Page 44 of Unmasked

“You could say that,” she said softly.

Knox’s chest rose on a deep inhale. “Well, whatever you decide to do, I'll make sure it's safe.”

“Okay.”

He must have heard her disappointment because his head tipped slightly to the side. “What's wrong?”

Everleigh shook her head. “It's nothing.”

“It's something,” he replied.

“It's just…” Even with everything in the open now, she wasn't quite ready to bare her soul to him. What if he didn’t feel the same way? She knew they couldn't flip a switch and go right back to the way they had been as kids, but that didn’t stop her from hoping.

“Do you not want a place of your own now?”

She shrugged and wet her lips as she stared at him. “I mean… It would make sense. I don't want to put my parents in danger, plus it will give us the privacy we both need.”

Knox took several seconds to respond. “You know you're welcome here anytime you want.”

Her heart gave a little jolt. She knew he wasn't officially asking her to move in with him, but it was progress in moving forward. “I want to,” she said. “You have no idea how much I want that. But maybe, given our past, we should make sure it's right.”

Knox reached across the table and took her hand. “If you need time to stew over that, then take as long as you need.”

Everleigh opened her mouth to speak, but he continued, cutting her off. “I already know what I want. I want you here, in my bed and in my life, every single day. But I understand if you need some time and space.”

He truly had no idea how much she wanted to take him up on his offer. “I'll think about it.” She loved Knox, so what was stopping her? Part of her was concerned he was asking out of obligation, and she couldn’t stand that. She’d been given a second chance, and she wasn’t going to ruin it by moving too fast.

Knox tugged on her hand as he stood. “Come on, come sit with me.”

She allowed Knox to pull her from her chair and lead her into the living room. He settled in the corner of the couch, and she looped her arms around his shoulders as he arranged her over his lap. For several minutes, they sat there in silence, just enjoying being together.

“Can I ask you something?” he said.

Everleigh tipped her head up to Knox. “What’s that?”

He looked uncomfortable. “I was just wondering why you left the city. Why you came back here.”

“Honestly? You.” His eyes widened at her admission, and she bit her lip, debating how much to share with him. “I… I wasn’t happy for a long time, and one day I just… got tired of it.”

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, his fingers playing with a strand of her hair.

“I loved my job—I was an interior designer. It was fun, but life in the city was… exhausting. And my marriage…”

God, she hated talking to him about all of this. Guilt made tears prick at the backs of her eyes. “I’m not exactly sure when it happened, but I realized I couldn’t live a lie anymore. I had the papers drawn up that very same day and told Fletcher I wanted a divorce.”

“Was he disappointed?” Knox’s hand slid down to her back and began to move in slow, soothing circles.

“You know what? I don’t think he was.” She shook her head. “I think he knew I wasn’t all in. I never really had been, to be honest. I…”

She trailed off, and Knox urged her to continue. “What, sweetheart?”

“This is going to sound terrible.” She turned her gaze on Knox. “I was still so broken when I moved away that I resisted dating for years. Fletcher was in one of my classes, and we became friends. He looked a lot like you, and… it was kind of like you were still with me.” Her voice broke on the last word as a tear slipped free.

Knox wrapped a hand around the back of her head and pulled her down to his chest. “I’m here now,” he soothed. “And I’m never leaving you again.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-NINE