Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
HOLDEN
A ll of their heads whip up in surprise at the sound of my voice. Candy unlocked the door for me on her way out, and the first thing I heard was my wife talking through tears, and my blood immediately started to boil.
She’s had enough tears to last her a fucking lifetime.
Millie’s wet gaze finds mine as the others grin and shuffle their feet.
“Hi, Holden,” Polly says with a little wave.
I nod in return, but I still want to know what the hell is going on.
“It’s not a bad cry,” Millie assures me as she crosses to me and cups my cheek in her hand, pulling my gaze down to her. Those gorgeous eyes are glassy, and it makes my stomach hurt. “They came to love on me.”
And just like that, I feel the tension move out of my shoulders, and I nod before kissing her on the forehead.
“We wanted to make sure she’s okay,” Erin says. “How are you , Holden?”
I blink in surprise. “I’m great. Look at my wife. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
Millie’s jaw drops, and Summer says, “Aww, that’s so sexy. ”
“Mill, we need a girls’ night,” Abbi says as the girls begin to walk past us to the door. “STAT. Like, yesterday . ”
“I hear you, loud and clear,” Millie says with a laugh. “We’ll make it happen. In the meantime, go poison my brothers’ drinks or something. Withhold sex. Slash some tires.”
“Why are you trying to punish us ?” Summer asks with a wink. “Don’t worry. They feel like shit.”
“Good,” Millie grumbles. “Love you guys.”
“Love you more,” Polly says with a wave, and then the four of them are gone, and Millie locks the door behind them.
Her eyes drop to the box in my hand, and her brow furrows. “What’s in there?”
“Oh, I forgot I had it with me. I grabbed you a cupcake from Jackie’s store.”
Her eyebrows climb in surprise. “What kind?”
“Red velvet.”
Her eyes get glassy again, and I shake my head as I approach her. “No more tears today, Rosie. I can’t take it. I just thought you could use a treat, and since you own the coffee shop, coffee was out.”
“You got my favorite,” she whispers as she takes the box from me and bites her lip. “I haven’t had one of these in years.”
“Then it’s time.” I grin at her as she sets the box on the counter and then blows out a breath and brushes her fingers over her cheeks, clearing away the tears. “How did your interviews go?”
“Really well. They’ll both start tomorrow so Candy and I can get them trained and on a rotating schedule. That’ll help a lot for the summer.”
“Good.” I reach out, unable to keep my hands to myself, and tuck a piece of hair that escaped her ponytail behind her ear. I slept next to her all night, and it was the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had in my life.
And she doesn’t even know it.
“I’m going to ask you a question,” she begins, and then clenches her eyes closed and bites her lip.
“Okay. Ask.”
“I kind of hate myself for it.” Her voice is a little shaky, so I lace my fingers through hers.
“Stop judging yourself and ask.”
She lifts her chin, and with her golden eyes on mine, she says, “Are you ever going to kiss me?”
My gut clenches, my dick hardens, and I have to take my hand away from her. Unfortunately, she takes that the wrong way and backs up, shaking her head.
“I’m sorry, that was stupid. Obviously, if you wanted to kiss me, you would. It’s just that I didn’t say you couldn’t, and you?—”
I brace her face in my hands and kiss her—not in a soft, sweet brush of the lips, but as though I want to consume her.
Because I do.
Jesus, she’s the most beautiful, amazing woman I’ve ever met in my life, and I want her so much that I can’t breathe. But I have to let her decide what she’s ready for because I won’t have her hating me later.
She whimpers deep in her throat and leans her stomach against my cock, and I let one hand drift down around her throat while the other one slides down to her ass, holding her against me.
God, she’s everything .
She willingly opens herself to me, and I don’t hesitate to push my tongue inside of her mouth, rubbing it against hers, drinking the moans that come from her.
When I come up for air and rest my forehead against hers, Millie swallows hard.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she whispers.
“Shut up, Rosie.”
She grins, loops her arms around my neck, and I lift her so she can circle my waist with her legs, and then we kiss again as I carry her to the counter. I set her down so my hands can roam and cover one perfect breast, teasing the hard nipple through her shirt.
She slips her hand under the hem of my T-shirt, and my muscles ripple when her sweet touch glides over my stomach and up my ribs.
“Baby girl, I have to get you home,” I whisper into her neck before I sink my teeth in and then suck.
I want to mark her.
I want everyone in the fucking world to know that this woman is mine.
“Mm,” she agrees, but she doesn’t pull away.
“Someone could see us,” I remind her and kiss her cheek. “And while we are married, no one gets to see us like this.”
She blinks up at me, as if she’s trying to understand my words through a thick fog. Finally, she takes a long, deep breath.
