Knox: A Suspenseful M/M Brother's Best Friend Romance, page 2
“I have a spare bedroom that just collects dust,” I add, needing to get my thoughts out of the gutter.
“I don’t want to cramp your style,” Knox murmurs, but I shake my head.
“You wouldn’t be a bother, I promise. Let me help you out.”
Knox pinches his brow but finally nods. “Okay, thanks.”
“Anytime. Now, I need to go check on a few patients, but if you need me, get a nurse to page me,” I tell him, walking out of the exam bay.
It’s probably not a great idea to have a man I’ve been crushing on move in with me, but he needs me, and I had to offer.
Chapter Three
Knox
It’s taken hours, but I’ve finally gotten all the tests and exams that Gunnar requested, and I’m beyond exhausted.
“How are you feeling?” Gunnar asks as he walks into my exam bay.
“Tired,” I reply, a yawn slipping past my lips.
“I’ve got some good news. All your results look good, and I’m happy to discharge you,” he states, and a wave of relief washes over me.
“Thank God,” I murmur and look at Gunnar, staring into his intense sea-green eyes. “I know what you said when Malcolm was here, but you don’t have to let me stay with you.”
“Do you have anywhere else to go that isn’t going to be as equally awkward for you?” he counters.
I shrug since it’s not like I can tell him I’ve been secretly in love with him since I was fifteen. Crush aside, he isn’t wrong. I hate putting people out. “Are you sure I won’t be in your way?” I ask.
“I promise,” he assures me with a smile.
“Okay,” I reply quietly.
“My shift isn’t over for another two and a half hours, but I can give you the key to my place and some money for a taxi,” he suggests.
“Just the key will be fine,” I insist. “I’ve got the money to cover it.”
He nods, digging into his pocket and pulling out a key.
“I’ll cut an extra tomorrow,” he assures me, placing the key in my hand.
When our palms touch, a current of electricity runs through my veins, stealing my breath. My eyes dart to Gunnar’s face, almost like I have no control over my body. The fire burning in his viridescent eyes is enough to melt my insides.
I swear he felt it too.
He clears his throat as he looks away. “I’ll see you in a bit,” he says, rushing out of the room.
What the fuck just happened?
Giving my head a shake, I pull out my phone to set up my ride, then climb out of bed to get dressed.
Exhaustion is trying to take over me as I get my shit together and make my way out of the hospital. It’s a good thing I’m not driving. That would not be safe with the state I’m in.
The air is chilly as I wait for my ride to show up, and I wrap my arms around my body to keep myself warm. I obviously could have waited inside the hospital, but I wanted to create as much distance as possible between Gunnar and me.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take long for my ride to show up, but I can’t stop thinking about how I felt when Gunnar touched me. The entire drive to his house, my thoughts continue to dwell on that small incident.
I’m pretty sure that’s never happened in the past, and if it had, Gunnar certainly hadn’t reacted. I’ve always been the invisible little brother. At least, that’s how it’s felt.
Besides, Gunnar is straight.
As the car pulls up to the curb, I internally give myself a shake. It’s probably just the sleep deprivation that has me mistaking the whole situation at the hospital.
Using the key Gunnar gave me, I let myself into his house and look around. This isn’t my first time here, but I’ve never been here alone. It feels awkward to be in his personal space like this without him, like I’m invading his privacy, even though I know I’m welcome here.
The house is on the smaller side, similar to mine before it burned down. But where mine had been dated and in need of repairs that I’d never had time for, Gunnar’s is modern and in immaculate shape.
I’m pleased that his messy college habits didn’t stick around, and the house is neat and tidy. Being roommates with a slob would not be fun, even if only for a short time, not that I would have a right to complain since he is letting me stay here.
Pictures of his family and mine are on his walls. My lips turn up, and my heart warms as I travel down memory lane.
“I miss you, Mom,” I say softly, pausing at a picture of my mom with Malcolm and Gunnar in headlocks. Everyone is smiling, and I can almost smell the sunscreen and fresh-cut grass.
It’s been four and a half years since she’s been gone, but it still sucks to have to live in a world without her. I was worried about my dad when she first passed away. She was his world, but thankfully, his best friend, Leo, was there to comfort him in his time of need.
What no one was expecting, though, was for the two of them to fall in love. My dad damn near had a panic attack the first time he felt romantic feelings for his best friend. But after confiding in me and my siblings, we talked it all through and helped him accept himself. I couldn’t be happier for him.
About six months ago, they got married. I was beyond honored to stand next to Leo as his best man. Malcolm was my dad’s, and Tatiana walked them down the aisle. It was a magical day.
As I stand in the living room, staring at the photos, my eyes start to flutter shut. My body is telling me I’m about to pass out, and it’s time to head to bed. On legs that feel like lead, I shuffle to the spare bedroom.
Part of me thinks I should shower first, but I’m not sure I can stay awake long enough, even for a quick rinse. I place my phone on the nightstand, strip, and fall into bed instead. The second my head hits the pillow, I’m out cold.
