Page 110 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

“How’s your arm?”

I untangled it from around his waist to show him the bandage Dr. Beck Kingston, a friend of Emmett and Avery’s, had applied in Avery and Emmett’s kitchen.

His eyes searched mine. “Does it hurt?”

“A little.”

He frowned. His jaw was so tight, and I reached up to brush my fingers over the tense muscles.

“Relax,” I whispered. “I’m okay. Everything is fine.”

His chest heaven for air and his eyes flickered with uncertainty. “You could have been injured.”

“But I wasn’t.”

“If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.”

I tangled my fingers into the back of his hair. “Will you shut up and kiss me already?”

His mouth covered mine and I felt his frustration, worry, and hunger as he took my mouth like he needed it to live. He stroked my tongue with his and I sighed into him. His hands framed my jaw and he tilted me open, devouring me.

There was a noise at the hallway and Emmett appeared, squinting from the light.

“Sorry,” I whispered. “Did we wake you up?”

He smiled. “It’s fine. Wanted to make sure Holden got back okay.”

Holden straightened up. “Thanks for picking her up. I’m going to take her to my place.”

I blinked at him. “What?”

Emmett shrugged and turned. “Okay. Goodnight, you two.” He disappeared down the hall with a wave.

“I don’t think I should stay at your place,” I whispered to Holden.

He glared at me. “I’m not asking. You can’t stay at the inn. It isn’t safe.”

I chewed my lip. Sparks popped and fizzed in my chest in anticipation. By going to his home, I sunk one inch deeper into Holden’s life, making it that much harder to claw myself out.

“My bag is already in their guest room.” I swallowed.

He scowled down at me. “No.”

I shivered at his firm, demanding tone.

Iwascurious about his place. Every time I brought it up, he changed the subject or said he had bad Wi-Fi.

“Fine,” I whispered, holding his heavy gaze. “But just for tonight.”

He shook his head. “Until the inn is fixed and the arborist checks every tree.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re so stubborn.”

He dropped a hard kiss onto my mouth before he pulled back to look into my eyes. “Yes, I am fucking stubborn, and the thought of you getting hurt makes me insane, so stop arguing, get your stuff, and get in the goddamn car so I can take care of you.”

This furious, bossy, protective version of Holden made me forget everything bad that had ever happened.

I nodded and bit my lip, and his gaze dropped to my mouth.

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