I squeezed Alyssa’s elbow before she could walk away. “You played an amazing game tonight.”
“Thanks, Coach.”
I turned and walked to my truck, parked in the front row. But I didn’t see Holden in the back seat. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even see his car in the lot. Had he ditched? I pulled out my phone and read the two texts.
Holden: I’m parked on the other side of the school, by the vocational building. Meet me there.
Holden: You coming?
Me: On my way.
His white electric vehicle was parked in a dark corner. The second I pulled in next to him, he hopped out and got into mytruck. I climbed out of the front and slid into the back next to him.
“Alrighty, lover boy.” I slid my phone out. “You ready to be grilled?”
He exhaled like he was mentally preparing to climb K2. “Exactly how cozy are we at this point in our ‘relationship?’ Arms around each other or just heads together?” But it was clear from the shake in his voice and the tremor in his hands, which he was trying to hide, that he needed a minute.
“Well, after that smokin’ hot kiss, I’d say they’re going to expect us to be all over each other.” I scooted back a couple of inches and turned to face him, resting my knee on his thigh. “Are you okay?”
He blinked but said nothing. Geez. He needed to loosen up. I’d get him laughing. Maybe that would help.
“Am I making younervous?” I sang and forced my right eye to twitch like a weirdo. “Don’t want to be in a back seat with Craaaazy Christy?”
He chuckled, but it was quiet. “No. Seddledowne is just…” He blew his breath out in an O. “Something else.”
What did that mean? Holden wasn’t an introvert. From his normally bubbly personality and his plethora of social media friends—he had more than three thousand on Facebook alone—it was clear he recharged by being around people. But tonight he looked drained.
“Would you like to share with the class? Back seat a.k.a judgment-free zone. Promise.” I criss-crossed my heart.
He blinked again and then shook his head.
I pulled out my phone and shot a text to Gabby.
Me: Give us fifteen minutes.
He read over my shoulder. “No, I can do it now.”
I chewed my bottom lip. “No way are you ready for the60Minutesinterview that’s about to go down. Your hands are shaking worse than my mom’s rat terrier, Joanie, when she has to go out and pee in a snowstorm.”
He grunted at my lame attempt to make him laugh.
“All right. I’m pulling out the big guns.” I scrolled through my apps and searched until I found his favorite episode ofThe Office. “You can’t be this stiff when we call. It needs to be believable. We’ll relax a little and take some time to get into character.” I lifted his ripped arm and wrapped it around my shoulder, tucking myself against his side. And, oh my word, he smelled so good. Hopefully, he wouldn’t feel how hard my heart was pounding.
He sat there, his arm stiff as a board, staring at the tiny screen on my phone.
“I still say Dinner Party is the best episode,” I whispered, trying anything to take his mind off of whatever was paralyzing him.
“No way.” He pointed to the screen. “This one’s got so many good parts. Save Bandit, Kevin loots the vending machine, Stanley’s heart attack, and stupid Michael not knowing how to do CPR so he shoves a wallet in Stanley’s mouth.” He threw his free hand out likeC’mon.
I opened my mouth to respond but he had the gall to shush me.
“Here it comes.” His eyes were twinkling with anticipation as Dwight heated the door handle with a welding torch.
Four minutes later, by the time Angela tossed Bandit into the ceiling and the cat fell through the other side, Holden was belly laughing and his hands had stopped shaking. His free hand slid over, picked up mine, and twined our fingers together. I leaned my head against his chest and let the beating of his heart thrum through me like a sound bath. If I’d been in the back seat with any other guy, I would’ve been finagling a plan to claw my way out of there.With Holden? I’d never felt safer. Once Dwight had cut the face off the CPR dummy and slapped it on his own like Hannibal Lector, Holden was slouched down in the seat, legs stretched, relaxed.
When Rowan and I had started dating, it was the first time I’d realized how good it felt to be touched. A handhold, a tight hug, a soft kiss. With Silas, it was the same. But with Holden, it wasn’t just good. Good was a completely inadequate description. Heady, throbbing, deliriously addicting. His skin on mine sparked every nerve ending in my body. His breath, which was grazing the side of my neck, was warm and sweet like a tropical breeze. I closed my eyes, taking it all in. But I needed more. So I scooted in deeper, leaning into the middle of his chest, hoping he’d take the bait.
Holden didn’t hesitate for a millisecond. Almost like he’d been waiting for permission, his arm tightened around my waist, and he pulled me into his lap, one hundred percent manhandling me. Our twined hands crossed my stomach and curled around the edge of my waist. Then he lowered his chin to my shoulder. And I swear he let out a small sigh. Yeah, I didn’t regret any of this. Not one little bit. He could manhandle me all he wanted here in this dark parking lot where no one was watching.
