Chapter 6
SIX
THE OFFER STANDS
H olden
I change out of my work clothes into a pair of basketball shorts and a gray T-shirt, aware of the fact that Briar is waiting for me downstairs. I’ll have to tell her about the invitation, it would seem strange if I didn’t. I don’t know why the thought makes me so nervous. I know that Briar won’t just let it go—she’ll probably want to know all about Amy, and I’d rather not have to explain to her what a train wreck I am when it comes to relationships.
I’m probably worrying too much. Briar is an understanding person, that much was clear that night when we talked about my parents and their unconventional relationship.
Taking a quick look in the mirror, I run a hand through my hair and then head back downstairs. I grab a beer from the refrigerator and sit on a barstool, while Briar leans against the kitchen counter across from me. It feels too far away. I liked it better last night, when she was only inches from me in my bed, her hand in mine.
“How was your day?” she asks, a sweet smile on her face .
“Mine was good. How was yours?”
“Nothing exciting. I go back to work soon, so I ran a few errands today. I picked up your mail.” Briar motions to the pile on the counter in front of me, the invitation sitting on the top. “Looks like you’re invited to a wedding.”
I sigh. “Yeah. I won’t be going,” I answer, slipping the satin bow from the invite. Did Amy hand deliver every invitation? Why does that not surprise me?
“An ex-girlfriend?”
“You guessed it.” I look down at the invite. You are cordially invited to the wedding of Preston Stephens and Amy Nichols. She’s marrying a guy named Preston .
“Sooo, how come you’re boycotting—” Briar leans over the counter between us, reading the invitation. “Amy’s wedding?”
“I’m not boycotting her wedding. I just don’t want to go. I think it’s a bit weird she even invited me, to be honest. But our families are close friends. It still feels weird.”
“Bad breakup, huh?”
“I guess.” I shrug. “She just loved her new life more than she loved me.”
Briar scrunches her nose like she’s thinking on that.
“We were young. She didn’t want to be tied down in college,” I explain. “Wanted to sow her oats and all that shit.” I leave out the part where I pushed Amy away first when I started to sense she didn’t want to be tied down to her high school boyfriend.
Briar leans in with her forearms on the counter, dropping her voice. “She gave up a good thing when she let you go, Holden. It’s her loss.”
Briar’s face is inches from mine, and her faint scent of bergamot hits me. Her green eyes seem to search every part of my face, making me breathless. She doesn’t move, and something fills the air between us. I watch her mouth part and her gaze drops to my lips, lingering there before her eyes return to mine. I want to kiss her. I want to know what it feels like to have her mouth on mine. My mind spins. I lean in a little closer, my body seeming to move all on its own… and the timer on the stove goes off.
Briar blinks, straightening her spine as she takes a step back. “That’s dinner. I better… uh… get that before it burns.”
I watch as she pushes back from the counter, turning towards the stove. Maybe this intense attraction I feel isn’t just one-sided. That thought makes my pulse race.
“Can I help you with anything?”
Briar pulls a pan out of the stove. “I’ve got it.”
“You sure?” I slip off the stool, stepping behind her, so close that her back almost brushes against my chest. So close, I can feel the heat radiating from her skin, smell the sugary scent of her shampoo. “I’ll get us plates.” I reach around her to the cupboard above her head, trapping her against the counter, my hip brushing the curve of her lower back. I hear her breath hitch when my arm rises over her head, landing on the cupboard’s shelf, crowding every inch of her personal space.
Briar’s breathing is shallow. My own breath is trapped in my throat being this close to her.
The doorbell rings, breaking the tension that has suddenly filled the room. I immediately take a step back while Briar places her palms on the counter taking a deep, fortifying breath. I leave her in the kitchen while I walk to the door. Only when I’m in the hallway, away from the pull of Briar, do I exhale, looking up at the ceiling. Of course, someone has to be ringing my doorbell at this exact moment.
