“Yep. Off I go.” My feet are glued to the wood while Holden and I are stuck in a trance.
“Completely ready to get in my car and check off that list.”
Blinking a few times, he blows out a breath. “Let me walk you out. I may need to move my car so you can back up. Not enough space maybe.”
“Of course.” My lips twitch, as I’m not sure how to act right now with extra pairs of eyes on me.
My awkward attempt to leave leads us outside, staring at my car, both of us with hands in our pockets, me in a coat and Holden in jeans. “I guess the cars are good. I did get home after you, as you were well aware of back in the kitchen,” I note.
We both continue to look straight forward at our cars. “I did perhaps know that.”
A long pause again, the fifth now, but who’s counting?
“I heard the ducks are a killer this time of day.”Yikes, I realize what I just said. “I mean, not that we want to kill the ducks. Or rather they aren’t getting killed, just they overpower the roads in the masses, and we have to stop every quarter of a mile because they normally travel with baby ducks as a family,” I ramble.
“Yep, those ducks.” His tone is neutral.
I roll my eyes because this conversation is a cover for other things.
“Lexi?”
“Yes, housemaster?” My tone is simple.
Even after our assurance that our cars haven’t moved, our standstill continues. “I want to kiss you right now and bend you over the hood of your car.”
I chortle. “Thought so. Because I’m sure you’ve read my mind.”
“Another time then.”
“Indeed, another time. Not when we have little eyes at the window behind us.” The one moment I slightly tilted my head to the side, I saw them in my vision.
He chuckles. “Thought that would be the case. Have fun enjoying your moment of solitude.”
“I’m beginning to think solitude is overrated.”
That is what breaks our standoff, and we at last turn to one another with wry smiles.
“My chaos of a life is growing on you.” He tries to suppress his smile.
“Maybe.” Because truly I am unsure, or rather scared that he is right.
His lips push out, and he thinks for a moment. “Be careful. And that’s a warning to us both.”
11
HOLDEN
Iwatch Stuart behind the front desk opening boxes with a box cutter. I’m not sure what surprise will be in this box.
The lobby is looking great, and in the banquet hall, the floors were spruced up with polish, which meant we had to use the patio doors by the restaurant to let the few guests we have in. It’s not exactly an issue since the view of the dock and lake are some of the best in Lake Spark, unless you’re hiking up in the small hills. But now with the floors done and the walls receiving a new paint color, I imagine furniture can be placed by the end of the week.
Lexi has been busy, which is why we haven’t seen one another much the past few days, which is strange considering she’s in my guest room. That’s probably for the best, so my brain and dick can cool down.
“I think these are sheets,” he guesses.
I assess the contents of the box and see the packaged linens. White with a lace pattern. Huh, not my choice, but I will trust the designer’s take, as I promised before I realized my interior designer was a woman who sucks cock well.
The sound of two women giggling hits my ears. I glance up to see Lexi gently touching Summer’s arm as they walk into the lobby.
