Knox: A Suspenseful M/M Brother's Best Friend Romance, page 3
I feel bad that he’s going through this, and even though it is a bit awkward to have him in my house since we aren’t exactly friends, I don’t mind having him here, either. It’s only been a few hours, but we’re getting along pretty decent so far. His washing his dishes after eating without needing to be asked is a huge plus in my books.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him with a sad smile.
He shrugs. “I just want to get the ball rolling, but there is a shit ton of stuff that must be done before then. It looks like I’m going to be homeless for a year, and there’s nothing I can do about it. On top of that, I have to get a new wardrobe and all the basic necessities. It’s just a giant fucking hassle that has my skin crawling.”
Letting out a giant sigh, he throws his head back, and I reach over to squeeze his shoulder. The moment my hand makes contact, he turns his head, and his golden-brown eyes zero in on me. Did the sudden touch make him uncomfortable? I quickly pull my hand back, hoping things don’t become awkward.
“You can stay here for as long as you need to,” I offer, even though I’m not sure it’s the best idea.
I like my space, and I wasn’t planning on gaining a roommate at forty. But telling him to hurry up and find new accommodations doesn’t feel right either.
Knox shakes his head. “I don’t want to inconvenience you more than I already have. You’ve done more for me than you needed to, and I appreciate it. I’m sure I’ll be able to find a rental property. I just have to make sure it falls in the price range of what the insurance company will cover.”
“Why go through the hassle when you have a place to stay here? I mean, if you don’t want to stay, don’t, but don’t think you aren’t welcome here,” I state.
Why am I trying to convince him to stay?
I should be excited that he wants to leave as soon as possible, but I’m not, and it’s confusing as hell.
Knox presses his lips together. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good,” I whisper.
We don’t say anything else, and I restart my show to fill the awkward silence. I’m not sure how long has passed when my doorbell rings, and Knox hops up. “That’s probably my boss,” he tells me as he heads for the door.
Should I follow or stay where I’m at?
I’m assuming they want to talk in private, and it’s not like I’m a close friend of Knox’s. I’ve never met his friends or coworkers.
Would it be weird for me to go outside and say hi?
Deciding to throw caution to the wind, I get up and follow after him. I’m shocked to see a sleek black Range Rover in my driveway and a Jaguar XJ parked in front of my house.
“I didn’t think you’d be lending me the Range Rover,” I overhear Knox say to a giant man with dark brown hair and fantastic bone structure.
Next to the man is someone I recognize from my favorite superhero franchise. What the fuck is Dante Michaelson doing at my house?
“Gunnar, come meet my boss and his fiancé,” Knox calls out, tilting his head in an inviting manner.
I try to keep my steps even as I head over to the men, but my stomach knots a little the closer I get. I’ve never met a celebrity in person. Part of me wishes I’d put my contacts in this morning so I’d look less like the nerd I really am.
“Hi,” I say with what I hope is an even smile once I’m next to Knox.
“It’s nice to meet you,” the man, who I’m assuming is Knox’s boss, greets, reaching his hand out.
I shake it and am surprised at just how soft his hands are.
“Same, I’m Gunnar.”
“I’m Nixon, and this is my fiancé, Dante,” he tells me with a tilt of his head.
Dante reaches out to shake my hand, and I’m sure my palms are sweating.
“I’m a pretty big fan,” I offer, shaking his hand.
“What’s your favorite movie?” he asks with a sexy grin that almost makes me swoon.
“The latest addition to the superhero franchise,” I tell him without thinking about it.
“That’s mine too,” he replies but then looks at his fiancé with a dreamy expression. “But for different reasons than most people.”
Nixon chuckles. “We met while he was filming that one.”
“Their relationship was a bit of a whirlwind in the beginning,” Knox adds.
“That’s putting it lightly,” Dante mutters.
Part of me wants to ask more questions, but I don’t want to be rude, so I stay silent. I’ve heard a bit about their relationship through the gossip mill, but for the most part, I try to stay away from tabloids. It’s obvious that information is either made up or taken from unethical sources. No one deserves to have their life blasted just because their job puts them in the public eye.
“Nixon and Dante are letting me borrow their SUV until I can get a replacement for mine through the insurance company,” Knox shares, filling the void in the conversation.
“We have more than enough,” Dante says.
“We also offered him a place to stay, but it seems like you beat us to the punch,” Nixon adds, and for some reason, his statement makes my stomach knot.
“I already told you I’m happy here until I can figure out a rental,” Knox murmurs, glaring at Nixon.
The heated stare-down confuses me. It’s like they are talking telepathically, and I can’t help but wonder what I’m missing.
Dante smirks as he watches, making me wonder, Is he privy to what’s going on? The thought has me rolling my shoulders in an attempt to shake this uncomfortable feeling. If I didn’t know better, I’d say I was jealous. But that can’t be right.
“If you want to stay somewhere else, that’s okay,” I tell Knox, feeling defensive. Maybe he doesn’t want to be here but also doesn’t want to hurt my feelings.
