That’s my girl.
My face breaks into a huge grin.
On a serious note, how are you, precious?
-----
I’m just about to type my response when my doorbell rings.
Hold on tight, I think Callum is at my door.
-----
Okay, I won’t budge.
-----
With my eyes still glued to my screen and with a stupid grin on my face, I unlock the door and swing it open.
I freeze.
The sight makes my breath catch.
My gaze bounces from the tall, gorgeous man smiling at me and my iPhone. I do that a few times before I regain my ability to speak.
“You’ve been standing there the whole time?” I croak.
“I have,” Holt confirms.
He’s here.
My chest swarms with butterflies.
He’s really here.
I grin at him like a fool.
“Can I come in?” he smiles back.
Fuck. His irresistible panty-melting smile turns me into putty.
Roll your tongue back into your mouth, Everly.
“Of course. Please. What a surprise. How did you know I was up?” I blurt out.
He chuckles. “I wanted to come over, but I needed a partner in crime––someone who could confirm I wasn’t going to disturb you. I’ve heard there’s no business like the Christmas donut business.”
I squint my eyes at him. “Have you been drinking the same Kool-Aid as Callum?”
“Guilty as charged.”
“So now the two of you are best friends?”
“He’s warmed to me.” I shake my head, amused. “I’ve been planning this morning all week with him,” Holt says.
“You’ve been planning to pop by and see me?”
“No, something bigger. One sec,” he lifts his index finger before going back into the hallway.
I extend my neck to see what’s going on.
He’s back inside my apartment holding three bags. The heavenly smell of food hits my nostrils full force.
“What are you up to, Mr. Christensen?”
“Why, nothing dishonorable, Miss Bickford-Smith. You have my word.”
“You’re such a gentleman.”
“Always.” He gives me a tight nod.
We both laugh.
“I was hoping I could seduce you into having breakfast with me.”
You can seduce me into a whole lot more.
“You’re the sweetest.”
“It’s been a while. There’s a lot to catch up on.”
“Yeah,” I nod with a small smile.
“Can we head to the kitchen?”
“Absolutely! Let me help you,” I reach for one of the bags.
“Tsk. Did I ask for help?”
“I’m just being a courteous host.”
“Get your fine ass in the kitchen, woman.”
“Yes, sir.” I even give him a salute.
That cracks him up.
“What a pleasant surprise. I can’t believe you’re here.”
“My kid and my dog are spending the morning with my brother and my cousins, so I’m all yours.”
“Ohhh,” my eyes widen like saucers.
“Yeah, breakfast first. Then, I drop the gentleman act.”
He still wants me.
My heart does this weird little flutter thing.
“I’ve been told.”
“It’s only fair before I ravish the hell out of you,” he winks at me.
I giggle.
Yup, I’m elated.
I close the door, lock it, and turn around to face him.
“You already know the way,” I say, pointing ahead.
“Ladies first,” he says, jerking his head.
I step forward.
“Whatever you brought smells amazing!” I inhale deeply.
“I stopped by my favorite breakfast places. It’s Naomi’s as well,” he says, dropping the bags on the counter.
A wave of sadness washes over me at hearing his daughter’s name.
“I never answered your question.”
He frowns. “Which one?”
“You asked me how I was doing?”
“Sorry, I’m not even keeping track. I guess seeing you again does that to me.” He closes the gap between us and brings his hand to my cheek. I lean into his palm. The simple touch brings back a flood of memories. I close my eyes for a beat to avoid whimpering. The next thing I know, his lips are on mine, kissing me passionately, his tongue dancing with mine. He tastes as incredible as the last time his mouth was on me. “I’ve missed kissing you,” he whispers.
“I’m in the same boat,” I laugh softly.
“How are you, precious?” His voice is as soft as a caress.
“I’m doing good.” Just looking up into his beautiful ocean blue eyes takes my breath away. It’s been too long. “Busy. Depleted. Exhausted. But, I wouldn’t have it any other way. How about you? How are you holding up?”
“Cheeky baker. You tricked me.”
I shake my head. “How do you casually ask someone how they’re doing after so much drama?”
He breaks our embrace and takes a long step back. He tucks his hands into the pockets of his jeans and lets out a long sigh before pacing the kitchen. “I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch. It was a lot to handle.”
“Unfortunately, I’m one of the few people on this planet who can truly say, I understand.”
“Yeah, I thought of you many times. But I was MIA even before… while I was getting ready to battle Lauren over the custody of my child. I…” He lets his words trail. “I didn’t know how bad it was going to get and I didn’t think it was a good idea for you to be caught up in that kind of shit storm.”
“I heard of the custody battle.”
His eyes widen in surprise. “How?”
“Like you said, there’s a lot for us to catch up on.”
He nods. “Let’s eat, we can talk after breakfast.”
* * *
“That good, huh?” Chuckling, Holt points his cup of coffee at my empty plate before he takes another sip.
Etiquette––and the fact I’m pretty sure my mother would know even if she’s on the other side of the country––prevents me from licking my plate.