I’m unsure how long I’ve been asleep when I wake to music drifting through the door. It startles me, and I bolt upright, looking around, confused. That’s when memories of last night flood back, and I remember I’m not in my own bed.
Scrubbing a hand over my face, I sigh. I can’t believe my house is gone, and I’m sleeping in the spare bedroom of a guy I’ve had a crush on for far too long.
I lean over and grab my phone off the nightstand but almost drop it when I see it’s already one in the afternoon. I can’t believe I’ve slept half the day away, but I guess that makes sense, considering I was up for most of the night. What isn’t adding up is why Gunnar is already awake. He was up a lot later than I was.
I clamber out of bed, throw on my only pair of sweats and the same T-shirt, then head to the bathroom to take care of my overfilled bladder and splash water on my face.
As soon as I’m done, I head to the kitchen, where the music and singing are coming from. When I enter, I freeze, seeing Gunnar in just a pair of sweats hung low on his hips and thick-framed glasses on his slender nose. I almost forgot he wore glasses since he has a love for contact lenses, but they give him that hot nerd look that is very attractive.
The sight of him like this has my body heating, even though it really shouldn’t. I’m a guest here, and I need to hide my stupid crush, not gawk at the man nice enough to open his doors for me.
He’s cooking and is oblivious to my presence. Even though I shouldn’t, I wet my lips and allow myself a moment to take him in since he doesn’t realize I’m here. Gunnar has a swimmer’s body, tall and lean. It isn’t super well-defined, but he’s still in great shape. Obviously, he doesn’t sit around all day eating fast food, and I respect that. His chocolate brown hair is messy like he just got out of bed. He must have managed at least a few hours of sleep.
His back flexes as he moves, and my cock starts to chub at the sight. Shit, that’s not good.
I need to stop gawking right fucking now.
“Morning,” I call out, moving to the other side of the island so he can’t see that I’m really happy to see him.
“Hey, how did you sleep?” he asks, pulling bacon from the pan.
“As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was dead to the world,” I tell him, leaning forward on the counter and resting on my elbows.
“Are you hungry?” he questions.
“Starving, but you don’t have to cook for me,” I assure him. “I’m pretty good at fending for myself.”
He chuckles. “I’m sure you are. But it’s also no hardship for me to cook a little extra when I’m already at it.”
It’s pointless to be super stubborn, so I offer him a simple smile. “Thanks. Do you have any coffee?”
“Just made a second pot,” he tells me with a tilt of his head. “I have a few days off and like to switch out of night shift mode as fast as possible.”
That explains why he isn’t still sleeping.
Thankfully, my cock is no longer indecently filling my sweats, so I make my way toward Gunnar, moving around him to grab a cup and pour myself some delicious nectar of the gods. “How many days do you have off?” I question, taking a seat at his breakfast bar.
“Three, then I have three back-to-back day shifts,” he explains, placing two plates in front of me before taking a seat to my right.
“Nice, I also have days off,” I tell him. “But I’m sure I’ll have a shit ton of stuff to do. I promise I won’t be in your hair.”
“Don’t worry about it. Obviously, I haven’t had a roommate in ages, but I’m positive you aren’t going to bother me. I mean, as long as you clean up after yourself.”
“That won’t be a problem. I hate dirty spaces.”
He grins at me, and butterflies erupt in my stomach. Shit. I’ve got to put a damper on these emotions right away.
The second I take a bite of my food, my phone rings. I glance at it to see Nixon, my boss, calling.
“Sorry,” I say to Gunnar, excusing myself and walking to the bedroom. “Hey, Nixon, what’s up?” I answer.
“How come I drove by your house this afternoon to drop off a thank you gift from the Garcia’s and found it burned to a crisp?” he questions.
“Yeah, I was going to call you later today. I didn’t get into bed until around seven this morning and just got up,” I explain.
“Are you okay?” he asks emphatically.
“I am. Malcolm forced me to see a doctor, and I got the all-clear early this morning,” I assure him.
“Good. Do you know what happened?” he asks.
“Not yet. I’m supposed to get a call today or tomorrow whenever the fire department has time to investigate.”
“Where are you staying?” he probes.
Some of these questions might feel invasive to others, but it’s his way of showing he cares. He’s genuinely concerned about my well-being and wants to ensure I’m cared for.
“I’m staying with Malcolm’s best friend, Gunnar,” I tell him. “At least until I can get my insurance sorted out. Hopefully, they’ll set me up in a rental property.”
“Isn’t that the guy you’ve secretly been in love with for most of your life?” he questions.
Sometimes, I hate how close we are and how easy he is to talk to. Maybe then he wouldn’t know about my crush.
“Yeah, he is, but I couldn’t exactly tell him no last night, especially when my brother was freaking out about me.”
“That makes sense. You can always stay with me and Dante if it’s too awkward there,” he offers, and it’s mighty tempting.
“Honestly, I want to say yes, but how do I explain that to Gunnar? It would only hurt his feelings. I’m sure I won’t be here long. I’m going to be calling my insurance company soon. Hopefully, I’ll have a new place to stay within a week or two.”
“Do you need a vehicle?” he asks, and I sigh.
