I look down at Holden; his eyes are wide, pupils huge, but it isn’t out of fear. I know what he went through during his time in hell, but he isn’t afraid of this; he is feeling it too.
I let his arms go, but before I can move, he latches onto my arms and jerks me, so we are chest to chest. He slants his mouth over mine, surprising me, and making me freeze. Does he feel this attraction too? He pulls back just as fast. “Sorry,” he mutters, “I just…never mind.” He shoves at my chest, but I lean in further so he can’t move.
“You what, Holden?” I ask, placing my hands beside his head.
“I read this wrong. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again,” he says quietly and shoves at my chest again. I let the bottom half of my body rest between his thighs.
“Does that feel like you read it wrong?” I ask, indicating my hard cock I was trying to hide while we were wrestling. He’s just as hard as I am.
His brow furrows. “But when I kissed you…”
“You surprised me. That’s it,” I interrupt. “Do it again,” I challenge, leaving this in his hands. I will never do anything that might scare him.
I lower my head, so my lips are hovering over his. His eyes flash down to my lips, and he licks his. If he doesn’t do something soon, I’m going to self-combust. He presses his lips against mine, and I’m ready for him this time. With the first stroke of his tongue against mine, every bit of willpower I have not to push him flies out the window. I sink my tongue into his mouth, taking over the kiss. He groans and flattens his hands on the base of my spine, holding me closer. Bracing myself on one hand, I lower most of my weight on him, running my other hand down his stubbly cheek.
I never thought in a million years I would kiss a dude, but kissingHolden feels right and fucking good. Our naked chests rubbing together is sending me into overload. I know we need to stop this before it goes any further because I want to take my time with him and ensure this is what he wants.
I pull back from the kiss reluctantly. “To be continued,” I tell him when I take in his confused face.
“You liked that?” he asks shyly.
My cock is hard as fucking steel, my heart is hammering out of my chest, and everywhere he touches lights me up. “Yes, I did,” I tell him simply. Unable to resist, I kiss his lips once more before jumping to my feet. I reach down for his hand and jerk him to his when he puts his hand in mine.
“Then why did you stop?” he asks, looking uncertain.
“Because,Bello, I can’t spend the time that I want to explore this with you.” His eyes widen with my honesty, and his mouth forms an ‘O’. “I want to take my time.”
“Me too,” Holden replies with a slight smile.
I grapple for every bit of self-control I have with that innocent smile. “Come on,” I say and jerk my head towards the door.
Before I rip your clothes off.
“You’re coming with me today,”I tell Leo, walking into the living room an hour later after a freezing shower. I can’t get that kiss with Holden out of my head.
He turns from the TV with a frown. “What?”
“You wanted in. You’re fucking in. Now get dressed,” I tell him and spin on my heel before he can reply.
It’s just a trip to check on Squid, and that’s it. Les wants him to be involved, so I’m about to involve him, whether she means it or not. It’s time for us to find out what he’s made of. I don’t blame him for the look he just gave me; I wouldn’t trust me, either. But I refuse to treat him with kid gloves because he grew up with an apple piefucking life. If you want to date the leader of the Italian Mafia, you have to fucking work for it.
“Les is going to kill you,” Dex says with a chuckle when I walk into the kitchen. He must have heard me when I told Leo to get dressed. I see Leo pass by the kitchen on his way to the stairs, and I have to admit, I’m impressed. He could tell me to fuck off, and there isn’t anything I could do about it because Les would likely take his side, but something told me he wouldn’t refuse to go. Leo has something to prove, and I’m going to let him.
“She wanted him to be a part of us.”
Dex gives me a doubtful look. The same one Holden gave me. “Why are you really taking him?”
“Because it’s time he showed what he’s fucking made of. Les will coddle him forever, and he needs to man up.”
“So, taking him into gang territorywithouttelling Les is your plan?” Dex asks with a shake of his head. “You really are a fucking idiot.”
I shrug. “Call me what you want. I’m still taking him.”
Leo rounds the corner, having changed into jeans and a button-up. He moves, and I see the flash of his holster and the Glocks Gage gave him.
Impressive. Maybe he isn’t as soft as I thought.
I jerk my head for him to follow, and he does reluctantly. We slide into my Explorer, and we’re on the main road before he finally breaks the silence.