I pull open the door to find Jake standing on the doorstep .
“Hey, man.”
“Hey.” I watch Jake’s eyes wander over my shoulder into my kitchen, where I’m sure he can see Briar. “Sorry, needed a quick favor but maybe it’s not a good time?”
“Nah, it’s fine. What’s up?”
“Hey, Jake. It’s good to see you,” Briar says, appearing in the entryway. “How’s Everly and the kids?”
“Everyone is good, thanks.” Jake grins. “Ev said she’d like to invite you over for dinner. Welcome you to the neighborhood.”
Fuck my life. Jake is loving this right now. He’s playing it up; he knows he’s under my skin.
“That would be nice. I’d love that.” Briar nods her head and smiles. “I’ll leave you guys to it while I finish up with dinner.”
When Briar disappears back into the kitchen, Jake smirks at me and I shoot him a death glare in response. I motion him out to the porch, where I join him, shutting the door behind me. “What do you want, Jake? Or did you just come over here to torture me?”
He laughs. “I need help moving a couch and a dresser.” He’s wearing a shit-eating grin. Asshole. “So, Tucker was telling me Briar moved in. How’s that working for you?”
“I can tell you’re enjoying this, but you can cool your jets. She needed a place to stay, that’s it. Daisy practically forced her on me.”
“I should send you a gift basket for the hardship you’re having to endure. Are you going to make it, buddy?” Jake mocks me. “It must be so tough living with a woman who looks like Briar. And she’s cooking for you too? What a tragedy.”
“Fuck off.” I shoot him a glare. “The moving, can it wait until after I eat dinner? ”
The fucker laughs as he turns and heads back towards the driveway. “It can wait.”
I go back inside and find Briar still in the kitchen. The table is set but the rest of the kitchen is a complete disaster. Dirty bowls. Used spoons. Condiments from the fridge cluttering the counter.
I always clean the kitchen before I sit down for dinner. It’s the way I like it. But Briar has taken the time to cook for me, so I overlook the mess and sit down beside her.
She glances at me quickly as I pick up my fork. I can tell she has something on her mind. It’s the first time since she moved in that she seems nervous around me and it’s cute as hell. It’s sexy too.
“Anything on your mind?” I ask.
She shuffles her broccoli around on her plate. “I was just thinking about the wedding invite.”
This again?
She scans my face, then clears her throat, her eyes softening, “You’ve got a plus one. You could bring a date; make her see what she’s missing.”
“And who would I bring, Bee? I’m single.”
“You could bring…I don’t know… maybe me?”
Her cheeks pinken. Briar wears every emotion on her face. It’s something I like about her. A lot.
“I’m not trying to push. But you said yourself that you’re over her. Why not go to the wedding and prove it? We can pretend that we’re a happy couple, really play it up. It could be fun.”
“Are you saying you want to be my fake date?”
Briar grins. “What would you say if I was?”
“No.”
Her shoulders drop. I expect her to leave it, but I should know better than that by now. Instead, Briar turns her body to face me, studying me with a determined, playful look in her eyes. It’s unnerving—and wildly sexy. Briar is so full of life. She’s always up for anything.
She locks eyes with me. “The offer stands, Holden. At least think about it.”
Be smart, Holden. You need to be smart. Saying yes to Briar’s proposition would not be smart. Still, some part of me wants to say yes to her. Maybe Briar has a point. If I avoid going, Amy might think I’m not over her.
“Briar?”
She’s chewing her bottom lip. “Yeah?”
“You’d wanna go to a wedding where you wouldn’t know anybody?”
“I’d know you,” she says. “Besides, it’s not about that. It’s about doing something nice for you. And I think we would have fun! A fancy dinner. Free drinks. As long as I stay away from the tequila, we’ll be fine.”
She rests her chin in her hand and smirks at me, her blonde hair falling in soft waves around her face. I can’t help the smile that tips at the corners of my mouth.