Knox shakes his head. “No, Nixon just has a hero complex, is all, and is jealous you’re helping me out,” he says with a warm smile that eases some of my worries.
I’m not one hundred percent sure if I believe him, but since he hasn’t given me any reason to think he’s a liar, I let it be. It probably has more to do with the fact that he hates asking for help from anyone.
He’s always been that way. He wants to do everything on his own. Even at thirty-five, he hasn’t learned that letting others be there for you when you need it is okay.
“We should get going,” Dante states after we all go silent.
“It was nice meeting you,” I tell him.
“You should come with Knox to our games night tomorrow night,” Nixon adds, and the invitation has me feeling a little giddy on the inside.
“I’d love that,” I reply with a cheesy grin.
“Sounds fun,” Knox says, but a mixture of emotions is written on his face, confusing me again.
Maybe he doesn’t want me to attend an event with friends. If that’s the case, I’ll just create an excuse, but I should talk to him about it privately. I don’t want to make him more uncomfortable than he already is.
Who knew having my best friend’s little brother living with me would be so complicated? We’ve known each other his entire life, but Malcolm was always a barrier between us. Without that, things are becoming weird.
Maybe I just have to get to know Knox better. We can be friends, right? I can learn more about him and find out more things we have in common. That would be great, but the idea of opening myself up to him is both enticing and terrifying.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I’m surprised to see Kane calling me. “It was nice meeting you both, but I’ve got to take this,” I tell Dante and Nixon, then head toward the house, answering the call.
“Long time no talk,” I answer, stepping inside.
And I do mean long. The last time we spoke was when I left him to come home about a year and a half ago. We said we’d stay in contact, but that didn’t happen.
Kane chuckles. “Tell me about it. I got back to Florida like three days ago.”
Kane and I met when we were both working for Doctors Without Borders. He’s the guy who opened my eyes to my bisexuality. We had a friends-with-benefits kind of thing, but he always wanted more. It’s something I could never give him because our time together was limited. We had different plans for our futures. Kane wanted to remain a traveling doctor, and I wanted to settle down in my hometown.
I’m a family guy at heart, and when Mrs. Hanes died shortly after I went overseas, it shocked me into seeing what was really important. I already knew I wasn’t going to be gone for long, but it made the decision to come home the second my contract was up much easier.
I wanted to spend as much time with my parents and sister as possible. Life’s too short.
“Welcome back to America,” I tell him and flop on the couch.
“Thanks. How have you been? I’ve been thinking about you a lot,” he says, making my skin itch a little.
“I’ve been good,” I respond, ignoring the latter statement. “Been busy working my ass off and spending lots of time with my family.”
“Living the life you always wanted,” he notes with a wistful tone.
“You’ve been doing the same, though, right?” I check.
Kane sighs. “I guess. Or at least what I thought I always wanted to do. I’m not sure anymore.”
Shit, I think I know where he’s going, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.
“I’m sure you got the email that Sonya and Ethan got engaged last month,” he starts, mentioning friends we made while working overseas. “It got me thinking that maybe roaming all over the world isn’t all it’s cut out to be. Maybe having someone to spend your life with is more important,” he says, and I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to come up with a response. But before I can think of anything, Kane starts talking again. “I was wondering if you wanted to try dating again?”
Yup, he went exactly where I thought he would. Now, I need to let him down gently for the second time.
“I’m not sure that’s for the best, Kane,” I advise. “First of all, we don’t even live close to each other. Second, I don’t think we were meant to date. You should find someone who wants to travel and be with you. That way, you can have the best of both worlds. I get that seeing our friends finding their happily ever after can be hard, but that doesn’t mean that you need to settle.”
Kane blows out a breath, and my heart hurts for him. He is a great guy, but even if he lived closer and truly wanted to settle in one place, I just don’t see him as my forever partner.
Being away from everyone for so long allowed me to contemplate life and figure out what I actually want, and I want a partner that balances me. I don’t see Kane being that person.
“You’re not wrong. I guess I’m just feeling melancholy right now,” he responds after a few seconds have ticked by.
“I get it. I promise you’ll find the right guy for you one day. Probably when you’re least looking,” I tell him as Knox walks into the house, offering me a warm grin.
My heart does a little flip, and my breath catches. Why did he have to walk in just as I said that line? Now my stupid heart thinks Knox could be the person for me, and that won’t do.
“You’re right,” Kane says, bringing my attention back to him. “But we should still hang out one of these days. You know I like to travel.”
I chuckle. “That sounds great. Talk soon,” I tell him and hit the button to disconnect the call.
“Did Nixon and Dante leave?” I ask Knox.
He nods, sitting next to me. “Yup, they told me to remind you about games night tomorrow, but please don’t feel like you have to come.”
“Do you not want me to come?” I ask, and his eyes go comically wide.
“No, why would you think that?” His voice raises the smallest amount.
I quirk a brow. “Maybe because you’re acting weird. I get it if you don’t want me there. I’ve always been more of Malcolm’s friend than yours, but I’d like to change that. Why can’t you and I be friends too? This games night might be a good chance to get to know each other better and have fun at the same time.”
