Page 43 of The Perfect Spiral
“Alex, he hurt you! Nobody hurts my baby doll! Nobody! It’s truly breaking my heart seeing you like this right now...” He whispered the last part more to himself than to me, but I heard it.
Wait, he just said ‘my baby doll’?
No, no, Alex, you heard that wrong, you’re nobody’s anything!
God, he’s hot when he’s protective—woah, Alex, chill! Now is notthe time! You’re not drinking anymore if you’re going to keep thinking about him like this.
He’s Knox! Remember! He was so mean to you in high school and pretty much your entire life! So no! You cannot think about him like that! Maybe he’s changed, man? Maybe?
But I’m not going to go there, he’s Kyle’s best friend! But he looks so good tonight! “Baby doll? Say something, I know your mind is going a million miles an hour in there,” he said, worry etched onto his face.
I gave him a small smile and chuckled a little. He was right.
“Let me in, baby doll,” he pleaded once more. I looked up at him.
“Who are you and what have you done with Knox?” I joked, causing him to laugh. I couldn’t help it, but I also wanted to know who this person was! It certainly wasn’t the Knox I grew up with.
“What do you mean, baby doll? I’m still the handsome, rugged sex god you know and love,” he teased back, lightening the mood. I rolled my eyes at his ridiculous response.
“Annnnd he’s back!” I said, causing a bellowing laugh to escape his mouth. We both stood there, laughing at each other’s responses. Then we both calmed down after a few moments of enjoying our quip responses.
Staring back at each other, I rested my hands on top of his that were still cupping my face gently. He smiled his famous smile that all the girls drop their panties for in a heartbeat.
Mentally shaking the image from my head, hah! What was in those drinks tonight?
“Will you—uh—will you lie with me? Like old times?”
His face registered pure shock at my question, and I was just as surprised as he was. A few moments of silence ticked by, servingas his response.
Okay, this is getting awkward. I shouldn’t have asked. I nodded in defeat, accepting that he wasn’t going to stay with me like old times.
“It’s okay, I get it,” I said, averting my eyes to my feet. “You can head back to the party if you want. I’ll be fine.” I stepped out of his touch, immediately feeling the coldness that replaced his warmth.
But his large hand grabbed my small one and tugged me back to him. He kissed the top of my head, wrapping himself around me for comfort. He’s so comfy!
“Of course I’ll lie with you, baby doll. Anything for you! I was just in shock, that’s all.”
“Haha, I could see that!” I quipped back at him.
“I didn’t know you knew I used to lay with you when I stayed over at your place. I thought I got in and out before you realized I was there. This is so embarrassing!” he cried out while I laughed. “I always knew, Knox. My mom even knows. Obviously, you wouldn’t have made a good ninja!” I joked, but he just turned red in the face. He’s so cute right now!
Oh my god, Alex, stop! But I couldn’t.
Note to self: stop having conversations with myself.
“Are you serious! Shit! That’s why they—never mind! But why didn’t you say anything? I thought you hated me?”
“Knox, I don’t hate you. I don’t hate anybody. You were always so mean to me. And is the great Knox Carter blushing with embarrassment right now? That’s a first!” I was avoiding the question he had just asked so desperately.
“You didn’t answer my question, baby doll.”
He quirked his eyebrow, standing his ground for an answer. Why is he so stubborn?
“Ugh, you’re so annoying, you know that? I don’t know why I didn’t tell you.” Lie!
“Lie.” Shit! A few moments went by in silence. I knew he wasn’t going to give up.
“Fine, every time you slept with me, I had a good night’s sleep. I never had a nightmare with you.”
