Page 118 of Holden’s Resurrection

Charleigh burrowed closer, giving no indication she’d heard him so he repeated, “Gotta lock up the house.”

Her head tipped back and she pressed a kiss under his jaw while asking, “Will this talk take long?”

Fuck, he hoped not.

“It’ll go faster if you let me go lock up and get back to you.”

Holden felt her smile against his throat before she gave him another lip touch and stepped away.

He caught her before she could get too far, brushed her hair over her shoulder, and let his fingers glide through the soft strands.

So damn beautiful, his Leigh-Leigh.

“In the interest of saving time, it wouldn’t go unappreciated if you got into bed without your panties on.”

Holden watched her lips quirk before she nodded. “Noted.”

“Bra, too.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“We’ll see if you’re still saying that later when I get you on your knees.” He watched with no small amount of satisfaction when she shivered. “Not in the mood for gentle tonight,” he warned.

“Good, because neither am I.”

“Bed, baby,” he growled and turned to leave.

“You know it’s sexy when you grunt your demands.”

Fuck, now his dick was rock-hard and facing a long wait before he found any relief. His hand went into his jeans to make the necessary adjustments before he attempted to walk down a flight of stairs and he heard Charleigh’s soft giggle.

“You keep laughing, baby.”

And she did, she kept at it as he exited the bedroom. Even though he could no longer hear her as he walked around checking that the doors were locked and the lights were off, he was sure she was still up in his room laughing herself sick, thinking it was funny she could get his dick hard and ready with a few words. He used the time it took to get back upstairs wisely and plotted his revenge. There would be a whole lot of begging on her part before the night was over.

By the time he got back to the room, Charleigh was in bed, her back to the headboard, blanket up to her waist, and she obviously rummaged through his bag and nabbed one of his tees, something she used to do when they lived together, but something she hadn’t done since they’d been back together. Mainly because he’d done his best to keep her naked, making good use of their limited alone time.

But right then he appreciated the tee—her naked would distract him from the talk they needed to have.

Once he’d stripped off his clothes, he climbed in next to her, and even knowing it was a fool thing to do, Holden’s arm went around Charleigh and he tugged her to his side. Further, he continued the lunacy and cupped her bare ass.

It took three deep breaths to get his body under control, then he started.

“Sydney Powell.”

Charleigh jerked and her head tipped up.

“The girl I’m planning the party for?”

“Yeah. What are her parents like?”

“Rich.”

“No. What are they like? Good people, attentive parents, watchful?”

“Um…negative. They’re planning a blowout fifteenth birthday party so they can brag about having the party of the decade. They’re doing this because from what I’ve witnessed they mostly ignore her. Her dad is a workaholic and her mom likes to spend his money as fast as she can. Of course, I don’t know them well, but I do know a spoiled brat when I see one.”

Shit. That was what he was afraid of.