Love Me (WITSEC #3)(32)

My head canted to the side slightly. “I love you, too?”

He sighed through flared nostrils. “Because I love you, it’s going to take a lot of fucking effort not to kick every guy’s ass in here.”

“Why is that?”

He gave me a look. One that told me he wasn’t buying my ignorance.

I held back a grin as I glanced down at my outfit. “Don’t you like it?”

“Oh, I like it. I’ve thought of five different ways I want to take it off you since you walked in.”

My grin broke loose, and I began to make my way around the desk. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

The phone rang and before he answered it, he grumbled something under his breath about getting into a fight.

Hiking the strap of my gym bag further up my shoulder before it slipped off, I made my way toward Keelan’s and Knox’s offices. I checked on Keelan first to see how he was doing and to make sure he wasn’t pushing himself. His office was dark and empty.

“I made him go home. You missed him by ten minutes.”

I turned and saw Knox working at his desk in his office directly across the hall.

“Is he all right?” I asked as I stood in his doorway.

“His head was hurting.” Before I could react, he added, “He was pushing himself being here and I had a talk with him. He’s going to take the next couple of days off and give his body time to heal.”

I squeezed the strap of my gym bag. I couldn’t change what had happened to Keelan, but I could help make up for it. Making life a little bit easier for him was a good way to start. One way I knew how to do that was to cook. Comfort food always made me feel better when I was under the weather. I could even make some meals that were easy to reheat for when Knox was at work and the rest of us were at school.

Looked like I was heading to the store again. Not that I minded. I loved grocery shopping. The idea of Jacob lurking about, though, made me nervous.

As soon as that unease tried to overwhelm me, I fought it back. I couldn’t do that to myself again. I would not cower in my home, too afraid to leave. I had to live my life. I didn’t want to see it pass me by because of someone else anymore. I had my ankle tracker on. I had a gun under the seat in my car. I could defend myself. I would not relinquish any aspect or moment of my life to Jacob. If I did, he’d win, and I was tired of bad people winning.

“Did you need something?” Knox asked as he worked at his computer.

After last night, I wholeheartedly felt he was bothered by something and he wasn’t being honest with me about it. It was why I was tempted to say no and just go for my run. I wasn’t going to, though. I needed to be patient and hope that whatever was going on would resolve itself or he’d eventually talk to me. I stepped inside his office and shut the door.

At the sound of the door closing, he paused in the middle of typing and tracked me with his eyes. As he did, I caught him taking in my outfit with a similar frown to the one Creed had given me.

I dropped my gym bag in one of the chairs in front of his desk as I made my way behind it. He pushed his chair back a little and swiveled to face me.

I leaned against the edge of his desk and bumped my knee into his lightly. “I wanted to check on Keelan and ask you something.”

He sat silently, waiting for me to continue.

“It’s been mentioned a few times that I need to work on strengthening my upper body,” I said. “It’s also been mentioned that I should ask you for help with that. I would also prefer that it was you helping me, but I also understand that you’re super busy. So if you are unable, maybe you can recommend one of your trainers and—”

“I will help you.”

A smile overtook my face. “You will?”

His gaze bounced all over my face.

“What?” I asked, resisting the urge to touch my face. Was there something on it?

“Nothing.”

“Knox, what is it?” I said a little firmly.

“You asked for help with something, and you looked so happy,” he answered.

“I’ve asked for help before.”

He scoffed. “If you’ve ever asked any of us for help, it has been out of desperation.”

“I like to do things on my own,” I grumbled.

“We know. How’s that new swing of yours coming along?” he asked.

That was harsh, but point made. “You know why it’s hard for me.”

“I know.”

“I’m working on it.”

“I know,” he repeated, grabbing my hips and pulling me to stand between his legs.

I tried not to act surprised or awkward. I put my hands on the back of his neck and the tips of my fingers were poked by the tips of his buzzed hair.

Because he’d initiated this closeness, I decided to take a risk. I raked my fingers through his blond hair. He closed his eyes as I trailed my nails over his scalp, and I began massaging his head. “Will you help me build my swing?” I asked.

His eyes snapped open, locking with mine. “I can do that.”

As he leaned into my touch, his hands squeezed my hips a little and pulled me even closer.

“Since you’re in such a giving mood, can I ask for one more thing?” I asked.

He rested his head against my stomach. “You can ask me for anything.”