Chapter Sixteen
W hen Holden opened the door to greet Emily, he knew something was off by the way she jumped, and the flicker of unease that momentarily flashed through her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching for her as he glanced over her shoulder to surveil the area.
The only thing moving were the leaves on the trees. Sinjin’s car was in his driveway, Isla’s was not. The street was quiet, unlike the pub parking lot across Main Street.
“Nothing,” she said, sliding her arms around him. “I’m good. I was just deep in thought when you opened the door. Guess it startled me.”
Holding her waist, he drew back to stare into her face. Warm, brown eyes held his gaze.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, drawing her inside before shutting the door, not fully convinced there wasn’t something else going on.
He also didn’t want to have a conversation on his porch, and he would much rather kiss her uninterrupted and unobserved in the privacy of his cottage.
Apparently on the same page, she shoved her hands into his hair and pulled his head down as he tugged her closer and met her lips halfway.
She sighed and melted right away, and he was all right with that, happy for the open invitation to sweep his tongue inside hers and greet her properly.
When he broke the kiss, he set his forehead against hers. “Been thinking of that since you left this morning.”
She laughed and ran her palms up his chest. “Me, too.”
He kissed her lips and grabbed one of her hands. “Let’s eat. We’re going to need our strength.”
Her mouth opened as if about to protest until his words must’ve sunk in. That’s when her gaze heated to a deep mocha and his resolve to eat first nearly faltered.
“Okay, but fast. Really fast,” she said, tugging him toward his kitchen.
Holden chuckled and was still smiling as they ate their takeout while standing at his island. Neither of them wanted to take the time to sit. Hell, they barely took time to gulp down their food, but within five minutes, their Pub burgers and fries were gone, like his resolve.
“Time for dessert,” he said, moving closer to the smiling woman.
Once again, she laughed and ran her palms up his chest, but this time they glided over his shoulders, and she pressed her glorious breasts against him. “I’m ready.”
“Me, too,” he said against her neck, nuzzling his way to her ear. “Want top or bottom?”
“Mmm…surprise me,” she murmured, her breath hot against his throat as she licked his Adam’s apple.
With a groan, he drew her mouth to his, kissing her long and deep and his pulse jumped when her hands slipped under his shirt and skimmed his abs as she unbuttoned his jeans.
He was so damn on board with her trajectory.
Hunger scorched a path through his body at Mach speed. Holden released her mouth while running his hands down her sides to rest on her hips. “Need to lose the clothes.”
“Yes. Now,” she muttered, stepping back to yank off her T-shirt, then unbutton, unzip, and drop her jeans to the floor.
His tongue nearly followed.
She stood before him in a lacy, light pink bra and matching thong. Two seconds later, they were gone, too.
Damn.
He sucked in half the air in the room.
The beautiful, sexy, amazing woman had no idea what she did to him, but she was about to find out. Holden wrenched off his boots and shucked all his clothes in under a minute.
Desire flared in her eyes, and he stepped close to trail his hands lightly up her sides, loving how a rash of goosebumps followed.
“Your choice of location,” he said, lifting a hand to brush a curly strand of hair from her face. “I know the place doesn’t offer many choices, but you know I can get creative.”
A wicked smile curved her equally wicked lips. “I know. And I choose your bed. I like that I can spread out.”
“I like that too,” he told her, his voice gruff to his ears, but since he was hard and throbbing, he wasn’t surprised.
He skimmed his hands down her ribs and the heavy undersides of her breast.
God, she was so soft. So damn soft.
And her nipples were pert and begging for his attention.
He obliged.
Cupping her gorgeous breasts, he brushed his thumbs over both tips, then dipped down to take one into his mouth and tugged.
Emily inhaled and closed her eyes while she leaned into his touch . Damn, he loved how responsive she was, and the need to hear her moan his name shook through Holden. He released her nipple, swept her into his arms, and carried her to his bed in the only bedroom in the small cottage.
Once there, he set her feet on the floor, then he sat down on the bed, leaving her standing in front of him. Anticipation filled her eyes, and they gleamed with need and excitement as she waited for his next move.
Holden reached out and caressed her legs from knee to upper thigh, varying the pressure. She reached out too, to grip his shoulders and squeezed. Still holding her gaze, he slid a finger between her thighs and stroked. Emily rewarded him with a long, low moan. So, he did it again and again, loving how she automatically spread her legs for him.
