Taking Chances (Blackrock Book 2) (55 page)

“No
I want you,” he whines looking at me. Laughing, I lie down
beside him on top of the bed. “No Bailey. I want you.”
His nose skims the column of my neck as he breathes me in sucking on
my ear lobe. His hand slips under my t-shirt to cares my ribs as his
kisses travel down my neck.

“Are
you getting in?” he asks turning me to face him. How the hell
can I resist a face like that? Kicking off my shoes and clothes I
climb under the covers earning a brilliant smile from him.

“I’m
sorry darlin’.” His lips touch mine briefly as he
searches my eyes.

“Me
too, lets agree to not stalk me in another bar and I’ll agree
not to try break some girls fingers because she touched you.”

He
chuckles at me. “I love the way you claim me; I’m yours
and I promise to be firmer with said salacious females.” We
both snicker at each other. “I love you Bailey, and I think I
always have.” His kiss sets me on fire stealing the breath from
my lungs as his tongue explores my mouth. Hands slowly remove
underwear each movement a soft caress. “I love making love to
you,” he tells me kissing along my collarbone down to the
hollow point of my neck where my pulse beats wildly for him.

His
kisses trail down the valley of my breasts to my belly piercing,
which he tugs on with his teeth. Slowly he moves lower to the apex of
my thighs. Parting my legs I allow him access his tongue darting
forward to taste me, moans escape me as he kisses me tenderly easing
his finger inside he strokes and licks until I can’t take
anymore, my fingers tangle in his hair as my hips buck and move for
him calling out his name as I shatter. He chuckles while kissing me
on his way back up biting my lip when he reaches me.

“Why
are you laughing?” I pant as he kisses my neck.

“Because
I love when you call out my name,” Reaching down, I take hold
of him “And I love when you call mine.” Lifting his head
he smiles.

Sliding
into me, he groans closing his eyes he rolls us over so I can
straddle him. Rocking my hips he hisses through his teeth as he holds
on to me thrusting. I move slowly taking my time he looks into my
eyes.

“Are
you trying to kill me?” he breathes and I nod. “Fuck,”
he chuckles trying to move me faster with his hands after a few more
torturous rocks, I let him move me. Our hips push and pull together
as he thrusts into me, our sweat soaked skin sticking together
sliding his hand between us he brings me over the edge again as he
follows calling out my name. Lying down on his chest I kiss him, his
eyes shining.

“Feel
better?” He nods turning us on our sides.

“Yes
just what the doctor ordered.” Nibbling my lips he presses his
hard to mine then pulls back. “I love you darlin’, I’d
be lost without you.”

I
smile at him. “Me too.”

*****

The
next day Knox walks around the apartment in his boxers and his guitar
playing songs as he follows me. Laughing I shake my head at him. His
eyes are back to normal and are staring at me “hey I have a
song for you babe” getting my iPod I play him ‘Guitar
Song’ by Texas and sing making him grin at me, pulling me into
his arms we sway together around the apartment.

“I
like that song darlin’. You should sing it on Saturday”

Knox
lifts me up twirling me around kissing me. “Okay babe. I need
to get ready for dinner tonight. I think we might pop in to see you
afterwards.” He nods strumming away.

“Okay
beautiful.” Leaving him, I jump into the shower and get ready.

By
four o’clock he is sulking about having to go to work and
missing me.

“I’ll
be over after dinner, babe. I think Max and Paige might want time
alone considering she leaves in the morning.” He nods hugging
me before he leaves. I watch him out of the window winding his way
through campus hands in his pockets, smiling I turn to get dressed.
Meeting Max and Paige at five we walk into downtown to a Chinese
restaurant.

“All
set?” I ask Paige from across the table she nods,

“I
guess.”

Max
kisses her head his hand fisting around the chopsticks. We have a
quick dinner and I get some to go for Knox.

“I’m
going to the bar, are you guys going home?” I ask as we walk
down the street.

“No,
I need a few drinks.” Paige smiles at me and I nod. Max looks
like his heart is being pulled through his chest his arm wrapped
securely around Paige all the time.

Walking
into the bar we stop to look around. Max curses then kisses Paige
before he rushes to help an overwhelmed Knox,

“Holy
crap, are they giving the booze away?” Paige asks looking at
the full bar. We find an empty space near our little corner.

