Page 87 of In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes

I shrugged. “Just getting a little exercise in.”

He stared at me. If anyone could look hot in a black rain parka, it was Holden. The dark color made his eyes stand out even more. And those lashes. So unfair. His hair was damp, like he just got out of the shower.

He studied the ground I had just filled in.

“I was burying the dildo,” I explained.

He rolled his eyes with a grin.

“It’s cursed, Holden. I need to get rid of it. And this way, someone will find it in a hundred years and think aliens made a stop in Queen’s Cove.”

“Okay.” His eyes were warm as he watched me. “Got you a coffee. It’s back at the inn.”

I brightened up. “Thank you.” We walked through the forest back to the inn. Although it wasn’t raining, the air was damp, intensifying all the fresh forest scents. The ground was soft under our feet and a squirrel chased another up a tree. The fir trees stretched high into the sky, strong and solid.

Kind of like Holden.

“It’s nice here,” I said as we walked. “The forest is so peaceful.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he looked at me. “Mhm.”

“You live near a forest, right?”

He nodded. “I had a part of the forest cleared and built a house in the middle.”

Something occurred to me. “How come I’ve never seen your place?”

“It’s in the middle of the woods. It’s a long drive.”

I studied him as we walked. Maybe he was worried I’d come over and never leave. Or maybe he had something in his house he didn’t want me to see.

“I know your secret,” I told him with raised eyebrows.

He stilled and his wary gaze shot to mine. “You do?”

I nodded. “Mhm. You’ve got a weird doll collection.”

He relaxed. “That’s it. You got me.”

“Do you brush their hair every night?”

He nodded with a mock serious, stoic expression. “They all sleep in my bed with me.”

I laughed, cringing. “Ew. That’s weird.”

We stepped out of the forest and walked across the lawn to the inn.

“What do you want to do at the inn today? We could knock down another wall.” I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

His eyes were warm. When he looked at me like that, affectionate and sweet, a thrum hit me in my chest.

“Sure. You can use your big dildo energy.”

I tilted my head with a scowl and his eyes glittered as he tried not to laugh. “We’re not calling it that.”

“What, big dildo energy?

“Ew. Holden. Stop repeating that or I’ll tell everyone you snuggle Cabbage Patch dolls and you’ll never find a wife.” I opened the door and held it for him. “Now, where’s that coffee you so graciously brought me?”

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