Now I was blinking for a different reason. Rapidly.

“Seriously, Knight, stop it,” I whispered.

“Deep breathe. Control those tears. And I’ll let it go after I say this. We haven’t had the time to get into what Nick did to you and how you believed it so easily. Your aunt, she was negligent, which has the power to create wounds, and on top of that she was a cunt, which scores those wounds deep. You’re right, everyone should work to make a better life for themselves however they gotta do it. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t hope and expect good things to come their way. Random and unexpected. Regularly or infrequently. It doesn’t matter, good things happen just like bad. And it’s f**ked up not to think you’ll get your share of those, babe. And even more f**ked up that, when you do, you feel you don’t deserve them or they’re jacked in some way that reflects on you. Nick is an ass**le but that doesn’t mean he isn’t smart. The way he’s smart is he’s observant. He notices shit. It’s a trait that could be put to good use and sometimes, he’s in the mood, he can use it that way. He’s also got a deep, f**kin’ mean streak and that’s what he works at. He saw you, he read you, he was pissed you were walkin’ to him from my bed when he wants you in his and he cut you, went straight in for the kill usin’ exactly what he knew would make you bleed. What you gotta get is, that’s his shit. You gotta turn that shit back on him and see he’s actin’ on spite. And he’s doin’ it because he wants the gift of you, cannot have it and it pisses him off. So what he did was a jacked up, nasty, twisted compliment. And you should have just smiled to yourself, crawled in my bed and waited for me to come home and show you the real you.”

My voice was throaty when I warned, “If you want me not to cry, Knight, you seriously need to shut up.”

He studied me. Then he smiled at me.

Then he said quietly, “For now, I’ll give you that, baby. Now get your ass outta my bed and make me pancakes.”

“Okay,” I whispered.

He dipped his head and brushed his lips against mine. Then he slid his tongue across my lower lip and my arms and legs automatically gave him a squeeze. Then my tongue slid out and reciprocated the gesture.

Then he growled, slanted his head and kissed me.

Only after that did I get out of bed and I felt his eyes on me while I shrugged on his midnight blue, tailored, slim fit shirt. I continued to feel his eyes while I buttoned the buttons from mid-breast to navel. I continued to feel his eyes while I walked to the bathroom to clean up (by the by, we dispensed with condoms because I was on the pill, this I shared with Knight prior to him giving it to me the second time), brush my teeth and wash my face. And I continued to feel his eyes as I walked out of the bathroom, grinned at him as he lounged on his side in bed, head in his hand, as I walked to the door and even as I wandered down his hall.

And I loved every second of it.

* * * * *

That day was going to be a golden day, I could feel it.

And I knew this because I was standing at Knight’s restaurant quality range, smelling his cologne coming from his shirt, my pancakes bubbling on the griddle and they were perfect. I had to admit, there were days (not the golden kind) when even my World Famous Toasted Almond Pancakes could go south.

Today was not one of those days.

I heard the murmur of Knight’s voice coming toward me and I knew he was on the phone. As it got closer and closer, I twisted my neck and watched him appear in the living room-kitchen area and I smiled a secret smile that didn’t curve my lips but curved deep inside me.

Faded jeans. Bare feet. Beat up Motörhead tee.

Yummy. I had Jeans and Heavy Metal Tee Knight Sunday.

Totally a golden day.

He spoke into the phone at his ear as he walked but his eyes were on me.

I gave him a smile and turned back to the pancakes.

“Yeah.” I heard him say. Then, “No. Not likin’ that.”

Then I felt him come up behind me.

“Right,” he said into the phone.

Then I felt his hand at my belly, his front warm against my back.

I grinned at the pancakes as I flipped them.

“No, we’ll do it tomorrow,” he told whoever he was talking to.

My legs trembled when his hand found the opening to his shirt and I felt it, skin against skin at my belly.

Another secret inside smile.

“He wants to be there, he’s there. But Kurt’s on stand-by,” Knight stated and my belly dropped as my eyes went unfocused when his hand slid down and in, cupping me.

“Hang on,” I said into the phone and at my ear he whispered, “Open your legs a little, baby.”

My hand came out, wrapped around the edge of the marble countertop by the stove, feeling the cool, hard stone and I did as Knight told me to do.

I felt him press into my back as he leaned deeper to get better access, his middle finger slid tight over my cl*t then it glided inside.

I sucked in an audible breath.

“Back,” I heard him mutter into the phone. “Right. Set it up. We’ll talk tomorrow. I got Anya all day, keep everyone off me. Yeah?” Pause then, “Later.”

I saw his phone hit the counter, felt his lips come to my ear as his free arm slid around my midriff but I was holding on and deep breathing.

“Those look good, babe,” he whispered in my ear.

“Yeah,” I breathed.

I felt his chuckle against my skin and I shivered.

Then he asked, “Now do you get my rule of no underwear?”

Oh, I got it all right. I got it so much I was considering throwing all my underwear in the trash.

“Yeah,” I breathed again.

He explained it anyway as his finger inside me did a lazy circle. “Instant access, I want even a hint of the thrill of you.”

My legs trembled and I held the counter tighter.

“Jesus, can f**kin’ feel you gettin’ wet.”

I pressed my lips together.

“You always ready for me?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Yes?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

His lips moved to the skin of my neck as his finger slid out, over my cl*t and he whispered, “That’s my baby.”

I bit my lip.

His hand flattened, coming up and gliding across my belly so he was just holding me.

“Hungry, Anya, so pull it together, babe, and concentrate on pancakes.”