“Holden,” she murmured. “I’m not sure my legs will hold me much longer.”
“Turn around and sit on me,” he said, removing his finger to guide her onto his lap.
This gave him access to so much more. He kissed the back of her neck while running his hands around the front of her, cupping one of her tightly peaked breasts while he slid the other back down to her quivering thighs where he slipped back inside her wet warmth.
“Oh…damn…” she murmured, gripping his legs and pressing her back against his chest before she started to rock. “More…harder.”
He increased his pace and the angle, and she immediately bucked wildly. Needing to taste her, he released her breast to cup her face and turn her mouth toward his so he could capture her moan as she came.
As her grip on his legs slackened, he slowed his movements and broke the kiss, then removed his finger and talked himself out of bursting.
She slumped against him, still panting, and he had to slide his arm around her to keep the satiated woman from sliding to the floor.
“Holy smokes, Holden…” she panted. “That was…that was…something we need to do again.”
He chuckled as he kissed her shoulder. “I agree.”
Her body was still trembling, and it was driving him crazy. He gently lifted her off him and set her on the mattress, where she stretched out and sighed.
Once again, he had to talk himself out of bursting.
Clenching his jaw, he inhaled and exhaled deeply before reaching into his nightstand for a condom. A few more inhales and exhales helped him find the control he needed to roll on the protection and return to the soft, warm, naked woman smiling at him from his bed.
Damn, she looked hot.
He crawled up her body, nipping and tasting on his way to her mouth, enjoying the feel of her soft, full breasts brushing his chest.
She gasped, and he took the opportunity to kiss her hard and deep, needing her heat and hunger. He needed…everything.
Trembling, Emily touched her tongue to his and rocked up. Even though she’d barely had time to recover, the incredible, sexy woman was ready for him. And that was what he needed. Her hunger and fierce appetite matched the crazy, out-of-control fire burning white-hot inside Holden.
He released her mouth to kiss a path down her throat and sink his teeth in her neck just behind her ear. She sucked in a breath and rocked against him again. Another spike of heat ricocheted down his body.
“Killing me,” he muttered against her collarbone, then brushed his lips down her breast and sucked a nipple into his mouth.
She shoved her fingers into his hair to hold him there and moaned. He liked that. A lot.
He released one gorgeous peak for the other and tugged until her squirming had him fighting to keep from exploding. Again.
The woman was a gift. She gave without even knowing. He was good at giving too. He kissed a path down her quivering belly, straight to the part he longed to taste and explore the most.
As if on the same page, Emily spread her legs, and he kissed a trail down to her inner thighs then he reached out and brushed a finger over her center.
A sinfully sexy sound met his ears.
Damn, he swallowed hard.
She was every man’s fantasy.
But she was his.
Empowered by that thought, he watched her face as he lowered his mouth on her and didn’t let up until he collected the scream he’d longed to hear. When her shuddering finally stopped, he brought her down slowly and didn’t pull away until he lapped up every last bit.
She was exquisite…and he needed to be inside her. Now .
He positioned himself between her thighs and thrust deep inside.
Her pleasure-filled gasp echoed around them, and he groaned as she locked her ankles behind him, and the action took him in further.
“Damn, Em…”
Her eyes were dark and crazy with hunger as her mouth fell open, but no sound came out.
Lost in bliss, he closed his eyes and tried to find his breath. “So good...” she murmured.
But he wasn’t going to last. Tightening his grip on her hips, he rocked his own, thrusting inside her again and again.
“God, Holden…”
The raw emotion in her voice had him leaning forward to bury his face in her neck as they moved together in a rhythm that matched the need flowing inside him. Pleasure built hard and fast, and ratcheted up when she moaned in a throaty, needy, hungry tone.
He lifted up and glanced down to watch where her body engulfed his.
God, that was hot as hell.
And so good.
He lowered his mouth until he brushed her. “You okay?” he asked, staring into her eyes.
“So okay,” she whispered, and warmth rushed through his chest at the raw emotions he saw in her eyes.
They were the same emotions flowing through him. Fierce affection, hunger, and need.
And that was the biggest turn-on of all.
His body was tight, and heat scorched down his spine. He entwined their hands and set them on either side of her head before he captured her lips, drawing nearly all the way out before driving all the way back in. The feel of every inch of their bodies pressed together, connecting together, was a balance…a grounding…he’d never experienced before.
