AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Honestly? A little. Bethany is harmless, and the sooner you purge the whole situation out of your system, the better.” He reaches up, flicks at my bun. “Can you take your hair down? I want to see it out.”
I scoff. “You’re telling me what to do now?”
“No. I’m telling you what I’d like to see andaskingif you’ll do it for me.” He stares at me, challenging, his smile widening with each passing second. “You can always say no.”
“No,” I state, raising my chin in defiance.
His chuckle is soft, just loud enough for the butterflies in my stomach to hear, to move, toflutter.“You want to make out then?”
My grin is ridiculous. “Esme’s home. She can probably see us.”
Holden smirks, then drags both my legs over his. Arms around me, he settles his nose in the crook of my neck, inhales deeply before saying, “Esme can watch.” His hand moves up the inside of my thigh—large and rough—sending goose bumps floating across my skin. I turn my head, just slightly, just enough to meet his mouth with mine. The moment our lips touch, his fingers curl, digging into my flesh. He moans, deepening the kiss. His tongue slides along mine as he grips my nape, holding me to him. Then he adjusts us, so I’m sitting directly on his lap, all so he can show me the effect I’m having on him. I push down, grinding against him. “God, I’ve fucking missed you,” he says against my lips.
I pull back an inch, search his eyes—see the truth in his words beneath the lust setting the forest ablaze.“Me too,” I whisper.
“I can’t stop thinking about you, Jamie.” He doesn’t hold back when he kisses me again. And those butterflies in my stomach?
They fly.
Soar.
Right out of my chest and into his hands.
* * *
“I toldmy mom we’d be over for dinner, so I’ll take you back to your place to get whatever you need for the night, and then we’ll go.”
That’s way too much information in a single sentence, and I don’t know which piece I want to pick apart first. I look around the diner, then lower my gaze to the burger and fries on the plate in front of me. “Aren’t we having dinner now?”
Holden scoffs, his grilled sandwich poised halfway to his mouth. “This is a snack.”
I push my plate toward him. “You eat it,” I say. “My stomach isn’t capable of handling both meals.”
“Weak.”
I watch him eat for a few minutes before asking, “We’re having dinner with your mom?”
He nods.
“Why?”
He shrugs.
“And I’m staying at your house?”
He nods again.
“Why?”
He shrugs again.
“Did I agree to this?”
Holden sighs as he leans forward. “You can always say no, Jamie.”
* * *
I didn’t say no.
