Stupid didn’t even begin to describe how naive she had been where Andrew was concerned, for not realizing that he was the one who had used and abused her.
She felt ashamed whenever she thought of the way she’d allowed Andrew to have so much influence over her life and friendships.
“Hey,” Knox cajoled. “I didn’t tell you any of that to put a damper on your excitement about seeing Karen and Geoff’s babies.”
Ellie already knew that.
Just as she knew that Knox’s only reason for confiding in her today was that he wanted her to take him and his interest in her seriously.
She doubted too many people, women especially, would ever be able to ignore anything about this ruggedly attractive man. Especially if he was doing everything he could to show her his interest was genuine.
Even her…?
“Ellie?” Knox prompted at her long silence.
She blinked, as if his query had dragged her from thoughts that were causing her inner turmoil.
Because of him and his stated interest in her?
Knox really hoped that wasn’t the case.
Because he was now more convinced than ever that he was going to be another victim, as were the men in the Wynter family and Declan Quinn, of meeting and instantly falling in love with the woman he was meant to share the rest of his life with.
He willingly acknowledged he was still slightly dazed by the realization. One minute, he had been happily going along with his life, completely unattached except for his loyalty to the Wynter family and his genuine affection for Angel Wynter. Now all he could think about was Ellie. Wonder what she was doing. How and what she was feeling. Of wanting her to feel the same attraction toward him.
Even if she finally did allow that, Knox knew it was going to take time and patience on his part if they were ever going to be in a relationship together.
She gave a shake of her head. “I’m honored that you felt you could confide in me.”
“You’re just wary as to why I did so when I admit to not having shared any of that with Karen in the past year,” he guessed knowingly.
She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “I’m…curious, yes.”
The heaviness that had been weighing him down as he talked about his beloved daughter was dispelled as he chuckled softly. “Ellie, thy middle name is caution.”
“Actually, it’s Louisa, after my paternal grandmother, but I know that isn’t what you meant.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “Yes, I— Is it so surprising I feel wary about taking any man’s interest in me seriously?”
“Not at all.” He turned his hand over so that he could tighten his fingers about Ellie’s slender one. “But in time, you will realize I’m exactly who and what I appear to be.”
Now it was her turn to chuckle. “That Jason Statham lookalike?”
He grinned. “I’m as rough around the edges as he is, but I don’t know quite as many martial arts.”
“But enough to win if you’re ever in a fight, I’m guessing,” Ellie said ruefully.
Knox shrugged. “Unless it was actually against Jason Statham. Then, I might struggle a bit.”
“But only a bit?”
“Yes.”
Those beautiful aqua-blue eyes were glowing, and her lips had softened into a warm smile during their teasing conversation. She was too much of a temptation like this for Knox to be able to resist kissing her again.
He held her gaze as he leaned forward, looking for any sign of revulsion or aversion in those candid aqua eyes. When he didn’t see any, he continued the rest of the way, his own eyes closing the moment his lips were pressed gently against her deliciously soft ones.
Ellie’s fingers tightened about his, but she didn’t move away. She wasn’t quite kissing him back, but she wasn’t shying away from the connection either.
Knowing of Ellie’s history, of the total betrayal of her longtime partner, this reaction was more than Knox could have hoped for from a first real kiss.