Page 113 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

“Where are your socks?” His voice was low and his gaze stayed on the mugs as he poured.

“I forgot them at the inn.”

He set the kettle down and abruptly walked out of the kitchen. He returned a moment later with a bundle before he dropped to his knees in front of me.

“Foot.” His gaze rose to mine and there was something behind his eyes. Warm, liquid heat. Something sweet, too. Caring and comfortable. My throat squeezed and without a word, I stuck my foot out.

Gentle and slow, he rolled a wool sock onto my foot. His fingers brushed the side of my foot and I twitched. His gaze shot to mine.

“Sorry. Ticklish.”

He smiled and resumed rolling the thick socks onto my feet, past my ankle, over my leggings and halfway up my calves. His touch was so soft and careful but I felt it all the way up my legs to the spot between my thighs. My heart beat between my legs. My gaze locked on him and his hands. Ripples of heat moved through my limbs and my skin felt electric.

Holden putting my socks on shouldn’t be so sexy.

He finished putting the other sock on me and straightened up. “Didn’t want you to have cold feet.”

“Thanks,” I whispered, and more crackles went off around us.

He gave me a short nod before picking up our mugs of tea and tilting his head at the living room. “Come on.”

He followed me to the living room. I turned and his gaze lifted from my backside.

“Were you staring at my ass?”

His eyes flashed with cheeky teasing. “Yes.”

I laughed and took a seat on the sofa, tucking my legs beneath me. He set the mugs on coasters on the coffee table in front of me before retrieving a blanket from the other side of the room, from a basket. He dropped it over me. It was cream, knit, and deliciously heavy and warm.

“Can I get you anything?” The low timber of his voice made me shiver again as he settled onto the couch beside me.

I shook my head and reached for my tea, blowing steam off it. “You don’t need to take care of me.”

“I like taking care of you.”

I bit back a smile and ignored the warm flush in my chest. “I like it, too.”

His eyes warmed when I said that and he relaxed further. His gaze stayed on me.

“I like you here. I don’t want you to leave.”

Did he mean he didn’t want me to leave after tonight, or ever? My pulse picked up, beating hard in my chest.

I swallowed. I could see the surface but I sunk deeper, and the worst part was Ilovedit here. Not just in his home, but in his life. Panic whirled in my head.

I needed a distraction.

“I have an idea.” I set my mug back on the coaster. “Blanket fort.”

He blinked and bemusement passed over his face.

“When I was a kid,” I explained, “I would get scared during storms so I would make blanket forts.” I stood, surveying the room. “We should make one. Where are your blankets?” I found the basket he had pulled my blanket out of. There were three more in there.

Holden sat frozen on the chair with his head turned toward me, watching me pull blankets out of the basket. “Blanket fort,” he repeated.

“It’ll be cozy and fun,” I told him. I reached out and poked the side of his mouth. His eyes followed my finger and when it touched his lip, the corner jumped. A flash of a smile. My breath caught. “You’re getting so good at having fun, Holden.”

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