Chapter 93
Chapter 93
Waking up to someone watching you, someone who doesn’t live in the house, is by far the creepiest thing on Earth.
Soraya’s hands are folded in her lap. Legs crossed. Perfectly poised and casual, as if this were normal behavior, to watch your ex–husband and his girlfriend sleep. I can feel the rage start to rise up my throat.
“You have a key?” I say. “Is that supposed to be an excuse? You’re in Knox’s bedroom while we’re both naked.”
“You’re under the sheets. I’m only sitting here because I figured it’s a bad idea to wake Knox spontaneously, him being ex–military and paranoid. Don’t want to get tackled down.”
Her tone is light, indifferent. Like I’m the one being dramatic for questioning her. I push myself higher up the bed, sheet still clutched to my chest. I don’t know what annoys me more–the fact that she’s still sitting there when she’s been caught or the fact that she doesn’t sound the least bit guilty about it.
“You need to leave,” I say, trying to keep my voice from rising.
Right then, Knox stirs. His hand twitches against my thigh before sliding off as he turns and blinks himself awake. He squints, rubs his eyes once, then twice, like he doesn’t trust what he’s seeing yet.
“Soraya?” he says, sitting up straighter. There’s a genuine confusion in his voice. “What’s going on?”
She flashes a smile so bright it should be trademarked. “Happy birthday, Knox.”
I freeze.
Birthday? I turn my gaze to him, trying to read his expression. And to my surprise, he looks just as blindsided.
“Is it today?” he asks.
“Yup. You and your girlfriend need to get out of bed and act surprised when you go downstairs. There’s a small crowd waiting for you, and you know how impatient your employees can be.”
“You shouldn’t have,” Knox says, his voice still groggy with sleep.
“Birthdays are important.” She stands with a grace that only makes me hate her more. “You’re going to celebrate them whether you like them or not.”
Then she heads for the door, opens it, and shuts it behind her, heels tapping softly on the hardwood.
I just sit there. My mind replays everything that happened in the last two minutes. From the moment I opened my eyes and saw her to that smug little birthday announcement and her slipping out like she hadn’t just detonated a bomb.
Every single ache I was feeling from last night vanishes in the whirlwind of rage tightening in my chest. I don’t even know what emotion to na Annoyance? Pure fucking fury?
At least Knox has the decency to look guilty.
“I’m so sorry, Sloane,” he says, shifting closer and wrapping his arm around my waist. “She does this every year. I keep forgetting.”
My eyes search his. “It’s your birthday?”
“Yeah.”
“And you didn’t remember?”
“I don’t follow dates religiously and never cared about birthdays. Soraya found my birth certificate once, and it’s been hell since.”
I smack his chest just hard enough to feel the impact reverberate through my palm.
1/2
Shock?
Chapter 93
“What’s that for?” he asks.
“You just made me look like a terrible girlfriend in front of your ex–wife. And why does she still have a key to your house? A key I should have
“It’s not a competition, Sloane.”
“Isn’t it?” My voice rises an octave. “I’m not a very good judge of character, but that lady wants to bang you. Sitting here while you’re naked? Surprise birthdays? This is aimed at me. She’s marking her territory. She has moved her piece on the chessboard, taking out my pawn. And now I have to bring down her fucking queen. This is war.”
“Jesus,” he mutters, then laughs despite himself and cups my face in his hands. “It’s just a birthday party. You don’t need to plan a chess–themed battle.
“It’s not just a birthday. It’s your birthday.”
That makes him pause. He studies me with that intense gaze of his and then slides a hand behind my neck, gently pulling me into a kiss. It’s soft. His lips brush mine with care, and I close my eyes, sinking into the quiet heat of it, letting myself breathe. He grazes my jaw with his thumb, the pads of his fingers pressing into the back of my neck as our mouths move together. My body betrays me, of course, melting down most of my anger.
When we finally part, our foreheads rest against each other.
“I’ll tell her to stop after today,” he says. “You retain full rights to throw me surprise parties. You don’t have to go crazy on her. She’s just doing what she’s
used to.”
I don’t believe that for a second. But I let it slide–for now.
“Happy birthday, Knox.”
He grins. “Thank you, Knox’s girl. Come on. Let’s put something on and act surprised downstairs.”
He tosses the blanket off and swings his legs out of bed. I follow, but wince as my feet hit the floor.
“My ass is so sore,” I mutter. “I think you split it in two.”
“I can’t apologize for who I become in that room,” he says, not even trying to hide his grin. “But we’ll find something to soothe the ache, I promise.”
Minutes later in the bathroom, he’s brushing his teeth while I use the toilet. It dawns on me that we’re officially that kind of couple now–the kind that shares a bathroom without shame. One brushing, the other peeing. And tomorrow we’ll probably hit a new low of one pooping while the other showers. Ew. Is this… love?
Speaking about love, I do remember Knox using that word last night. Right before I passed out. How the hell do I even bring that up? ‘Hey, remember when you said you loved me? I think I might love you too.‘ Jesus, who gets good at this stuff? We’re barely a month in, and I feel like we need to sign up for a couples communication bootcamp.
Within fifteen minutes, we’re both dressed–Knox in sweatpants and a black shirt, me in one of his oversized tees and a pair of his boxer first, as planned, and I hang back by the hallway, listening.
“Surprise!” a chorus erupts from the living room.
eads down
They
ther
forward,
nselves
orror th
into
about t
nt’s
Chapter 94
Chapter 94
