Because You're Mine

by K. Langston

  Yesterday had been the best day of my life, and this morning…even better. Waking up with Maddie next to me had to be the best feeling in the world. She had quickly become a need rather than a want. That was a hard pill to swallow considering she would be gone in a few days. I was still at odds with that. I had no idea what I was going to do when she left. Could I get her to stay? Would I move up north to be with her?

  “Brooks, my man. Me and Fin are gonna go grab a bite to eat from The Dip. You want anything?” Mason Dent asked from the doorway of my tiny office.

  I got lucky when I found Mason and Fin. Those boys could fix anything, and they really helped me keep shit running around the shop.

  “Naw, man. I’m good.”

  The Dip was my favorite, but I had zero appetite with all this nervous energy rolling around my gut. I should have known Mason would be suspicious at me declining his offer. We didn’t fuck around when it came to lunch. “Dude, what the hell’s wrong with you? You’ve been mopin’ around here all mornin’ like you’ve got sand in your vagina. And now you don’t want The Dip? You sick or somethin’?” Mason braced himself with one hand on the door jamb while the other pulled a solo cup to his mouth, spitting inside.

  Leaning back in my chair, I propped my feet to rest on my bare metal desk. Lacing my fingers behind my head, I released a tense breath. “I’m just not hungry. Y’all go ahead.”

  Mason shook his head. “Aight, man.” He slapped his hand on the door jamb then stalked off.

  Looking up at the ceiling, I closed my eyes and tried to gain a calming breath. But I couldn’t find one. I lifted my hands to my nose. I could still smell her on my skin. I could still taste her on my tongue.

  I needed more.

  Swiping my cell from my desk, I scrolled through it again. I’d done the same thing at least a hundred times since I dropped her off.

  This morning, before I woke her up, I took a few pictures of her while she was still sleeping. And just like this morning, I stared down at perfection. I laid there for an hour watching her sleep before I woke her up and reminded her how perfect we were together. During that precious hour of watching my perfect girl sleep, I’d taken her phone and sent a text from her phone to mine, then programmed my number.

  Pressing the call button on my phone, her peaceful face lit my screen. “Seriously?” She tried to sound pissed, but I could hear the smile in her voice. Damn, even the sound of her voice tugged at my heart…and my dick.

  “What do you like best? Picture or ring tone?”

  “Both.”

  The picture was a head shot of yours truly, the song…Run by Matt Nathanson and Jennifer Nettles. The same song Reckless Heart sang the other night at Archer’s when we danced.

  “Where are you?” I asked.

  “I’m out shoppin’ with Katy. Why?”

  “I need a fix, babe.”

  “It’s only been…” she paused. “Four hours,”

  “Too long,”

  She giggled softly. “You’re crazy.” she informed me.

  “I know. You keep remindin’ me. When can I pick you up? I need to see you.”

  “Holden,” Hesitation laced her voice, but I could also hear a hint of longing.

  “I’ll be at your house around five.”

  “Ok,”

  “Oh, and Maddie,”

  “Yeah?”

  “Bring your swimsuit.” she laughed down the line and my dick responded accordingly.

  “See ya soon, babe”

  “See ya soon.”

  Pushing from my desk, I snatched up my keys. I sent Mason a text letting him know I was taking the rest of the day off. I told him to call if needed me, but only if it were a dyer fucking emergency.

  Madison Waters was about to be swept off her pretty little feet.

  CHAPTER fourteen

  My best friend is the one who

  brings out the best in me.

  -Henry Ford

  Madison

  Deep down, I knew I was a fool for seeing him again. But what I felt for Holden Brooks trumped any and all rational thought. I was in a complete and utter free fall. I could feel it. In the way he looked at me…the way he touched me. I was going to land hard and fast and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop it.

  Smiling to myself, I browsed through rack after rack, but I wasn’t really paying attention to anything I was looking at. All I could see were ravenous blue eyes, and how they flickered with desire this morning. Before I even had a chance to utter a good morning, he was sliding inside of me, his mouth covering mine. I was repulsed, thinking you should never kiss someone in the morning without brushing your teeth first.

