KORIE #2
Holden’s expression softens in a way I’m getting dangerously addicted to. Like making me laugh is his favorite thing in the world.
“I’ll buy you dinner if you let me do it,” he bargains.
“You buy me dinner constantly.”
“I’ll buy you an expensive dinner.”
I narrow my eyes suspiciously. “Why are you so invested in this?”
His thumb brushes lightly against the side of my head, lingering near my hairline. “Because you always do everything yourself, and because I know you always feel best when you feel beautiful.”
Something in my chest twists hard enough that I have to look away.
I don’t know what to do with him sometimes. Or without him.
His voice gets softer. “Let me help you.”
“Fine. But if you mess up, no more sleepovers.”
An hour later, my bathroom counter is covered in bottles and mixing trays like it’s been transformed into a lab. Holden is staring at the dye kits, gloves, clips, and towels like he’s regretting his life choices.
“I didn’t know you owned a whole salon.”
“I like options.”
“You like chaos.”
I crack a smile. “That too.”
He squints down at the instructions while I sit on the closed toilet lid in a faded blue T-shirt and sleep shorts.
Holden insisted I wear something “sacrificial” for his virgin attempt at dyeing hair, which apparently means one of his old college shirts he found shoved in the back of my closet when he was looking for something to wear.
The stupid thing is how much I love wearing it. Not only because it’s his, but because it reminds me of so many great times together. Painful times, yes, when I gave up swim team and struggled to understand myself. But college had been some of the best years of our lives.
Finally, Holden picks up a pair of gloves, pulling them on with unnecessary seriousness. “Okay. I think I understand the mission.”
“You sound like you’re preparing for surgery.”
“This is important.”
“It’s dye, not a heart transplant.”
“You’re trusting me with your appearance. That’s huge.”
I grin despite myself. “You’re being weirdly cute right now.”
His eyes light up. “Yeah?”
The look on his face sends heat creeping up my neck. Holden has always flirted, with pretty much everyone. But now every little thing lands differently. Feels heavier somehow. More real.
I clear my throat. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late.”
He steps between my knees and gently tips my head back. “Ready?”
My stomach flips unexpectedly. All he’s doing is touching my hair, but the tenderness—and being this close to him—feels impossible to ignore.
“Ready,” I mumble.
Holden starts carefully sectioning pieces of my hair, tongue poking slightly against the inside of his cheek in concentration. He’s being surprisingly gentle for someone so solid. Every now and then, his fingers brush my neck or graze my jaw accidentally, sending tiny sparks skating across my skin.
My cock stirs.
“You’re staring,” he says without stopping.
“No. I’m supervising.”
“You’re definitely staring.”
“You’re holding chemicals near my head. I’m fearing for my life.”
He laughs softly. “Uh-huh.”
Our eyes meet and we both laugh.
The bathroom gradually fills with the faint scent of hair dye and cleaning solution while music plays softly from Holden’s phone on the counter—thankfully not Black Eyed Peas. It’s something softer, quieter. The kind of music he only listens to when he’s relaxed.
And he is relaxed. Completely at ease here with me, trying something new.
I love it so much—even if I’m silently questioning all of this.
I haven’t figured out if him being here all the time is calming me or slowly overstimulating me. Because I want him here, but… he just distracts the hell out of me.
Holden carefully paints dye onto another section near my temple. “We should go somewhere this weekend.”
My stomach tightens instinctively. “Somewhere?”
“Mm-hmm.” His fingers brush my scalp tenderly, legs bumping mine. “Maybe to dinner or something.”
I focus on the rip in the knee of his jeans instead of his face. “Like a… date?”
He glances down, smiling. “Or just to hang out,” he says softly.
I chew my lip. “My apartment has a perfectly good couch to hang out on.”
He snorts, then raises a soft, concerned eyebrow. “I’m just saying. You literally ordered toothpaste for delivery yesterday.”
“So?”
“So I’m just checking in with you, is all.”
I look away. I wish he wouldn’t pay so close attention. Even a grocery run has felt like too much lately. I don’t know why.
I don’t know if it’s him or… just everything.
Holden laughs under his breath. “You’re such a little gremlin sometimes.”
I force a playful grin. “No. I’m a panda.”
Holden’s grin widens. “Mmm. Yeah, an emotional and very cuddly panda.”
“So? You’re still obsessed with me.”
Holden pauses, then leans down to kiss me. “Very true.”
The ease of his answer makes my heart ache in the strangest way.
Holden finishes another section, then gently tilts my head back to inspect his work. “Seriously, though, Kor. You okay lately?” he asks quietly.
The question catches me off guard.
Not because of what he’s asking. Because he noticed the shift at all.
I look up at him, my heart warming. He’s standing still in my tiny bathroom with creamy goop on his gloves and concern in his eyes, like my moods matter to him. Like I matter to him.
It should calm me. He’s always been this way. He’s always seen me even when others don’t. But now there’s a note of uncertainty there, like he’s afraid he’s the cause of my slump, and it’s not him. Not exactly. It’s just my own heart trying to make sense of everything.
“Yeah,” I say softly. “I am.”
His expression eases immediately. “Good.” Then he smirks. “Because if I accidentally melt your hair off, I need you emotionally stable first.”
I smack his thigh. “That’s not funny!”
He belts out a laugh loud enough to startle Aris awake in the hallway. She chirps angrily.
“Ow.” He rubs his thigh.
“Sorry.” I replace his hand with mine, rubbing soft circles.
Maybe he’s right, though. Maybe I need to get out of here to clear my head.
“Fine.”
“Fine what?”
“We can go somewhere this weekend.”
Holden looks like he just won a prize. “Good.”