffee.
“Don’t be silly. I have all of your father’s favorite anti-inflammatories in my purse,” Mom announced. She bustled over to where she’d planted her purse next to the front door. Dad shoved his hands in his pockets and wandered into the kitchen. I saw him frown at Knox’s t-shirt where it lay crumpled on the stove top.
“Waylay is going to be so excited to meet you. Where are you two staying while you’re here?” I asked, desperate to make small talk.
“There’s a motel in town. We’ll see if they have any rooms available,” Dad said, opening cupboard doors and tapping the shelves.
After a three-week luxury Mediterranean cruise, I didn’t think my parents would enjoy the moldy, dilapidated motel. I was already shaking my head when Knox spoke up.
“I think we can do better than that. We’ll find room for you at Liza J’s.”
“Knox,” I hissed. How was I going to pretend to be in a relationship with Knox with my parents staying practically next door?
He leaned in like he was going to nuzzle the side of my face and whispered, “Shut up.” Then he brushed his lips over my temple, and my nipples went hard.
Mom waltzed by with a bottle of pills, beaming at me. I crossed my arms over my chest.
“I’m sure you’d want to stay as close to your daughter and granddaughter as possible,” Knox said.
“Knox, can I see you outside?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Do you see how they can’t keep their hands off each other?” Mom trilled behind us.
“Yeah. You got any antacids in there?” Dad asked, looking ill.
I closed the door and dragged Knox onto the porch.
“So what are we supposed to do? Pretend to be in a relationship until my parents leave?”
“You’re welcome. You fucking owe me, Daze. Do you have any idea what this is gonna do to my bachelor reputation?”
“I don’t care about your reputation! I’m the one who has to pass a home study! Besides, I’m tired of owing you! Why do you keep riding to my rescue?”
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Maybe I like being the hero for once.”
My knees threatened to buckle as the knee-jerk desire to swoon swept over me. His grin was downright sinful when he pulled me into him.
The contact with his body so soon after The Best Sex Ever was frying my circuits. I didn’t want to yell at him anymore. I wanted to kiss him.
“Or maybe,” he whispered against my lips, “I just want to know what it feels like to have your smart mouth wrapped around my cock.”
That was at least honest. And dirty. And I liked it.
He had one hand boldly cupping my rear end. The other held my hair at the base of my neck.
“Pardon the interruption.”
Instinctively, I jumped back from Knox. Well, I tried to. He still had a pretty good grip on me. Which turned out to be a good thing since I probably would have fallen right over the railing when I spotted caseworker Yolanda Suarez eyeing us from the foot of the steps.
“Mrs. Suarez, how lovely to see you again.” I choked the words out.
TWENTY-FIVE
FAMILY FUSS
Knox
Even with the unwelcome intrusions of Naomi’s parents followed by the disapproving caseworker who’d been missing a signature on a page, I was in a great fucking mood when I returned to the hospital.
Sure, the whole pretending to be in a relationship thing was probably—definitely—going to be a pain in the ass. But it would get Naomi out of a jam and piss my brother off.
I’d woke up that morning knowing that once wasn’t going to be enough when it came to her. Now we could fool around for a few weeks, get each other out of our systems, and once her parents headed home, go back to our regular lives with itches scratched.