Page 92 of Holly versus Mr. Ivy
I looked at her helplessly. “You’re the one yawning and acting all put out that she was staying. Of course Dee knows you want to get me alone and have your way with me.”
Holly brought her hand up to her mouth, dropped it, then pointed between Deidre and me with narrowed eyes. “You know what? Maybe I’ll leave you two alone. Let you jokesters have some time together.”
I figured since we’d done a terrible job of keeping our relationship a secret, it wouldn’t matter if I hugged Holly in front of her mom. Snatching Holly around her waist, I pulled her to my chest. Holly weakly struggled against me but quickly gave in. “As much as I like your company, Dee, I would enjoy having some privacy with your daughter.”
Deidre grinned. “Ha!” She pointed at us. “I knew it.”
“Mom, you can’t tell anybody about us,” Holly pleaded. “We’ll both get fired if Anthony Ivy finds out.”
“Who am I going to tell?”
Holly’s shoulders shrugged against my sides. “Aunt Bridget? Trevor? Noah? Your doctor? Seriously, any slip, and they accidentally say something to someone else and the next thing you know, you and I are homeless.”
She held her hands out. “Okay, mum’s the word. But for the record, I’m very happy about this. Thank you for an early Christmas present.”
Deidre’s happiness had not factored into my decision to fall for Holly, but I’d take the added perk. “It’s our pleasure,” I said.
“I’ll see you in an hour.” Deidre left for her room, leaving Holly and me alone at last.
“Well, that was awful.” Holly looked up at me.
Our height difference made hugging and talking difficult. Either Holly got a crick in her neck, or my back strained. I pulled her to the couch, settling her in my lap and rubbing my hand up and down her back. “I enjoyed it.”
“Psh.” She smacked my chest. “Of course you did.”
“Random question.”
Holly eyed me suspiciously. “What?”
“What’s your guilty pleasure? And you can’t say books because I already know about your obsession.”
The look she gave me—her eyes dilating, a hunger in them—made it clear the answer wasme.
Giddy-up.My pulse took off as fast as a race horse.
“Let me show you,” Holly practically purred.
Milliseconds later, her lips were on mine.
Fun fact: there were no cameras inside The Boardwalk, only in the parking lot. Sunday afternoon when Holly got to work and came to my office to say hello, I closed the door behind her, immediately pushing her up against it and capturing her lips in mine.
She pushed me away, but the second I confirmed we were alone with no one watching, Holly climbed me like a monkey until she was in my arms (injured hands notwithstanding), her legs wrapped around my waist with me supporting our weight with the door behind us.
We made out like famished souls, and the cure, each other. We finally settled when it was close to the time our employees would be arriving. Holly combed her fingertips through my hair, settling it back into place, a satisfied smile on her face.
“I like that look on you,” she said happily.
“Bedhead?”
She slowly shook her head, a twinkle in her eye. “Make-out hair.”
I chuckled and helped her twist her shirt back into its normal position and told her I’d help her put some lip balm on her red lips. Lips that were swollen because of me. I had to look away before the heat rushing around in my stomach pushed me to ignore all sense of reality and whisk Holly away to a lone cabin in the woods. Content we weren’t too disheveled, Holly went to her office, leaving me alone. With her gone, the room felt extra lonely.
We survived the meeting with Uncle Anthony. He was as stern and difficult as ever, but just looking at Holly sitting next to me had calmed me. The overwhelming thoughts didn’t take control and cause an anxiety attack. Anthony wasn’t pleased with our progress and repeatedly reminded us that I’d lose my promotion and Holly her job if we didn’t meet the goal.
We assured him we would come out victorious. If it took me cold-calling people to get them into the restaurant, I would. If I had to rent a weird costume and wander the streets passing out flyers, I would. Because failing wasn’t an option when so much was on the line.
The next few weeks at work, we managed to keep away from one another while employees were there, but as soon as we were alone, we took advantage of our freedom. I’d even brought in some mistletoe I hung—and took down every night—above my desk, the hallway outside our offices, and in the lobby. Every chair, desk, and wall was used while we familiarized ourselves with each other’s mouths, necks, and jaws. My feelings for Holly grew with every moment we shared, and not just because of the kissing, but that was most certainly a highlight. The thing about Holly was she was passionate and fierce, but she had a tender side that undid me.
