LOGINKnox’s POV continued “It’s almost ten,” Sienna said, her voice teasing as she tilted her head and looked at me. “So, buddy... are you spending the night or going home?”I smirked, rubbing the back of my neck. “I mean... it is Wednesday. We both have work tomorrow.”She leaned in, that smile of hers working overtime, her scent drifting over to me like warm honey and sin. “We’re adults,” she said, sitting close enough that her thigh was brushing mine. “So what do you wanna watch? Maybe you head out by midnight.”I licked my lips, watching the way she sipped her wine. “So... if I said I wanted to watch Aliens, would you be upset?”She raised an eyebrow. “No, I got something better for you, Aliens: The Director’s Cut.”I blinked. “Never seen that.”She looked at me like I’d just admitted I never had pizza. “It’s way better. Has a bunch of scenes, the original cut left out and adds so much to Newt’s backstory. Let me put it on.”She hopped up, turned off the lights, refilled our glasses i
Knox’s POVAs we all wrapped up our food and headed to our respective cars, I sat in mine for a moment and sent Sienna a quick text:"Not sure what this is, but let’s just play it by ear. No expectations."A minute later, she replied:"Sameses."I smiled, tossed my phone on the passenger seat, and headed home.Once I got in, I changed into some clean fitted sweatpants, a white tee, and my Nike Air Force Ones. I threw on a simple chain and took a good look in the mirror. My beard got a quick brush down, and I lined myself up a little with the clippers. Yeah, I can cut hair too, especially my own. I usually hit up the barber, but sometimes I handle it myself when I want it fresh on demand.I checked how I smelled, wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t about to pull up with cologne covering old sweat. So I hopped in the shower real quick, got clean, and redressed. Smelled good. Looked even better.Now, most days I drive my truck or the Audi. But tonight? I took the Honda Accord. It's lowkey. Inconspi
Sienna’s POV The second we stepped into Smoque BBQ, a wave of smoky, savory heaven slapped us right in the face. Tiffany let out a low whistle, Trevor immediately pulled out his phone to start recording, and Susan just stood there blinking like she’d just seen God.The walls were rustic and dark, lined with framed photos and awards. The air was thick with the smell of meat, real meat, slow cooked, fall off the bone, can’t get this at a chain restaurant kind of meat.“Okay, Knox,” Tiffany said, reading the giant chalkboard menu above the counter. “You weren’t playin’.”“Nope,” he said, smooth as always. “Everybody go ahead, place your order. I got it.”The guy behind the counter raised an eyebrow at Knox, recognizing him instantly. “All of this on you?”Knox just nodded. “Yeah. Run it all under me.”The guy shook his head with a smirk. “A’ight, boss.”It was a little after 3 p.m., that golden hour between lunch madness and dinner rush, so the place was practically empty except for us
Knox's POV Tuesday AfternoonDr. Thompson’s Office“So… tell me about your weekend,” Dr. Thompson said as she settled into her chair, legs crossed, notepad balanced neatly in her lap.I sat across from her, elbows on my knees, trying not to smirk like some lovesick fool.I told her everything.The lunch with Sienna. The way we joked about the waitress. The Build-A-Bear stop. The damn cinnamon pretzel she bought me. The way she hugged me like she didn’t want to let go. All of it.She nodded thoughtfully, then looked up. “So how did the interaction between you and Sienna feel to you?”I let out a slow breath, leaning back in my seat. “It felt… good. Real good. Like, I wish I had been this version of myself when I first got involved with her. I was so selfish back then. Caught up in my own shit. But this weekend? I felt like...like we were a legit couple. Even just for a few hours.”Dr. Thompson gave a small smile. “And how does that make you feel now?”“Honestly? Frustrated. Because I
Knox’s POV I couldn’t keep my damn eyes off her.We strolled around the outdoor part of the mall, arm in arm like we did this all the time, like it wasn’t the first time in years that we’d been this close. After making those ridiculous Build-A-Bears, hers with a tiny leather jacket and mine wearing shades and a crooked smile, we ended up grabbing a cinnamon pretzel. Sienna bought it for me with a smirk, like she knew I couldn’t say no to her or sugar.Now we were standing by our cars, ten bags between us and two stuffed bears nestled in the back seat of hers.“So… what’s next, Cece?” I asked, trying to sound casual. Trying to sound like I wasn’t already planning how to stay in her presence a little longer.She smiled, her eyes warm. “Well, I’m gonna go home, pour a glass of wine, and put all this stuff away.”That was it. End of the night.“Okay,” I said, fighting back every damn urge I had. “I’ll leave you to it.”I bent down and hugged her. Not a quick, polite hug, but one of those
Third-person POV The waitress finally made her way back to the table, this time with a slight attitude, her energy noticeably shifted since Sienna showed up. She barely glanced at Knox as she asked flatly, “Would you like to order now?” Knox leaned back in his seat, eyes calm but slightly amused. “The lady’s going to order for both of us.” Sienna caught the subtle smirk playing at the corner of his mouth and immediately picked up on the pettiness. She wasn’t mad at it, though. In fact, she kind of admired the way he said it like a soft flex. Sienna straightened up and spoke clearly, “We’ll take the chicken lettuce wraps to start, an order of fried wontons, orange chicken, combination rice. A little sake with two cups… and two extra plates, please.” The waitress gave a tight-lipped smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh, okay. Cheap date, huh?” Both Knox and Sienna stopped and stared at her. “What?” Knox said, tone sharp. The girl hesitated, backpedaling instantly. “Never mind.







