Page 30 of Quadruplets for the Vipers

Did Knox tell him? Or has my attraction been that obvious? Is this his way of telling me I need to choose? Or what? Or does he have no idea what happened between us and is instead referring to the fact that up until recently, it seemed like Knox hated me and blamed me for his parents’ deaths?

I open my mouth to try to formulate some sort of response to figure out what he’s trying to tell me, but before I can speak, Axel gently cups my chin and places a soft, lingering kiss on my lips that momentarily wipes all thoughts from my mind. He pulls away far too quickly, leaving me yearning for more.

“I’ll see you later,” he says, his eyes trying to silently tell me something I don’t understand before he goes, leaving me even more confused than ever.

I slowly take my time getting dressed, feeling anxious to face Knox. Which is ridiculous. It’s not like he’s going to immediately ravage me the second he sees me. A not altogether unpleasant thought, but perhaps not what I should be doing.

When I finally chastise myself to stop being a wimp and go downstairs, Knox is still undressed. It’s only then that it occurs to me that he’s been waiting until I’m out of his room for him to be able to shower and get dressed himself. I curse myself for my stupidity.

“Hey, I was starting to think you were avoiding me,” he says semi-accusingly, offering a forgiving smile. “I made breakfast, if you’re hungry.” He gestures to the table laden with food.

“Thanks.”

I take a seat and dig in. I was never much of a breakfast eater, but since finding out about the pregnancy, I’ve tried to be better at getting three square meals a day. Eating also means I can avoid any awkward conversation for a moment.

“I’m gonna head upstairs for a shower and get dressed. Do you need anything else before I go?”

“No, thanks.”

Knox heads off, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I’m grateful for the reprieve. With him standing around half-naked, I can’t think straight. While the last thing I want to do today is work, at least it stops me from being left alone with Knox too much. I can’t trust myself. Even still, I’m not relishing having to plaster on a fake smile and deal with curious customers asking what happened last night, or worse yet, having to pretend nothing at all happened.

I’m feeling a little less frazzled when Knox returns. He swaggers into the room, looking as handsome as ever in a pair of jeans and a tight-fitting tee with his Steel Vipers leather jacketslung over the top. It’s warm and sunny today, but that doesn’t seem to bother him.

“Feeling up for an adventure?”

“I have to work, remember?” I reply, brow furrowed.

“Not anymore. I figured you deserve the day off after everything you went through. One of the other girls was more than happy to cover for you. We can stay in if you want, but I thought you might like to get out of here. Figured it would do you good.”

“That would be nice.”

He grins at me, pleased that I’ve agreed. “Come on then.”

The offer of getting away and clearing my head is too tempting to turn down.

“Alright, give me two seconds to go change,” I say before darting off.

I come back downstairs moments later in a comfortable and lightweight summer dress that’s an old favorite. I know that it looks good on me, hugging my curves in all the right places without being overly sexy. Knox looks at me appreciatively.

“Nice dress.”

I follow Knox outside eagerly, not even bothering to ask where we’re going yet. Knox leads the way to a sleek red convertible.

“I figured we can take the Mustang with the roof off, seeing as it’s such a nice day.”

“Wouldn’t you prefer to ride your motorcycle?”

“Always, but there’s no way I’m taking you on the back, it’s not safe for the baby.”

“I could drive behind you.”

“A more insecure man might think you’re avoiding being in a confined space alone with me,” Knox quips, having astutely figured out how close that is to the truth. “Get in. I’m driving.”

I do as I’m told, and I try not to move as he leans over to check my seatbelt is secure. He places his jacket over my shoulders, the warm leather caressing my skin. I hold my breath as I catch a whiff of his masculine scent. My treacherous body reacts to his proximity, and I try to fight the attraction I feel toward him.

“It can get cold while we’re driving,” he says by way of explanation. “It looks good on you, too,” he adds approvingly.

We drive in silence for a while as I gaze out of the window, avoiding looking at Knox for fear of the thoughts I might have. Knox doesn’t pressure me to talk, allowing me to simply relax and enjoy the drive. He connects his phone playlist, the music a welcome distraction, and drives in comfortable silence. I’m surprised by his eclectic music taste. I tell him as much, and we happily chat about music for the rest of the journey.

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