Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 124923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
After half an hour of trying to get comfortable, I throw on my bathing suit, grab my towel from earlier, and tiptoe downstairs.
I open the back door as quiet as possible and freeze when I see someone in there. Holden. What’s he doing here? When did he get back? His back is to me, long arms stretched over the rim of the hot tub. He probably doesn’t know I’m standing here. I could turn around and go back inside. If I were smart, I’d do just that.
“Come on in. The water’s fine.” Okay, so maybe he does know I’m here.
“It’s not the water that has me hesitating. It’s the giant meathead inside of it.”
“Meathead?” he asks, looking over his shoulder, eyebrow raised. “You can do better than that.” Not my finest work, I admit. My insults are usually more creative.
“It’s late and I’m tired. I’ll come up with something better tomorrow.”
“Are you going to stand there until your nipples cut through your bathing suit, or are you going to come in?”
I blow out an exasperated sigh and give in. Holden’s answering smile is cocky and so infuriating that I almost turn right back around. Almost. The hot tub does look inviting, though, and my ass cheek is sore as hell. With one last look over my shoulder to make sure we’re alone, I step toward the hot tub. Holden tracks my movements through heavy-lidded eyes as I make my way over and up the steps, and when I drop my towel, the look in them is nothing short of predatory.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I snap. He jerks his gaze from my chest to my eyes.
“Don’t look like that.” There’s not a trace of humor in his tone, and my stomach flips.
The water feels almost scalding against my chilled skin, and I welcome the burn. Slowly, I lower myself in, goosebumps breaking out across my entire body.
“What happened to your plans?” I ask, taking the elastic off my wrist, gathering my hair off my neck, and pulling it up into a high ponytail.
“Wasn’t feeling it. You’re cute when you’re jealous.”
“I don’t get jealous.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“You should know that better than anyone.” Upon his confused expression, I elaborate. “I wasn’t even jealous when I saw my boyfriend fucking someone else with my own eyes.”
“That’s different.”
More like defective. “How so?”
“You never really liked him,” he says casually, as if it’s a simple matter of fact and not his opinion. “Besides, the guy couldn’t even get you off. Why would you be jealous when you know firsthand that it was nothing to be envious of?”
“Fair point.” I laugh, but it sounds forced. It still makes me uncomfortable that Holden seems to be so perceptive when it comes to me, even after all this time apart.
“I could, you know.”
“Could what?”
“Get you off.”
I raise a brow. “Is that an offer or just a little fun fact?”
“Both.”
“Well, in that case, I decline your offer.”
“I wouldn’t even need to use my hands,” he says, undeterred by my rejection.
“Jesus Christ, your ego is insane.”
At that, he cracks a smile. “It’s just a fact, Valen. I bet I could have you coming in less than two minutes. No touching. Suit stays on.”
I scoff, “No way in hell is that possible.”
He shrugs, leaning back into the built-in seat. “Come find out.”
“Well, here I am. You said no touching, so,” I wiggle my fingers at him, “work your magic from there.”
He leans forward, hooking a finger into the front of my bottoms, pulling me toward him. I glide easily in the water, landing between his spread legs. He stands to his full height, then moves around me, until my back is pressed against his solid chest. My eyes fall shut when his warm palms cup my shoulders before smoothing down my arms, and then his mouth is at my ear. “I meant I wouldn’t have to touch your pussy.”
I can’t help the shiver that rolls through me at his touch, his words. I swallow hard, knowing this is usually the part where I say something shitty, but morbid curiosity renders me silent. I feel him lower himself into the water behind me.
“Lean into me.”
I don’t look at him. I can’t look at him if I’m going to do this, so I’m grateful for the position choice. I sink down into the water, into him, until I’m cradled between his arms, my head resting against the top of his shoulder.
“Since I’m not allowed to touch you where I want to, you’re going to have to help me out.”
“That wasn’t the deal.”
“Fine. Permission to touch you in non-erogenous zones?”
I pretend to mull it over. “Granted.”
“Close your eyes.”
I do as he says, exhaling through my nose.
“Sometimes I think about you,” he says, his lips still close to my ear. “I imagine you in your cheerleader uniform, with that stupid fucking ribbon in your hair.”