Chapter 6

Chapter Six

P erry

The forge is alive with heat, the sound of Knox's hammer striking iron echoing off the stone walls in rhythmic, deliberate beats. It's the kind of place that holds a power all its own, full of grit and fire, and I can feel that same energy pulsing through me as I watch Knox work. His muscles flex with every swing of the hammer, the glow of the fire casting shadows over his chiseled frame, and I'm hyper-aware of the space between us—close enough to feel the heat, but still too far for what I want.

We've spent hours today working on the truck. My grandfather's truck. The one I've poured every ounce of determination into restoring. It's almost done, a physical manifestation of my time here, of the slow-burn tension that's been building between Knox and me for weeks.

I lean against the workbench, wiping sweat from my brow, trying to focus on anything other than the way Knox looks in this moment. There's something about him—something magnetic and untamed—that pulls me in no matter how hard I try to resist.

But resisting doesn't feel like an option anymore.

Knox keeps his eyes on the truck, refusing to acknowledge the tension crackling between us like electricity. He hasn't made eye contact all day, but I know he feels it too. The way his shoulders tense every time I move, how his jaw tightens when I get too close. It's been building, this undeniable pull, and I'm tired of pretending it's not there.

I'm tired of pretending I don't want him.

I push off the bench, my heart pounding as I take a step closer to him. "Knox," I say, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. "Why do you keep holding back?"

He freezes, his hammer coming to a halt as the last clang reverberates in the air. His chest rises and falls in heavy, controlled breaths, and when he finally looks up at me, his eyes are dark with something I've been waiting to see—desire. It's raw, unguarded, and for the first time, he doesn't bother hiding it.

I close the distance between us, my hand reaching out to touch his arm. The moment my fingers brush his skin, it's like something inside him snaps. Before I can take another breath, he grabs me, pulling me against his chest in one swift motion. His lips crash down on mine, hard and demanding, and I melt into the kiss with a mix of relief and hunger.

It's been building to this. The stolen glances, the charged moments when our hands would brush, the long days in the forge where the air between us felt thick enough to cut. Now, there's no more holding back.

His hands grip my waist, his touch rough but careful, as if he's afraid I might break beneath him. But I don't want gentle right now. I want him. All of him.

My fingers tangle in his hair as I pull him closer, matching his intensity with my own. The kiss is fiery, consuming, and it feels like the air around us is getting hotter, as if the forge itself is stoking the flames between us.

He breaks away just long enough to press his forehead against mine, his breath ragged. "You don't know what you do to me, Petal," he growls. The sound he makes causes my heart to stutter—soft and affectionate, a stark contrast to the rough man who's spent so long trying to keep his distance.

I smile, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw, feeling the tension there. "Then show me," I whisper, daring him to give in completely.

The shift in his eyes is instant. The restraint he's been holding onto for so long vanishes as he presses me against the rough stone wall of the forge. His hands roam down my body, tracing every curve with a hunger that makes my breath catch. When his lips find the sensitive skin of my neck, I let out a soft moan, arching against him as sparks of pleasure shoot through me.

I've wanted this—wanted him—for so long. And now that it's happening, I feel like I'm on fire.

Knox's hands fumble with the buttons of my dress, his touch frantic but determined. My fingers slide under his shirt, feeling the hard planes of muscle beneath, and when I finally get it off him, I can't stop myself from running my hands over every inch of his chest. He's everything I've dreamed of, every rough edge and hardened muscle making my pulse race faster.

He groans at the feel of my hands on him, his lips finding mine again in a kiss that's rougher this time, more desperate. His hands grip my hips, lifting me effortlessly as he presses me harder against the wall. My legs wrap around his waist, and I gasp as I feel him, hard and ready, pressing against me.

The heat in the room is stifling now, a mix of the forge fire and the blaze between us. But I don't care. All I can think about is Knox, the way he's holding me, the way he's looking at me like I'm the only thing in the world that matters.

Our clothes come off in a blur of movement, discarded without a second thought, and then it's just skin on skin. The first touch of his fingers against my pussy is slow, deliberate, but it's enough to make me gasp, my nails digging into his back as I cling to him.

"Knox," I breathe, my voice trembling with pleasure. "Don't stop."

He growls low in his throat, his grip on my hips tightening as he starts to move his palm faster, harder. The energy between us is frantic, our bodies moving in sync as we give in to the passion that's been building for weeks.