“Good? You mean, amazing!”
“Yeah, I could eat there every day.”
“I can’t believe I never knew about this restaurant until now,” I say, dropping my coffee cup back on the saucer.
“There are too many restaurants in LA, but this one is a real gem.”
Holt stopped by Millie’s Café. True, the first part was your standard breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and toast, but Holt outdid himself with the sides. Since he didn’t know what I’d prefer, he didn’t take any chances, which is why I ended up wolfing down a generous portion of smoked applewood bacon, chicken-apple walnut sausage, and chorizo in one sitting. The French toast served with sliced bananas, strawberries, whipped cream and real maple syrup nearly sent me straight to Heaven’s door. Wow.
“In fact, I think I might have to pop by next week. This is ridiculous.”
“I’ll take you,” he says. “Naomi and I could be your breakfast companions.”
“I’d love that,” I smile back.
“How is she?”
“Other than the fact she was pissed off at me for the longest time because I didn’t drop by your shop anymore?”
I let out a laugh. “Seriously?”
His whole demeanor changes. A dark veil covers his blue eyes. He reaches out, grabs my hand and brings it to his lips before dropping a soft kiss inside my palm.
“I’ve missed you,” he says.
“I missed you too.”
“Naomi misses you a lot.”
“It’s the same for me.”
“I had a hard time explaining to her why you weren’t coming over. She thought she’d done something bad and you were upset with her. She even cried over it. It fucking broke my heart.
”
“Oh, God,” I say, dropping my free hand against my chest. “Poor baby.”
“I was trying to protect you, but I couldn’t tell her that. So, instead, I told her you were really busy with the holidays. It seemed to appease her. Well, until Luna starting getting pissed off at me as well.”
I furrow my eyebrows. “Why?”
“Luna learned the hard way what it means to eat the last doggy donut I had in the freezer.”
“No way.”
“She sat in front of the fridge for God knows how long, just looking up at the freezer and barking on occasion. Every time I’d walk into the kitchen, she’d look at me with a sad face, sending me telepathic messages. Yesterday, she did it again. Naomi hugged her and told her she had to be patient. She wouldn’t have any more doggy treats for a while because you were too busy. Luna wouldn’t hear it of it. Ticked off, she walked up to her bowl, grabbed it in her mouth and threw it at me. As if I had the power to magically make doggy donuts appear.”
My shoulders shake with laughter. “My God, that’s hilarious.”
“It wasn’t funny living through it,” he retorts. “My dog is addicted to your donuts.”
“I promise I’ll make Luna some pre-Christmas treats. I’ll also make sure to prepare a few goodies for Naomi.”
“My girls will love that.”
We smile at each other.
“All that to say, we missed you.”
I pause, weighing my next words. “When you stopped calling and texting, I thought you were getting back with Lauren.”
“Never. Hell would freeze over first. She threw me a curveball. I was juggling so much shit, I thought I was going to crack. I had to keep it together for my daughter’s sake.”
I worry my bottom lip, debating if I should ask the question burning my tongue. “So it’s true, Lauren was going to fight dirty for custody?”
“Desperation can make you do some pretty horrible things,” he says.
Over two more cups of latte and the rest of the French toast, Holt tells me everything. I’m dumbfounded as I listen to him recount the dramatic turn his life took over the last seven weeks. I let him talk freely, never interrupting him. There’s so much. Only when he’s done do I tell him how, through Ainsley’s boyfriend, I was able to get an insight into the turmoil in his life.
“I guess Lauren’s murder was like having the rug ripped from under your feet. In the blink of an eye, your entire existence turns topsy-turvy,” I conclude.
“Exactly. It took the wind right from under my wings. Sure, I was set to fight her and we were pretty pissed off at each other, but this isn’t the way it was supposed to end.” He pauses. “I needed time to sort everything out.”
“Did the police tell you more about the murders?”
He shakes his head. “My conclusion is either Legion didn’t pay his supplier or he pissed him off. Lauren just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. She drank hard, but never touched drugs. Sure, things change in people’s lives, but I just didn’t see it happening with Lauren.”
“I’m surprised the police wouldn’t give you more details.”
“As weird as it sounds, Lauren and I aren’t family. We were never married and we didn’t live together for very long. Heck, we weren’t even dating when she got pregnant. It was a real struggle to get her estate settled because of that. My only saving grace was the fact I was acting on behalf of her sole surviving family member.”
“Wow. I assume Naomi knows nothing about all of this?”
“No. She’s still the same happy little girl. Her bright smile makes me realize I have a lot to be grateful for. Despite everything, she’s still my responsibility… just the way it should be.”
“Thank God.”
“I was so stressed out the tragedy would get to her. For once, I appreciated all the noise in the media. The reelection of President McClory and the heroic way NYPD stopped a potential terror attack in New York overshadowed the murders. Legion’s fans mourned him, but Lauren’s death didn’t gather as much attention. The publicity team at the whiskey company did a good job at appeasing investors.”
