Hard Knox - Riley Hart Page 0,84

wanted her to know he was my man.

Not that I could tell her, which okay, yeah, so maybe the last reason didn’t make sense, but it would at least feel like I was staking my claim if I was there.

I also wanted to curl into a ball and cry, but I was trying to pretend that wasn’t the case.

I picked up dinner at six and made my way to Knox’s house. My stomach tumbled with nerves, which it had never done before when it came to a guy. The truth was, no matter how much bravado I showed, I knew that Charlie had to be the most important thing. If she didn’t come around, then I couldn’t be with Knox. I refused to come between him and his daughter, and no matter how much he loved me, I knew he couldn’t allow it either.

Why had I decided to go tonight again?

When I pulled up, Knox was standing on the porch, waiting. He had his hands shoved into his pockets as he leaned against the house. Even seeing him made my heart pump harder and my body feel jittery. He was so fucking gorgeous, sometimes I couldn’t believe he was mine. That he was taking a chance, turning his world upside down for me.

My dad hadn’t loved me enough to really give a shit about me, to accept me. My ex had cheated on me. But Knox…Knox was choosing me, changing his world for me, loving me.

He came down the porch stairs, opened the passenger door, and slid in. “I feel like I’m fuckin’ this up. I should have told Charlie already. I should have told her right away.”

Part of me wanted to say he should have, but the other part knew it wasn’t true. Plus, what did I know about being a parent? “It wouldn’t have made things easier. She loves you. I don’t think…I don’t think she wants to share you with me, and all that would have done was make things worse.”

He gave me a sad smile. “You’re good at this, the whole parenting thing. You’re a natural, you know that?”

I tried not to get lost in the compliment, in him calling me the very thing I thought I knew nothing about. “I’m trying to bribe your daughter into liking me with nail polish and pizza. I’m not sure how much of a natural I am.”

“Well, I’m sure.” Knox reached over and cupped my face. I kissed his palm, and he lowered his hand to rest at the back of my neck. The sound of wheels on gravel came from behind us, and he broke the contact. “We doing this?” he asked.

I winked, trying not to let him see how upset I was. “We’re doing this, Knoxy.”

“Ah, hell, not you too. I’m gonna have to punish you for that later.”

“Is there any way you can now?” I teased, and we laughed.

Amanda and Dale got out of the car behind us. She looked at us, likely wondering why in the hell we’d been sitting in my car together. She was a beautiful woman, with perfect strawberry-blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She had a few freckles and a shy smile, and again, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about how much easier Knox’s life would be if he were with someone like Amanda. I hadn’t doubted myself in a long time. This whole thing was playing tricks with my head.

“I brought some sodas,” Amanda said.

“You didn’t have to do that, but thanks,” Knox told her. “Amanda, this is Callum.” He turned to me. “Cal, Amanda.” Dale had already run inside to see Logan.

“Nice to meet you.” I reached out and shook her hand.

“He’s around a lot, so I’m sure Logan has mentioned him.”

“He has,” Amanda replied. The way her eyes darted between us, it was clear as day she knew. “I, um…I’m feeling a little silly being here, actually. I think maybe there’s more going on than I realized at first. I don’t want to intrude.”

I started, “You don’t have to—” but Knox cut me off.

“The kids don’t know yet…about us.”

My eyes shot to his. “Knox…”

“No, it’s fine,” he said, then turned to Amanda. “Logan will be fine, I think. He loves Callum. I mean, I’ve never… He doesn’t know I’m… I’ve never been with a man before, so it will come as a surprise, but it’ll be okay, I think. Charlie’s struggling a bit, having anyone else in my life, even if she does think he’s only a