"Petal," he whispers, his voice hoarse with emotion. The nickname sends a rush of warmth through me, and I know it means more than just a word. It's his way of telling me that I matter, that I'm different.

That I'm his.

The thought makes my heart swell, and I pull him closer, my lips finding his again in a kiss that's softer this time, more tender. The passion between us is still there, burning bright, but now it's mixed with something deeper—something that feels like the beginning of something real.

"I love every sexy, curvy inch of you. Anyone who's ever made you feel different is a blind asshole."

"You're too sweet." I gasp into the air between us.

"And I plan on showering you with all the compliments until you agree to be mine." His cocky grin wraps like barbed wire around my hopeful heart. Is he serious? I've never known a man as straightforward with his intentions as Knox is. The usual back and forth game that most men seem to enjoy doesn't even register with him. The warmth in his eyes is so open and caring, he's the most incredible man I've ever met.

"You're such a charmer."

"Keep looking at me like that and I'll kiss that cocky smile right off your lips."

"You wouldn't–"

"Make no mistake," he leans across the table, "I plan on kissing more than just the smile off your lips." And then he presses his lips to mine, soft and tender at first before pulling away. "All the weeks without you have been like walking around in hell and trying to act normal about it."

"Knox, I..."

"Tell me." He tips my chin to meet his.

"I–" Insecurity ripples through my voice.

"Petal." He holds me closer. "Never, ever will there be a day when my head isn't consumed with you. I want to know how you're feeling about anything and everything. Don't ever hold back with me." He kisses me again, his hands crawling up my torso and snaking around my curves until I am pressed firmly against him. "You keep me up at night thinking about all the ways I can make you breathless and begging for me, how I can please you and make you laugh and you don't even realize it."

"B-begging?"

He comes around the table, pulling me up as his grin widens. "Hell yes, begging."

His hand drops to my waist then. "Do you need me to show you how much I think about you?"

I ache and moan, desperate for his touch everywhere.

"That's it, sweet girl, begging already." He works his fingers quicker against my hot core. I clutch at his shoulders, grinding deeper into his palm as my body grows more frenzied for the impending release.

"I love the scent of you when you're turned on." He grits, as one hand adjusts his hard cock, driving me wild with the need to feel him. "You intoxicate me." His hand works more deftly before his lips cover my neck and suck in soft pulsing sucks. My muscles begin to tremble against him, my control gone as all the sensations he brings to the surface of my body reach fever pitch. "Come for me, Petal."

I do. I can't help it. Lightning bolts of fire rain down on me, sending me moaning and shaking into another stratosphere as he holds me against him, whispering soothing words and kissing along my exposed skin.

"I can't even fathom anything sweeter than watching you unravel underneath me, but we're gonna give it a go--are you ready for dessert?" He plants a lingering kiss on my lips before getting up.

"B-but...you don't want to…" My cheeks flush with embarrassment at my next words. "...Go to the bedroom or something?"

His thumb and finger grasp my chin. "I'm in no hurry with you, Petal. We have all the time in the world. You and I are a sure thing."

I nod, his sincerity sinking into my bones, still feeling his touch all over my body. A thrill of excitement courses through me at the thought of being with him. Damn my logic and sensibilities, against all better judgment, I crave this man.

"I want inside you," he says, pulling me into him and pressing my body against the windows of the forge that overlook Copper Mountain. He grips my hips tightly as he angles me against the cool glass, igniting a fire in my skin with his firm touch.

With each flex of his hard abdominal muscles against me, I feel myself losing control. His fingers dig into my backside, sending a mix of pain and pleasure through me. I am powerless in his presence. This man has captured me completely.

"It's been so long since there's been a woman in my life, I haven't touched anyone in years. I'm clean, and I've waited so long to feel you wrapped around me..." he says, tracing my chin with his thumb. "I need to feel your lush pussy hugging me bare, baby."

His eyes hold mine as he speaks, his thumb now tracing my lips. Despite any fears or insecurities I may have about my lack of experience, I feel completely loved by this man. He had been loving me from afar for weeks before making it official tonight.

"I've only been with one person and that was in high school..." I admit, hoping I won't disappoint him.

"Hey, eyes on me, gorgeous," he coos, lifting my gaze to meet his own. "I need your eyes always on me, got it?" He gently thrusts his hips against mine, causing my heart to flutter.

