Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“You’re not boring me. I think you’re fascinating,” I commented, unthinking.
He shook his head and snickered. “I don’t think you’re fascinated with my mind, Ezra.”
He was so wrong.
Christ, I’d never thought Holden was boring. He was…complex, interesting, eclectic, and brilliant. And his enthusiasm for learning was contagious. I had no doubt his students loved him. They probably placed bets on whether he’d wear a hat or a great coat to class, and looked forward to hearing how he’d tie the upheaval of the French Revolution to a new scientific discovery. There was something extraordinarily comforting about knowing there was someone out there who gave a shit about those details.
His solid presence eased something deep inside me, making my list of worries seem insignificant. Of course I’d pass the bar, of course Rossman would hire me without making me jump through ridiculous hoops, of course I’d find a place to live when our lease was up, and of course I’d come out…eventually.
But I didn’t say any of that. My new powers were a tad limited, so I waggled my brows instead and licked my very clean spoon.
“Fine. I’m fascinated with your ass too,” I blurted in a low voice.
Holden froze mid-chew, then started in his seat and turned a pretty shade of pink when Cole sauntered toward the table, mug in hand.
“What are you two whispering about?”
“Uh…”
“History,” I replied, my knee still fused to Holden’s.
Cole grunted in acknowledgment. “Oh, right. How’s the fund-raiser prep going?”
“Good,” we replied in unison, carefully avoiding eye contact.
“Cool. Hey, Ez, don’t forget we’re meeting the listing agent in Santa Monica tonight at six. Check your email for info.”
That was news to me, but I gave a thumbs-up anyway. “Sure.”
“I’m grabbing a shower before you guys use all the hot water. Have a good one,” Cole called out as he shuffled away.
Holden stared after him for a moment, then gathered his dishes. “You’re looking at houses already?”
“I guess. Cole wants to live in Santa Monica near Beth and work,” I said. “Worth checking out. What are you doing tonight?”
“We have rehearsals this evening. I know your schedule is tight, but you’re welcome to join us.”
“I can’t tonight, but I’ll have more time after the bar.” I met him at the sink and bopped his hip so he scooted aside. “Let’s hope I pass on the first try. I don’t want to go through this again.”
He cocked his head quizzically. “Do you feel unprepared?”
“No, I think I’ll be fine. I’ve been preparing for this for years. I’ve taken the bar review course, joined the study groups, completed practice exams, and put in over five hundred hours of study time. It helps that I currently have no social life and that my team is on summer break.” I drizzled liquid soap on a sponge and washed my dishes. “I work, study, and now…I’m in a Renaissance fair. You know, I used to be cool.”
“Correction. You thought you were cool,” he replied primly, plucking a clean dish towel from a nearby drawer. “As I tell my eighteen-year-old students, one doesn’t attain estimable hipness until one develops the capacity to make informed, uncoerced decisions.”
My smile hurt my face as I rinsed a mug and handed it to him. “You’re probably right. But FYI, when you say shit like ‘estimable hipness’ your cool factor is severely compromised.”
Holden chuckled, his glasses slipping adorably as he lowered his chin. And yes, he was definitely blushing.
“Fine. I don’t know how to be cool, but I do know that if you’re prepared, you’ll certainly pass. As the sports people say…you’ve got this.”
His geeky finger-snap followed by more fidgeting with his glasses was cute as fuck. I set the newly washed dishes on the counter and turned off the faucet as I faced him, overwhelmed by a sudden rush of affection.
“Thank you.” I glanced toward the doorway before leaning in to kiss his cheek.
Holden’s eyes fluttered wildly. “Y-you’re welcome.”
And there it was again…that head in the clouds, heart in my throat, dizzy as fuck feeling that left me swaying on my feet with a goofy-ass look on my face. It was crazy that a simple kiss could cause that kind of reaction.
This wasn’t a bi-exploration feeling. This was Holden. This was what he did to me. What he’d been doing to me for months—turning me inside out and upside down.
I couldn’t resist him. I leaned in again and this time, brushed my lips over his in a whisper of a touch. Maybe it wasn’t smart to make out in the kitchen with a roommate in the house, but damn, the hitch of his breath and the feel of his body heat was like a drug. I had to taste him.
I palmed his neck to draw him to me and fused my mouth to his.
No tongue, no bright blaze of burning desire…just the slide of lips in a sweet, unhurried connection. Holden’s hand drifted from my waist to my hip as he leaned into me and briefly closed his eyes. Fuck. I could have happily stayed like this with him in my arms for the rest of my life. Everything about it felt right and good and—