only thing I want to feast on is Holt Edwards’ kisses. I’m already drunk off his affection—addicted to his syrup mouth, the heavenly scent of wild musk his skin naturally gives off.
“I changed my mind.” I moan as he works his way down my chest. “I definitely like this one best. You win, Holt. You’re my favorite meal.”
“And you’re mine.” He lands a searing kiss to my lips.
This is amazing.
And it wouldn’t be this wonderful without Holt.
I want to keep him, but a part of me knows I can’t.
Holt
Two days straight she stayed. Izzy Sawyer landed her beautiful self in my bed, and I didn’t have to resort to five way restraints to keep her there.
Bryson asked if I could meet him at the Ice Bar. It’s a good drive, but the next closest bar to the Black Bear as far as the ones that my father owns. The outside of the establishment is painted a crisp blue with a giant plastic glacier sitting on the roof—my mother’s doing. I remember how much my father protested the idea. He wanted an overgrown martini glass, but my mother and her ode to the North Pole won out. And then she planted a penguin on that damn block of fake ice as if to prove a point. That pretty much accounts for all the kids we’ve had wandering into the place looking for the polar exhibit. Maybe not her brightest idea. But then again maybe it was. Maybe it was the big F-you for his infidelity issues.
I stroll into the dim environment. The entire place is cold as a witch’s tit. The bar and floors are made of acrylic, but it’s frigid as a meat locker in here. There’s a special room in back with an ice luge, and, if you’re not careful, you can freeze your tongue to your glass. It happens almost nightly because God knows someone has to test out the theory. All of the bartenders are thoroughly trained to deal with any lingual emergencies that might arise. Once, we had a couple try to pull off a quickie, and the idiot sued us for his frost bitten blue balls. People can be dumb as a rock.
I spot Bryson in the back and head on over.
“What’s up, baby bro? You forget how to get back home? A little black bird swoop down and gobble up all your bread crumbs?”
“The only bird I see around here is a dodo.” He gives a short-lived grin. “Oh, wait, that’s you.” He smacks me over the arm with his clipboard. “Check this out you moron.” He points up to a nice size crack that snakes through the drywall.
“You dragged me out here to watch you do a patch job?”
“Nope. I dragged you out here to help inspect this place from floor to ceiling. Dad says the city is after him. They’re sending out inspectors in a couple weeks to detail the place. If we’re going to get a loan, we’ll need this place to sparkle and shine.”
“Back up the train. ‘If we’re going to get a loan?’”
“That’s right, sweetheart. Did I stutter? Just because I’ve got a business degree is no reason to look down upon me.” He gives a sheepish grin. “You’re right, keeping the bars would be a good decision. And, if you’re not too pissed at me, I want to do it with you.” He holds out his fist. “You all right with that?”
I give him a quick knuckle bump. “I’m more than all right with that, dude. I am freaking in.” I glance around. “This could be all ours.” My sweet baby sis flashes through my mind. “We should figure out a way to include Annie.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” He nods. “Ryder said he’d get someone from his legal department to write something up for us. An agreement that binds us together in our new business venture.”
“Sounds like a solid plan. Maybe that degree of yours is coming in handy after all.”
“Maybe it is.” He motions over to the nearest table and we take a seat. “I’m sorry, dude. Swear to God, I’ll never rub it in your face again. I felt like hell when you left. Still do.”
“It’s over. It’s like it never happened.” I lean onto my elbows while taking in my brother. Most of the time it’s like looking in a mirror, but that’s where the resemblance ends. Bryson is smart. He’s way too bright to ever have taken down our family in some