One More Taste (One and Only Texas #2)(85)

“That’s not what I want from you anymore. The other irony of this all is that in accepting your challenge to prove your culinary worth, I discovered that you are far more valuable to me than a business investment.”

His words left her breathless with longing to feel that inexplicable electricity that thrummed between them whenever they touched. She was not emotionally equipped to hash things out with him yet. Soon, but not tonight, not with that grenade of an envelope to open and process. But maybe just one hug before she went inside. One hug to sustain her while she sorted through the paperwork in the envelope Charles Welk had given her. She cupped Knox’s neck and pulled him to her, nuzzling in close. Her whole body shuddered with relief at the feel of his strong arms enveloping her.

She smooshed her lips and nose against the cold, sweaty skin of his chest. “I can’t do this tonight, Knox. Soon, but not tonight. I need time. Space.”

The heat of him radiated against her skin. He burrowed his nose into her hair. “I know, and it’s okay. If you’ll allow it, then I’d like to keep training with Big Tommy. I’ve had a lot on my mind. It’s been good to fight it out. I don’t think I understood how much anger I was carrying around, at Ty, at the situation, until I started to unleash it in the ring.”

“I’ll allow it.”

His arms tightened around her back and he brushed a kiss across her cheek. “Thank you,” came his whispered words. “You were right to quit, by the way. That’s something I figured out this week. You were right that we can only be together as equals.”

That was just about the last thing she’d expected him to say. She backed up so she could tilt her face up to look at him.

“I held your future and your career and your home in my hands. I was controlling you without meaning to. That’s my comfort zone. Control all the odds, control the outcome. I can’t control how I feel about you. I can’t control what this is. You have humbled me, Emily.”

She knew what she felt for him, but it had never occurred to her that he might have feelings for her that mirrored her own, or even come close. “And what is it that you feel?”

There was no hesitation in his reply. “I’m in love with you. Desperately.”

A rippling ache of longing coursed through her, visceral enough that her body swayed with the effort of resisting its force. She was in love with him, too. Just as desperately. But life had taught her the hard way that love wasn’t enough, not if it compromised a person’s autonomy and happiness. Her eyes pricked again, perilously close to shedding tears. “Knox…” she started, though it was the only word she could push past the lump in her throat.

“You don’t have to say anything tonight. I know you’re weary from your trip. You once called me out for being impatient—right before you spilled peach soup all over me, if memory serves. But I want you to know that I’m going to be patient about this. When you’re ready to deal with us, you let me know, okay?”

“Okay,” she croaked.

He brought his hands up to her face and touched his fingertips to her cheeks, tipping her head back enough to slot his mouth over hers. She closed her eyes and opened to him, giving herself over to the salty taste of his lips and the warm caress of his tongue.

“Goodnight, Emily.”

And then he released his hold on her and started back down the stairs.

She stood stock-still, focusing on the lingering sensation of his kiss, until the sound of his footfalls faded away. Willing her body to function again, she dug through her purse for her keys. She didn’t release her exhale until she’d closed the door of her apartment behind her, her thoughts warring between disappointment and relief that he hadn’t pushed her to come inside.

She reached into the external pocket on her suitcase and pulled out the envelope. Bracing her back against the door, she slid down it until she sat on the floor. She ripped the envelope open and pulled out the bank statement, her eyes zooming in immediately on the total.

All those zeroes. Seven of them.

She was a multimillionaire.

Closing her eyes, she let the papers fall to the floor beside her as she imagined the possibilities. She could donate it all to a center for teen runaways and wash her hands of her parents once and for all. Or she could use it to open the restaurant of her dreams.

The devil and angel on her shoulders shouted over each other for her attention.

Take their money. They owe you.

While the other one said, Don’t surrender. Don’t let them poison your life with their blood money.

The trouble was, keeping the money would change her life in all the ways she wanted.

She wouldn’t need the Briscoes’ or any investors’ help to make her dreams come true. She would never again be tempted to twist herself into a pretzel for a job or a man. For the first time in her life, she would be utterly and completely free.





Chapter Twenty

Early Friday morning, after a particularly brutal and unsuccessful sparring session with Joe Boy, one of Big Tommy’s closest associates, Knox was striding across the resort grounds en route to the office from where he’d parked his truck just outside the gate when a text from Shayla sounded on his phone.

Head’s up. You got an offer on Briscoe Ranch. Healy and Sandomir are headed your way.

He dialed Shayla’s number.