When We Fall (8 page)

McKenna

With the drama of the last few days behind us, I wanted to make the most of my time with Knox. We needed to be alone, to just reconnect. I loved that he’d planned a date for us, and deciding that I quite liked having a boyfriend, I wanted to return the favor. I wanted to go somewhere we could both relax and enjoy the day together. And I’d told Belinda that despite returning to Chicago after my extended leave of absence, she should give my Saturday morning sex-addict group to my replacement permanently.

Which meant both Knox and I were free on Saturdays now. My new schedule felt positively decadent. Having time to actually pursue a relationship was something new for me. The old
me would have felt guilty. The new me was going to enjoy every minute of it.

When Knox picked me up later that afternoon, I slid into the warmth of his Jeep, inhaling his masculine scent and instantly feeling happy and secure.

“Are you okay with me being in charge today?” I smiled at him.

His
gaze jerked over to mine and an unexpected jab of lust shot straight between my thighs at the wicked grin on his lips. “I think I can handle that. Where to, angel?”

“
Downtown,” I answered. “Park somewhere near Lakeshore Drive.”

He was dressed in a warm-looking thermal tee and a black fleece, and since it wasn
’t totally freezing out today, my plan should work.

Once he
’d parallel parked on a side street just off Lakeshore Drive, I laced his fingers with mine and led him down to the walking path bordering the lake. It was the middle of January, which meant we were completely alone on the beach. Just me, Knox, and the endless blue water stretched out before us, gently lapping at the sandy shoreline.

We huddled into our coats and almost by instinct, our joined hands squeezed tighter. It was just us. No kids. No Brian or Amanda. No drama. I breathed in a deep
, refreshing lungful of fresh air and sighed happily.

We walked side by side in silence for a few moments, and though it looked like there was something heavy on his mind, when I questioned
Knox, the tension in his features fell away and he dropped a kiss to my mouth.

“
Everything’s perfect, angel,” he assured me.

Perhaps it was still lingering worry over Jaxon. Either way, I dismissed it. Knox was by my side and that was all that mattered. I was learning to let the past go
, to stay in the moment and enjoy.

I nestled closer into his side, inhaling his
intoxicating scent.

“
Are you cold?” he asked, leaning down to press a kiss against my temple.

Not with his big body to shield me from the wind.
“Not really, no.”

“
So, are we gonna talk about things now that you’re back?” he asked.

“
Like?” I prompted.

“
Like your many volunteering jobs, where you live, and when you’re going to buy a car and stop taking the bus.” He raised an eyebrow at me.

I remembered feeling protected and cared for right from the first time I
’d gone to Knox’s house—he was so against me taking the bus across town on my own. He’d insisted on personally escorting me home. He’d wormed his way into my heart right from the beginning, even if I didn’t see it at the time. All the signs were there. He was a good man. Or maybe I was the exception, since I was pretty sure he hadn’t always treated women with such care and respect.

I glanced over at him to address his questions.
“As for volunteering, I’m no longer leading the Saturday morning group.” I was guessing he’d figured as much since I hadn’t in a couple of months now. “A car is on my to-do list. Brian said he’d help me look.”

“
I’ll take you, McKenna.” His look said not to argue.

Okay then. Knox
will help me get a car.

I nodded and continued
. “And what about where I live?” I paused, waiting for him to give me some clue about what he’d meant. My apartment with Brian was in a safe part of town. I didn’t see what issue he could possibly take up there.

He stopped walking and turned to face me. The sunlight glinting in his beautiful eyes showed off shades of moss green and warm brown. He released my hand, only to bring both of his palms up to cup my face.
“When you were away, I realized something about myself. I love you, McKenna, and I don’t want to be without you. I want you to move in with me.”

The air felt trapped in my chest as I processed his words. He wanted me. He loved me. His offer was much more significant than he could have known. He was giving me my family back.
The piece of me that had been missing for all these years. A warm home filled with love and activity. Tears welled in my eyes.

“
Knox…” I sobbed, inhaling ragged breaths.

“
Shhh. Don’t answer now. I know it’s a lot to process, something you probably want to think about. But I promise you one thing—I’m never going back to the man I was before. You’ve changed me. You came into my life and completely fucking gutted me. I thought I couldn’t love again, but you were right all along. Love was the exact thing I was missing and searching for in all those women.”

I flinched slightly at his words
. Being reminded of his past wasn’t easy, but his thumb brushed across my bottom lip, deliciously distracting me.

“
I was looking for you the entire time. And it took a downward spiral for me to find you. My angel,” he whispered.

