Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
I can’t help but bite my lip again, but for another reason entirely. I wonder if he opened the lingerie box.
“Hi, Jeanie!” I call out, waving at the manager of Mama’s Deli, who smiles widely and waves back.
“It’s moving day,” she says happily. “How fun. This is such a cute little house. It’ll be perfect for you.”
“You can keep the change,” Holden says with a wink.
“You’re sweet. Thank you. Don’t work too hard.” Jeanie waves again, and then Holden closes the door, carrying the sandwiches to the kitchen.
“Hungry?” he asks.
“Fucking starving,” Brooks answers, and Holden tosses him a wrapped sandwich.
“Is that lunch?” Bridger asks as he joins us, and Holden tosses him a sandwich. “Nice. Thanks, man.”
“I’m still pissed at you,” Holden says, glaring at Bridger, but his words have less bite than before, and Bridger just grins when he takes a bite out of what looks like turkey on wheat. Holden turns to me, his expression softening, and smiles at me. Goddamn it, he needs to take that smile elsewhere. “Here. I got you the Italian.”
How can he push my world off of its axis with a fucking sandwich?
“Thanks.” I blink and accept the sandwich. He remembered my favorite.
Because, of course, he did.
That son of a bitch.
I keep my face neutral as I unwrap my lunch and take a bite. It’s damn good.
“So, your lingerie is interesting,” Holden says, and Bridger smirks. “Shoes. A computer cord. Playing cards. A night-light. I believe there was a spider in there.”
“There was not!”
He laughs. “Why’d you label it that?”
“To get a rise out of the guys.” I’m smug when I take another bite out of my sandwich. “Looks like it worked. Besides, I’m not really a lingerie kind of girl. I sleep naked.”
I shrug a shoulder as Bridger and Brooks both choke on their food.
Holden stops chewing, his eyes hot on mine. They journey down my body and up again, as if he’s undressing me with those gorgeous blue orbs, and my freaking nipples betray me by tightening under his scrutiny.
Of course, the jerk doesn’t miss that. He smirks and takes another bite of his sandwich.
“I’m going to haul the empty boxes out of here,” Brooks declares, brushing crumbs off his hands before he starts to gather the cardboard. “Looks like we got most of them unpacked.”
“You guys were a huge help, and I’m grateful.” I break myself out of Holden’s spell and set my lunch aside so I can help the guys gather the empties, break them down, and set them by the front door.
Finally, when pretty much everything is done and good to go, the Blackwell brothers each offer me a hug.
When it’s Bridger’s turn, he whispers in my ear, “Call me if you need me.”
I ignore Holden’s growl as I smile up at my friend. “Always. Thanks, guys. Tell Birdie I said hi.”
They wave, and then they’re gone, and I’m left with the one man on this earth that I do not want to be alone in a room with.
He watches me as I wrap up half of my sandwich and set it in the fridge. I pull out a plastic garbage bag and line the can before setting it under the sink, and then I tug a couple of Clorox wipes out of a tub and wipe down the countertops.
“Are we done talking, then?” he asks softly.
“I’m honestly talked out,” I reply. I just want him to go so I can relax and let my mind start to unravel everything that has happened today. After tossing the wipe in the trash, I move to the back door and open it, then step out onto the patio.
I love that there are screens that lower with a remote, closing in the patio so I can avoid bugs in the hottest months. I walk to the edge of the stone surface and wrap my arms around my middle, taking a deep breath.
I feel him join me, and from my peripheral vision, I see him step up beside me, crossing his arms over his chest, taking in the fresh air.
Being near him shouldn’t be this easy. It should be awkward as fuck, and I should scream for him to get out.
That’s what I should do.
But I don’t.
And we stand like this, quiet in the spring afternoon, listening to the birds. I want to lean into him, so I lean away, and he sighs beside me.
Suddenly, he reaches up and tucks my hair behind my ear, the way he did back then.
And just like then, it sends a jolt right down my spine.
“You could destroy me.” I didn’t plan to say it out loud, even in a whisper, and heat floods my cheeks.
“Same goes, Millie.” He drops his hand, not touching me anymore, and without another word, he leaves. I can hear his footsteps through the house and then the front door closing.