“And you’d have no problem pretending we’re a couple?”
“You act like it would be a chore, Holden. I mean, look at you… you’re not exactly a 2.”
I nearly choke on a potato. “Not a 2, hey?”
“Nope.”
“Then....?”
She taps her index finger to her chin two or three times as if she’s thinking on it. “A solid 6.”
I laugh, rolling my eyes. “Bee, you’re a ball buster. Give me time, I’ll grow on you.”
She tips her head back in a laugh, and I feel it in my chest. The sound is pure Briar: bright, impulsive, infectious.
Realization hits me. I have a crush on her .
I should hide in my room for the next couple of months until she moves out. Except I think it might be too late. I can’t get her out of my head.
“I’ll think about it, Bee,” I say, then add, “Oh, and I went shopping after work. I ordered you a bed. It will be here by the end of the week.”
“Thanks, Holden. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“It’s no problem.”
Getting up from my chair, I take our plates to the sink and do the dishes while she works on her laptop at the breakfast bar. When the kitchen is clean, I tell Briar I’m going over to Jake’s.
Everly is putting baby West to bed when I get to their house so Jake and I tackle the move as quickly and quietly as we can. That works for me—less chance for him to take any more shots about my new living arrangements with Briar. We move the bedroom furniture without too much trouble, but it’s still warm out and Jake and Everly don’t have air conditioning in their place so there’s a sheen of sweat on my skin by the time we’re done.
It’s quiet downstairs when I get back to my house; no sign of Briar in the kitchen or living room. Needing a shower, I head to my bedroom. My eyes land on my bed, and I can’t help but wonder where I’ll be sleeping tonight. Will I be back on the couch or next to Briar? I know where I want to be sleeping.
Smart, Holden. Remember, be smart.
Removing my phone from my back pocket, I toss it on the dresser, then I pull the hem of my T-shirt over my head. A noise from the hallway draws my attention, and I turn to find Briar standing just outside the open bedroom door. Her eyes are glued to my torso, her mouth slightly open .
“Oh, hi,” I say, enjoying the feeling of having her eyes on me a little too much.
Her cheeks turn pink, and she tears her gaze away, walking to the nightstand on the side of the bed that has become hers. “Hi. Sorry, um, I didn’t realize you were back. I was just grabbing my book.”
“Just got home two minutes ago. I’m going to have a quick shower,” I tell her, standing in place, noticing the way my bare chest seems to be making her feel frazzled. I run a hand over my stomach just to drive her crazy.
“Don’t let me stop you,” she says with a slight crack to her voice, her eyes lifting to meet mine. “I’m going to read my book for a bit, then I thought I’d watch a movie if you want to join me?”
I nod. “Sounds good,” I tell her, but she’s already headed out the door like the bedroom is on fire.
“I made us popcorn,” Briar announces when I walk into the living room after my shower. I look around the house that until just a few days ago was mine alone. Briar’s strawberry-embroidered slippers have been kicked off in the middle of the room, a hair scrunchie sits on the side table next to the couch. And then there’s the stack of romance novels with half-naked dudes on the cover that are now sitting on my side table. Those have to go. I can just hear the shit the guys would say if they ever saw them. I would never live it down.
Briar shifts her legs so there’s room for me on one end of the couch, and I sink down into it. Feeling my head throb, I rub my temples with my fingertips.
“Are you okay?” Briar’s voice is laced with concern .
I nod and force a smile, not wanting her to worry. “It’s nothing. I just have a headache. I get them all the time and I hate taking pills, so I just try to ride them out.”
“Have you had that checked out?”
“Yes, Bee. I’m not dying. They seem to run in my family. My dad gets them too.”
“Maybe I can help? I give good massages.”
My heart races at the thought of having Briar’s hands on my body. I start to tell her again that I’m fine, but she’s already up off the couch and pushing the coffee table towards the center of the room.
