Viv:
Just as I was about to roll my eyes and fire off a smart ass remark to kill the mood —because it was getting too damn warm, too damn close— my stomach betrayed me.
Loud. Angry. Starved.
And this asshole heard it.
Knox burst out laughing, the sound low and unfiltered, like it came from somewhere deep in his chest. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t polished.
But it was real.
“Ate today?” he asked, that smug grin creeping in.
I crossed my arms. “Do bar-side pretzels count?”
“No.”
“Then no.”
“Come on.”
Before I could protest, he nudged his shoulder into mine and started walking. I should’ve stayed put. Should’ve let him go eat alone and leave me to my sad couch and stale crackers. But instead, I followed.
Curiosity, maybe.
Or hunger.
Or just him.
He led me a few blocks down to Ma
