Page 51 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

My heart gave a little yearning tug. That looked nice.

“We’re going to grab a table.” Avery nodded to Holden. “You want to join us?”

He shook his head. “I’ll stay here.”

She glanced between me and him with a sparkle in her eye. “Okay.”

Once they were set up at a table and Emmett and Wyatt had drinks, I returned to the bar.

“Your family rocks.”

His gaze flicked down to me. His eyes were warm as he nodded. “Yep.”

I took a sip of my flavored soda water, holding his gaze. My face and neck felt warm. “That’s it? Yep?”

He smirked. “They like you. How’s that?”

“I already know they like me. I could tell you were talking about me while I was away.”

The corner of his mouth turned up higher. Bingo. My chest sparked and fizzed.

“Are you going to tell me what they said?”

He kept his eyes on the TV. “Nope.”

“Sadie,” Olivia called down the bar, holding up a bottle of raspberry cordial. “Do you need this?”

I nodded and reached for it to tuck it out of the way. “I’m mixing it with soda waters. Have you tried it? It’s amazing.” I slurped up the last of my drink. It was fizzy, sweet, and tart.

“Uh.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “How many have you had?”

I shrugged. “A few.” A song came on over the bar and I gasped in delight. “Oh my god. Olivia. Ilovethis song.” I reached up to the stereo system and turned the music up before I danced towards her.

She laughed and backed away from me. “No way. No dancing in here.”

“Come on.” I grabbed her arms and made her dance with me like a rag doll while she laughed and tried to fight me off. “You’re like Holden. You need to have more fun.”

I glanced over my shoulder at him. His eyes were on my backside, heated and focused, and a twinge hit me right between the legs.

“You’re next,” I told him. “I’m going to make you dance.”

He held back a grin and my heart flipped over.

21

Holden

“WHO WANTS A TEQUILA SHOT!?”Sadie called, holding the bottle high in the air, and the bar erupted in cheers.

She lined a row of shot glasses up and poured before handing them out. She picked up the last one and tossed it back.

I watched from my barstool, arms folded and eyes on her. She glanced at me with a sexy grin and winked.

Against my will, the corners of my mouth turned up.

She walked over, leaned across the bar toward me, and gestured for me to lean forward.

“I have a secret,” she whispered in my ear. Her breath tickled my neck and a shiver rolled down my spine. “I’m kind of drunk.”

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