Exactly ten minutes later Knox was cursing next to me. The turkey bacon popped sending little bits of oil out towards his bare chest. I couldn't help but laugh every time he jumped backwards, now too stubborn to put a shirt on.

(I just....you are welcome ladies)

"I told you."

"So you said ten times already." Knox gritted through his teeth.

"You'll learn that I am almost always right." With the bacon almost done I finally opened the carton of eggs. "How do you like yours?"

"I'll have them whatever way you have them." Knox shrugged.

"You don't have a preference?"

"You learn to eat whatever others do in the military. Don't really have the luxury of gourmet meals." His words made my chest squeeze. It said it so casually but it had to have sucked. He did three tours. Three!

"Not gonna happen." I shook my head. Not on my watch. "How would you like your eggs?"

"Aubrey-" I ignored the way my name sounded on his lips.

"I'm the one cooking the eggs so what I say goes. Now, how do you like them?" I placed my hand on my hip, facing him with a hard look. He was quiet for a minute, staring right back at me, before he sighed.

"Over easy."

"Good." With a nod I turned away and cracked the eggs. I felt his eyes on me the entire time but I ignored it. Inwardly I was cheering at myself for breaking him down. I've only known him a few days but I knew he was as stubborn as they come. Getting him to agree was a feat in itself.

While I hated runny eggs my best friend Leah loved them, so over the years I have perfected how to make them. As his eggs were cooking I got to work on my scrambled ones.

Knox was quiet as we finished making breakfast. For a split second I was concerned I pushed too far with him but when I placed the plate of eggs in front of him and saw the appreciation in his eyes, I knew it was okay. It wasn't a big deal making two sets of eggs anyways. I always do when Leah is around.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Knox suddenly asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Well," I took a big bite of my bacon. "We need to get stuff for gingerbread houses tonight."

"We don't have to do gingerbread houses because my sister wants to."

"Of course we do! We haven't done them in ages either and its fun." I shook my head at him. "Whatever Olivia wants to do we will." Knox opened his mouth to argue but I quickly cut him off. "It's only fair. I dragged you guys here for Christmas. The least we can do is do some of your traditions."

I think Knox knew better than to argue with me on the subject for he quickly shut up, eating quietly. He was going to learn this week that once I make up my mind I won't stop until I do it. And this was one thing I wasn't going to let go of.

I knew Knox wasn't much of a talker so despite my need to always be talking, I managed to stay quiet as we ate. Surprisingly it wasn't that awkward sitting there in silence. The silence actually gave me time to think about today.

Since we needed to go into town for gingerbread houses we might as well do some other stuff while there. Maybe I'll show Knox around and we can get to know each other a bit more. I know my family will start questioning us a bit more today. So we needed to know more than we currently do about each other.

Once we were both finished I leaned forward, my elbows on the table.

"I know its only 9 o'clock but should we go get ready for the errands we need to run?"

"There's more than one errand?"

"Yep!" I beamed. I was going to show Knox all that Rutland has to offer. It may be cold, and maybe snowing, but Rutland at Christmas time was the best. Every store and building decorated to the nines. Plus we had a few days before Christmas to do some stuff.

"And those are?" He waited for me to continue but I didn't answer. Instead I stood up and grabbed my plate. "Aubrey." I ignored him, placing my dishes in the sink. With a wide grin I turned back to face him.

"I'm going to go shower first. Have fun doing the dishes." Before Knox could say another word I took off. I heard him yell something after me but I was laughing too hard to know what it was.

Since it was getting later I took a quick shower. Not bothering to wash my hair. It was going to be freezing outside, maybe even snowing. And I didn't have the energy to wash it. So a bun was going to have to do.

Slightly afraid that Knox would walk in while I was showering I made quick work of washing my body and getting out. But as soon as I got out and wrapped the towel around me I realized I never grabbed my clothes to change in the bathroom. Yep, I'm a complete idiot.

