Hard Knox - Riley Hart Page 0,31

also didn’t want him to feel like it was something he had to enjoy.

“What do we do first?” Logan asked.

“How’s your hand?” The second I said the last word, it clicked that Knox and I asked the same question simultaneously. “Jinx?” I looked at him, hoping I hadn’t overstepped. Yes, I’d been the one to stitch him up, but I wasn’t there as Logan’s healthcare provider. I was there as a friend.

“See? Someone’s on my side,” Knox replied. “He gets mad at me every time I want to see it.”

“You guys treat me like I’m a baby.” As if realizing what he said, Logan looked at me. “I mean, Dad does, but you kinda are right now too.”

Nope, nope, nope. Don’t like what he said. Don’t like the fact that he’d spoken like you and Knox are a unit. You absolutely are not.

“Well, I’m the one who stitched that up so perfectly, so I don’t want you to mess up my work. Let me look real quick.” I examined his hand, and it was, in fact, healing beautifully.

“Can we start now?” Logan asked. I could see the outline of his rescue inhaler in his pocket. He was good about keeping it on him.

“Yep. Let’s do it,” Knox replied.

It was a chain-link fence. He was enclosing a small area off one of the doors so they could let Frankie Blue out by herself when need be. He’d already dug the holes and added the concrete and poles so we only had to do the rest of it.

Knox lifted some of the supplies and started walking toward the edge of the house where the fencing would begin, and I wasn’t admiring how his body moved or his tight muscles, I swore.

Logan and I listened while Knox explained what needed to be done. He was thorough but never condescending, and as we began the process, he gave us pointers and occasionally asked for help.

I loved watching him when he explained something to Logan. He had this way about him where he went into detail about how everything worked, even if it didn’t have anything to do with the fence. I’d noticed it before, but it was even more noticeable today, when he was talking about drainage and rain gutters and how the slope of the roof helped, or about a bird nest we saw and he explained how they built them.

God, he was such a good dad. A good man. I couldn’t help being in awe of him.

We’d just finished a section, and he lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face. Holy fuck, his abs. It took everything in me not to whimper. He ended up pulling the dark tee off and tucking it in the back pocket of his jeans.

Knox’s green gaze caught mine, and I was pretty sure my cheeks reddened. They felt hot in a way that had nothing to do with the heat of the day.

He smiled. “What?”

Oh, bless his heart. He was so oblivious. It didn’t even compute with him that he attracted me.

“Nothing.”

He kept staring at me, and I didn’t look away either. I felt gross and sweaty and probably looked a mess.

“I’m gonna go inside and pee, then bring Frankie Blue out for a minute,” Logan said, snapping us out of whatever moment that had been. We both turned to look at him.

“Okay. Drink some water while you’re in there,” Knox told him. “And maybe you can bring another bottle out for me and Callum?”

“Sure thing,” Logan replied, and then he was gone.

“Thanks for helping today. Don’t think I told you that already. I’m sure it’s not your favorite way to spend a Saturday.”

Actually, I was fairly certain there was nowhere else I’d rather be. “Eh, I like Logan and Frankie Blue, so…”

“I see what you’re doing here. I’m not calling myself chopped liver again so you can tell me I’m old.”

“If the shoe fits…” I teased. “Not really, though. You’re what? Forty?”

“Forty-four. Christ, that’s weird to even say out loud.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s not old. You’re only eleven years older than me.” Not that our age difference mattered. “And I mean, look at you.” I waved my hand up and down.

“What’s wrong with me?”

“Um…nothing. Come on, you’ve seen you.” I wasn’t going to lie to the guy.

Knox frowned. I couldn’t tell if he was uncomfortable I’d said it, surprised I had, or if he didn’t see it.

“Knox. Oh my God. You don’t know you’re fucking gorgeous, do you?” I asked in