“I wouldn’t call myself an exhibitionist,” she says with a frown.
“We got caught up,” I reply. “And that was overdue. I just didn’t want to rush you.”
She brushes the tip of her finger over my bottom lip. “You’re going to break rule number five, aren’t you?”
“As soon as fucking possible.”
She doesn’t smile. With her eyes still on my mouth, she sighs, as if the weight of the world is on her shoulders.
“You have to talk to me, baby girl. I need your words here.”
Reluctantly, she looks up at me, and I don’t like the apprehension in her gaze. She swallows hard. “For eight years, the biggest regret of my life was the night we spent together.”
She might as well have taken a knife and sliced me from neck to cock. I can’t help the groan of despair that slips past my lips, and when I start to pull away, Millie frames my face in her hands and holds on.
“I didn’t know, Holden.”
“I’m so sorry. Because that night was the only bright spot in a world so dark, I thought I would die.”
She kisses my lips softly, tenderly, as if she’s comforting both of us.
“I know.” Her voice is a whisper. “I’m sorry, too. I’m taking number five off the list because I can’t make my body shut the fuck up.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “And what is your body saying, Rosie?”
She doesn’t answer. She bites that lip and pulls my hands around her until I’m hugging her and she’s resting her head against my chest.
“My body says to give in and climb you like a tree.”
Satisfaction fills me.
“But my heart?—”
“It’s okay.” I press a kiss to the top of her head. “You can tell me.”
“It says to be very careful.”
I blow out a breath. “I understand.”
That has her pulling back and staring up at me in surprise. “You do?”
“Of course. We’re both carrying scars, Millie. There’s still a lot to talk about. I want you so much that I ache with it.”
Her eyes dilate.
“Hell, I spent the night holding you, and I wanted to slip inside of you so many times, but?—”
“I knew it. My pillow smelled like you this morning.”
I grin down at her. “I snuck out before you woke up. I don’t plan to sleep alone again, by the way.”
“At the end of this year, when it’s over, just don’t be cruel, Holden. That’s all I ask.”
I want to tell her that it won’t be over. It’ll never be over, because Millie is mine . She belongs to me, just like my heart belongs to her, and she’ll never be rid of me.
Instead, I brush my lips over hers. “I’ll never intentionally hurt you again, little rose. I promise you that.”
She chuckles, making me frown.
“What’s so funny?”
“I said pretty much the same thing to Darby when your sisters came by and she was glaring at me and threatened to kill me if I hurt you.”
I’ll be having a conversation with my sister about death threats.
“So, it’s agreed, then. No intentionally hurting the other.”
“I like that agreement.”
Before I can sink into her again, her phone rings, and she scowls. She pulls her phone out of her pocket, and her eyes go wide.
“It’s Jake.” She taps the screen. “Hey, buddy, what’s up?”
“Aunt Mill?” I can hear his voice on the other end of the line, and he sounds miserable. I know that Jake is the teenager that Ryan adopted not long ago. He’s a good kid.
“Are you okay, Jake?” Millie asks as I step back to give her space.
“Yeah, I’m okay, but I ran out of gas and forgot my wallet at home. Are you in town? Can you help me out?”
“Of course, kiddo. Where are you?”
“I’m at the high school. I must have coasted in here on fumes this morning and didn’t realize it.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll have to stop by the house to get a gas can, so give me like thirty, okay?”
“Thanks. And please don’t tell my dad, okay?”
Millie smirks. “Sure thing. See you in a few.”
She hangs up and looks up at me.
“Feel like rescuing a teenager?”
“Let’s go. I’ll follow you home.”
“I was hoping for a ride. I walked this morning.”
I pull her to a stop and glare down at her. “You walked ? Jesus, why didn’t you say something? I would have given you a ride.”
“Because that would have been the opposite of what I wanted. I like to walk to work.”
“Not at fucking five in the morning, Millie. Absolutely not.”
She rolls her eyes at me, earning her a smack on the ass, and she gapes at me.
“Did you just spank me?” Her cheeks are flushed in pleasure, and I file that little nugget of knowledge away for later.
“When it comes to your safety, you won’t defy me, baby girl.”
“God, you’re overbearing.” She grabs her purse and leads me to the door. After she sets an alarm and locks the door behind us, she follows me to my truck, and I open the door for her. “So, about the spanking thing.”
I tip up an eyebrow.
“Do it, and I’ll hit you back.”
I lean into the truck and press my lips to her ear. “Challenge accepted.”
After clicking her seat belt into place, I shut the door and walk around to my side of the truck.
“I have a gas can in the back,” I inform her. “No need to stop at the house.”
“Handy.”
