Page 4 of The I Do Over

The bruise to his ego was the bigger issue.

“You should put some ice on it as soon as possible,” she went on. “If you can rest for a few days, it should be fine. But if you need someone to look at it…”

“Are you volunteering?” he asked with a hint of sarcasm. He might be standing there in a towel, but Knox crossed his arms over his chest and did his best to flex his muscles and look intimidating.

“What? Uh…no!” she stammered. “I’m definitely not volunteering to look at your butt, Knox! I mean…get over yourself.”

He would have believed her if her voice wasn’t so shaky and her cheeks weren’t bright red. It was cute as hell and…

No!he admonished himself.Don’t think of her as cute or sweet or anything!

“I’m over everything,” he said firmly. “But clearly you’re not since you’re here and it was important enough to sneak up on me while I was in the shower, so…say what you’ve got to say.”

All she did was blink at him—as if she wasn’t expecting him to be so blunt with her. How did you think he was going to react to her after all this time? Seventeen damn years without a word from her and now…now…

Now she was openly checking him out.

Okay, maybe notopenly,but she was definitely looking at him from head to toe—while trying to act like she wasn’t looking.

Adorable.

Stop it!

Watching her, Knox noticed her gaze lingering a little too long below the belt and couldn’t resist calling her out on it.

“Hey!” he said with a snap of his fingers. “My eyes are up here.”

And then grinned triumphantly when she blushed again.

“Can you please go put on some clothes?” she asked with exasperation.

“What’s the matter? Am I too distracting?” Knox knew he was in great shape and women were constantly complimenting him on his physique, but right now, he wanted Maddie to say it.

“I would like for us to have a serious conversation,” she said with a sigh. “Anadultconversation. I just think you having pants on would help for obvious reasons.”

Leaning in close, he said, “Because you obviously can’t stop checking me out.” Then, with a wink, he turned and walked away. “Give me five minutes and then we can go talk in my office.”

It would have been easy for him to simply tell her where his office was or suggest that she wait for him out in the gym, but he was curious to see what she was going to do. The fact that she not only walked into the men’s locker room but also practically made it into the shower room said that she was determined. But now that the initial shock of seeing each other was over, would she choose to step outside or stay close?

Peering out from behind a row of lockers, he saw her sit in one of the large leather chairs they kept in a seating area.

Okay…she’s staying close.

Knox walked over to his locker and inwardly groaned. Now that she wasn’t watching him, he could actually take a minute and freak out. Seeing her standing there was a complete shock. Every once in a while, he would let himself imagine what it would be like if they were still together. When he and Daniel and Xander bought this place, he remembered sitting in the middle of the empty space and wondering what she would think of it. It was foolish and he would never admit it to anyone, but…there it was.

But the weirdest part—maybe—was how she still looked the same. Well, not exactly the same—she obviously looked a little older and she wasn’t a girl anymore—but that face? He’d know it anywhere. Her hair was longer but still had those curls he used to love to wrap his fingers in, and she still wore her glasses. That last one made him smile because he used to love to take them off of her before kissing her.

Ugh…I’m in trouble…

Why would she come to see him after all this time? What could she possibly have to say? Or, more importantly, what did she expecthimto say?

Bracing his hands on his hips, he let out a long breath because he knew exactly what he wanted to say.

You look beautiful.

You broke my heart.

I’ve missed you.

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