As the door slammed behind me, the implications of what I had just managed to do slammed into me with equal force. How I had gone from enjoying an amazing home cooked meal made by a man with far too much influence over my body, to stomping out like a petulant child, carrying with me his truck keys, was beyond me. There was just something about him that had me all worked up, and this time not in the yummy I want kisses way, because that was the farthest thing from my mind at the moment.

As I opened the truck door I waited a moment for him to call my bluff. Not that it was really a bluff. I wanted to leave, but taking his truck keys, even if he had told me from the start it was my way out, was pushing it. I probably looked like I was second guessing leaving. My inadvertent flirting was blatant, and he knew that, even if I was mad at him for treating me like I was dumb. Or more like I was a flighty “female” who liked to make a mystery where there was none.

Was it so hard for him to think that Liam actually was a slimy shit? It wasn’t as if he seemed to even like the guy. In fact, I was under the impression he tolerated him only the tiniest of bits and probably just to keep the peace. In a small town, that kind of thing was important or so the television sitcoms I enjoyed seemed to indicate.

Inhaling deeply, letting the fresh air clear my head, I put the keys in the door and managed to lock it on myself. Of course he didn’t lock his truck when he didn’t lock his door. Sighing in frustration, I unlocked the door and practically threw myself in the truck. So much for a smooth exit. I didn’t need to look back to the house to know he was watching. I could feel his amusement from here. And now, once I again I became crazy. Ignition started, I pulled down the driveway, using my tiptoes, before braking and adjusting the seat like a person with an actual IQ.

As I turned out of the driveway, I found myself waving, not to Knox because a girl has to have some pride, but at the largest of the statues. I was still blown away by the fact that Knox was able to turn random items that would normally fill a landfill into beautiful works of art. As much as I loved the statue I purchased on my way into town, it now became a treasure knowing that it was his hands that had forged the metal.

I was a goner. Three minutes after storming out of his place in anger, here I was swooning over his art work and picturing his smexy smirk. Even if I never saw him again, which was an impossibility because I sort of, kind of, stole his truck, I was going to leave town different then when I arrived. From a summer intrigue, to a dream hottie, to a real life sex on a stick artist and all around frustrating person, Knox has seared a place in my heart. A heart I expected would leave here battered at a minimum and most likely completely broken.

Pulling up to the building, I quickly found a spot and jumped out. I contemplated putting the keys on the seat since Knox was so comfortable with the safety of the town, but as people began to step out of their prospective buildings and began to stare, I decided to lock the door, shoving the keys in my pocket as I did so. An older woman gave me her best evil eye, and instead of cowering to her, like I normally would’ve, I squared my shoulders and walked up to the steps as if I owned the place. If I were lucky it would avoid her calling the police on the suspected grand theft auto her glare indicated she was positive was taking place.

“I’m back,” I announced far louder than necessary as I made my way into the office.

“You know the forms to fill out,” he answered without looking up. His computer screen was still rebooting, based on the noises coming from it, so his intense attention to the screen was an avoidance technique. The man was smarter than I gave him credit for because he was spot on with what was coming. I was about to give him guff.

“And you knew I would be back.” I slammed my notebooks down and started to fill out the requisition forms for the second time that day. I began with the file Liam had messed with, hoping he would make a mistake. Maybe if I flirted just a wee bit, I could fluster him. Normally I sucked at flirting, but this week seemed to be an exception to all my rules, so I looked for my in.

“Rules.”

“Rules smules,” I teased. “Speaking of rules, are you allowed to, you know, show me around after work or is it a conflict since I was researching here?” Even I could hear the incredible level of stupidity in my words. Of course he could do whatever he wanted on his own time. It wasn’t like he was a lawyer on a case I was arguing against or the cop who would probably arrest me for driving around in Knox’s truck.

“Not touching that one with a ten foot pole,” he mumbled as he made his way to grab the files he assumed I was requesting. I shook it up a bit to keep him on edge, but I would let him figure that out the hard way.

“Ouch.” I wanted him not at all, but hearing him so boldly state that I was less than desirable sucked. I could have sworn he flirted the tiniest bit earlier. Guess I got that wronger than wrong.

“Ouch would be if I decided to take Knox’s girl anywhere. I’m probably in trouble right now just for breathing the same air as you.” He slapped the files on the counter, taking my only partially completed requisition forms with him.

“I’m hardly Knox’s girl,” I countered as I snatched up the files with a little more force than necessary. I watched him like a hawk as he grabbed them, and unless he fixed things before I walked in, I might have just gotten lucky. Score one for insanely pathetic attempts at flirting.

“You drove his truck here.” His voice held a coldness I hadn’t heard from him before. I wasn’t sure if it was anti-Knox or being pissed at his inaccurate assessment that I was lying to him, but something forced the change and it was one I was far from comfortable with.

“I maybe took it.” I shrugged my shoulders, giving off a subtle smile.

“Stole it?” He clarified, his voice so quiet I wasn’t sure if I heard him correctly.