I wanted to tell him yes, of course I would move in, but my lips were busy attacking his. I kissed him with a brutal force that he matched with swipe after swipe of his tongue against mine.
He hauled me closer, one hand still cupping my face, and the other pressed against my butt to align our bodies together. Suddenly being in public seemed like a terrible idea.

“
Knox…” I breathed against his damp lips.

“
Yeah?” His voice was a rough growl that sent delicious vibrations spiraling through me.

“
Let’s go somewhere.”

“
My house,” he answered.

Yes. Please.
Anywhere but here. Preferably somewhere with a bed. “Wait.” I pulled back. “Won’t your brothers be there?”

His hazy eyes found mine.
“They know we fuck, McKenna.” He pressed his erection against my belly and rubbed it against me.

A whimper fell from my parted lips and I couldn
’t argue. I nodded quickly and he led me back to his Jeep. I almost laughed as I tried to keep up with Knox’s pace. His long legs ate up the sidewalk and I pranced alongside him. We’d made it fifteen minutes into our date before we cracked and needed to be alone. But there was no denying my entire body was humming with need. He’d created this side of me. And I was all too happy to go along with it.

We climbed inside the Jeep an
d Knox wasted no time cranking the ignition and pulling out into traffic. A silent glance in his direction caused a knot to form in my stomach. He was still rock hard in his jeans, the rigid weight of his erection clearly visible through the denim. Desire pulsed through me, hot and uncontained.

“
Knox…” I murmured.

His hand curled around the back of my
neck, guiding my mouth to his while he maintained eye contact with the road. “Not long, baby,” he assured me, his lips brushing against mine.

I pressed my thighs together, squirming in the seat as his warm tongue licked against my bottom lip. I knew what delicious, naughty things his tongue could do to other parts of my body.
A flash of moisture dampened my panties.

I
’d survived so long without physical affection and sex, maybe now I was making up for lost time. Either that or Knox alone had unleashed something in me that refused to be contained. Especially now that I knew how good he could make me feel.

When Knox broke the kiss, I found myself unable to resist. I reached across the center console and curled my hand around the hard ridge in his pants, eliciting a soft groan from him.

I rubbed his firm length up and down, loving how big and masculine he felt in my hand. I wanted to make him feel good and lose all control like he did to me. I wanted to see him come apart.

“
Shit,” he cursed, his hands gripping the wheel until his knuckles turned white.

I wanted to unbutton his pants, tug down his zipper and free his cock, feel its warm
weight against my skin, in my mouth, but I settled for lightly stroking him over his pants.

The raspy breath shuddering in his chest was the only encouragement I needed. Using my fingernails, I lightly raked across him, squeezing and caressing him. I might have said this was for him
—meant to turn him on and drive him wild—but it was just as much for me. Touching him, knowing I was bringing him pleasure, made me feel sexy and powerful. Not to mention how it drenched my panties with my own arousal.

Thankfully, we soon pulled to a stop in the driveway behind his house and Knox turned to face me.

“You’re going to regret teasing me, angel.”

The husky tone of his voice and ragged breathing, coupled with the sight of his raging erection
, made my stomach flip. I was playing a dangerous game, but there was no way I was stopping now.

He sucked in a few deep breaths, and adjusted the monstrosity in his pants before climbing from the Jeep.

Unlocking the back door, he led me inside. All was peaceful in the house. Tucker and Luke were in the living room, Tuck watching cartoons and Luke busy typing away on the laptop.

Knox and I crept up the stairs without
so much as a hello. I felt a little villainous, sneaking off to do naughty things with him, but it was a feeling I liked. I was embracing the bad-girl side of myself that only Knox brought out.

Once we were safely tucked inside his bedroom, with the door locked and closed behind us,
Knox’s hungry gaze caught mine and I felt trapped. I was his. Completely at his mercy. He stalked toward me like he was the hunter and I was the hunted.

Not bothering to cross the room to the bed, he pinned me against the wall, his large frame
swallowing mine as he pressed his body close. He rubbed his large erection against my belly.

“
You wanted to tease me, make me want you, but not let me come… That wasn’t nice, angel.”

I let out a helpless whimper. I hadn
’t meant to be mean.

His mouth caught mine, taking my bottom lip between his teeth and tugging it gently.
“Naughty girls like you need to be taught a lesson.”

“
Are you going to punish me?” I whispered, my lips brushing his.

“
I’m going to make sure you never forget who’s in charge.” He lifted my shirt from over my head and tossed it behind him, then he found the clasp on my bra and removed that next. The cool air nipped at me, sending goose bumps across my belly and puckering my nipples. His gaze slipped lower and landed on my breasts. “So pretty,” he said, his thumbs lightly stroking the sensitive pink flesh. A gasp stuck in my throat. His hands were warm and I savored the rough feel of his fingertips against me.