He shook his head. “Nothing.”
But he pulled her in front of him and settled her back against his chest, her butt tucking into his thighs. Big arms wrapped around her and held her snugly, protectively, tenderly. It wasn’t a bad way to stand at the edge of the ocean and watch the water lap at the shore.
Reese wasn’t normally one to stop and commune with nature, but this was a moment. This was a sunset dropping overthe water, the smell of tropical flowers caressing her nose, and a big sexy man watching her back.
“Knight?”
“Hmm?” He sounded as relaxed as she felt.
“How did you hurt your knee?” She had been waiting for the right time to ask him. It didn’t matter to her, but she sensed it mattered to him. He resented his injury, and she knew there was some baggage he was dragging around.
The muscles of his chest tightened against her back and he was silent for a long second.
Then he kissed the top of her head and said, “It’s a long story, but I conducted a raid without backup, assuming I could handle it. I couldn’t. Another agent took a bullet in the arm and I got my knee bashed in. Six months and two surgeries later and I’m still hobbling around.”
It was an answer that made her heart constrict and ache. She loved this man. She really did. It made her want to kiss away that sorrow in his voice, touch him, hold him, show him how much he mattered to her.
Turning in his arms, she rested her head on his chest, her chin digging in a little as she looked up at him, running her hands over the rough calloused tips of his fingers.
“Do you know that I find you the most amazing, kind, honorable, and gorgeous man that I’ve ever met? Nothing about you hobbles. But even if it did, it wouldn’t matter one damn bit.”
Not to her, not to anyone. He was one of the Good Guys and she wanted to keep him.
Going back to New York felt just about impossible if that meant leaving Knight in Chicago.
He studied her, lacing his fingers through hers, caressing as his head moved back and forth just a little.
“Reese…there are times when you just blow me away.”
Hopefully that was a good thing. “Is this one of them?”
The kiss he gave her was so soft, so loving, so worshipful that she felt the urge to burst into tears. That was something she hadn’t done since Riley had dropped a loaded fish tank on her foot back in junior high.
Unlike then, this time she squelched it. She didn’t want to bawl, for God’s sake, she wanted to enjoy the moment. And maybe, just maybe, she could screw up the courage to tell Knight how much she cared about him.
“Yes, this is one of them.” He held her, pressed against him, so close not even the breeze could get through. “Reese, I?—”
Her stomach growled.
They both stopped, stunned, before Knight gave a rueful laugh. “I guess I need to feed you.”
She was hungry, but not just for food. “I’m a servant to my body.”
His eyes darkened, the laugh disappeared in an instant.“I’ma servant to your body.”
The air was too warm and humid, her dress tight across the chest, Knight’s sudden and impressive erection resting between her thighs, nudging her a little before he stepped back. Her body went hot, aching, needy.
Screw the view. “You were right. We should have stayed in and ordered room service.”
He didn’t hesitate, but took her hand as they turned away from the water and strolled down the wharf away from the Viaduct Harbor, where the America’s Cup was held.
“I should have gotten that in writing. You admitting I was right. You don’t say that very often.”
“That’s because it doesn’t happen very often.” Giving him a grin, she reached behind him and gave his behind a quick squeeze.
He moved away from her hand, eyes darting around. “Knock it off. There are two dozen people roaming around here.”
Reese laughed, feeling something swell inside her like a helium balloon. For the first time in her twenty-six years, she felt completely relaxed, enjoying the now. There was none of the normal restlessness, dissatisfaction that had become so familiar to her.