Page 55 of Ruthless Edge

"Over my left shoulder," he says. "Big guy, jock build, looks like he's debating a felony."

I look. Knox looks away a beat too late.

"He's nobody," I say.

"He is very clearly not nobody," Tyler says, but he says it without heat. "Do you want to deal with that or should we get drinks and pretend I didn't notice?"

Before I can answer, Knox is there.

He materializes out of the crowd the way large people somehow do, and he's standing next to me with a casual pose, and yet, there’s something tense about it.

"Emma," he says. "Hey. Sorry to interrupt." He does not look sorry. "I have an important question about the auction I remembered. It’s time sensitive."

I stare at him.

"It'll take two seconds."

Tyler looks at me. I hold up one finger at him and step a few feet away with Knox, to the edge of the cleared floor, where it's slightly quieter.

"What," I say.

"Tablecloths," Knox says.

"What?"

"For the gala. Are we doing white tablecloths or ivory? Because I feel like ivory is more⁠—"

Is he serious? He can’t be serious.

"Knox…"

"It's a legitimate question. The room is going to have a color scheme and if the tablecloths don't⁠—"

"Are you seriously asking me about tablecloths right now?"

He gives me an intense look, but it seems forced. "Décor matters, Emma."

"You don't know anything about tablecloths. You have never once in your life thought about tablecloths."

"I think about tablecloths. Everyone knows it’s all about the small details."

"Say one more thing about tablecloths," I say, narrowing my eyes. "I dare you."

“Tablecloths.”

I look at him. He looks at me. Behind us the music keeps going, and Tyler is still standing where I left him with my drink and the patient expression of someone who has decided to let this play out.

"Knox," I say. "You’re just interrupting us because you see my attention is on someone else."

"I don't know what you're⁠—"

"You're jealous."

I’m not sure he is. He probably isn’t, but it just springs to my lips. Laura isn’t enough for him. Apparently, he needs me fawning over him too.

He shrugs, all cool and casual, before casting an irritated glance at Tyler. "I'm just asking about tablecloths because I thought it was important to discuss."

"You're jealous and you came over here under the world's thinnest cover story."