“Sit on the floor, Holden.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to massage your neck muscles and it’s easier if you’re on the floor, so I have some leverage.”
“Briar—”
As she approaches, my eyes lower to take in her mostly bare body: her toned legs on display under an oversized T-shirt. Her smooth skin the color of bronze from the sun. Is she even wearing shorts under that thing?
I lower myself to the floor and feel my cheeks flood with heat as she climbs onto the couch behind me. As she spreads her legs wide and guides my back in between her parted thighs, my mouth goes dry. I want to run my hands up her calves then over her knees and up her thighs until they reach the hem of her T-shirt. I want to find out what she’s wearing under that damn shirt.
But as soon as Briar moves an inch closer, her petite body closing in on me, the swoosh of my heartbeat pounds in my ears, bringing me back to the moment. My eyes squeeze shut and then Briar’s hands are on me. Every bit of her is crowding every inch of me and it feels so good .
My breathing seems to stop entirely as I bend my head forward and relax into her touch.
“I found the knot that’s causing you the pain,” she says as she pulls down the neck of my T-shirt and her hands drift over my bare skin. “No wonder you have a headache. You are wound so tight. This knot is huge.”
I wince when her hand applies pressure on the bundle of muscles in my right shoulder blade.
“Relax, Holden. Just breathe until it loosens.”
I do exactly that, closing my eyes, stretching my head to the side. A moan slips past my lips as she continues to rub the same spot in tiny circles.
“This would be easier if you weren’t wearing your shirt.”
“You want me to take off my shirt?”
“It would be easier.”
Taking in a stuttering breath, I grab the fabric at the neck with one hand and pull the shirt over my head, dropping it on the floor next to me. I feel her warm hands return to my shoulders but this time when they do, my skin erupts in a shiver. My muscles tense.
“Relax, Holden.”
I do as she says, swallowing the nerves that have risen in my throat. I relax my shoulders, loving the way her fingers feel on my skin, the sound of her voice, the way I’m notched in between her legs.
Her fingers ease up on the knot, drifting over my shoulder blades, up my neck then down my spine. They travel further down to my lower back, and when she reaches the band of my shorts, a soft sigh escapes my mouth.
“That’s better. Does it feel good?”
“So good,” I tell her, a mixture of relaxation and exhilaration flowing through my veins. “My headache is almost gone. ”
“Good. See, I told you I’m good at this.”
Of course she is. Briar seems to be good at everything. She’s successful, people love her, she can even cook. Not to mention she’s effortlessly stunning. Maybe that’s why she has very quickly gotten under my skin.
It feels strange, really. The first day she moved in, I was annoyed. I didn’t want her here and I wasn’t exactly subtle about the fact that her stuff strewn around everywhere got on my nerves. She felt like a hurricane, but even in her storm, however small and fierce she is, not even an oak tree could stand tall against her.
Ironically, it feels like in the midst of her storm, I feel a calmness.
I’ve never felt this way before. Is it just Briar and her pretty smile, or is it the pent-up sexual frustration after not allowing myself to be touched by a woman for a full year?
I didn’t think I missed that type of connection, the intimacy of being with another person… until now. Until Briar walked into my life and turned it upside down.
“Are you going to Catch 21 this weekend?” she says suddenly, distracting my focus from the feel of her skin against mine.
“I’ll be there. You?” I ask.
Grayson booked the patio at our usual spot in Reed Point. Everyone has been so busy lately with kids and summer vacations— including him and Sierra, with baby Sadie who turns one in the fall— so I’m looking forward to catching up, having a nice dinner and a few drinks with friends. Catch 21 is one of the town’s swankiest restaurants, with live music and a small space for dancing. We all plan on taking Ubers so we can have a good time.
“I plan on it,” she answers. “Daisy and Tucker invited me.” I can’t deny that it makes me happy that she’ll be there with me and my friends.
“Do you live at the gym, Holden? You are all muscle.”
