Page 36 of Wish You Would

I need to tilt my chin to look him in the eyes.

Not smart.

When my eyes meet his, every doubt in my mind and every sound from the restaurant fades until it’s just the two of us.

“I’m fine,” I tell him.

“Aren’t you having fun?”

“I’m having a great time.” Especially with him. “I just needed a minute to think.”

“Were you going to leave without saying goodbye to our friends?”

“Our friends are still partying.”

Holden turns me in his arms, so my back is against his chest. His breath tickles the side of my cheek, and every inch of my skin comes alive, including the space between my thighs. “So let them,” he says, his voice shallow and gravely. “I’d like to take my girlfriend home.”

NINE

EYE-FUCKED THE LIFE OUT OF EACH OTHER

Briar

The house is dark except for the lamp that Holden left on in the living room. It’s also quiet. As quiet as it was in the back of the Uber on our way home from Catch 21.

The liquor is wearing off and I think we’re both very aware of the flirting that went on between us all night.

My mind is all over the place. What did Holden mean when he saidI’d like to take my girlfriend home?I mean, is there any other way to interpret that? Especially with the way he was looking at me when he said it. But then we got into the car, and he didn’t so much as look at me once for the entire drive home. This man is going to be the death of me.

Holden rolls up his sleeves as he walks into the kitchen and flicks on the light. “Want a nightcap?”

“What do you have in mind?”

I know what’s onmymind, and it has nothing to do with a nightcap. I’m thinking about his hand on my knee under the table, his breath on my neck, how we eye-fucked the life out of each other all night. Is Holden having the samethoughts? I’m desperate to know, but I refuse to ask him. Instead, I have withdrawn. Hooking up with Holden would be playing with fire.

“An old fashioned? Or I can make you a cup of tea.”

“Tea sounds perfect.” I think we’ve established that alcohol can get us into trouble.

Holden fills the kettle and places it on the stove and then pours himself a tumbler of whiskey on the rocks.

“It’s so peaceful here at night,” I say, hopping up on the counter, watching him drop a tea bag in a mug for me.

“I don’t know how Tucker was ever able to leave Haven Harbor,” he says. “I’m not sure I ever could.”

“You’re renting this house, right?”

“I am, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to purchase it one day. The lady that owns it has said for a while that she’s thinking about selling. I told her I’d be interested when she does.”

The kettle starts to whistle so Holden turns off the burner and fills the mug then brings it to me. His hand brushes against mine as I take it from him, and even that is enough to spark a response in me.

The guy is hot. That’s the only reason I react to him this way. That doesn’t mean we have intense sexual chemistry.It doesn’t mean I want anything more to happen between us. If I tell myself that enough times, maybe I’ll start to believe it.

“Thanks,” I say, letting the cup warm my hands. “I hope it works out. The house would be a great investment.”

Holden takes a few steps back and leans against the counter, one ankle crossed over the other, looking totally at ease. He takes a long sip from his glass.

“Tell me where you’d want to go if you weren’t afraid of flying.”

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