Knox presses his lips together, obviously mulling over my proposition. “Friends sounds good,” he replies quietly but doesn’t sound all that convinced.
Am I missing something?
I decide not to push the matter and accept he wants to be friends too. “I know I always thought of you as Malcolm’s annoying little brother,” I tease, giving his shoulder a playful shove, something I would do to any friend. “But you’re all grown now. I’d like to get to know the man you’ve become.”
He grabs the back of his neck, looking a little uncomfortable. “I’m pretty boring,” he tells me, and I laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
“Let me be the judge of that. Now, how ’bout we veg and watch some mindless reality TV?”
Knox’s lips finally turn up into an almost shy smile. It’s adorable on such a large and intimidating man. “Sounds like a plan.”
Grabbing the remote, I turn the show back on and get comfortable on the couch. It’s been a long time since I’ve hung out with someone one-on-one who wasn’t Malcolm, but I meant what I said. I want to be friends with Knox, even if it’s awkward at first.
Chapter Five
Knox
My eyes are heavy as I wake. I give them a rub, then stretch my arms above my head.
“Stop fucking beeping,” Gunnar grumbles, his voice muffled through my closed door.
A high-pitched beep follows every two seconds, and I realize that must be the reason I’m awake right now.
With a sigh, I fling the covers back and slowly get out of bed. The beeping continues as I throw on one of my new pairs of sweats and a shirt.
Last night, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do, I went shopping. Having only the clothes I managed to escape with was another stark reminder of everything I lost and the reason I’m here, with the crush I can’t seem to keep buried.
I can’t keep focusing on the craziness my life is turning out to be. I need to move forward and get back on my own two feet. At least now, I have something to wear that isn’t a dirty pair of sweats and a stained T-shirt.
As soon as I’m dressed, I pad down the hall, following the noise.
“Why won’t you shut the fuck up?” Gunnar growls out at the refrigerator, opening and shutting the door.
I snicker at the sight, but that doesn’t pull his attention from the noisy appliance.
“I haven’t even said anything,” I joke, resulting in Gunnar jumping back and yelping, and I can’t help but laugh my ass off.
“It’s not nice to scare people,” Gunnar grumbles with a cute pout.
Why does he have to be extremely fucking adorable?
“What’s going on with the fridge?” I ask with a tilt of my head.
Gunnar throws his hands up, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Fucked if I know. It has an alarm if you leave the door open too long, but now it won’t shut off, no matter what I do.”
Chuckling, I pull out my phone to google what to do in this situation as Gunnar continues to tinker. Thankfully, it doesn’t take me long to find a few ways to troubleshoot the refrigerator because the beeping is starting to give me a headache.
“Can I try something?” I ask, tapping him on the shoulder.
“It’s all yours,” he says, gesturing his hand to the malfunctioning door and stepping away.
I grin at him and take his place so I can follow the directions on the website I found. I hit a few buttons in a special sequence, then shut the door. I almost fall down at the blissful sound of silence.
“Oh, thank fucking Jesus!” Gunnar shouts with joy, his sea-green eyes lighting up. “You are seriously my hero,” he tells me as he pulls me into his arms for a giant hug.
I’m slow to return his gesture since I’m in utter shock. Gunnar and I are not the type of friends who hug.
“I just googled it,” I tell him, patting his back awkwardly.
Even though the embrace was weird, I miss his body against mine when he steps back.
Gunnar smacks his forehead. “Why the hell didn’t I think of that? Maybe it’s because I didn’t sleep worth a damn last night, and I still haven’t had my morning coffee.”
I laugh, stepping around him to pour us both a cup.
“Thank you,” he says with a sleepy grin, running his fingers through his deep chocolate hair.
“You’re the one who made it,” I remind him as I doctor up my mug.
“I guess I did,” he replies with a chuckle, fixing his own to his liking.
“Honey?” I question as he drizzles the thick liquid from the teddy-bear-shaped container into his coffee, a dark caramel shade from just a splash of cream, noting how he likes his just in case I need that information in the future.
“I’m not a fan of sugar, but I need the sweetness. Normally, I have local honey, but I ran out the other day and haven’t had time to make it to the farmer’s market,” he informs me, putting the bear back in the cupboard.
“I could go for you,” I suggest. “I have to head to my house anyway.”
“What for?” he questions as we take our cups to the living room.
“I need to see if anything is salvageable and make notes for the insurance company,” I tell him and sip the delicious liquid.
“Want me to come with?” he offers.
My first instinct is to shake my head, but the company might be nice. And if Malcolm asks to tag along, I can tell him I already have help. I’m actually surprised he hasn’t called me yet this morning.
“You don’t have anything better to do?” I question.
If it wasn’t my own house that burned down, I’m not sure I would be volunteering to help someone else. It’s going to be boring as fuck, and a hell of an emotional rollercoaster for me.
I lived in that house for over ten years, and it was filled with meaningful items. Walking through the wreckage is going to take its toll.
“My only plans were getting groceries and hitting up the farmer’s market. Being there for you as you check out your house won’t be any trouble,” he assures me.
