Incinerate

He brings his hand to my face, trying to lift it, but I hold my chin firm, not letting him move me. “Sweetheart,” he whispers, causing me to glare up at him.

“Oh, no. Don’t you dare ‘sweetheart’ me, Knox Wellington,” I say, poking him in the chest to emphasize every single word. “You don’t get to storm into the gym and embarrass me like you’re some kind of lunatic jealous boyfriend and then make it all better by getting all sexy and whispery with your sweetheart bullshit.”

He grins down at me, and I want to smack it off of his face and then kiss him to make it feel better. Must. Stay. Pissed, I tell myself, not letting him know how much his sexy smirks affect me.

Grabbing my finger, he pulls me into him before placing his arms around my waist. He places a kiss on my forehead before he presses his against mine.

“I’m sorry, babe. I ran into my brother and we had words. I was already feeling heated, and when I walked in and saw him straddling you, I fucking lost it.”

I can only imagine what happened when he saw Branson, but that’s no excuse. As I pull away, it takes everything in me to look at him, but I know I have to say this so that he understands that I’m serious.

“Look, Knox, I understand what happened back then was awful. And if seeing him brings all those old feelings back up again, then I don’t know what we’re doing here. If you have unresolved feelings about it or trust issues, then I don’t see how we can let our relationship progress any further. You have no reason not to trust me, but when you act like that, you lead me to believe that you don’t.”

Saying those words hurt more than I could have imagined, but I already wasted enough of my time being in relationships where I wasn’t enough. As much as I want to be with Knox, I don’t want to waste my time, even though it feels like my heart might break if this is the end. Things have been so perfect lately, and I really thought going to his parents had helped him start to heal from everything, but now I’m begi

“What the hell are you saying, Charlie?” he asks in a hushed, questioning tone.

I can feel my shoulders slump, wishing he’d told me I was wrong. “Until you finally get over what they did to you, I don’t see how we can move forward.” My voice catches on the last word, and I’m seconds away from bursting into sobs.

He lifts my chin and uses his free hand to pull me into him. “Sweetheart, I don’t want anyone but you. My issues with Branson have nothing to do with Megan. He said some shit about you that made my blood boil, and the thought of him touching you that night made me want to kill him. I was already seething from that, so when I walked in and saw Chris, I snapped. It’s not that I don’t trust you. I do, Charlie, with my whole heart, but it’s them. I don’t trust them.”

Relieved and elated at his words, I feel my heart calm down. “If you trust me, Knox, then it doesn’t matter about them. Chris is a friend. He knows I have no interest in him. Everyone in this gym knows you’re it for me, so no matter who I spar with, who ends up straddling me on the mat, they all know I’m going home to you. To your bed.”

“To our bed,” he corrects me, and I can’t help but grin, knowing I haven’t spent a single second in my own bed since that very first night.

“I chose you, Knox, the same night you claimed me. And while I like this possessive side of you, I prefer it in the bedroom, not in public.”

Letting go of my face, he pulls me in closer, resting his chin on my head. “I know, babe. And I’m sorry for acting like a jackass. I do want to move forward with you, and the thought of losing you, now or in the future, scares the hell out of me. When Branson planted that idea in my head, I kind of went a little crazy.”

He wants more with me. I try so hard not to let these words sink into my heart too deep. I’m still scared that he’s going to wake up one day and decide that he really isn’t ready for a relationship, but I can’t help it. The more time I spend with him, the more I get to see his true heart, the harder I fall.

“You think? Come on, Knox. You know Branson doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about, so I have no idea why you’d even let his words bother you.”

I can feel his chest heave as he takes in a deep breath. “I know. I’m a fucking idiot. I just don’t ever want to lose you.”

Pulling back, I look up at him. “Knox, when are you going to realize that I’m not going anywhere?”

Leaning down, he presses his lips against mine. “I know that now. And it’s a damn good thing, because I wouldn’t let you, even if you tried.”

“I have no doubt about that. Race you home?” I ask seductively, wanting more than anything for him to be inside me right now.

Placing a hot kiss on my lips, he pulls me out of the locker room, through the gym, and into the parking lot. Looking at Evelyn, I’m wishing I were riding in her instead of my 2010 Hyundai Sonata.

Catching me looking at his other baby, he chuckles. “Hurry your ass home and maybe I’ll finally give you that ride you’ve been wanting,” he says, winking at me.

Oh god, the thought of him fucking me on the hood of his car is hot as hell. Throwing my car door open, I start the engine before he can even finish his sentence.

Rolling down the window, I call to him as I’m pulling out of the lot. “Don’t keep me waiting, Rugged.” I have to laugh when he shakes his head at me.

Driving down the road, I’m trying not to get overly excited at the thought of him, me, and Evelyn. I know he’s about to fulfill one of my biggest fantasies, and I can’t freaking wait.

Chapter 29

Charlie

WHEN KNOX met me at home, I felt like I’d been waiting for hours, but the moment he threw me on the hood of Evelyn, ripped my shorts off, and slammed into me without preamble made every single second worth waiting for. Until Knox, I’d never actually fantasized about being taken on the hood of a car. But ever since I walked into that garage and saw her, I knew I wanted him to fuck me right there, paintjob be damned.

When he finally did, it was a mixture of passion, possession, and claiming. I know he apologized, but the way he was seemed raw, like he was trying to push out whatever thoughts Branson had put in his mind. Like every single time he buried himself inside me made him really believe I was here to stay. And all I could do was hold on to him, his thrusting too forceful, too fast for me to even keep up. It was only a few minutes before I was clawing his back, coming around his cock as he released into me.

Remembering the intense feeling that washed over me as he took total control has me so turned on, and if he weren’t waiting for me to go out for the night, I’d probably be enjoying a little self-pleasure in the shower as I remember just how hard he fucked me.

Unfortunately, instead of a shower, I have to get ready to go out for the night. We’re on our way to Legends, where we’re meeting up with Lucy and Kale. Ever since she’s been back for the summer, they’ve been spending a lot of time together, but whenever I ask, she says they’re just friends. Walking into the bar, we spot them almost immediately and join them at their table.

Lucy jumps up, giving me a hug. “Hey, girl! I swear, now that you’re with Handsome over here, I never get to see you,” she says, even though I know many of her nights are spent with Kale.

Speaking of, he comes over and gives me a hug before he and Knox head to the bar to get drinks. Sliding into a chair next to Lucy, I notice that she’s gri