Next Chapter
“Yup!” He pops his ‘p’.
I bite my lower lip, trying to control my urge to dive face-first into them.
I grab one and take a bite, the taste of the magical chocolate buttercream icing melting in my mouth.
“Fuck, I’ve missed these!”
His laughter draws my attention, and I find him staring at my cupcake. I suppose I can share, a little.
“Want some?” I offer, and he looks up at me, a smile playing on his lips. He nods, and I walk over to him, holding the cupcake up to
his face.
He’s about to take a bite when I smash the cupcake into his face, icing first. I rub my hand on his face, smearing the cupcake even more.
Chocolate icing covers the lower half of his face, his eyes squeezed shut. When I pull my hand away, his eyes flutter open, revealing a look of disbelief that quickly morphs into a mischievous smirk. Oh shit! Time to run.
“You did not just do that, baby doll?!”
He grabs another cupcake and chases me around the counter. I manage to stay ahead of him, thanks to my head start.
“Alex, I’m faster than you! Come here! Now!” He shouts, laughter bubbling from him. He grabs me by my waist and pins me against
the wall.
His knee wedges between my legs, his body pressing against mine, effectively blocking my escape. He holds out the cupcake.
I try to grab it from him, but the height difference makes it difficult.
“Don’t you dare, Knox! Don’t do it!”
He laughs, trying to pin my flailing arms with his free hand. I manage to knock the cupcake out of his hand, and it falls to the floor.
We both watch the sugary goodness face-plant on the floor. What a waste.
“Fuck!” He curses, lifting his gaze to meet mine.
“Awww, too bad, Knox! Such a shame you wasted a perfectly good cupcake on the floor,” I tease, playfully slapping his chest. He grabs both my arms and pins them to the wall.
He leans in, his hot breath fanning my skin. We’re both grinning, trying to suppress our laughter. He looks hilarious with icing and cake smeared all over his face.
“It’s alright, baby doll, you can have some of mine,” his wicked grin widens.
“Wait, what? Kn—” Before I can finish, he rubs his cheek against mine, smearing the cupcake from his face onto mine. He stops midway, his lips hovering millimeters above mine. We pause, looking at each other.
Our breaths intertwine, the sudden closeness sending a jolt of surprise through us both.
His tongue grazes my lower lip, causing our breaths to hitch in unison. Then, he presses his lips to mine, initiating a kiss.
A soft, gentle kiss. The warmth radiating from his lips sends a shiver coursing through my body.
Knox is kissing me. He’s actually kissing me.
What on earth? I think, already dreading the inevitable rudeness that will follow this moment.
His grip on my arms loosens, but they remain frozen at my sides. I’m too shocked to move.
He pulls back slightly, his gaze meeting mine. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ha—”
1
Before he can finish, I reach up, pulling his head down to mine, and kiss him with a passion that surprises even me.
He responds by lifting me up, pressing me against the wall. My hands find their way into his thick, dark hair, gripping it tightly.
One of his hands rests on my butt, not grabbing, but holding, while the other grips the side of my neck. I can feel his arousal against me, and it sends a thrill through me.
God, he’s good. So good.
He licks my lower lip again, this time seeking entrance. I grant it without hesitation.
Our tongues meet, battling for dominance. The kiss deepens, our heads moving in sync.
This is the best kiss I’ve ever had.
He leans into me, his hands cupping my head. The kiss grows more passionate, more intense.
My hands clutch at his neck, trying to deepen the kiss even more, though I know it’s not possible.
Heat rises between my thighs, my core throbbing against his lower abdomen.
The electricity coursing through my body is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. My heart is pounding, the sound echoing in my ears. Can he feel it?
My legs are wrapped tightly around his torso, and I have no idea how long we’ve been kissing. But I don’t want it to stop. Even though it’s Knox. Why is he kissing me? Why?
“We’re home!” The sound of the front door opening brings us back to reality. We pull apart, our breaths coming in ragged gasps. We quickly straighten our clothes, trying to erase any evidence of our make-out session.