“No, more like borrowed it to leave his place when he pissed me off.”

“As I said, Knox’s female.” He turned, dropping the requisition forms on his desk and making the way to the back bookshelf, which I was fairly confident was being used as a prop.

“I borrowed it to leave his place in anger. He’ll probably be here with the police any minute.” That brought back some of the posturing Liam had been known for in the short time since we met. Me being pissed at Knox made him far happier than it should have. The curious side of me wanted to know what was up between these two, but the emotional side of me reminded myself that Knox didn’t deserve my attention right now.

“I’ll be in the next room. Don’t worry, I already turned my phone off.” I sashayed out of there, stopping at the door long enough to hear him reply.

“I’m sure you did.” He chuckled, aware that the action was directly related to being pissed at Knox.

Without wasting a moment I shuffled through the files until I found the one he had been tampering with. I sat down at the table and turned the pages, one by one. I didn’t need to read them, I only needed to find the ones that weren’t there before. Halfway through the file I hit the jackpot.

It was a second police report. I read through it a few times and nothing stood out in the actual report as being off. Nope. The report itself didn’t say that much. That wasn’t what made it so valuable and worth hiding. What mattered was the name of the recording policeman, Chief Renouf. Same last name as Knox. It didn’t feel coincidental in the slightest, especially with the sketchy way the paper disappeared the first time I requisitioned the file.

I quickly put everything back into the file and put the stack back together in the same hodge podge fashion it had been in earlier. The last thing I wanted to do was to alert Liam than he had messed up and that I knew he messed up. I had no idea why he was covering for Knox’s family, but I was sure as daylights going to figure it out, starting with Knox.

I walked back in and crossed my fingers that the middle school play I had been in gave me enough skill to pull this off.

“Here, I need to go.”

“Wait, what? I took all of those out and you are done?”

“I need to return Knox’s truck. I read one page of one file five times and remember none of it. I don’t know if it is the guilt for stranding him or the worry of possessing a truck that isn’t mine, but I need to get it back to him. Want to follow me and drive me back?” I crossed my fingers I read him correctly and he’d decline the offer, but knew the offer on the table gave credibility to my story.

“I’ll just leave these here for when you come back.” He grabbed the files and plopped them on the shelf beside him.

“No new requisition forms?” I teased.

“Just go.”

I didn’t need to be asked twice. As I scurried down the steps, I was shocked to see the increase in people on the streets, all of them with their eyes on either me or the truck. Freaking awesome.

I climbed in and pulled out of my spot as quickly as I could without letting on that they frazzled me to the core. That was the last thing I needed. The ride to his home took far less time than I remembered and all of the argument planning I usually did in my head was only halfway done. Oh well, winging it was a strategy I needed to strengthen anyway.

The door opened before I even made it out of the truck, but no one filled the doorway. I was expecting to have an angry Knox at the door, but as I got closer and closer, the reality of the situation hit me. He opened the door letting me know I was welcome, but he sat on the couch as if it were no big deal. Knox forgave me. What the heck. I had stomped out with his truck keys in tow and he was forgiving me.

“I brought your car back,” I called into the home unsure if I should enter. He waved me in as if sensing my unsureness. I took a few steps in the door and closed it behind me and watched as his shoulders relaxed slightly. At least I wasn’t the only one whose emotions were all over the stupid place.

“Truck,” he corrected with a teasing lilt.

“Fine.” I took the remaining steps between us and held his keys out. When he didn’t grab them, I added, “I brought your truck back.” And his hand opened up below mine and I dropped in the keys.

“Are you done for the day or feeling guilty?” His eyes met mine just as his words brought me back to reality. I was here for answers, not to flirt. But all thoughts of the case had fled the moment I saw him sitting on the couch, giving me room to work my way out of the mess I found myself in. What was it about this man? He tilted his head to the side, indicating the seat beside himself.

There was absolutely, without a doubt, zero decent reasons to sit there. Close proximity to him had my body overruling my brain and that was not acceptable. I had far more at stake than a spring break fling. I had a future to prepare for. A future that included a career and… ugh, why was my brain leading me back to kissing him, because right now all I wanted to do was to feel his lips against mine. Using every last stupid bit of willpower I had, I broke the spell I was under and sat at the seat as far away from him as the seating arrangement allowed. I had things to discuss, and if I stayed where I was those things would become moot and fast.

“Guilt for sure.” It was true, the guilt of leaving him stranded, even if it were only a few miles away, didn’t sit well with me. It was far from the entire story, but not a lie. “I did steal your truck.” Looking down, I avoided his eyes. I knew from his actions he held no anger about it, but that didn’t make my actions right.

“I gave you blanket approval.”

I bent down to tie my already tied shoe, giving me a valid break from the conversations. Just a bit of time to recoup my mission out of my far too fuzzy hormone driven brain.

“As a joke,” I huffed out and forced myself to bring my eyes back up to meet his face.