Jake is the last kid parked in the lot when we pull into the high school. He’s sitting on his open tailgate, looking at something on his phone, and looks up when he hears us approaching.
He looks surprised to see my truck, and when we get out to join him, he immediately offers me his hand.
“Hey, I’m Jake. I heard you married my aunt Millie.”
I take his offered hand, impressed with his firm shake. “I did.”
Jake smiles at Millie. “Congratulations. I think everyone is pissed that you eloped.”
“Why do you say that?” she asks as Jake gives her a hug.
“Because they look pissed, and I can’t think of any other reason for it.” He shrugs, and Millie’s eyes fill with tears, and Jake looks at me in a panic.
“Shit, don’t cry. I don’t think they’re that mad. I take it back, Mill. Please don’t cry.”
“You’re the sweetest boy in the whole world,” she says as she folds him into a maternal hug that tugs at my heartstrings. She rocks him back and forth. “Just the best kid ever. You’re my favorite nephew.”
“You always tell Johnny that he’s your favorite. And August, too, when you’re holding him.” Jake winks at me, and I grin back at him. “So, which is it?”
“You’re all my favorite,” my girl replies as she sniffles. “And you give the best hugs. So, I guess I’ll do you a solid and not call your dad.”
Jake winces. “This is the third time I’ve run out of gas, and I’m pretty sure Dad’s annoyed. He doesn’t yell or anything, but I can tell.”
“I have an idea,” I say, getting the teen’s attention. I pull my wallet out of my pocket. “Take this forty bucks and tuck it into the glove box, like in the owner’s manual or something. That way, if you forget your wallet again, you’re not stranded. You’ll always have some cash on you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to?—”
“Take it,” Millie says. “And put some gas in your truck. The fuel we brought with us should get you out to your ranch and back.”
“You’re the best,” Jake says and hugs her once more. “My favorite aunt.”
“You say that to all of us.”
Jake grins and then shrugs. “I cannot confirm nor deny that.”
“Brat.” She pulls on a lock of his hair. “You can always call me, by the way. For anything. I’ll always come get you.”
“I know.” He’s so happy and sure in that answer that it makes me smile. “Welcome to the family, Mr. Lexington.”
“You can just call me Holden,” I reply, oddly moved by his words. “And thank you very much.”
I get the gas poured into his tank, and then he’s off. Millie and I sit in my truck for a minute before I start the engine to go home.
“That’s what it should have been like for you yesterday,” she says before swallowing hard. “The same as what your sisters gave me today.”
“Babe, I’m okay.”
She turns to me and bites her lip. “I’m not. I’m not okay with it at all.”
“Let’s go home,” I murmur and start the truck, then drive the few blocks to the house. To my surprise, Millie’s mom is sitting on the porch, looking absolutely miserable.
“Mom,” Millie says in surprise.
As soon as I stop, Millie hops out and runs to the porch, where her mom stands and opens her arms for her daughter.
They hold each other tightly as I get out of the truck and then walk up to the house.
“Mrs. Wild.” I tip my hat to her, and she nods back at me as she releases her hold on Millie. Before my girl can speak, I continue. “Mill, I’m going out to the ranch for a while. I have a mare that’s going to foal any day, and I want to check on her. I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”
“Thank you,” Millie says and reaches for my hand to give it a squeeze. “I’ll see you later.”
I return to my truck and look back to see both women going inside. I’m glad that Joy came to see Millie. I could tell that everything that happened yesterday was as devastating for her mom as it was for Millie.
Family politics are the worst on the best days. Add in days that don’t feel great, and it’s way worse.
I hate that my marriage to Millie has her family upside down. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
When I get to my barn, I see that Vance and Levi are at the stall of the mare about to give birth.
“Anything happen yet?” I ask them.
“Nope,” Levi says. “Tim just ran to get us dinner. I think we’ll be out here all night, but we’ll take shifts.”
My guys live in a bunkhouse that I had built for them about five years ago, against my dad’s wishes and with my own money. It didn’t make sense for these bachelors to live in town and commute back and forth.
“I appreciate it.”
“I thought you left for the day,” Vance says.
“I wanted to check in on her. She looked scared this morning.”
“You’re a softie, boss,” Levi says with a big, shit-eating grin.
“Fuck you.”
They laugh, and then I turn for the office at the end of the building.
“I’ll be in the office for a while, catching up on some paperwork. Let me know if anything changes with her.”
“Will do.” Vance nods and turns back to the stall, and their conversation picks up where it left off.
I’d rather be at home with my girl, picking up where we left off at the coffee shop, but she needs this time with her mom, so I’ll wait a while.
I’ve already waited eight years. What’s another two hours?