  But just as fast as it came, that silly thought was quickly washed away by Holden’s delicious mouth. It was amazing to me how comfortable I was with him. As if we’d known each other for years instead of days. This morning I found out that the reason he became a mechanic was so he could keep his hands busy. His sobriety was important to him, and I admired him for his effort to maintain it. Which then prompted me to ask why hell he worked in a bar? That had to be tempting. He said that alcohol had never been his vice, and working in a bar posed no problems in staying clean. He was so easy to talk to, so open. I’d never known a man so vulnerable albeit one that was so at ease with it.

  “What do you think about this?” Katy asked.

  I turned around to find her holding up a shiny red top. It was hideous and so not her.

  “Cute.” I teased.

  “No ma’am.” Shoving the top back into place, she moved to the shelf of denim next to me. “What’s with you? You haven’t stopped smilin’ all day.

  I was about to open my mouth and tell Katy all about me and Holden when I notice a severely made up blonde lurking nearby. Her long blonde hair hung in fat curls around her shoulders and she had a great tan. I would kill for that tan. Her make-up looked airbrushed and I was pretty sure she would never be caught dead shopping here at Old Navy. I noticed her earlier and even offered a small smile in passing, but she didn’t return it. I was too caught up in my thoughts of Holden to even think twice about it, but now something was off. She was staring me down, and it was starting to give me the creeps.

  Katy visibly tensed beside me, and that put me on high alert. “You’ve got to be shittin’ me right now.” Katy spit out as the well-endowed blonde approached.

  Before I could even ask who she was, the blonde steps right up to us. Katy crossed her arms, popping one hip out to the side with a long sigh. Whoever she was, Katy did not like her. I had a pretty good feeling I wouldn’t either.

  “Well, if it isn’t the preacher’s daughter turned town trash.” The blonde’s voice was cold and intimidating. I saw Katy’s anger flaring to life out of the corner of my eye.

  “Well, if it isn’t the town slut.” Katy countered.

  Ignoring Katy’s remark, the blonde turned her attention back to me. Her brown eyes were dark as coals. “Who the fuck are you?”

  “Excuse me?” I’ve never hit anyone in my life, but I had a strong urge to knock this chick on her ass.

  Who was this bitch?

  She leaned in further. “I said…who in the fuck are you?”

  “Who the fuck are you? I only give my name to friends and uh, you don’t look so friendly.”

  “Are you the one fuckin’ Holden Brooks?”

  Katy spoke up. “That’s none of your business, Alexis.”

  “Shut up, Katy. I’m talkin’ to your friend here. Answer me. Are you fuckin’ Holden or not?”

  “That’s none of your business.” Who was this crazy bitch and what was she to Holden?

  “He’s mine. You got it, bitch. If you know what’s good for ya, you’ll stay the fuck away from him. Mine.” She pointed to her chest angrily then turned on her four inch stiletto and sauntered away.

  I stood there with a gaping mouth and a strong desire to choke a bitch. Jealously and anger settled like hot coals in the bottom of my gut.

  “Ugh,
I hate that bitch.” Katy was clearly distraught.

  “Who is she?” I managed through my own anger.

  “That was one dose of psycho, double dipped in crazy. Her name’s Alexis. She’s the road whore I caught Luke with.”

  “Holy shit! No fuckin’ way.”

  “Oh, yeah. She’s a dirty bitch. I do my best to ignore her, because violence isn’t in my nature, but I really do wish someone would beat the ever lovin’ shit out of her while I watch.”

  Katy had a lot of venom for this woman. Mine was pretty comparable.

  “She’s obsessed with Holden and has been for a while now. It’s pretty pathetic, actually. Poor Holden, he tries to be a nice guy, but she’s the mayor of crazy town. I’m surprised he hasn’t banned her ass from Archer’s yet as much as she stalks him.”

  I silently wondered the exact same thing considering the amount of crazy she’d just unloaded on me. “Did he sleep with her?” I swallowed hard, bracing myself. I did not want to know the answer to that question, but for some reason I couldn’t stop myself from asking.

  “Yeah. Why? Oh, shit! Did you sleep with him?” Katy shouts.

  “Jesus, Katy. Lower your voice.” I shushed her.

  “Sorry. Holy shit!” Katy beamed from ear to ear. “When the hell did this happen?” Katy asked, tugging me towards the exit.