With only a few long strokes, Emily started to come, clenching tightly around him, stealing his breath and his control as she took him right over that edge with her.
When the ringing subsided in his ears and enough air filled his lungs to ignite some brain cells, he rolled over and settled Emily onto his chest.
He’d never felt so content. Whole.
Balanced.
Emily lifted up, and the sight of the beautiful woman with a soft, tousled, world-rocked expression on her face stole his breath. A surge of affection hit him like a bag of beans shot from a gun.
Or a bullet. He knew what that felt like, too.
“Wow…” She dragged in air. “We have to do that again too.”
He lifted a finger to brush a few stray curls off her damp forehead.
So utterly beautiful.
“But it’ll have to wait until I can feel my legs,” she said, her voice hovering between serious and amused.
He laughed, and with him still buried deep inside her, the movement caused her to shudder, and that caused his dick to twitch.
Damn, she was potent.
Unable to stop himself, he slid down her spine to cup her sweet ass. Her skin was unbelievably soft, and he bit back a groan at the feel of it against his palm.
She had a hand on his chest and a gleam in her eyes that warmed his heart. “You are a wizard.”
He opened his mouth to reply when a beeping vibration from their phones sounded from the other room.
Shit…
He’d forgotten to turn his sound off.
“Wait, that sounds like a security alert for my house.” Emily slid off him to rush out of the room.
Shit…shit…
“Emily, wait!” he called, racing after her.
When he reached her, she stood in the middle of the kitchen, digging his buzzing phone from his discarded jeans, her face losing its color right in front of him. “Why are you getting alerts from my security system too, Holden? Your phone is beeping like mine.” She nodded toward her purse on the couch making the exact same sounds.
He wracked his brain for the right words to say to help her understand that he’d had her best interest at heart.
“Answer me.” Her voice shook.
He blew out a breath but when he took a step toward her, she moved back and held up a phone.
“We were worried about Perez—”
“Jesus, Holden! That didn’t give you the right to spy on me.” She cut him off, dropped his phone on the counter, and started to get dressed, her movements jerky. “The system was supposed to be a donation for the sanctuary.”
“It is. But it’s also to make sure you’re safe. I’m sorry, Emily. I wanted to tell you, but I knew you weren’t going to agree to let us keep a close watch from a distance. Heaven forbid Perez would break in and try to harm you or take Queenie and you couldn’t call for help, or I wasn’t there. This alert gives the guys and me the opportunity to know you would need help.”
She yanked on the last of her clothes and met his gaze. “What about my trust?
“I’m really sorry, Emily,” he said, his words sounding pathetic even in his own ears. “The last thing I wanted was to hurt you or break your trust.”
“Well, you failed on both accounts.” She drew in a ragged breath and blinked. Her eyes were glossy as hurt and anger mixed to darken her gaze. “Was I a job to you? Did you get into my bed so you could be on the premises?”
“Come on, Emily. You know that isn’t true.” He worked to keep a lid on his anger.
Did she really think he was that kind of a guy?
She lifted her shoulders. “No, Holden, I honestly don’t. I don’t know what’s true right now. Other than I need to go. I have to get away from you and think, and I need to go chase away the raccoon I saw on your phone. It apparently tripped the alarm. No need to worry yourself or your buddies about it. I’ve got this one.”
She inhaled and exhaled loudly. “I can’t believe how damn stupid I’ve been. Gullible should be my freaking middle name.” While she ranted, she shoved her feet in her shoes, then grabbed her purse off the couch and straightened to face him. “Stop spying on me. I’m done being controlled.”
Jaw clenched tight and eyes watery, she marched past him, shook off his arm when he set a hand on her arm, then she jerked his door open and slammed it behind her.
Fuck.
Holden blinked and waited a few seconds to see if she’d come back inside. He watched her through the curtains as she sat in her car. Silently, he willed her to calm down and come back inside. But when she started it and backed out of his driveway, he rushed to the kitchen and pulled on his clothes.
He needed to make sure she was safe, then let her yell at him some more since he definitely deserved it.
What if it had been more than just the raccoon she’d supposedly seen on the screen of his phone?
Mad, pissed off, or furious, he didn’t care. No way would he allow her to go home without back-up.