Just One of the Guys
Forty Two

Averi

"Come on. Let's just go back to my place," he says, grasping hold of my hand and leading me from the gym and back to his apartment. Guilt washes over me for ruining whatever he'd wanted to show me. "I'm sorry," I mutter once he sits down on the couch next to me.

I can't bring myself to look at him, afraid that if I do, I'll start crying, and I feel like crying is all I ever do anymore.

"Hey," he says, trying to get my attention, but when I don't give it to him, he intertwines his fingers with mine, and brings the other to my face, pressing it against my cheek and adding just enough pressure to get me to look at him. "Don't be sorry, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"You're wrong," I cry, the damn tears making their escape after all, "All of this, it's all my fault."

As I bury my face in his chest, Knox wraps his arms around me, then leans back against the couch and lets me work it all out.

His fingers stroke up and down the length of my back, his other hand playing with my short strands of hair at the back of my head as he holds me to him, allowing me this time to work through what exactly is tearing me up so much about the situation that I'm in.

He doesn't pressure or rush me to talk to him about everything, he's just there for me every time that I need him.

Once my tears have finally stopped flowing down my cheeks, I still can't bring myself to move, still needing his comfort and strength.

Knox moves the hand that's been playing with my hair, to my cheek and lifts my face up towards his as he lowers his own towards mine, our lips meeting in the middle. It's not hot and full of passion like our kisses usually are, this one is for comfort, letting me know without words that he's here for me, no matter what, and he doesn't plan on going anywhere.

I try to steer the kiss further and begin trailing my hand down his stomach and reaching beneath the soft fabric to feel his skin beneath my palm, needing his warmth, needing the distraction.

Once my hand has explored his chest, I lower it to his pants, slipping my hand beneath the waistband when he curls his hand around my wrist, stopping me.

"Baby," he murmurs quietly against my lips. "You're hurting," he continues, stating the obvious. "And you can use me and my body to forget, as a distraction, if that's what you need to do. I will do anything and everything to make you happy. But I also think that you need to not keep everything bottled up inside. Whenever you're ready, just know that I will be here to listen and help you through it all."

He begins trailing his fingers up and down the length of my back again as I think about what he said, and he's right. I do need to come to terms with it and the first step is talking about it, but not tonight, I'm not ready. Tonight, right now, I need him to help distract me, to make me forget, and to make me whole like only he can.

It may be a short-lived reprieve, and likely will come back with a vengeance, but I'll worry about that later.

Tonight, all I need is him.

Knox breaks me from my thoughts when he speaks again, "There isn't anything wrong with wanting to hide from your pain. Fuck knows I have, but it didn't get me anywhere. I'm still battling my own demons myself, but together, I think we can get through them all."

As he pulls back, his unsettlingly deep, but sweetly intense eyes, peer into my own as if he's able to see straight into the depths of my soul. "I won't push you, and I will be here in whatever way you need me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours."

He pauses for a moment, his eyes still searching as a look of longing, one that speaks volumes about feelings he has yet to express, begins to take over his face, along with the deep concern and a hint of nerves.

Placing his lips against mine once more, he kisses me with a tenderness that I'd yet to experience from him. After a few moments he breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against my own. "I'm in bloody love with you, Averi," he whispers against my lips before claiming them once more.

His hands roam until one is in my hair, fisting the short strands, and the other is against the small of my back, both of them pulling me closer to his body and causing a moan to escape from the both of us as our bodies come into contact where we ache for one another the most.

I can feel his desire as he rocks me against his pelvis, his need feeding my own, the need to forget, being obliterated as a bone-deep need for this incredible man unfurls within me. Knox is the most incredible man I have ever met. I don't want him because I want to forget, not really-I want him, need him because of who he is, how he makes me feel. "Knox..." I mutter breathlessly. "Please."

Flipping us over so that my back is against the mattress, he lifts my shirt up to my chest, placing open-mouth kisses against my exposed skin until he reaches the top of my jeans. Knox makes quick work of unbuttoning my jeans and pulling them along with my panties down my legs, discarding them on the floor.