“It’s
going to be weird without you here.”

She
nods at me. “Yeah, I’ll have to call you on Friday nights
so I can watch them singing.” Tears well in her eyes and I grab
her into a hug.

“Don’t
cry because then I will.” Knox stops in front of us. “I
brought dinner,” I say holding up the bag.

Taking
it from me, he smiles. “Thanks darlin’, are you having a
drink?” We nod Paige wiping tears. Knox supplies our drinks
then takes off to eat.

“So
you promise to keep in touch?” I ask looking at her sad face.

“Promise.”

“I
don’t know if I even want to go now,” she giggles. “I
mean it’s a great business school but so is BRU.” Sighing
she puts her face into her hands Max reaches over smoothing her hair
as he takes an order from beside us.

“Paige,
do what’s right for you, I did and look at me” I laugh
pulling her hands down. “I’m a fucking mess.” She
looks at me then bursts into peels of laughter,

“Only
you would say something like that.”

Lifting
my glass, I toast her. Listening to Paige talk about NYU, I smile she
sounds excited and sad at the same time. I don’t know if her
and Max will last being apart for three years and my heart breaks for
them; Max looks lost like he doesn’t know what to do with
himself working behind the bar like a robot his hands doing what they
know but his mind is clearly elsewhere.

Knox
steps through the beaded curtain belly full ready to get back to
work. Looking at both of them, I smile; they get along really great
for brothers maybe it’s a twin thing. Knox says something
making Max smile for the first time today they bump fists and
separate,

“See
something you like, darlin’?” Knox smirks at me when he
catches me looking at them.

Paige
laughs and I nod my head. “I do babe.” Clutching his
heart he leans forward kissing me.

“Man
those words.” Shaking his head, he walks off.

“Was
that a ring on his finger, did you guys elope?” Paige gasps at
me.

“No
silly, we didn’t elope but I made him a ring.” I laugh at
him. “And he didn’t take it off.” Paige nods
looking at Knox’s finger.

“Maybe
I should get Max a ring,” she wonders aloud.

“Maybe
you should just see what happens in NYU first.”

Just
after nine Max and Paige take off so I stay with Knox and move down
to my corner once the crowd thins out.

“You
look sad, beautiful,” he says bringing me another drink.

“Yeah
another friend I’m losing,” I say watching the door where
Paige just left.

Knox
walks around to me and gives me a big hug. “Yeah, but you still
have Max and me; we will take care of you.”

Smiling
I look up at him. “But we need to take care of Max for a bit.”
Knox sighs then rests his elbows on the bar beside me.

“I
know we do, he is hurting but won’t say. He did the same thing
when mom died; he just closed up for a while. Both of us did, but I
kind of had to take over and take care of him and my dad.”
Rubbing his back I lean over and kiss his cheek.

“You’re
a good person, babe.” Tilting his head he looks at me.

“Thanks
darlin’.”

Another
friend leaving, I guess I should try to stay away from people and not
get my heart damaged anymore that it already is. God knows I don’t
need the pain of losing more people in my life. Taking out my phone,
I flick through the photographs I keep hidden away in their own file;
all of them are of my best friend and I. Summer was such a major part
of my life even though we were friends forever we really depended on
each other. Knowing we would always have each other, or at least that
was the plan. The pictures pull at my soul as I flick through them
one by one we looked so happy and carefree.

“Hey
darlin’.” Knox comes over to me holding a napkin, looking
up he wipes tears from my face I didn’t realize I was crying at
all. “I’m fine babe.” Sniffing I close the file and
put my phone away wiping my eyes.

“I’ll
be closing soon then we can go home.” He looks concerned as he
plays with my ponytail.

Just
after midnight he closes the bar. I help pick up the empty glasses
and bottles Knox counts the cash, and stocks the fridges.

“Okay,
lets go. I’ll get Chase to finish tomorrow.”

We
walk home hand in hand, Knox looking sideways at me from under his
eyelashes. Once inside he pulls me into a hug.

“Wanna
talk about it?” Tilting my head back, he bends to kiss me.
“I’ll make the hot chocolate while you get ready for bed
and I’ll meet you there.” He smiles, smacking me lightly
on the ass. After I wash my face and pull on one of his t-shirts I
crawl into bed beside him.

