Page 65 of Knox
Frankly, he’d been fighting to keep a hold of his right mind all night. It didn’t help that Glo had picked a sexy little white V-necked top that accentuated her curves, paired it with her faded jeans, her hair in crazy, fun tousles all over her head, the kind of mess he sort of wanted to dig his fingers into.
And then there was the way she looked at him, her arms hooked around his neck when they danced. Like if he wanted to lean down and kiss her, she wouldn’t call him any names.
Or, if she did, he might actually like them.
It was all he could do to keep his brain latched around the fact that she was his boss.
Sorta. Because Carter had done the actual hiring.
Still. Off-limits.
Off. Limits.
And maybe it burned him a little—no, a lot, a full-out inferno—that Knox could kiss Kelsey, or more, or whatever happened out in the parking lot to leave Kelsey so undone, without losing his livelihood.
It went straight to his brain. Jealously, frustration, not a little unrequited desire, and it all boiled out of Tate, all over Knox.
He could hardly believe he’d nearly decked his brother because Tate had turned into a lovesick sot. Not love…but yeah, Glo had his number, and he needed to keep his distance if he hoped to not screw up the good gig he had going with the Belles.
He definitely owed Knox an apology.
Tate finished his drink. Took a breath.
Headed upstairs.
Knox’s room was at the top of the stairs, right next to the one Tate had shared with Wyatt and Ford, and two doors down from the girls’ room.
He knocked. Braced his hand on the frame. “Knox, open up.”
Silence, then the sound of the closet closing and finally, steps to the door.
Tate straightened as Knox opened it.
His big brother considered Tate a long moment, his eyes dark and still simmering.
“Can we talk?” Tate asked quietly.
Knox stood in silence before he stepped aside.
Tate entered the room. Knox hadn’t changed out of his black button-down shirt and jeans, apparently not quite ready to go to bed. Now, he folded his hands over his chest, which Tate considered a good thing because that meant he wasn’t going to punch him. At least not right away.
Tate went to the window, glanced back at Knox. “There’s something that you don’t know.”
He didn’t know why he started with that. It wasn’t his story to tell, but he found himself cutting his voice low, suddenly wanting to keep Knox from getting hurt and maybe from even hurting, inadvertently, Kelsey.
In truth, he’d started to care about both women as more than clients.
Kelsey, a sort of sister.
As for Glo…
Tate blew out a breath and curled a hand behind his neck. “Okay, bro, here’s the deal. There’s things about Kelsey that—”
“I know about the attack. She told me everything.”
A gust of relief blew out of Tate, his chest uncoiling. “Oh man. I was really worried I was totally going to have to betray her here. I just…so you get that there was probably a reason she freaked out tonight when you…” He frowned. “What did youdo?”
And Knox gave him such a look he felt like a jerk for asking. Because Knox wasn’t him. Had never been.