Page 84 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

I narrowed my eyes. Huh?

He pulled the enormous alien dildo out of the bag and Holden choked on his beer. My heart stopped and my stomach plummeted.

“We can’t sell items of a personal nature like this,” Don said with an apologetic expression. “Although someone on Facebook Marketplace might be interested.”

My face turned beet red. Fuck, the bag had been out by the garbage bins, and it must have gotten mixed up in the donations. “I didn’t mean to donate that.” I grabbed the dildo and the bag from Don before other people spotted it.

“Um.” Olivia stopped behind Don and Holden, wide eyes on the dildo as I stuffed it into the bag. “What the fuck was that?”

“It was nothing,” I told her. “You saw nothing. It isn’t mine.”

Don shook his head. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has needs.”

Holden’s fist covered his mouth as his chest shook.

“Don, I’m really sorry about this.” I clutched the bag to my chest. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

Don shrugged. “Everyone at the store already saw.”

My face burned harder as I stowed the bag in the back. When I returned, Don had left. Holden and Olivia burst out laughing.

“Really?” Olivia said. “That big?”

I groaned and shot Holden a look. “Tell her.”

He took a sip of his beer and shook his head, grinning. “I’m not involved in this.”

Him and Olivia burst into laughter again.

“I didn’t mean to donate it,” I said, wincing as I leaned on the bar. “Do you think everyone knows?”

They exchanged a glance. “Yes,” they said in unison.

I put my forehead on the counter top with a groan.

Later, when the bar hit a lull, I took a break on the stool beside Holden.

“I have a question for you.” I had been thinking about it all day.

He took a sip of beer, waiting.

“Why do you want to get married so bad?”

He thought about it. “It looks nice.”

My brow wrinkled. “Define nice.”

“Taking care of someone, having someone to take care of you. Sharing a life with someone. Building something together. Loving someone. Raising kids.” He shot me a glance. “Waking up with someone every day.”

My heart skipped a beat.Friends with benefits, I chanted in my head. He knew the deal. He knew that wouldn’t be me.

I tried to picture this euphoric experience Holden described but all I could see was Grant holding out a ring. My stomach churned. I could admit now I didn’t even like the ring he bought me. It wasn’t me at all.

I sipped my soda water. “It’s a huge commitment. It’s like getting a dog.”

His mouth turned up. “I’d get a dog.”

I rolled my eyes but grinned. “I can just see it. The dog would sit in the passenger seat and go with you everywhere.”

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