My only hope was to either to go out there and change in my room, taking the chance that Knox could walk in at any moment. Or wait until Knox gets in the shower while I hurry and change. But either way I would have to go into my room in just a towel.

Greattt.

With no other options I wrapped my towel tighter around my shivering body and opened my bathroom door. My bedroom door opened the same time I popped my head out. Perfect timing as Knox.

"What are you doing?" Knox raised an eyebrow at me.

"I forgot my clothes." I kept my body out of sight and tugged the towel closer to me. The fact that Knox was still shirtless, front and center in my mind.

"And you are hiding the bathroom why?"

"I'm not hiding." I huffed. "I'm waiting for you to get in the shower so I can change."

"What if I don't want to shower?" The smirk that grew on his face made me scowl.

"I'm not letting you watch me get dressed."

"I'd be more than happy to help you instead of watch." Knox's smirk seemed to grow the more he talked.

"In your dreams." I shot back but instantly regretted when his eyes lit up. "Ew stop! Forget I said anything." Knox chuckled. The sound making my insides warm. I wasn't going to admit it out loud but I was enjoying this side of Knox. He was being flirty and teasing. Different than what I've seen from him.

"Just go get in the shower." I whined, finally moving out from the doorway and into the room. I avoided his eyes as I gripped my towel. It felt like his gaze was burning through the towel.

I couldn't let that heated stare get to me. Feeling anything for Knox wouldn't be a good choice. This was a temporary thing anyways. And the moment I caught feelings I would get hurt; something I wasn't too keen on.

Yes I found Knox attractive. Super attractive. But thats all it could be. Nothing more.

With my back turned to him I felt him finally go towards the bathroom. When I heard the door shut I let out a breath. Just being in a room with Knox was bad enough, and to do it practically naked and him shirtless, it was like torture.

Knox just seemed to take the entire room up. Besides the fact that he was tall and his shoulders were wide, his mere presence seemed to take up room.

Shaking my head at myself I went over towards my suitcase. I didn't have that much time to get change so I better hurry up. Don't want to be mid-change when he comes back out.

Even though it was going to be cold I wanted to look somewhat good. Standing next to Knox I would have to try and look pretty. So sadly sweats were out of question. After putting on the essentials, I grabbed a pair of black skinny jeans-opting for no rips because of the cold.

To squeeze into the jeans was a bit harder than I anticipated. I ended up bouncing around my room, squatting and stretching my legs out to get the jeans on. By time I got them on I was out of breath. Yep, I need to hit the gym when I get home.

Hearing the water still going I dropped the towel, standing there in my bra and jeans. Humming under my breath I searched for a cute top to wear, even though I was 90% sure I would be wearing a coat the entire day.

Too involved in my humming and searching I didn't hear the shower stop. After pulling out almost all of my clothes I finally found a cute maroon thick sweater to wear. Of course to my absolute luck, I leaned back up holding my sweater just as the bathroom door opened.

It was like time slowed down as I turned around, sweater gripped in my hand, to face the bathroom. Knox walked through the door only to stop at the sight of me. Both of us stood there gawking at one another.

Clad in only a towel around his waist. Brown hair wet and sticking up in every direction. Water running down his bare chest. The towel hanging so low I could see the V-Lines pointed south. My mouth instantly went dry at the sight.

As I gawked at Knox he was doing the same to me. His green eyes darkening as he took in my half dressed body.

It took a good minute before my head cleared. My eyes going wide I quickly turned around, looking away from Knox's body, and shielding my chest.

"Why didn't you knock!" I yelled.

"Knock as I left the bathroom? I thought you'd be done by now!" My comment was stupid but he had me flustered.

"Just...just put some clothes on!" A quick glance over my shoulder I noticed he had moved towards the bed and away from the bathroom. Without another word I ran to the bathroom once more and shut the door behind me.

The image of Knox practically naked burned in my mind forever.