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umed. Though, that’s what happens when you’re at an all-inclusive resort. I manage to avoid most of the men who try to approach me, using all kinds of excuses – including that I’m a lesbian. It isn’t until I start slurring my words that Emily tries to intervene.
“Alright babes, I think we should go back to the room.” She lightly grabs my arm, but I pull it away.
“Why?” I mumble. “So I can go back and listen to how sorry he is? No, thank you. I’m having fun here.”
The bartender comes over and asks for my drink order, his eyes racking over what he can see of my body and looking as if he’s starving for it. Being as we’re in a pool and he’s not wearing a shirt, I must admit – he isn’t bad looking. Instead of letting Em talk, I place my finger over her mouth and turn around to flirt back with the cute man making heart eyes at me.
No more than ten minutes into our conversation, a fully clothed Holden jumps into the pool. He wades through the water before grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder.
“Hey man. What the hell do you think you’re doing?” The bartender shouts, but Holden ignores him.
Emily leans against the counter. “That’s her boyfriend, and I suggest you stop talking.”
I kick and scream for him to put me down, but give up much more quickly this time. Knowing from the last time he did this, he’s not going to listen. When we finally get back to the hotel, he places me down but maintains a firm grip on my wrist. I let him tug me into the elevator, but don’t dare to make eye contact. However, when Emily steps in next to me, I glare at her.
“You called him?!”
She frowns. “You were getting out of control and I was worried.”
“I was fine!”
“Oh, cut the shit, Kayleigh.” Holden barks. “You weren’t fine. You’re completely hammered and you were letting some local hit on you. Are you trying to get kidnapped and sold into sex trafficking?”
I roll my eyes but say nothing. When the elevator reaches our floor, my boyfriend pulls me toward our room.
“Thank you, Emily.” He says, trying to be soft but his anger is apparent. “I’ve got it from here.” She nods and gives me one last sympathetic look before going into her room with Brandon.
Holden and I step inside and he all but slams the door behind us. He goes into our suitcase and pulls out a pair of my shorts, underwear, and a tank top – tossing them onto the bed.
“Get changed and then go to bed.” He demands, stripping out of his own clothes to put on dry ones of his own.
I hesitantly untie my bathing suit, not entirely sure what to make of his cold tone. “So, we’re not going to talk tonight?”
Taking his phone from his wet pants pocket and trying to turn it on, he scoffs and throws it into the garbage. “No, not when you’re drunk.”
The two of us finish changing into dry clothes and climb into bed. Every inch of me screams for him to hold me, so that I know we’ll be alright, but I don’t say anything. While I love him and I understand his anger, I’m still hurt that he left me there. So instead of either of us trying to make anything better, he clicks off the light and we fall asleep with our backs to each other, for the first time in months.
THE LACK OF WARMTH in the bed causes me to wake, noticing Holden isn’t on the other side of it. I glance at the clock, seeing it’s 6:15 in the morning. His phone still lies in the garbage can, but I don’t need to call him to know where he is.
I throw on one of his sweatshirts and leave the room, getting into the elevator and pressing the button for the lobby. As soon as I get onto the beach, it only takes one look before I spot him – sitting alone and waiting for the sun to peak above the waterline.
“Hi.” I greet him shyly as soon as I get close.
He looks up at me only to look back down. “Hey.”
Sitting next to him, I find myself completely clueless on what to say. “Couldn’t sleep?” I mentally smack myself for deciding on that.
“Yeah, didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t. The absence of you did.” He looks at me with fondness in his eyes and I know that all hope isn’t lost. “I’m sorry I yelled at you last night, and for flirting with that guy.”
“Were you really going to leave with him?”
“God, no.” I balk. “I would never do that to you.” He sighs in relief. “But, I meant what I said. You can’t keep going around punching people. You have to trust me.”
He grabs my hand in his and holds it tenderly. “I do trust you. I trust you with my life.”
“Then you need to trust that no matter who hits on me or looks at me in any way, that nothing is going to happen.”
