HOLDEN #2
Korie kisses me again, then sinks to their knees, opening their red lips for me.
My eyes flutter as I slide down their throat.
They suck hard, hand curled around my shaft.
The sounds they make—that we make—echo against the tile.
My heart skips a beat as they look up, so full of lust and desire and something else.
I grip the counter with one hand and hold their head with the other. My hips buck forward, and Korie gags, then quickly swallows me down, nodding. As I gently fuck their throat, Korie’s sounds get frantic. Their fingers dig into my thighs.
“Touch yourself if you need to.”
They don’t move, but I can see a bulge tenting the front of their skirt.
I drop my head back as Korie swallows around my shaft. Korie cups my balls. With their other hand, they reach behind to slide a finger between my ass cheeks. I curse.
“I’m nearly there,” I say, a little embarrassed. Being close to Korie all day, smelling their faint floral and musk scent, has screwed with my head.
They don’t pop off. If anything, they take me deeper, moaning loudly. One hand slips under their skirt as they jack themselves. My balls draw up to hug the base.
“Kor.”
They keep going. With a few more passes, I come down their throat with a deep grunt.
I pull them to their feet so I can return the favor. Yanking their skirt and underwear down, I stroke them as I suck on their throat hard enough to leave a mark. Korie’s fingers dig into my biceps, then they crash against me, hips thrusting. The muffled way they say my name makes my head spin.
It’s not long before they come, hot and heavy in my hand. I watch their face as they ride out the pleasure.
Korie finally pulls away, laughing softly. “Guess we didn’t need the condoms, did we?”
I laugh. “Oh, I have a feeling we will soon enough. Don’t you worry.”
They give me a shy smile. “You think so?”
I kiss them. “Absolutely.”
The afternoon drags.
Not because work is bad. Honestly, it’s been a pretty decent shift. Easy customers, steady flow, enough to keep my hands busy without frying my brain. But every time I glance at the clock, I swear only three minutes have passed.
I stock a shelf and catch myself smiling like an idiot.
The last few days keep replaying in my head in little flashes.
Korie laughing so hard they nearly snorted soda through their nose.
The showers we’ve taken together. Their fingers tangled with mine while we wandered downtown last week with no actual plan.
The way they’d leaned against me during a movie two nights ago, all sleepy and warm.
The way they’d straddled me on the couch last night, riding me.
And yeah. The sex too.
Definitely the sex.
We’ve gotten off almost every day lately, and each time it’s been just as good as the last, if not better.
Shit, I better not think about that here…
I adjust a row of protein bars that are already straight. If Ellis catches me grinning at absolutely nothing again, she’ll think I’ve officially lost it.
Things are just… good right now.
Really good.
Nothing has ever felt so right. Not even close.
We haven’t talked about what we’re doing again, and I don’t know if we should. I’m kinda just leaning in hard and praying I don’t screw it up.
I ring up a customer and barely process the interaction before my thoughts drift again.
Yeah. I’m definitely going over to Korie’s apartment after work again. No question.
By the time my shift finally ends, I’m practically jogging to my car.
Cole raises a brow at me on the way out, but I ignore him.
“See ya tomorrow!” I call.
The sun’s starting to set by the time I pull into Korie’s apartment complex, painting everything gold and orange. When did life get so… vivid?
The apartment smells of tomato sauce and cheese when I let myself in. I look to my right and grin.
Korie is bundled on the couch in the world’s fluffiest purple blanket, knees tucked up, and only the top half of their face visible over the edge. Damp red hair is sticking out in every direction.
“There’s my little burrito,” I say.
Korie narrows their eyes at me. “Rude.”
I toss my keys onto the table before dropping onto the couch beside them. The blanket shifts enough for me to catch sight of striped pink socks.
Damn. How is it possible they get cuter every time I go to work?
Korie watches me for a second, then hesitates. “You know, I’m seriously considering charging you half of this month’s rent.”
I snort immediately. “Eh. I’m sure the dust bunnies are fine at my place.”
“They might miss you.”
“Not as much as you would if I went home.”
I grin at them, expecting the usual immediate comeback.
Instead, Korie smiles—but it flickers strangely fast. Their gaze drops away almost instantly, fingers tightening slightly around the blanket. It’s tiny. Most people probably wouldn’t even notice it. But I do.
Something in my chest tugs. “Did you want me to go?”
They jerk their head up. “What?”
“You got weird.”
Korie rolls their eyes dramatically, but there’s a beat too long before they answer. “No, I didn’t.”
The hesitation hits me harder than it should. Not because I think they’re lying exactly. More because… well, I don’t know. I don’t like when Korie keeps things from me. It takes me back to a time I try not to think about.
I open my mouth to say something, preparing to back off, but Korie shifts closer and bumps their socked foot against my thigh.
“Besides, I already have dinner in the oven for us, dummy,” they say, a little shyly. “So get over here and act like you missed me.”
Their grin this time reaches their eyes. But still, something uneasy settles in the back of my mind as I slide an arm around them. Maybe they aren’t leaning in as much as I thought.
Or maybe I’m bulldozing ahead. Overreaching.
I glance down at Korie, heart clenching. I really don’t want to mess this up. Korie reaches for my hand, idly playing with my fingers.
I search for something to say that isn’t about the sudden weight in my chest.
Korie adjusts the purple blanket around us, covering our legs.
“I don’t even want to know what your electric bill is in the summer. Keeping your apartment cold enough to bury yourself in blankets.”
They elbow me. “Oh, shut up. You like it.”
When the oven dings, Korie dishes up a pasta casserole, then settles right back in at my side, feet tucked under them.
I glance over at them while they add hot sauce to their bowl. “I want to take you out again.”
Korie looks up. “Like a date? Or hanging out again?”
There’s something careful in the question.
I shrug lightly even though my heartbeat suddenly feels too loud. I need to be honest. To make it clear to Korie how real this is to me. “A date.”
Korie pauses, color slowly creeping into the tips of their ears. Their mouth twitches like they’re trying not to smile too much about it. “Okay,” they say softly.
Warmth spreads through my chest so fast it almost knocks the breath out of me.
“Just like that? Okay?”
They’re eyes brighten in a way that tells me they’re happy and trying not to show it too.
“Yeah, Holden. Okay.” They nudge me. “Don’t make it weird. I’m impressed you held out this long, honestly.”
I grin so hard my face hurts.
Korie shakes their head at me fondly before shoving the hot sauce jar at me to set on the end table. “Eat your food before you look at me like that again.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to eat me for dinner instead of the pasta.”
I nearly choke on a bite.
Korie cackles immediately, disappearing deeper into their blanket cocoon while I cough and glare at them.
“Oh, you think you’re funny now?”
“I know I’m funny.”
I grab them around the middle before they can escape, dragging them against me while they squawk and nearly drop their bowl. The laughter that fills the apartment feels easy.
And even with that lingering uncertainty sitting quietly in the back of my head, I hold onto this moment anyway.
Because Korie said yes.
Because they’re here.
Because when they finally settle against me again, warm beneath layers of purple fuzz and oversized sleeves, it still feels exactly like where I’m supposed to be.
I kiss them. “And besides, whoever said I can’t have both? Dinner and dessert?”
Korie’s ears turn pink. “You won’t hear me say no.”