Knox (Chicago Blaze 4)

The Mission wouldn’t feel safe to some of the women here if there were strange men in sight. Some of the wounds here run deep, and many are far more than just physical.

“Is it a delivery from a supplier?” I ask Tina. “If it is, you can just sign for it and I’ll come pick it up in the office later.”

“Nope, just some dark, hairy guy asking to see you.”

A couple women laugh, and I can’t help but smile. Tina has a way with words. “Hmm. I don’t know why a dark, hairy guy would want to see me, but I’ll be right there.”

I wash my hands, drying them on a towel and head out to the front office. The air outside the kitchen is about ten degrees cooler, and I realize how hot and sweaty I am.

Did I put deodorant on this morning? Ugh, I hope so.

When I make it to the front office and look at the row of folding chairs set up for visitors, I see the back of a tall man with dark hair, broad shoulders and a nice build. He turns, and my heart does a wild somersault.

“Knox!”

He smiles and approaches, openings his arms and coming in for a hug. I wonder again about the deodorant.

“It’s great to see you, Reese. I hope it’s okay that I’m here. I wasn’t sure how else to see you.”

Just the feel of his back under my hands as we hug brings back a surge of memories from Kauai. I can remember running my fingertips over every ridge of his well-defined back as we lay together, blissfully unaware of anything else.

“I…of course, it’s fine, but how did you know I’d be here?”

“I ate at Magnolia last night and saw the article about you on the wall. A server told me I could find you here today.”

“It’s really good to see you,” I say softly, my gaze wandering over his face.

His short beard looks the same, but there’s a little more curl in the top of his hair, and there are a couple new lines in the corners of his eyes. They actually make him look even handsomer than before.

“You too,” he says, his eyes seeming to take me in the same way I’m doing to him.

The attraction is still there. It feels as strong as it did in Kauai. But things are different now. Being with Knox in Hawaii was magical, a dream. It was never meant to last, but when I woke up from the dream and returned to reality, I had memories to last me forever.

Seeing him standing in the lobby of the Mission, part of my everyday life, is…strange.

“Can we get together for dinner?” he asks me.

I glance over at Tina, knowing that even though she’s pretending to read something on her computer screen, she’s actually listening to every word we say.

“Um…I’ll probably be here until at least ten tonight. I have food pantry donations to sort after dinner, and a class to teach, so…”

“Another night, then.”

I open my mouth to respond, but then close it, realizing I don’t know what to say. Knox arches a brow, looking amused.

“Just to catch up,” he says.

“Well, I guess…if it’s just to catch up…”

He gives me a puzzled look. “Are you okay? You’re not acting like yourself.”

I take a breath and dive in to what I need to say, but am not sure how to say.

“Dinner would be great. Catching up would be great. But if you remember that in Kauai, we…” I glance over at Tina and then back at him, “had a lot of dessert on that last day. And I’m not at a point in my life when I want dessert. I’m busy, and…happy. I’m happy.”

The corners of his lips tilt up in a smile. “I’m not trying to get you to have…dessert, Reese. Just wanted to catch up and see what you’ve been up to the past year.”

My voice of reason is telling me to put him off. Make an excuse. Leave our perfect time in Kauai as all there ever is between us.

But I don’t have many friends here. And Knox is a good guy. I picked up on that right away. It can’t hurt to have a friend here in Chicago who’s a good guy. Not to mention that he smells amazing.

“I probably smell like chicken stock,” I blurt out. “I spilled some on myself earlier.”

“You don’t, and even if you did, I wouldn’t mind.” Knox takes out his phone. “Can I get your number?”

I pause just a second before giving in and reciting the digits to him.

“So dinner,” he says, his brown eyes warm as they meet mine. “Soon.”

I nod, my heart doing drunken cartwheels as I wonder whether this is a good idea or not. It feels good, but that’s true of everything concerning Knox.