Page 68 of Knox
Kelsey smiled, slid down into her second pillow. “I’m a coward. I shouldn’t have run upstairs last night after we got home and hid in our room. Apparently, that’s what I do when I’m embarrassed.”
“We had some serious debriefing to do,” Glo said, closing her app. “Girl talk.”
“But poor Knox. After Tate nearly took him apart in the parking lot—”
“He did go off the rails a little.”
“Talk about a look, Glo. The man is a little crazy about you.”
Glo shook her head. “Nope. Nothing happening there.”
Kelsey made a face but didn’t circle back around for another shot. Some wounds took years to heal.
She should know.
And so should Knox. “I nearly caused a brawl between brothers. And I’m not sure why. Tate was so—protective.”
Glo drew in a breath. “Heisa bodyguard.”
“He was practically convinced that Knox had done something to… I don’t know. Wound me or scare me or…”Wait—
“Glo. Does Tate know…” Kelsey’s eyes widened. “You told him I’d been raped, didn’t you?”
Glo made a face. “I just wanted him to understand that… I don’t know, okay? It seemed like the right thing at the time, but I know I shouldn’t have—”
“Stop. Just… Do you think—” She sat up. “Oh no. Do you think he told Knox?”
Glo too had sat up, put her feet on the ground. “I don’t know. I…judging by the look on Knox’s face, I don’t think so. He looked pretty horrified that he might have done anything to hurt you. And my guess is that Knox is pretty…careful.”
Safe.
Yes. Even last night when he’d kissed her. Overwhelming, decisive, consuming, intoxicating, especially when he broke away, breathing hard, those eyes in hers.
But with such a gentleness that it turned her deliciously, wonderfully weak.
As if she didn’t have to try so hard to keep herself glued together.
In fact, she’d lost herself when he kissed her, the past simply dropping away.
And for a moment, she was simply a woman in a man’s arms, kissing him back.
Until…shoot, it simply wasn’t fair that her past could rise up and scream at her. Taunt her. Tell her that not only was she not safe, but…not worthy. Except, in Knox’s arms, she could believe she was.
Glo was right. She had nothing to be ashamed about.
Knox deserved to know why she’d freaked out on him.
And that she’d never do it again if he felt like, ever… Oh boy.
Because the memory of the warmth that had suffused her entire body as she kissed him, felt his strong arms move around her to cradle her, his big hand touching her face so gently…
Yeah, no wonder she’d slept well.
Except now she remembered how heartbroken he’d looked last night when he thought he’d hurt her, and it propelled her to her feet to grab a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt.
She pulled her hair into a ponytail, grabbed her toiletry bag, and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
At least enough to face him, because the man got up early. Way early.