a few good swigs.
He lands the bottle on his knee as his shoulders lift a second. “Seventh grade. I once got kicked out of the mall for running away with a shoe. In my defense, it was on a dare, and I willingly gave it back.”
“Just one shoe? That’s not practical.”
His brows swoop low giving him that demonically sexy look that has me spinning with or without any alcohol.
“Nothing about me is practical, Iz.”
“Are we practical?” I think I’m ready for that bottle again.
“Do we have to be?” He slides over the whiskey, and I take a quick sip.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Maybe.” I feel it coming like an animal senses an earthquake rumbling, long before the tremor ever hits the surface.
Holt digs into me with those unearthly pale eyes. “What has you running scared?”
And there it is. I take another bitter hit from the bottle, and let the fire race all the way down to my gut.
“So—you want all of my secrets on a platter.” I blink a smile as the room starts to sway. “You tell me yours—I’ll tell you mine.” I’ve long since suspected Holt has been harboring his own issues.
Holt takes the bottle and indulges in one last swig before settling it between his legs. He looks over with a devilish grin, and suddenly I’m very damn thirsty for whiskey.
“Why do I feel like you’re changing the subject?” I reach down and cradle the bottle, letting my fingers graze over the blooming problem in his jeans. “Hello there.” I glance down as I move the whiskey to the nightstand.
“He can’t quite hear you.”
“Maybe I’d better bring my mouth a little closer.” I run my tongue over my bottom lip and the smile slopes right off his face. “Secrets?”
“How about we focus on the here and now?” He scoots over and pulls me onto his lap. His breath warms my neck with the strong scent of whiskey. When I was little, I would open that old bottle my mother keeps as a shrine and take in its scent. It always reminded me of fresh cut wood, of a forest, a man, but oddly never of my father.
Holt holds the scent of a country meadow, earthy and raw. His fingers dig into my flesh as he massages his way up my thighs. I roll my head and give a soft groan until it feels as if I’m falling right through him. Holt and I don’t need liquor. We can get drunk simply off each other. Holt is the only high I’ll ever need.
“I’m sort of liking the here and now.” My heart thumps, wild and rabid as it tries to break free from its cage. I reach up and run my fingers over his rough stubble. Holt is handsome as hell, kind, and I’m pretty sure he’d kill for me. He’s my pot of gold, that’s for sure. I wonder if he’d want to live in this room with me forever. How could I ever explain that those were the terms I promised my father, but, more so, that I’m the reason my mother would be alone forever—that I could never abandon her to that fate after she sacrificed so much for Laney and me.
“What’s running through your mind?” He smears my lips with a juicy kiss.
“I’m thinking you should stay right here in this bed and never leave.” I blow the words right over his lips. “You in?”
“I’m in.” Holt lies over me, and my robe opens voluntarily.
“There’s something I want to give you,” I whisper as my heart fires in my chest like a gunshot.
“What’s that?” He traces my lips examining me like this, naked and splayed beneath him.
“All of me.”
He sighs as a broken smile emerges.
“That’s exactly what I want to give you.”
I reach over and turn off the light. It feels good like this with Holt. We’ve crossed some imaginary bridge—hand in hand, we traversed the thorns from the past and made it to a whole new world that we’re free to discover together.
Holt glides my panties down, and I pull off his shirt until his bare skin lies over mine like a blessing. This is something I never want to lose, this feeling right here with Holt—my Holt—my boyfriend.
“I hope you brought a suit of armor for your not-so-little friend.” I graze my teeth over his neck.
“For you, kitten?” A quiet laugh rumbles from his chest. “I brought the whole damn missile defense system.”
“Good because you’re going to need it.” I trail