Damn it! Why did they have to come home now?
Delilah bursts into the kitchen, her eyes landing on the cupcake still on the floor. “What on earth were y’all doin’?”
We exchange a glance, then look back at Delilah, just as my mother walks in, carrying shopping bags.
“Is that cupcake on your face?” We glance at each other again, then back at our mothers, who are grinning at each other.
Oh no.
“No, uh, we… had a cupcake fight. I’ll clean it up,” I say, bending down to pick up the cupcake. Knox helps me, and we toss it in the
trash.
He holds the door open for me as we leave the kitchen. Delilah calls after us, “Where y’all going?”
“I need to shower. I smell like cupcakes,” I say, laughing nervously. “And it’s in my hair.”
“Yeah, I need one too. And we’re going out later, to look at the Christmas stuff…” Knox adds, sounding just as awkward as I feel.
We head upstairs together, stopping outside my room. He looks down at me, a smile playing on his lips. Why is he smiling?
“Why are you smiling?” I ask.
He seems to snap out of his thoughts. “I’m not smiling, you are!” We both end up smiling even more.
He rubs the back of his neck, then asks, “Are we going to pretend this never happened or…?” I’m taken aback by his question, and a
little hurt.
“Um, well-”
“Alex! Look what I got you!” Adam interrupts, running up the stairs. He’s waving a little surfboard with his name on it.
I crouch down to his level, smiling at him. Knox does the same.
“Awww, Adam, I love it! Thank you so much!” I say, leaning over to kiss his cheek. He wraps his little arms around my neck.
He pokes my face, then licks his finger. I laugh. “Do I taste good?” I ask, immediately regretting my choice of words.
Knox laughs, covering his face with his hand. Did I really just ask a three-year-old that?
Adam nods innocently. I pick him up, hugging him tightly to diffuse the awkwardness that only Knox and I can feel.
“Where’s my hug, little man?” Knox teases, prodding him gently in the ribs. The boy squirms out of my arms and dashes over to envelop Knox in a hug of his own.
This kid is just too cute. Watching them embrace is heartwarming, and I can’t help but smile. Clutching the gift Adam had given me carlier, I beam down at it.
“An early Christmas present from one of my favorite guys!” Adam turns his head back to me while still wrapped in Knox’s arms. I tickle him playfully and he starts to pat Knox’s face.
“Why do you have food on your face?” he asks innocently. If only he knew. Knox chuckles and shifts his gaze to meet mine.
“Well, buddy, we had a little food fight in the kitchen earlier today, before you all came home. But we need to shower now because we have to head out.”
“A food fight?! Can I have one?” His head swivels back and forth between us. We both shake our heads no and he starts to pout.
“I tell you what, buddy! How about me, you, and all the boys have a big water fight down in Savannah this summer? How does that sound? Hmm?”
Adam’s little head bobs up and down in agreement with the plan Knox just concocted. With that, he’s set down and he scampers downstairs after hearing my mom announce that dinner is ready.
Leaving us alone once more. I can’t tear my eyes away from the stairs Adam just descended. “Baby doll,” Knox’s voice pulls me back to the present, and I turn to face him, suddenly aware of how close he is.
He’s moved closer than before, and I didn’t even hear him approach. We’re both locked in a silent stare, his ocean-blue eyes a striking contrast against his warm, tanned skin. This unfamiliar feeling is overwhelming.
He cups my face gently in his hands. His eyes are telling a story of a silent debate. I know him well enough to recognize his internal struggle, but what he’s debating, I’m not sure.
Perhaps it’s about what we’re both feeling right now.
“We should shower. I’ll meet you downstairs in thirty minutes?” he suggests in a low, steady tone. I nod and turn to walk into my room, giving him one last look with a small smile playing on my lips.
He returns the smile before shuffling his feet and heading down the hall.
What the hell just happened?
You just kissed each other, dipshit.
The shower will help clear my head, right? I nod to myself, answering my own question. I need to stop doing that.