"What's on your mind?" he asks.

"Most men want a woman that knows what she's doing in the bedroom, right? I know my way around the rare flowers more than men," I confess, feeling self-conscious.

He laughs and his cock twitches against me. He captures my bottom lip with his teeth and nips it. "And every last inch of you is perfect. Stop talking about the sweetest and sexiest girl in the world like that."

My legs tremble as he sets me on my feet and kneels before me, starting to kiss the inside of my thighs. His thick beard scratches against my skin as he moves lower and lower, sending shivers through me. The thought of him between my legs, that cocky grin still dancing on his lips before he presses into me, fills me with a wild lust for him.

His tongue slides against me, firmly holding me in place with my back pressed against the window. My nails dig into his shoulders as he groans and thrusts in a rhythmic manner, our skin sweaty and sticking to the glass around us.

Then he stands, focusing his attention on my clit, using his teeth to scrape against my flesh. One hand is planted on the glass beside me for support while his other grips my cheek as he moves inside of me. The contrast of his warm body against mine and the coolness of the window intensify my arousal as I ache for release.

"I need to bury my cock deep inside your hot fucking body," Atlas growls through gritted teeth. "Do you know how many nights I've fantasized about those pretty eyes looking up at me when I take you for the first time?"

I shake my head, feeling a rush of excitement at his dirty words.

"Say it," he demands, moving his hand to my hip and holding me tightly.

"How many nights?" I pant as my pussy begins to tremble and clench from his relentless attention.

He grabs my chin, holding my lips in place as he stands up, his cock now at the entrance of me. I moan into his mouth as he lifts my leg higher around his waist and starts thrusting with quick, powerful movements until he's completely inside of me.

He makes me feel out of control, consumed by desire and willing to give up everything to be with him.

My muscles tighten and twist as an orgasm approaches, but then he suddenly pulls out completely, teasing me with just the tip of his cock against my entrance in slow strokes.

"Every night, Petal," he whispers huskily. "Every night we were apart, I thought about all the ways I would one day dominate your perfect pussy and make it come only for me. The thought of someone else's eyes on you or someone else's hands on your skin drives me mad."

I gulp, feeling completely overwhelmed by his teasing and the way he plays with my desire like a cat playing with a mouse. A devilish gleam appears in his eyes as he moves his hand between us and starts swirling his fingers against my sensitive clit, sending me into a frenzy.

"Wait for me, gorgeous," he commands, angling himself deeper inside of me.

My nails dig into his flesh and I pant deeply. "I can't..."

"This perfect pink pussy grips me so tightly, it's like a fist around my cock. And those pretty eyes on me while I pound into you are enough to make me explode..." He pinches at my nipple before sucking away the sting of pain. "Now, Petal."

My orgasm rips through me and I bite down hard on his shoulder, overcome with sensation. His hand tightens even more on my hip as he finishes off his own release with a few more powerful thrusts. We both collapse onto each other, clinging to each other's sweaty skin as we catch our breath.

The windows are steamed up, my body pressed against the cool glass.

"Do that too much and we'll have to try it on my desk next time." His words take me by surprise as he gestures to the desk in the corner.

I disentangle myself from him with a shy smile and make my way to the desk, sitting on its glossy surface. He joins me, sliding between my legs and running his warm hands up my naked thighs. "I like you like this. Soft and vulnerable, just for me."

I run my fingers through his thick beard, feeling content now that we're together. He's already woven into my heart, slowly opening me up over the past few weeks. This physical aspect of our relationship was the final piece.

"Are you hungry?" He wraps an arm around my waist and kisses the top of my head, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"What's on the menu?" I ask with a smile, feeling completely satisfied for the first time in my life.

"Whatever your heart desires, gorgeous." Knox holds me close. "I have reservations at a special place tonight, and mark my words, I plan on indulging in every inch of your ripe body for dessert. I've got so many plans for us," he pauses to kiss me tenderly, "and making the most of every moment with you is my top priority."

Knox holds me close, his arms wrapped around me as we stand together in the forge, the fire still crackling softly in the background.

For a moment, everything feels perfect. But even as I rest my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, I can feel the tension creeping back into his body. He's letting me in—too far, too deep—and I know he's terrified of what might happen next.

But right now, in this moment, I don't care. Because I've already fallen for him. And I'm not going anywhere.