"Know what?"
"That you and Knight are back together. That he confessed his feelings for you. That he’s woken up to what the rest of us could see all along." She rolls her eyes. "And thank god for that."
"Oh, that?" The tension leaves my shoulders.
"That?" She narrows her gaze on me. "Isn’t that enough? Is there something else you were thinking of?"
"What? No. Of course not." I look away, then back at her. "I guess I’m still getting my head around everything. It happened so quickly, you know? One second, I was upset with him; the next…" I shake my head. "The next, he bowled me over."
"So, he groveled, huh?" she asks, a knowing look on her face.
"Is that what Cade did? Is that what brought the two of you back together?’
Her eyes gleam. "Let’s just say, he was very persuasive. He literally went down on his knees to beg for forgiveness, and he did it so well, I had to return the favor."
I burst out laughing. "OMG, I can’t believe you said that."
"Yeah, it’s something I could have done without hearing," a very familiar voice says in a droll tone.
"Knight." Abby straightens, then walks over and hugs him. "Why are you making your wife work so late in the office?"
"Do you think I can make her do anything she doesn’t want to do?" He shoots me a look from under hooded eyelids. "Except, in bed, of course."
"Eww, I could have done without hearing that."
"Payback's a bitch, little sis." He smirks.
Abby steps back and looks between the two of us. "I came by to say I’m so happy my brother and my friend are together, this time for real. And I’m looking forward to seeing the two of you this weekend at my place."
Knight pales. "You’re organizing another party?"
She smirks. "I am, and you’re coming."
He cracks his neck. "I can’t say no to you, Abby. But I’m not comfortable hanging out with so many people all at once."
"They’re our friends." She arches an eyebrow at him. "They’re your friends. And after you skipped out on your wedding luncheon…"
"And it’s not like I don’t want to see them—"
She stares at him.
"Okay, so maybe I’d prefer to spend that time with my wife?" He looks at me with a plea in his eyes. A-n-d that’s how much this guy has changed. He doesn’t hesitate to show his real emotions to me and ask me for help when needed. Which is so completely different to the way he was a week ago. Telling me about Adam seems to have lifted a weight off his shoulders. That was a week ago, and since then, he seems to open up more to me every day.
I moved back in with him, and we’re taking the time to get to know each other all over again. We travel to work every day with Tiny, and he cooks dinner every night and breakfast in the mornings. With every passing day, he relaxes more, talks more with me, smiles more… It feels so natural, so normal to be with him. And the fact that we work together only enhances our relationship. Our understanding of each other deepens with every passing moment. And while he still hasn’t made love to me, he holds me close every night, and I wake up with him wrapped around me every morning. I’ve never been this happy and content, and so much in love.
She looks between the two of us, and her expression softens. "Aww look at the two of you. Aren’t you cute?"
Her brother seems taken aback. "I’m not sure that adjective applies to me."
"You should see the look on your face as you stare all lovestruck at your wife." She pats his shoulder. "It’s okay, Knight. Happens to the best of us. I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you not fight the connection between the two of you."
He winces. "Am I that easy to read?"
"I’m your sister. Of course, I could tell what was happening. As for the chemistry between you two. I noticed it before either of you."
"Really?" I turn on her. "You mean, that first time when Knight came to tell you he was leaving on his mission, you realized there was something between us right then?"
“I know Knight did a double-take when he saw you. And I know your gaze kept tracking back to him. I wanted to introduce the two of you then, but I was preoccupied.”
"You were so upset that I was leaving, and with good reason," Knight murmurs.
"Call it a sister’s intuition. I was so scared, and I didn’t know why. I was convinced I was never going to see you again. Not that I could tell you that. I didn’t want to upset you. Not before you left on such an important assignment, too." She bites the inside of her cheek. "Knowing now what you do, would you have gone?"
"Absolutely. Knowing what I do now, I’d have made doubly sure that nothing stopped me. I was there for Adam, and for the rest of my team. And while I’ll never completely get over what happened, now I know it wasn’t my fault. I know I may never get over the trauma, but it will fade with time."
She swallows, then turns to me. "I have you to thank that he’s going to therapy, huh?"
I blink, then nod at Knight. "It was all him. He’s the one who told me he was ready. I helped him find someone who I thought would be well-suited to his needs. But the initiative to start the sessions and to do the work, that’s all Knight."
It’s only been a few days, but it’s amazing how the will to move on from the trauma is accelerating the process of healing.
"I couldn’t have done it without Penny." His lips curve, and the look in his eyes is so possessive and filled with so much adoration, I'm sure my heart literally stops, then starts again.
"The incentive to be the kind of man she deserves spurs me on to do better every day," he says in a low voice.
"You guys… My work here is truly done." She sniffles.
Knight tears his gaze from mine. "Hey sis, didn’t mean to make you cry."
Abby fans herself. "These are happy tears, you goofball." She leans up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "You make me so proud to be your sister, Knight. You’re the best big brother anyone could have asked for. Also"—she inclines her head in my direction—"if you hurt her again, you’ll have me to contend with."
"I’d kill myself before I do that," Knight murmurs. And the tone of his voice indicates he’s not kidding.
"Please, can we not say the K-word again?" I rise up from my chair and walk over to him.
Knight instantly wraps his arm about me and pulls me into his side. "Whatever you say, baby."
Abby chuckles. "On that note, I’m off. Don’t forget—tomorrow, six p.m." She levels a final glance at Knight before she saunters off.
"Is it me, or is my sister’s confidence in herself growing?" he murmurs.
"The love of a good man." I slide my palm over the soft material of his suit jacket then, because I can and because he’s there, I bury my nose in his shirt and sniff. His sea-breeze and pepper scent fills my senses, and I melt into him.
"I don’t deserve you, baby, but I’ve never been as at peace as in the last few days. Seeing you first thing in the morning and the last thing before I go to bed… Not to mention, whenever I start missing you—which is always, by the way—I only have to walk out of the office, and there you are. It makes me feel like the luckiest man in the world." His phone buzzes. He ignores it and holds out his palm. Without question, I place my hand in his. He brings my fingers to his mouth and kisses them. Then, he notches his knuckles under my chin and peers into my eyes. "It’s not that I can’t live without you."