Page 24 of Wish You Would

Removing my phone from my back pocket, I toss it on the dresser, then I pull the hem of my T-shirt over my head. A noise from the hallway draws my attention, and I turn to find Briar standing just outside the open bedroom door. Her eyes are glued to my torso, her mouth slightly open.

“Oh, hi,” I say, enjoying the feeling of having her eyes on me a little too much.

Her cheeks turn pink, and she tears her gaze away, walking to the nightstand on the side of the bed that has become hers. “Hi. Sorry, um, I didn’t realize you were back. I was just grabbing my book.”

“Just got home two minutes ago. I’m going to have a quick shower,” I tell her, standing in place, noticing the way my bare chest seems to be making her feel frazzled. I run a hand over my stomach just to drive her crazy.

“Don’t let me stop you,” she says with a slight crack to her voice, her eyes lifting to meet mine. “I’m going to read my book for a bit, then I thought I’d watch a movie if you want to join me?”

I nod. “Sounds good,” I tell her, but she’s already headed out the door like the bedroom is on fire.

“I made us popcorn,”Briar announces when I walk into the living room after my shower. I look around the house that until just a few days ago was mine alone. Briar’s strawberry-embroidered slippers have been kicked off in the middle of the room, a hair scrunchie sits on the side table next to the couch. And then there’s the stack of romance novels with half-naked dudes on the cover that are now sitting on my side table. Those have to go. I can just hear the shit the guys would say if they ever saw them. I would never live it down.

Briar shifts her legs so there’s room for me on one end of the couch, and I sink down into it. Feeling my head throb, I rub my temples with my fingertips.

“Are you okay?” Briar’s voice is laced with concern.

I nod and force a smile, not wanting her to worry. “It’s nothing. I just have a headache. I get them all the time and I hate taking pills, so I just try to ride them out.”

“Have you had that checked out?”

“Yes, Bee. I’m not dying. They seem to run in my family. My dad gets them too.”

“Maybe I can help? I give good massages.”

My heart races at the thought of having Briar’s hands on my body. I start to tell her again that I’m fine, but she’s already up off the couch and pushing the coffee table towards the center of the room.

“Sit on the floor, Holden.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to massage your neck muscles and it’s easier if you’re on the floor, so I have some leverage.”

“Briar—”

As she approaches, my eyes lower to take in her mostly bare body: her toned legs on display under an oversized T-shirt. Her smooth skin the color of bronze from the sun. Is she even wearing shorts under that thing?

I lower myself to the floor and feel my cheeks flood with heat as she climbs onto the couch behind me. As she spreads her legs wide and guides my back in between her parted thighs, my mouth goes dry. I want to run my hands up her calves then over her knees and up her thighs until they reach the hem of her T-shirt. I want to find out what she’s wearing under that damn shirt.

But as soon as Briar moves an inch closer, her petite body closing in on me, the swoosh of my heartbeat pounds in my ears, bringing me back to the moment. My eyes squeeze shut and then Briar’s hands are on me. Every bit of her is crowding every inch of me and it feels so good.

My breathing seems to stop entirely as I bend my head forward and relax into her touch.

“I found the knot that’s causing you the pain,” she says as she pulls down the neck of my T-shirt and her hands drift over my bare skin. “No wonder you have a headache. You are wound so tight. This knot is huge.”

I wince when her hand applies pressure on the bundle of muscles in my right shoulder blade.

“Relax, Holden. Just breathe until it loosens.”

I do exactly that, closing my eyes, stretching my head to the side. A moan slips past my lips as she continues to rub the same spot in tiny circles.

“This would be easier if you weren’t wearing your shirt.”

“You want me to take off my shirt?”

“It would be easier.”

Taking in a stuttering breath, I grab the fabric at the neck with one hand and pull the shirt over my head, dropping it on the floor next to me. I feel her warm hands return to my shoulders but this time when they do, my skin erupts in a shiver. My muscles tense.

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