Page 45 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

“Say hello to your date.”

I opened my eyes and glared at the blow-up doll sitting across from me. My gaze flicked to Sadie, doubled over in silent laughter, eyes sparkling.

“Isn’t she pretty?” Sadie asked.

The blow-up doll’s mouth gaped open and I cringed. “Where did you get this?”

“Facebook Marketplace.”

I stared at her. “It’sused?”

She blanched. “No, it’s not used. The guy said he bought it as a joke, just like I was.” She slid a wary glance at the doll.

“Did it have a box?”

Her eyes narrowed. “No?” Her expression turned horrified. “Oh god. It’s used. Ew!”

My mouth strained as I tried not to laugh. “And you want me to make conversation with this thing?”

She lifted the doll up and tossed her in the hall. “From what I’ve seen, you don’t need the practice.” Her eyes were warm and she shrugged. “You’re doing fine.”

With her, I was. Talking with Sadie was easy. Annoyance pinched me in the gut. Why her?

Her phone buzzed and she glanced at the screen before unlocking it. Her face lit up and she tilted the screen so I could see.

It was a candid photo of her, chatting with Wyatt and Hannah under the streetlight on Main Street, posted on the Queen’s Cove Instagram account, and she was fucking gorgeous.

I took the phone from her to study it.

She wore a red dress that showed off her incredible tits. Her hair was loose and wavy around her shoulders. She was mid-laugh, her eyes bright and sparkling.

“You look nice,” I murmured, memorizing the photo.

“That was Tuesday, before you bailed on me.”

I turned to her. “You looked likethisto go out on a date withme?”

A wash of pink grew on her face and she shrugged, taking her phone back. Our fingers brushed and the sensation of her soft skin against mine stole my attention.

She had gotten dressed up, put effort in and wore heels, and I acted like a fucking asshole because I was afraid of how much I wanted to go on a date with her.

Warmth pulsed in my chest at the idea that she dressed up to go out with me.

If we had gone out and she had wornthat dress, I definitely would have kissed her.

My gaze dropped to her plush mouth. Her teeth pinned her bottom lip as she watched me.

Blood pounded in my ears as my gaze alternated between her eyes and her mouth. Her gaze fell to my mouth, and my cock stirred.

I wanted to kiss her, and I think she wanted to kiss me, too.

As I looked into her eyes, energy crackled around us, and I pictured her using a vibrator again. I’d think about that image later in the shower with my hand wrapped around myself.

I could see her pulse going in her neck.

“Holden,” she breathed.

My hand came to her jaw, tracing the line until my thumb brushed over her bottom lip. Her shaky breath tickled as she exhaled, watching me with heavy eyes.

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