Briar’s soft hands rub wide circles over my shoulder. “I work out. They have a decent gym at my office.”
She hums, her hands moving to the back of my neck. “I need to get back into the gym now that I’m back home. Remember when you and Tucker and Daisy and I played pickleball? That was fun. We should do that again.”
How could I forget? The image of Briar in her lime-green sports bra and short white skirt have been imprinted on my brain ever since. Her skirt was so short you could see the tiny pair of bootie shorts she was wearing underneath.
Yeah, these thoughts are not going to help the hard-on I’ve been trying to control all night from being this close to her. There is literally not a single part of Briar that doesn’t turn me on. The scent of her skin. Her pouty bottom lip. Every curve of her body. Her presence. The way she lives in the moment.
When her fingernails gently scrape over my skin, the last bit of my restraint breaks. I quickly stand, taking a step away from her parted legs. If I stay here any longer, my dick will be as hard as stone and impossible to hide.
“Holden? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I say, quickly excusing myself to the bathroom before I do something I can’t take back.
Shutting the bathroom door, I lean against the counter and take a shaky breath. With every minute that ticks by, I feel that pull toward Briar growing stronger. I stay there for a few more minutes, giving myself time to gather my thoughts. Finally, I open the bathroom door and return to the living room. Briar is standing now, and when I enter the room, she looks at me with concern .
“Are you okay?” she asks again, chewing on her lower lip.
“I’m fine.” I wave it off.
Briar’s expression tells me she’s not buying it. She’s probably trying to understand why I suddenly bolted from the room, and I can’t blame her. The room goes silent, all but the sound of my heart beating rapidly behind my ribs.
Nothing happened between us tonight, I remind myself. But Briar has never had her hands on my bare skin before, and I haven’t felt the touch of a woman in a very long time, so it doesn’t feel like it was nothing.
“I’m going to check on Bear then I think I’m going to turn in. Maybe read a chapter or two,” she says, clutching the book in her hand to her chest like a shield.
“Okay, I can sleep on the —”
“In your bed with me,” Briar says, cutting me off mid-sentence. “It’s only a few more days. What would be the point of the massage if you’re just going to sleep on the couch again? Kinda defeats the purpose. Plus, I’ve gotten used to having you next to me. I like it.”
She holds my gaze with her sparkling eyes refusing to look at my bare chest.
There’s a beat of silence between us.
And another.
I couldn’t look away if I tried.
Briar clears her throat, takes a small step toward me. “Holden, have you thought about my offer?”
I swallow. “The fake date?”
“Yeah.”
“Possibly.”
“I might look like a mind reader, but I’m actually not,” Briar jokes, relieving the pressure a bit. “So, is it a yes or a no? ”
This girl is a ball buster, but it’s working. Her insistence is wearing me down.
I sigh. “My answer is yes.”
Excitement flashes in her emerald-green eyes before she gives me one of those smiles that just about knocks me off my feet. She claps her hands together. “Yes! This is going to be so much fun. Okay, so who is going to be at this wedding? Anyone you know?”
“I know my parents will be there, and my stepmom. They’re close with Amy’s family still. Why?” I narrow my eyes, wondering what’s going on in her head.
“Well, we can’t just show up together out of the blue and tell your family we’re a couple. If we’re going to pull this off, we have to be convincing. So, there will need to be a fake date or two first.”
I nod with a laugh. I can’t believe I’m going to go through with this. “Okay. In that case, Briar, will you be my fake girlfriend?”
“I thought you’d never ask!” she squeals. “Yes, muffin. My answer is yes! I will be your fake girlfriend.”
“Muffin?”
“Yes, babe. We’re going to need cute nicknames for one another if we’re going to be the cutest couple Reed Point has ever seen.”
“I draw the line at muffin, and the cutest couple in Reed Point? You’re taking this way too far.”
“Not far enough, cupcake,” she smirks. “It might not be obvious, but when I commit to something, I give it 100 percent.”
