Page 184 of The Perfect Spiral
“Never been more certain in my life, baby doll,” he interrupts me, a grin spreading across his face.
“Okay, then... So, what do you have in mind?” I ask, curious about our plans for tomorrow.
The thought of him being there to support me at the conference is both comforting and endearing. I’m still adjusting to this side of him. It’s new and somewhat strange to me.
“It’s a surprise, baby doll. And don’t even start guessing, and don’t give me those eyes either. I won’t fall for it... I hope...”
He mumbles the last part to himself as he turns to remove his jacket, draping it over the back of a chair at the dining table.
I smirk and clasp my hands together, giving him my best puppy dog eyes, a look that Sam and I have perfected.
“But Knox, pretty please with a cherry on top,” I pout, batting myeyelashes for added effect.
“Oh no—” He quickly shuts his eyes, blocking out my face. Damn it! “Stop it, baby doll, it’s not going to work.”
I sigh and turn back to face the city view, saying, “Fine.” I see his reflection in the window as he approaches me.
He wraps his arms around my shoulders, his chest pressing against my back, his lips lightly kissing the crown of my head. Moments later, he moves to stand beside me.
“I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping. You can rest if you want. I’ve ordered Chinese and pizza. I’ve got a few calls to make, but make yourself comfortable. The TV is the same model as the one at our house, so you know how to use it—” He walks towards a white door with glass panes that are frosted over, obscuring the view.
Did he decorate this place himself, or did he hire someone?
“...and this is where you can stay. Although my room is right there, if you ever feel needy and want a cuddle...” He teases, and I stifle a laugh as he points to the door opposite my room.
“The bathroom is through here. Pillows and sheets are in here if you need more, or if you’re cold. But you can adjust the temperature on this screen, or again, come to my room. It controls the lighting too, and there’s another one beside the bed. That’s the wardrobe, and there’s the TV. The lights turn on when you tap the metal—it took me a while to figure that out... The bath is also a jacuzzi. I highly recommend using it. I would highly recommend sharing it with another person—”
He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and I hit him in the arm, “Ow! Easy, I’m the sexiest man alive!” He teases, and I roll my eyes at his playful arrogance.
I walk around the room in awe. It’s beautifully decorated withshades of grey, white, and black dominating the space.
“Your decorator did a nice job,” I comment, admiring the sleek and classic designs. Simple, yet intricate. Eye-catching, despite the lack of color.
The bed is covered with an ice-grey duvet, crisp white sheets peeking out at the top. The headboard is black, and the walls are painted a medium shade of grey.
“Thanks, I kind of enjoyed doing it.”
“Yeah, I took it on as a project during my off-season.”
“Really? Wow, I never would’ve pictured you as the type to enjoy design...”
“Yeah, I like all the art stuff. I enjoy visiting museums, galleries, and design studios. I also like photography. I find it relaxing...”
“You like art? Same here. I love going to the MET museum and the history museum. They’re my favorites. I always visit at least once when I’m here. I usually drag Hannah along, but she only enjoys it if there are cute guys around—”
I laugh, recalling a memory of a time when I brought Hannah along. He has a glint in his eyes.
“Ben was teaching me how to use my camera. I got it recently and I’m still figuring out how to use it. You’re good with the... um... camera,” I say, my gaze dropping to my feet shuffling on the light grey rug.
I have to ask him why he posted that picture. It’s been bothering me ever since he did.
“Why did you put the... um... the photo up on your Instagram? I’m just curious. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really nice and all, but why?”
As I stammer out my question, I see him shrug his broad shoulders and rub his hands together.
“I couldn’t post the one of you smiling without it looking suspicious. So I chose that one. I didn’t want people going crazy over it, but they did that anyway.”
“Why didn’t you take it down?”