“I wasn’t even thinking about that. I guess my Jeep didn’t make it, did it?” I check.
The long pause is answer enough.
“Sorry, man. I guess that’s the downside of having an attached garage.”
This just keeps getting better and better. Now I have to deal with two insurance companies and a fuck ton of headaches.
“Dante and I already spoke about lending you a car until you get things sorted out,” Nixon offers. “We are family.”
A warm rush of relief settles over me. “Thank you,” I murmur.
I’ve always been a person who hates handouts. Maybe that comes with being the baby of the family and getting teased about being spoiled. By the time I was in my late teens, I refused to take anything I didn’t work for. But now isn’t a time to argue because I need the help.
“We’re here for you. You know we’re a family at Hunter Security.”
I smile because his words ring true. Every person I work with is more than just a coworker. They are genuine friends. People I’m comfortable letting my guard down around.
“How about you send me your temporary address? Dante and I will bring you a car in a few hours,” Nixon suggests.
“That sounds great. I’ll see you soon,” I tell him and end the call.
Seconds after I’ve sent the address, my phone rings again, and I let out a long sigh, seeing that it’s my father.
“Hey, Dad,” I answer, trying to sound chipper.
“Don’t hey dad me,” he scolds. “Why haven’t you phoned yet? I’ve been worried sick but wanted to give you time to rest. Frank told me and Leo about the fire, which had us both asking why we didn’t hear it from you.”
Frank is the captain of the fire department and good friends with my dads. It makes sense that he would tell them. It’s not like I was purposefully withholding the truth. I just hate being coddled. Being the baby of the family is something I should be used to by now, but I hate it with a passion.
“I’m sorry. It’s been a bit hectic around here. Malcolm took me to the hospital last night, and I wasn’t released until about six thirty this morning. Then I crashed out in bed. I’ve only been up a short bit. I was going to call, I promise,” I assure him, but he scoffs, letting me know he doesn’t believe me.
“Are you sleeping on Malcolm’s couch?” he asks.
I almost want to laugh. It would be impossible to sleep late into the afternoon at that house. Dad should know that.
“No, I’m at Gunnar’s until I can figure out something else.”
“Gunnar is a good man. It makes sense that he would take you in.”
“He is,” I agree. “But I should get going. I promise I’ll call soon.”
“You better. I know I’m only sixty years old, but you don’t need to give me a heart attack.”
“We wouldn’t want that. Love you, Dad.”
“Love you too, brat,” he replies, and I hang up.
Knowing Tatiana will be the next one to call, I send her a quick text letting her know I’m fine and where I’m staying, then head back to the kitchen, where Gunnar is cleaning up.
Sadly, he’s wearing a shirt now. When did he put that on? I guess I was gone longer than I thought.
I should be happy that he’s got more clothes on, but I’m not. I like seeing his body a lot—definitely more than I should for someone trying to hide a crush. His covered chest is a good thing. At least, that’s what I should be thinking.
“Sorry about that,” I say, sitting at the breakfast bar again and realizing my food is missing.
“Totally okay,” he replies, pulling a dish out of the oven. “Didn’t want your breakfast to get cold,” he tells me with a grin that makes me all warm and gooey inside.
Stupid crush.
“Thanks,” I reply with a goofy smile but catch myself and correct my face as he places the dish in front of me.
Gunnar has always been a caring person, but to be considerate like this is something I’ve never experienced. I don’t even think any of my previous partners would have thought about keeping my food warm. Honestly, I’m not sure I would have thought about it if the places were reversed.
His sweetness sure isn’t helping me reconcile my feelings. Why couldn’t he be a secret slob or a closet asshole or something? That would make my life much easier.
After devouring my food, I clean up and excuse myself to make multiple phone calls.
It’s going to be one long afternoon.
Chapter Four
Gunnar
It’s strange having Knox in my personal space. I’m noticing much more about him than I ever have. Maybe that’s because I didn’t notice him at all until recently.
He was only my best friend’s little brother. An annoying tag-along, nothing more. When I returned from my time with Doctors Without Borders, I realized how attractive he was, but it didn’t go past that. I wouldn’t allow myself to see more.
Until now.
This morning, I saw how easily he blushed when I did something kind. This deep shade of pink peaked beneath his short, dark beard and crept all the way to the tip of his ears. It was hot. It made me want to see how often I could get that reaction.
Now I’m watching television, wondering why I am thinking like that. That isn’t a normal feeling to be having toward a kid I watched grow up, even if he isn’t a child anymore.
Maybe I need to get laid. It’s probably just the fact that I haven’t dated anyone in a long time that has me finding Knox hot.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with being attracted to him, but developing feelings for him would be completely out of line. I know for a fact Malcolm would kick my ass.
Not that I’m catching feels right now. I’m not even sure why I’m worried about that. Maybe I need more sleep.
“Insurance is stupid,” Knox grumbles as he walks into the living room, where I’m watching a reality television show.
“What did they say?” I ask, pausing the show to give him my full attention.
“Nothing promising,” he murmurs, plopping on the couch beside me. “It sounds like everything is going to take forever.”
