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“Yeah—well, you seemed a little on edge yourself. If I recall, you did call Ace and tell him to fire me. If anyone was stressed about my first day—it was you,” she insisted.
Knox chuckled and nodded, “Fair point,” he agreed. “I’m not going to lie—I’m happy with the way things turned out though.”
“Me too,” Beck admitted. “Very happy.”
Knox put his empty coffee mug into the dishwasher and dried the frying pan that he had hand washed. “How about I drive you over to your place so you can feed your cat, and then we can go to the gym to work out together?”
Beck squinched up her nose and Knox’s sigh filled the kitchen. “Then people will see that we came in together to work and jump to conclusions. I thought you said you’d give me some time before we announce to the office that we’re in a—” God, she couldn’t even say the word. What the hell was wrong with her?
“A relationship?” Knox asked.
“Yes,” she breathed.
“Okay, well, I have to run you to your place at least. Slater left your car at your apartment complex. Can I at least convince you to spend the night with me tonight?” he asked. “We can order in or I can cook—whichever you’d like.”
“How about you let me cook for you tonight? And, I’d love to spend the night again tonight, Knox.” His smile lit up the entire kitchen and she couldn’t help but smile back at him.
“Thank you,” he said. “I can have Slater pick you up at your place when you are ready.”
“No need,” she said. “I’ll just bring my car over tonight so that I can leave in the morning and not have to bother you for a ride,” she offered.
“You aren’t a bother,” he said. Beck finished her breakfast and loaded her dishes into the dishwasher.
“Thanks for breakfast, Knox. I promise, I’ll try not to take too much time getting used to all of this, but it’s all new for me. I don’t usually date the boss. I just need some time to navigate our situation.”
“It’s not a situation, Honey. It’s a relationship.” She rolled her eyes at him as he walked back to the master bedroom. “I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.”
* * *
They rode in silence most of the way to her house. Slater had driven and she and Knox were in the back seat with the partition down. He was sending her a very clear message—Knox didn’t like that she was having trouble accepting that this thing happening between them was a relationship. Well, that was just too bad. Beck had promised to keep an open mind and call what they were doing more than just a casual fling. In return, Knox had promised to keep their “relationship” under wraps around the casino until she was comfortable with people knowing. Honestly, she didn’t know if she’d ever be comfortable with her co-workers knowing that she was sleeping with her boss. It was a lot for Beck to get her head around, and if Knox couldn’t understand that, then she was fine with riding in complete, awkward silence.
They pulled up to her crappy little apartment building and she started to get out of the SUV. Knox grabbed her hand and tugged her back against his body. “You forgot this,” he said. He gently kissed her lips and Beck’s defenses melted a little. “What time will you be over tonight?” he asked.
“Um, I just have to run by here and feed the cat. Is it all right if I bring an overnight bag?” she asked.
“You can keep whatever you’d like at my place, Beck,” Knox offered. That sounded suspiciously like an offer to start moving her things into his place and that thought made her stomach do a flip-flop.
“Thanks,” she whispered. “See you in a bit.” She pulled free from his body and stepped from the SUV. “Thanks for the ride, Slater,” she called back, shutting the door before he could answer. She ran into her place, fed Loki who seemed completely disappointed in her for staying out all night long, and grabbed her gym bag and clothes for the day. She’d shower at the gym and get dressed there to save some time. The last thing she wanted was to be late for work on only her second day. She was sure that would only sour Knox’s pouty mood even further.
By the time she got to the gym and changed into her workout clothes, the place was packed. She was lucky to find an available elliptical. Beck quickly jumped on the machine and warmed up before hitting her hardcore workout mode. She knew that she only had a good thirty minutes before she’d have to head back to the locker room to shower and get dressed for the day.
“Hi,” a woman said, jumping on the treadmill next to her. “You’re new around here, aren’t you?” Beck was to the point of her workout where the only way to carry on a conversation was if she sounded like an emphysema patient. Instead, she nodded her head, her long ponytail bouncing all around her face.
“I’m Felicity,” the pretty blond said.
“Beck,” she breathed. She knew that talking and working out at the pace she was, wasn’t going to happen, so Beck turned down her machine, slowing her pace. “Whew—that’s better,” she breathed. “Sorry, apparently I’m more out of shape than I thought I was.”
The woman looked her over and barked out her laugh. “As if,” she taunted. “You’re in incredible shape. You make the rest of us look like slugs,” Felicity teased.
“If you’re a slug, I’m definitely a toad,” Beck grumbled to the gorgeous blond.
“I’m in accounting,” the blond said.
“I’m Knox Heart’s assistant,” Beck admitted.
“Wow,” the blond breathed. “You work for one of the bosses then?” This was exactly why Beck didn’t want anyone to know that she and Knox were seeing each other. People were going to treat her differently just from knowing that she was his assistant. If they knew that she was falling into his bed every night, they would judge her unfairly.
“Yes,” she said. “I started yesterday, so I’m still learning the ropes.” Images of Knox tying her up last night to his bed played through her mind and she could feel her blush. Damn it—she needed to get it together.