I snort. “Oh, it’s obvious. I’m getting the message loud and clear.”
I haven’t known Briar for long but what I have discovered is that she says what’s on her mind. She’s fearless. Determined. And a lot of fucking fun.
I can’t believe I’ve agreed to this plan of hers, but if I’m honest, I’m looking forward to this fake relationship already.
“We’re going to have to kiss if we’re going to pull this off. You realize that right?”
Adrenaline rushes through my veins. “Don’t worry, Bee, that won’t be necessary. I’ve never been into PDA. Anyone who knows me, knows that.”
“Holden. I’m not saying we make out like two horny teenagers, but a peck on my temple, or on my lips, is going to be necessary if we’re going to convince anyone.”
“Sure. I’ll kiss your forehead. You can kiss my cheek.”
“Holden Banks. Are you really that much of a prude that you won’t fake kiss me on my mouth?”
Her gaze is pinned to mine, our faces only inches apart. It’s almost as if she’s daring me to make a move. It would be all too easy to take just one more step closer to her and seal my lips to hers.
It suddenly feels like we’re the only two people on this earth.
“Holden, if you pretend kissed me right now, I’d kiss you back,” she says softly.
“You don’t think that would be a bad idea?” I whisper.
The corners of her mouth tilt upward. “Definitely not.”
My cock stiffens as I think about closing the distance between us and sweeping my lips over hers. It takes everything in me to keep from taking her face in my hands and devouring her the way I’ve been longing to do.
Briar’s breath turns shallow when I drop my eyes to her full, pink lips. Her mouth is parted, her eyes hooded. I have never been more turned on in my life and I haven’t even touched her .
But I want to. Badly.
There are only a few inches of space between us, and my cock is now almost fully hard behind the confines of my shorts. My pulse races, my body in overdrive at the thought of finally getting a taste of Briar. But I have a feeling that a kiss won’t be close to being enough.
With a tilt of her head, Briar studies me attentively. It’s difficult to stand steady under the intensity of her gaze.
“Think of it as a practise kiss for when we need to kiss in public,” she says in a soft voice. “We need to be believable.”
She doesn’t move. Briar doesn’t flinch.
Olive skin. Full, pink lips. My eyes slowly return to her mouth, and I find myself scraping my teeth gently over my bottom lip.
“Briar,” I say, my voice coming out like a feral growl. “Put down your book.”
“Why?” she whispers.
She hands the book to me, and I immediately drop it to the floor, taking the last step towards her.
“Because I’m going to kiss you.”
She doesn’t waver or shy away.
I can’t hold back any longer. I give in. I take her face in my hands, and I kiss her. A slow, lingering kiss. Simple. Soft and languid. Chaste and lingering, but my body still somehow erupts in a shiver.
Once she realizes what is happening, she goes up on her toes and flattens her hands against my pecs.
I’m kissing Briar.
Briar is kissing me back.
It’s only when we need air to breathe that we pull away.
My hands still holding her face, Briar’s eyes sparkle before they go wide as if she’s realized what just happened .
The feeling is mutual. I’m still coming to terms with it myself.
“Wow.” She rolls her lips together like she’s savoring the wetness from the kiss. “I think we’re going to be okay at this.”
Shock is painted all over her face as she lowers her heels to the floor, but she doesn’t break eye contact.
“The best fake kiss of my life,” I admit.
Her eyes close for a beat. “Holden, I know that didn’t mean anything. I know it was just practise, but… you can kiss me like that anytime you want. Anywhere.”
Nervously, she tucks her blonde hair behind her ear. Dammit, I love when she shows me this side of her. It’s so fucking hot when she’s vulnerable. “I… I’m going to check on Bear. I’ll come to bed soon.”
I nod, watching her walk down the hall then I turn in the opposite direction to the kitchen to make her a cup of tea.
That’s when I realize how easy it would be to fall for this girl.