The Do-Over (The Rooftop Crew #5) - Piper Rayne Page 0,39

into his large one. “Yeah.”

“Bye, everyone.” He waves to the girls.

“Thank you for everything,” I say.

“The dress looks gorgeous on you,” Sierra says, her eyes on the back of Knox’s head. “Keep it because I’ll never be able to wear it without thinking of how stunning you are in it.”

“Don’t go breaking my buddy’s heart now,” Dylan says from the bedroom doorway, his arms crossed.

“Can’t break a heart that isn’t invested,” I joke.

Knox stops for a moment before opening the front door for me.

“Bye, you guys. Don’t worry, we won’t wait up,” Evan says, giggling.

The door shuts, and Knox and I walk to the elevator without saying a word.

Once we’re in the elevator car, Knox’s gaze falls down my body again. “I got us an Uber because I wasn’t going to put you in the Bronco looking like that.”

“Okay.”

The elevator descends and the doors slide open. He waits for me to get out and points toward the Uber we’re taking to the party. I slide in first and he slides in beside me. Knox makes small talk with the driver while his hand stays dangerously close to mine. I rack my brain for anything I’ve done to make him act like this. He’s doing everything right, but he feels colder, more distant than normal.

When we get out, I put my hand on his arm. “Am I missing something?”

“Like what?”

“You haven’t really talked to me.”

His shoulders fall and I prepare myself for the worst. What is he about to say?

“Sorry. I think I’m just nervous.” He wipes his hands down the front of his slacks.

“About how I’ll do? I’ll do my best to make a good impression, you have my word.”

“God, no.” His hand touches my shoulder. “This party is big for me. I have to make a great impression, otherwise the detective job is smoke. But it’s not you I’m worried about.”

Thank God, because I was about a second away from climbing back in that Uber and having him keep on driving.

“Thanks for coming,” Knox says. “You look gorgeous. I’m afraid you’re going to be distracting.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” I walk in front of him.

He catches up, placing his hand on the small of my back. “Not when I have to zero my attention in on my boss.”

“Remind me, how convincing do you want me to be?” I ask, unsure if I should act like his cousin. “I mean hand-holding, kisses on the cheek, too much?”

He smiles at me. “Play it however you’re comfortable and I’ll make sure I match you.”

“Perfect.”

He opens the glass door and I file in first, but when his body slides in close and his strong chest is a form of support, I sigh. Tonight might be fun, but I’m sure I’ll suffer the consequences tomorrow.

We’re waiting for dinner to be served when I slide my hand under the table and rest it on Knox’s knee. His arm is over the back of my chair, his fingers fiddling with a strand of my hair that Blanca curled.

“Did Knox tell you he has to give me shots?” Patrice says, and her husband gives her a death stare.

I glance at Knox as he shakes his head. “I told you I’m not doing it.”

She waves him off. “We’re trying to have a baby,” she whispers and eyes the other side of the table.

The two guys seated with us keep looking at me and then their phones. Their wives are talking nonstop about kids and school.

“That’s great,” I say.

“But Knox needs to give me a fertility shot during our shift.” Patrice clenches her teeth.

Knox’s body doesn’t show any discomfort with Patrice’s displeasure.

“I’m sure he’ll do it.”

“Nope,” Knox says as though he’s half in the conversation and half out of the conversation. I squeeze his leg, and he slides his thigh closer to me and tugs on my strand of hair. “I said no.”

“Are you her sister?” one of the guys says from across the table.

Here we go again.

“No, she’s not,” Knox answers for me. “DuPont, put the damn phone away.”

Surprisingly, they do, but I think it has more to do with the meals being placed in front of us than Knox’s request. I sit up straighter, seeing chicken and steak on my plate. I glance at Knox.

He cringes. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I say.

“It is?” he asks.

“Yeah, could you just take them off my plate? I’ll eat the mashed potatoes and vegetables.”

He takes the meat off my plate, but then he flags down a waiter. “Do you guys have a vegetarian