“Thanks
babe.” Taking my drink I nestle in to him.

“So, you want to tell me
why your beautiful eyes were crying in the bar?”

“I
was looking at old photos; I didn’t know I was crying, too lost
in memories.”

He
nods resting his head against mine. “Can I see them?” he
asks without looking at me. Grabbing my phone, I open my hidden file
and hand it over to him, closing my eyes as he looks through them
chuckling every so often,

“You
were a cute kid.”

Snorting
I look at him, “Thanks.” He flicks through most of them
but groans when he sees Brad, which makes me smile, but I won’t
delete them because Summer is in those ones too.

“You
guys were really close, huh?” I nod taking my phone putting it
on the dresser,

“Yeah
like sisters, even when Roger came along we didn’t change. He
just adapted to us.” Knox leans forward to look at me.

“You’re
my best friend,” he says smiling at me.

“Thanks
but won’t Max get jealous?” I joke brushing his hair out
of his eyes.

“Fuck
him,” Knox chuckles taking my fingers and kissing them. “You
know last year I never thought I’d be living with a girl let
alone engaged and to a fine piece of ass if I do say so myself. It’s
funny how life turns out.”

Lying down, I look up to him on
his side resting his head on his palm to watch me.

“Yeah
who knew this time last year considering we only met briefly.”
Knox smiles “Yeah making me ban you from the bar for fighting,
I felt like such an asshole.”

We
both laugh at that. “Well she deserved it.” He nods at me
in agreement. “Did you get engaged to Lindsey?” I ask
only because her earlier words floated back into my mind.

Knox
frowns. “No way, I told you that story. She wanted a rock and I
couldn’t afford it but after thinking for a while I knew it
wouldn’t last, why?”

I
tell him about seeing her in the coffee shop and what she said to me.

“No
way darlin’, I think I would know if I proposed more than
once.” Leaning over, he plants a kiss to my lips. “Only
you Bailey, and I don’t ever intend to ask anyone else.”

“I’m
glad it was me.”

Knox
smiles at me. “Yeah? Me too.” His fingers slide up and
down my thigh, tickling me then he moves to my stomach rubbing
circles on it “I can’t wait until this is up here.”
Lifting his hand above my belly he wiggles his eyebrows and ducks his
head laughing when I swat him.

“Way
in the future, babe.”

He
nuzzles my neck. “I know I just wanted you to know that I want
to have babies with you so you’re stuck with me.” He
kisses along my jaw resting his hand on my stomach again.

“I
know, and you are stuck with me,” I whisper to him.

“I’m
a lucky man so.” Kissing down my neck reaches under my t-shirt
holding my waist as his thumb caresses my ribs. He lifts his head and
smiles at me then kisses me tenderly as his hand moves between my
legs.

The
next morning, I meet Paige in the parking lot watching as she packs
her stuff into the back of the truck. Max is helping, his eyes
already red and swollen I grab Paige in a bear hug.

“You
promised to keep in touch,” I say tears blurring my vision.

“Promise.”
She hugs me back sniffing. Max clears his throat and she turns,

“Okay,
I guess this is it.”

Nodding
we hug again, I watch them drive out of the parking lot waving at
her. Max asked if I would let them go to the airport alone so I did,
walking back upstairs I get back into bed with Knox who is still out
of it. I watch him sleep for a while I can’t seem to relax so I
go for a run instead, by the time I get back he is up and showered
“morning darlin” he kisses me while drying his hair.

“Hi.”
Kicking off my shoes I get undressed.

“What
time is Paige leaving?” he asks as I walk into the bathroom.

“An
hour ago babe.” He walks out of the room.

“You
didn’t wake me?” Shaking my head no, I frown. He turns
away grabbing his phone I hear him talk to Max then say goodbye to
Paige. I have a quick shower and find Knox standing in the doorway
when I get out.

“Sorry
babe, I didn’t know you wanted to say goodbye.” He waves
me off. “This is our last weekend off before classes on Monday.
Lets go get pancakes and then I need to get my books.”

“Man,
now you want to get them. When Paige hops a plane and none of us know
how fix those evil machines.” He laughs resting his hands on
top of the door. “I guess I’m a bit late” We walk
down to the diner and get breakfast then head over to the bookstore
Knox looks at me then the kiosk and hands me his booklist.