Here goes nothing.
THIRTEEN
SELENE
For a moment, I forgot Holt only took me out tonight because he won this date at a charity auction.
Now, though, I remember.
He’s staring at me across the table while I’m cursing my pussy for getting wet at the sight of him and the stupid way he sticks his tongue out slowly before swiping it across his bottom lip. Or the way he works his fingers across his chin, scratching at the small shadow of stubble lining his sharp jaw. Or the way his voice is like weighted velvet, floating through the air before shooting straight for my heart, making it feel like I’ve been struck by Cupid’s arrow.
“So, what do you think?” he asks, shoving the last bite of chocolate cake into his mouth.
I watch him chew, working the food in his mouth before he swallows it. His thick neck bobs with the motion, and I cross my legs under the table, squeezing my thighs together until they ache.
Blinking away my thoughts, I force myself to take another drink of wine. We’ve nearly killed two bottles between us. “Think of what?”
His eyes darken as he points his fork at the plate. “Of the cake?”
“Oh.” I shiver, shaking my head. I need to snap out of this. “It’s good.” I quickly shove another bite of cake into my mouth and force myself to eat it.
Holt’s eyes fall to my mouth, watching me chew.
When I’m finished, I lick my lips and lift my napkin to wipe my mouth. “What do you think of it?”
He averts his gaze and smirks.
“What?” I ask.
He frowns as he drops his fork, sits back in his seat, and takes a deep breath, running his hands over his thighs under the table. Then he’s looking back up at me. “I’m not a fan of chocolate flavored things. Chocolate on its own is good, but brownies or cake? Not so much.”
“So, you don’t like chocolate cake?”
“Not really.” He scrunches his nose.
I laugh under my breath, realizing he only agreed after I’d suggested ordering it. I tip my head to the side. “What type of cake is your favorite, then?”
“Coconut.”
I grin. Then I start laughing out loud. It feels good.
“Is that funny?” he asks, staring at me with those shining blue eyes of his.
My world spins the longer I stare at them and my laughter fades. The longer we’ve been sitting here, the more comfortable I’ve become. I’m enjoying Holt’s company.
“It isn’t funny. There’s nothing wrong with coconut cake.” I shake my head and shrug. “Just surprising.”
“Well, I just shared something personal about me. Your turn.”
A familiar ache builds between us, and I reach up, touchingmy necklace again. “I’m really not that interesting. There’s nothing to tell.”
“That’s a lie but, here, I’ll make it easier for you.” Holt pauses. “What’s the story with Adam?”
“Easy, huh?” I relax with a sigh. “There is no story.”
He tips his head forward as if he doesn’t believe me. He must know its bullshit after I practically begged him to get himself into a bidding war with Adam.
Holt’s brown strands of hair hang just above his eyebrows, and I want to run my fingers through them. I imagine tugging on them with his face between my legs, relieving the constant ache I’ve felt since he stepped out of his car to pick me up outside the flower shop.
