“You’re welcome. Make sure you and Ava come to visit me. I’m going to miss the hell out of you two.” I say as the dam breaks down.

Jeremy thumbs away my tears and kisses my forehead. “We will.”

I nod and give him one last hug goodbye. Ava stands next to her dad; I kneel down so I can be face to face with her. “Why you crying?” she asks.

I smile through the tears, “I’m gonna miss you.”

Ava flings her arms around my neck and I hold her for a minute. She lets go and I kiss her cheek, “I’ll see you soon.”

Knox is there waiting for me. I manage a half smile and wipe the tears from my face.

“Ready to head home?” Knox says as he throws an arm around my shoulder.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

I never thought saying goodbye to people I just met a few days ago would be so hard. They became like family to me overnight.

On our way back to New York I feel like everything is falling apart rather than coming together. I feel like I left a part of my heart back in South Carolina. There is nothing tying me to New York, why did I pick New York to live in? I feel so out of place, so lost, right now.

When we left the house Knox had to be touching me somehow. Now, I feel him slipping away the closer to home we get. He’s no longer holding my hand; he’s holding my pinky but just barely. I keep sneaking glances at him but he’s been staring straight ahead the whole time.

When we arrive back in New York, Knox drops Rex off first at his apartment and then takes Summer and I home since he lives in the next building. He helps us get our things from the trunk, when everything is out Summer wheels her suitcase inside and gives Knox and I a minute alone.

Knox wraps his arm around me and kisses me on top of my head, “I’ll see you later.”

I nod, not able to talk. I’m barely hanging on.

Knox kisses the top of my head again and walks back towards his car. He rounds the front and I call out, “Knox?”

He stops and looks my way. “I…” my voice fades out. I’ve fallen hopelessly in love with him. We stand there both staring at each other with the city screaming all around us.

I turn to walk away and Knox calls after me, “Me too.”

I’m not sure if he knows that I wanted to tell him that I love him but I don’t care. I smile and run into his opened arms. I kiss him with everything I am and he takes it. When the kiss ends he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, “I’ll see you later.”

I place one more kiss on his lips, “I’ll see you later.”

I prance back over to my suitcase feeling like I’m on cloud nine, knowing that Knox feels the same way as I do even if we didn’t say the words out loud.

Watching Jasmine say goodbye to the only family I have left was pretty f**king hard, especially with Ava. Those two clicked from the second they laid eyes on each other. If Jasmine didn’t fit in with us that would be the end of it for her and me. I would put my feelings aside for my family, no questions asked. Damn, it would hurt, but they’re all I have left.

Now I just need to figure out a way to break to her what I already know. It’s going to crush her but she needs to know and I have to man up and tell her that she was part of my revenge.

18

I didn’t see Knox for a few days after we got home. He said he had a lot of work to catch up on since he totally ignored everything while he spent the weekend away. I was a little disappointed but I understood. I’m sure that really set him behind. I didn’t want to be clingy so I stepped back a little and waited for him to reach out to me. Every morning when I woke up I had a good morning text from Knox and it was a perfect start to my day.

Once things return to normal Knox and I fall into an easy pattern. We run together just about every day. Wednesday and Friday are our date nights since I don’t have dance classes on those days. He took me to all my favorite places before he started taking me to his.

At least once a week Knox would shower me with some kind of little gift or do something sweet. He’s delivered flowers to me a few times, each time they are different. He’d swing by the coffee shop just to give me a kiss. But my favorite thing is when he leaves me little notes that I find after he’s left me.

I’ve learned that Knox hates fish and chocolate. Once he’d confessed that I told him he needed his head examined. I learned that Knox really didn’t want to take over his family business. He wanted Rex to do it so that he could pursue a law degree. We’ve talked about his parents a few times and how much he misses them but with time it’s getting easier.

Wednesday, I told Knox that I wanted to cook him dinner and he could grab a movie for us to watch. Of course I didn’t have to worry about Summer being around since she was almost always at Rex’s apartment now. I have a sneaky suspicion that they would be moving in together soon.

I decide to cook something light and easy. I’m sautéing chicken, broccoli and roasted peppers in olive oil while the angel hair pasta cooked. I’m feeling a little nervous since this is the first time I’m cooking for him.

Henry rings me to let me know that Knox is on his way up. I turn the heat down on the stove so nothing burns and wash my hands quickly so I can greet Knox at the door. I wait for him to knock, not wanting to be too anxious.

Knox raps on the door and I take a deep breath before opening the door. This sexy man carries himself with such confidence. Knox is wearing a three piece dark grey suit with a stark blue shirt that matches his eyes. My stomach does a little flip and my panties grow damp. All I can think about is stripping him out of his clothes and running my hands all over his impeccable body.

Knox smirks at me ogling him. “Are you going to invite me in or are we going to stand out here all night? Either way I don’t care.” He places his strong hands on my h*ps and pulls me to him. I melt into his body and feel instantly better.

I grab his lapels with both hands and pull him down closer to me. “I missed you.”

Knox places the gentlest kiss on my lips that I’ve ever had, he does it a few more times before taking my bottom lip between his lips and sucking gently. My body is aching for his touch, for more contact at this point.

When he lets go of my lip I sigh and rest my forehead against his. Knox smiles and wraps his arms tighter around me before picking me up and carrying me back into my apartment. He has only been here a handful of times so I’m surprised he moves around my apartment with such ease.

Knox inhales deeply, “You’re cooking?”