“Or guised as a joke so you wouldn’t worry about it if it became necessary.” The honesty that his voice held, mixed with the sincerity in his eyes had me about to jump over the coffee table and into the seat beside him or on his lap, whichever I could get to first. “Guilt is only half the reason I’m here,” I said in a voice that was one hundred percent stage voice and not at all my own. If I allowed this moment to morph into anything other than I intentionally planned, I would kick myself as my dreams of law school plummeted.

“Why are you here then?” He cocked his head and I caught a shimmer of something. Was he wearing an earring? I always liked the bad boy. Not the actual, real bad boy, because in my dream world my life would end with my own law firm, a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a husband who adored me. No, I liked the look of a bad boy with the heart of good guy. They had to exist, right?

Scolding myself for my wayward thoughts, I found myself twisting slightly to get a better look. My perusal after grand theft auto was unwelcomed if his quick head turn and hair shake was any indication. It was bad enough I was ogling him. Now that he knew, I wanted to crawl in a hole.

“Because of Liam.”

His shoulders tensed. Liam was a sore subject with him. Was it because of his father or grandfather, whichever the case may be, or was it something else? My guess was it was more that Lian was a meanie-head jerk-face mixed with whatever mess I stumbled upon.

“What. About. Liam.” Possessive. His voice was possessive. The words could mean pretty much anything, but I had zero doubt that it was anything but possessiveness that guided Knox at the moment. How? I would process that later, but I was certain. And for the love of law, why did that have my heart in such a flutter?

“He was messing with files before he gave them to me.” That had him squirming. The weird possessiveness of earlier was there, but his inability to school his emotions felt like a win. It was clear, I had hit a nerve.

“And do you know what those files said?”

“That Liam is a piece of shit not doing the job he was hired for?” Well that answered that. He knew or else he wouldn’t have been like that. Suck. Part of me really hoped he was in the dark so that he could help me.

“If he was hired to hide the fact that your family was part of the murder case, then he is doing a splenderific job.” I crossed my arms in front of myself, to show my… heck, I don’t know what, but I did it slowly and deliberately as if proving a point.

“My family?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands. His relaxed pose was anything but. The disappointment of knowing that he was part of this hurt far worse than it should have. He was just a guy. A guy I didn’t even know and one that was deceptive.

“Your father was one of the intake officers at the scene.” I stopped my tapping foot, a nervous habit I tried numerous times to unsuccessfully break.

“My grandfather was the police chief, not sure what that has to do with anything.”

Grandfather. Of course. I jumped straight to father because it fit my narrative forgetting that this happened before I was even born. Maybe he wasn’t hiding anything.

“It has to do with Liam trying to hide that from me.”

He gave a subtle nod of agreement.

“Do you know why?”

“Because he’s a shit.” He rose from his seat and I copied the gesture. He was either pulling a power move or he was about to walk out of the room and neither worked for me.

“Or because you know more about the case than you want me to know.” He turned to leave the room and I grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

“I’m sticking with my first answer, he’s a shit,” he mumbled, his body still not facing mine. At least he didn’t pull away from my touch. A touch I needed to not focus on because if I allowed myself down that rabbit hole, I would end up wrapping my arms around him like some floozy.

“I think you’re hiding something.” I tugged on his shoulder, to force him to either face me or turn around. I wasn’t sure which was better. Walking away would increase my anger and cause some hurt, but if his proximity was already causing flutters, feeling his breath on my face was going to undo me. “I saw it flicker through your eyes.”

With that he turned around. We were a mere six inches away and my breath hitched at the same time his did. At least I wasn’t the only one affected by whatever the heck this was brewing between us. I felt his indecision at our closeness, and before he could back away, I leaned in slightly. By goodness he smelled amazing. I was going to see his earing if it killed me. Part of me hoped it was a piece he made in a gauge I wouldn’t dare try while pursuing a career in law. As my head tilted sideway, I gasped. It wasn’t an earring. It looked like he had some piercing on his face, but that didn’t make sense. My hand reached up on its own accord, trying to touch the glimmering jewel, or whatever the heck it was. “Wait, what’s that on your face?” He grasped my hand, pulling it down between us as he tilted his head to obscure my view. “It wasn’t there before.”

“It’s nothing.” He dropped my hand and took a step back. “You should go now.”

“It’s not nothing.” If it was nothing, he wouldn’t be walking away from me. He would be allowing me to see the thing that illuminated his face.

Shit, was it a gang symbol? I went through all the school warnings about gangs, but never thought I would come face to face with a gang member, especially not in a rural town like this. Of course I didn’t, because my idea was stupid. Knox was not a gang member. How did I end up there?

“Go. Now.” His words slammed into me. And when I say slammed, I mean slammed. I felt them like a wave and it caused me to stick my heels in further. If his jewelry had him more on edge than me accusing his family of something related to a crime, I had to know why. I shook my head adamantly.

“No,” I whispered, the strong woman in my head not presenting herself as I had intended. His reaction to that one word, that barely audible two letter word was nothing like I expected. His eyes lit by what I could only assume was desire, and I, like any chicken would, scampered out the door.