“They’re so nice. I really like your mom.”
“I knew you would.”
I tip my head back, smiling up at him. “For someone who says he has zero boyfriend experience, you do the job pretty well.”
“You make it easy for me. I just want to see you happy. That’s my end goal.” He leans in and kisses the tip of my nose. “You are my end goal, Jo Jo.”
He walks with me to the bookstore and I think about what he said. What the words imply. Am I really his end goal? Or was he just caught up in the moment and he said something he doesn’t really mean? I don’t want to ask him about it.
I’m afraid of his answer.
Most likely I’m overthinking it. When he’s ready to tell me how he feels, he’ll let me know. Knox isn’t one to hold back his emotions, something I appreciate. Too many men out there are repressed creatures who are afraid to be vulnerable, but not Knox. He’s opened himself to me more than once, and I’ve fallen a little more in love with him every single time.
But what if he doesn’t feel the same way? I don’t like giving someone the upper hand in a relationship. The one with more feelings, with more on the line, is always the one at a disadvantage, and I’ve already been there before.
I don’t think I could handle going through something like that again.
“I’ll pick you up later tonight for dinner,” he tells me when we stop a few feet away from the bookstore’s entrance. “Around six-thirty. Is that okay?”
“Sounds great.” I smile at him, holding up the bag. “Thank you again for this.”
“Can’t wait to see you wearing my number tomorrow.” He kisses me, lingering a little too long, his tongue swiping out for a quick lick. “Don’t know why I didn’t ask you sooner.”
“I’m glad you did.” My entire body tingles when he slips his arm around my waist, his hand landing on my ass. “Some girls might get jealous though.”
“Good. Let them be jealous. I want everyone to know you’re mine.” He kisses me again, fiercer this time, as if he wants to leave his mark.
It works. I float all the way into the bookstore. I float the rest of the afternoon, caught up in my feelings for Knox.
If anything bad happens between us, it’s going to hurt so much. But I’m willing to take that risk.
Only for him.
THIRTY-SEVEN
JOANNA
“Is it too over the top?”I turn to face Natalie, bracing myself for her criticism.
It’s Saturday, just after noon, and we’re getting ready for the game—Natalie, Blair and me. We’re crowded in my bathroom, the face paint all over the counter, all three of us covering our faces in our school colors.
It’s kind of wild how I go from not liking or even understanding football at all to going all in and painting my face before my boyfriend’s game. My life has changed dramatically, and all for the better.
Natalie studies me, her gaze zeroing in on the alternating red, white and gold dots I painted in a swirly pattern around my eyebrows. “Face paint at a football game where your boyfriend is the star? Never too much for that cause,” Natalie says firmly. “Though I do think you need something on your cheek.”
I glance at myself in the mirror, feeling like I have enough already. “What more do I need?”
“His number on your cheek.” Natalie smirks.
“Nice touch,” Blair agrees with a nod, though her enthusiasm isn’t as obvious as usual.
Something is bothering her, and I think it has everything to do with Cam, but I can’t bring it up. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe there’s nothing going on between those two, but…
I’m pretty sure there’s something going on between them. I haven’t brought it up to Nat either. I don’t want to start any rumors…
“Come closer. I’ll draw it on for you,” Natalie says.
I stand still, letting her shade in the number eighty-eight on one cheek, and it looks so good, I let her draw it on my other cheek too. Until I look like an overly obsessed fangirl who’s got a thing for Knox Maguire.