Page 37 of Holly Ever After

I run my thumb over the blush returning to her cheeks. “You’re my best friend’s sister. I’ve known you since we were both kids.”

She rolls her eyes. At least I think she does. “That’s a boring answer, especially after you just watched me vomit.”

“You’ve made a habit of that over the years.” I wink at her. “I remember a similar situation when you were nineteen.”

“Oh my God. The New Years Eve party.” She gags again.

I don’t know what I’m searching for in her returning gaze. Maybe it’s recognition. Does she know that’s the night I started falling for her?

“I mean,” she says slowly, her eyes slightly glazed from the alcohol, “I was a disaster that night. What with the neon green Jell-O shots and the dare to do the worm dance in the living room.” Her face scrunches up. “Why you guys let me do that is beyond me.”

“To be fair, we were all pretty sloshed. But you… you were a sight.”

She grins weakly, eyes still heavy with exhaustion. “Did you have to carry me to the bathroom then too?”

“No, but you threw up on my shoes.”

“Ugh.” She throws her head on my chest with a loud groan. When she doesn’t get back up after a minute, and there’s nothing but the sound of her even breathing, I know she’s asleep.

Careful not to wake her, I bring her to her bedroom and put her down under the sheets. She barely moves as I pull off her boots and cover her.

God, she’s so fucking beautiful. Her hair is fanned out across the pillows, her cheeks flushed from alcohol, a hint of a smirk quirking on her full lips.

I wonder what she’s dreaming about?

Just looking at her brings the memories swimming back.

That New Year's Eve night is burned into my brain like it happened yesterday. I'd walked into the party with the usual excitement and anticipation that came with ringing in a new year. The house was already buzzing with energy, the bass thumping from the speakers. But all the noise faded to the background the moment Holly entered.

I had never seen her quite like that before. She was no longer the little girl with scraped knees and hair constantly in a messy bun. That night, she wore a glittering dress that hugged her figure, showing off her long legs. My eyes were instantly drawn to her, and a feeling I couldn't quite understand took root deep inside.

Throughout the night, I found myself subconsciously tracking her every move. I laughed when she laughed, tensed when another guy approached her, and felt a pang of jealousy I'd never felt before. It was all so new, this intensity, and I didn't know what to do with it.

When I'd walked upstairs, it was to catch a break from the suffocating realization that something had changed. But the universe seemed to have other plans for me when I found Holly in the bathroom, struggling with the aftermath of one drink too many. As I held her hair back and made sure she was okay, there was a weird sense of déjà vu.

Once she'd cleaned up, we descended back to the main floor. The party had died down, most people gone or passed out in different parts of the house. But in the middle of the wreckage, it was just me and her. I sat her on the kitchen counter, handing her water to sip on, and when she was coherent enough, made her some coffee. It felt oddly intimate, feeding her, the silence only broken by her sleepy murmurs.

She sobered up and didn’t leave. Either did I.

I was already hyper-aware of every touch, every glance, every little smile she gave me. She was right there, and yet, it felt like there was a universe of unspoken words between us.

We laughed, and Christ, but she has a laugh that would make any man weak at the knees. I thought about leaning into kiss her more than once and then thought better of it.

It was the early hours of the morning when we settled on the couch, our tired bodies sinking into the soft cushions. As the hours ticked on, I felt her snuggle closer to me, her head resting on my chest. She was already asleep, but somehow that affected me more. That even in her sleep, she crept closer.

And I knew, from the moment I felt her pressed against me, I knew I was fucked.

Fifteen

Holly

I feel the press of kisses dancing up my inner thigh as my heart is ready to explode in my chest. Every touch of his lips has me grinding my hips into the mattress. My back arches, heat coiling low in my belly.

Calloused hands grip my thighs, pulling me closer as my knees fall to the side, inviting him in.

One flick of his tongue and I feel like I’m going to come undone, my body wound so tight I’m sure I’m ready to combust.

“Oh, God,” I cry out, as his tongue flicks back and forth before soothing the burn and creating circles with his tongue on my clit.

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