His eyes meet mine, and I see him. I see the love in his eyes, I see his nerves and determination, and I see the want and need all within their depths. Licking his lips, Knox reaches out and clasps his hand around my wrist, gently tugging so that I will rise up.

When I do, my face is level with his pelvis, not wanting to waste any more time than necessary, I unbutton his pants and lower the zipper, all the while Knox rids me of my shirt and bra.

Knox stands before me, his jeans hanging loose around his hips, giving me enough of a visual to be able to tell that he's not wearing anything beneath the jean material.

A moan bubbles up from deep within as I look my fill, eyes roaming over every single dip and curve that is exposed to me.

Knox is the literal embodiment of sex: dark, broody eyes, perfect angular nose, sharp cheeks, full supple lips, and a tongue that knows exactly how to pleasure.

He has strong, broad shoulders with rippling muscle throughout the expanse of his body, a perfectly defined chest that tapers off into a narrow waist, showcasing ripped abs, and an Adonis belt that causes my mouth to salivate just thinking about running my tongue along the line of cut muscle.

And to sweeten the pot, Knox was beyond blessed with a huge cock that can bring a woman so much pleasure that he would ruin her for all other men.

"Fuck, you are so bloody gorgeous, baby," his deep, husky voice growls as he climbs onto the bed, his knees on either side of my hips as he tangles his hands in my hair. Then, angling my head so that I'm looking up at him as he lowers his mouth to mine, he whispers against my lips, "So damn perfect."

Lost within the depths of the kiss and all of the sensations that he evokes within me, my hands roam over his exposed flesh, nails scraping over his shoulder blades and down his back before burrowing my hands beneath his jeans and grasping hold of his tight ass.

Peppering open-mouthed kisses from my lips across my jaw and down the column of my neck, his teeth scrape against my collarbone as his hands come up, cupping my breasts, and pinching, as he rolls my taut nipples between expert fingers. Afterward, he continues his exploration of my body and kisses a line between the valley of my breasts and down all the way to my belly button. Then rising he takes my left nipple in his mouth, causing such exquisite pleasure to rage within my body.

As his mouth lavishes my chest, he lowers his free hand to the cleft between my thighs, his fingers finding me soaking wet and ready for him as he slips them between my folds, sinking two inside me, massaging my inner walls and causing me to gasp at the sudden full sensation.

He moves his mouth to my other breast, giving it the same attention before settling himself between my thighs as his mouth clamps down on my clit.

"Hell yes," I moan as he finally makes his way to exactly where I want him.

His fingers, lips, and tongue bring about a volcanic orgasm swirling through my body so fast that it makes my head spin.

"Oh, God! Knox, shit!" I yell, as wave after wave of pleasure courses through me.

Once the crashing waves have calmed, Knox climbs back up my body, passionately kissing me again before rolling over, wrapping his arms around my naked shoulders, and pulling me against him.

"You are so bloody incredible, baby," Knox mutters, placing a kiss against the top of my head as my heartbeat resumes a steadier pace.

Placing my hand beneath the opening of Knox's jeans, I wrap my fingers around his rock-hard cock and begin to stroke his length.

"No, baby," he mutters, removing my hand from him and entwining our fingers before bringing them up to his lips to place a kiss against the back of my hand. "I'm okay," he says quietly, his eyes boring into my own. "I just wanted to make you feel good."

His cock is so damn hard that it's straining against the front of his jeans and dear Lord do I want it.

"Please, Knox," I say, as I move in, to place a chaste kiss against his lips. "I want your cock. I want you in me, now."

"Bloody hell, I love you, baby," he murmurs against my lips as he kicks off his pants, lines himself up with me, and gives me exactly what I want.

"I love you, too." I moan, not realizing until this very moment as the words slip free, that I do in fact, love him too.

All of the fear for his safety, all of my trying to put distance between us, the fact that I keep coming back to him, even when I know I shouldn't-it's all because he owns me, heart and soul-because I love him, too.