“What a horrible story.”
“Yeah.”
We sit in silence for a few long seconds before he speaks again.
“I hate how I lost control of things in my life. How I lost you.”
His revelation tugs at my heart.
My mouth pulls up into a reluctant smile. “It was cruel not seeing you to all those weeks.”
A flirtatious glee flashes in his blue eyes.
“So you didn’t find another guy to tie you up and have his way with you?”
My lips break into a smile.
We’re back to being playful.
I offer him a one-shoulder shrug.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t get that, Donut Dominatrix,” he says.
“Why would I waste my time?”
“So you found the right guy?”
“Absolutely.”
“Things change between people when they don’t see each other for a while.”
“True,” I agree.
“Have things changed for you?”
I push my chair back and get up. With my eyes locked into his, I circle the table until I’m standing in front of him. Without asking for permission, I straddle his lap. “No, they haven’t,” I tell him. “What about you?”
“Nah. You had me at fanny pack.”
I tilt my head back and laugh uncontrollably.
“You still can’t get over that thing?” I say when I regain my composure.
“Do you blame me? I barely knew you and already you were inviting me to check out your goods. That challenge sealed your fate, cupcake.”
“Bless the fanny pack.”
His eyes crinkle. “Bless its power over me,” he laughs.
I join him.
“And to answer your question, no, nothing’s changed for me either, precious.”
“Really?”
“I still want you, Everly.”
I take his face in my hands and brush my lips against his. “I still want you too, Holt.”
“Good,” he whispers, pressing his mouth against mine. The gentle kiss becomes more demanding. More urgent. Each slip of tongue a little more intoxicating, until our tongues tangle in a familiar dance that already has me dripping. He fists my hair possessively, reminding me he has all the control.
I moan into his mouth.
Yes, God.
“Damn, your lips,” he growls, pulling away from me. “Are you going to get mad at me if I reveal my partner in crime has made it so that I can keep you prisoner up here until midday?”
I shake my head. “Unbelievable.”
“What can I say? I need to savor every inch of you. I have to make up for lost time.”
My body is tingling, my nipples harden with anticipation, aching for his mouth and his touch. It’s been too long.
“In that case, take me now, you beast of burden!”
“God, I missed your sense of humor,” he smiles, his eyes boring into mine. “You know why these past seven weeks have been so unforgiving?”
“Other than not eating my donuts and being able to laugh at my jokes?”
“Yeah, other than that.”
“My sparkling personality?”
“I think I’m falling for you.”
Huh?
“You what?” I ask.
“I’m falling for you, Everly,” he repeats. There’s so much desire in his eyes, I could combust in flames. “I know it sounds crazy because we haven’t known each other very long, but what we shared together… I want that in my life.”
Oh. My. God.
I’m speechless.
I blink at him furiously, wondering if this is a dream. It has to be. But nope, those magnetic blue eyes are still staring at me.
“I was miserable at the thought all this drama would keep me away longer,” he says. “I hated not being with you.”
I still
can’t speak.
I’m literally at a loss for words.
“Maybe you don’t feel the sa—”
I snap out of it.
“I do!” I blurt out.
He chuckles.
I quiet my beating heart long enough to say, “I didn’t think I could wish for more.”
“You can.” He kisses my temple. “You’re allowed to because I want more too. A lot more. I want all of you, precious.”
Mother of God.
CHAPTER 36
Holt
The way Everly’s gorgeous brown eyes heat beneath my stare erases the guilt that’s gripped me since I last held her in my arms. The lust and vulnerability I read in them is unsettling. It’s written all over her beautiful face how glad she is to see me. And fuck, it makes me want her even more.
“Is this the part of the story where you drop the gentleman act?” a mischievous—and sexy-as-hell—smile teases her lips.
I reach for her ponytail and play around with it until I release her beautiful cascade of colorful hair. She shakes her head, allowing her gorgeous mane to drape her shoulders.
“You ready for that?” I run my finger along the hollow of her throat, loving the way her breath hitches.
“I’ve been ready since I saw you standing at my door.”
“I’m warning you, you might walk funny for the rest of the day.”
“That’s a small price to pay to feel you inside me.”
“Fuck,” I growl.
I lift her in my arms and stride to her bedroom. I drop her on her feet and sit on the bed.
“Strip, precious.”
I don’t have to ask twice.
She’s in such a rush, I barely have time to appreciate the sheer pink bra and matching panties.
No wonder she’s been the star of my wet dreams.
“Nice change,” I say when my eyes land on her pussy.
She blushes. “It’s been crazy busy and I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Nothing wrong with a little bush.”
“Really?”
“It’s nice and trimmed. I’ll have fun gorging on you,” I wink. “Come,” I tap the spot next to me.
“What about you?”
“You want me naked?”
“How else are you going to make true to your promise?”
That playful personality.
I shake my head.
“All right,” I say, getting up.
Torrid Rush: A Single Dad Romance (Bad Boy Studs Book 3) Page 28
