I wasn’t sure we were talking about the food anymore. Images of him tasting me started populating in my head like computer virus pop-up windows. Since the eyes were the windows to the soul, and right now mine was X-rated, I closed them, tilted my head back and downed half my beer in several swigs.
When I set the bottle back down on the table, I could feel him looking at me.
“What?” I asked breathlessly.
A tiny grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You’re old enough to drink. It’s weird.” He shook his head and took a drink of his own beer.
“I’m old enough to do a lot of things.” I hadn’t meant it to sound as sexual as it had, but I wasn’t mad at my delivery.
He choked a little bit and set down his bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Without looking at me, he lifted a piece of fried chicken to his mouth. When he took his first bite, a low moan rumbled in his chest as his eyes rolled back and his lids closed.
My lady parts had fluttered when I’d smelled him at the door but hearing him make that noise and watching what I could only assume was his O-face, had caused me to do involuntary Kegel exercises in anticipation.
I was getting ahead of myself.
This isn’t a date, I reminded myself. Holden was only living next door to report back to Bentley about my comings and goings. Not that I’d be coming with anyone other than myself. Maybe that’s why just hearing Holden make that sound and seeing his face look like he was experiencing ecstasy was enough to send my body close to the edge.
When he opened his eyes and they locked on me, I felt like he could read all the dirty thoughts in my head and I blurted out, “So, what are your plans while you’re in town? I mean besides spying on me for Bentley.”
Of all the things I’d wanted to say to him, that hadn’t been at the top of my list. I’d wanted to ask him why he’d gone from being my best friend to completely ignoring me. I’d wanted to ask him how he was doing, really doing. I wanted to ask him how long he’d be staying in town. If his girlfriend was going to be joining him.
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle knowing that on the other side of my bedroom wall he was having sex with his Brazilian model girlfriend.
But I hadn’t asked any of that.
He didn’t rush to finish chewing his bite. If anything, it seemed that he was taking more time to enjoy the dish. “Who says I’m going to spy on you?”
“Are you really going to sit there and deny that that’s what my brother asked you to do?”
Holden didn’t break eye contact as he took another bite of chicken.
I wasn’t sure what game he was playing, but I decided to mirror his actions and bit into the crisp batter, my teeth sank into the juicy meat of the drumstick. There was a reason why my mama’s fried chicken was famous. It was mouthwateringly delicious. Just like I was sure Holden’s lips would be.
After he took his time chewing and swallowing, he said, “He’s worried about you.”
“I don’t need anyone to worry about me. I’m a big girl now. I’m all grown up.”
Either I was seeing things, or a flash of heated desire flared in his Paul Newman stare. My body lit up with awareness as he held my gaze. Tingles ran from my head to my feet.
“I know.” His deep voice fanned the flames of arousal burning through me.
I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out.
His eyes dropped to his plate as he stabbed his fork in potatoes and brought a heaping portion to his mouth. I watched as the food disappeared and his lips slid along the silver surface.
I’d never wanted to be a utensil more in my life.
Chapter 11
Holden
“Ya don’t have to see the whole staircase to take the first step.”
~ Maggie Calhoun
As I walked to my truck, I was careful not to glance toward Olivia’s door. It had been a week since our dinner and so far, I’d been able to avoid seeing her again. Well, that wasn’t strictly true. I’d seen her.
Every morning I’d told myself that I wasn’t going to look out my window, but every morning I’d found myself glancing out