Page 75 of Temptation

Emmy patted my hand while wearing a sympathetic expression. “Maybe not, but I get the feeling Knox is serious about you.”

I hedged, fiddling with my empty glass. “I know I’m basically living with him, but…marriage?” I shook my head. All the while, I tried to ignore the pang of longing I felt at the idea of not having to hide our relationship. But instead getting to celebrate it.

“Girl, he’s taking ahugerisk by being with you.” When I frowned, she added, “With Jude. And Knox doesn’t seem like the type of man who would jeopardize his relationship with his son for a mere fling.”

“Maybe not, but it’s not like we’re planning to tell Jude about us.”

“Kendall.” She smiled gently. “He’s in love with you.”

I popped a bite of shrimp into my mouth. “You haven’t even seen us together.”

“I don’t need to. He paid your mom’s medical expenses.” She ticked off one finger. She lifted a second. “He gave you a freaking Range Rover.”

“He—” I opened my mouth to protest, but she beat me to it.

“Took you to a star-studded gala. Bought you a diamond necklace and earrings. Introduced you to David Beckham…”

“He’s a billionaire, and he likes being generous,” I said as the waiter arrived with fresh drinks.

But even I knew that was a lie. Knox wasn’t just generous with his money. When it came to me, he was generous with his time. Something he’d struggled with in the past apparently. Jude had told me it was one of the big reasons his parents had divorced.

“And you’re in love with him too,” she said, delivering the fatal blow.

I dropped my head in my hands, unable to deny it. “Yeah.”

“Yeah?” she gasped. “Holy shit. I can’t believe you admitted it.”

“I’m crazy about him.”

“What are you going to do about Jude?”

I groaned. “I don’t know. And I don’t know how Knox feels because I’m afraid to ask him.”

She dipped a piece of shrimp in the sauce and took a large bite, moaning around it. “It’s probably a talk the two of you should have.”

I gnawed on my lip. “I know, but what we have is good. So,sogood. And I don’t want to ruin that.”

She grinned.

“What?” I asked.

“Does that mean you can see a future with Knox?”

I took a deep breath and let the sounds of the restaurant fade to a din as I contemplated her question. Could I see a future with Knox? I wanted to think we could be happy together long-term, but it was difficult to see past the fact that I’d dated his son.

“Jude would hate it,” I finally said, knowing a future with Knox was nothing more than a daydream. And wishing otherwise was futile.

“You’re right about that,” she said. But instead of feeling vindicated by her confirmation, it only depressed me further.

The meal arrived, and conversation changed to other matters. After dinner, we headed back to Knox’s. Emmy was the only person who knew I’d moved in, but she’d never tell anyone.

We’d just changed into pj’s and settled on the couch when my phone pinged with an incoming text. I grabbed it from the coffee table, smiling when my code name for Knox popped up. “D” for “Daddy.” It made me laugh every time.

D: Did you have fun with Emerson?

Traveling for the games was hectic, but Knox always texted me throughout the day. Even when we were just down the hall at the office. But especially when he was out of town.

I switched on the TV, navigating to the pregame show and hoping for any glimpse of Knox. He’d barely been gone a day, and I missed him more than I should. More than I had any right to. Did Knox realize how crazy I was about him?

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