  On the ride home, I filled Katy in on the last few days and everything that was me and Holden. She was shocked at first, but then became overly excited. She’d confessed that she was going to try and hook us up anyway, but found it amusing that fate had stepped in first. She kept using that word.

  Fate.

  Did I believe in fate? I wasn’t so sure. I had already planned the events in my life and the order in which they should fall. Now, I was starting to question everything.

  Including myself.

  Fate was messing with my head and fate was seriously fucking with my life.

  Tossing my bags onto my bed, I fished out the little black bikini I had bought after Holden called earlier. I really shouldn’t be spending more time with him, especially after my run in with Ms. Crazy Town, but I just couldn’t help myself. Just the thought of him looking at another woman the same way he looked at me had me feeling homicidal. If only for this moment in time, he was mine. And even if I couldn’t keep him forever, I would make damn sure that vicious bitch never had him. She didn’t deserve someone as good as Holden.

  The rumble of a loud engine and gravel crunching pulled me from my thoughts. The curtain drawn back, I looked down from my bedroom window to see a sleek, charcoal grey muscle car with two black stripes racing straight down the center. It purred slowly down the drive while a swarm of bumble bees frantically buzzed inside my belly. Snatching my bag from the floor, I stuffed my new bikini inside along with a change of clothes.

  Dressed in khaki cargo shorts, plain white T, and his ever present ball cap, Holden met me on the porch. “Who’s car?” I asked, locking the front door behind me. A proud grin tugged at the corners of his wet lips.

  “She’s mine.” Reaching for my empty hand, he pulled me into his arms. His soft, eager lips ravaged mine before he grabbed my oversized bag from my other hand, leading me to the car. “C’mon…I wanna introduce you to Elly.” he stated with a proud grin.

  I dug in my heels. “Uh, who’s Elly?”

  “Elly’s short for Eleanor. As in, 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, Eleanor. It was my grandfather’s car. He left it to me when he passed. I restored ‘er myself.”

  Relieved, I slid into the soft, black leather seat. Holden set my bag between my legs then leaned in. Our faces only inches apart, I watched as he buckled the belt across my chest. His smell was comforting and alluring all at once.

  Like leather and sunshine…sex and candy.

  “Up until a few days ago, she was the most precious possession in my life.” His words sent my heart racing. Holden’s eyes sparkled as his trademark grin inched across his perfect mouth. I desperately wanted to kiss him.

  Instead, I asked him what my mind was screaming to know. “Who’s Alexis?” I tossed out as he stood up to shut the door.

  Holden’s grin slipped into an annoyed clenched jaw. “Why?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I just had the pleasure of meeting the fruit cake today while Katy and I were out shopping. She warned me to stay away from you.” I had to swallow back the bile rising in my throat. I pushed the words out, although every instinct in my body was fighting to keep them in. “She said you were…hers.”

  I heard Holden mumble something under his breath before he shut my door, leaving me to fight the big green monster slaying my gut all on my own. Dropping into the seat beside me, he slammed his door shut. His face was red and tense as he turned the key to start the car.

  “So are you?” I asked, hesitantly.

  Jerking his head back, he locked his questioning eyes with mine. “Am I what?”

  “Hers?”

  I promised myself I wouldn’t ask. I knew I had no right to. Holden wasn’t mine. He didn’t have to explain anything to me. I tried to keep telling myself I didn’t care if they’d had sex or not. Katy had already told me they weren’t together. I believed her. But I needed to hear it from him too.

  “Fuck no! I…” He took a calming breath. “We just hooked up a few times. That’s it. Now she’s gone all fatal attraction on my ass.” His jaw ticked as he put the car in reverse.

  The mere thought of Holden touching another woman had my head spinning with rage. In an effort to reign in my emotions, I took a few deep breaths as he eased down the driveway.

  It didn’t work. My emotions were all over the damn place and impossible to decipher.

  Instead I went for a subject change. “So where are we going?”

  “My house.”

  His deep scowl was replaced with a spectacular smile that spread across his handsome face, stoking the smoldering fire that was now a constant in my belly.

  I tried to suppress the burn between my legs, but my efforts were for shit. “Sounds good.”

  He relaxed, driving us to what I now considered a sweet escape. A place where the rest of the world ceased to exist and I didn’t have to worry about what tomorrow would bring.

  Pulling to a park in his gravel driveway, Holden killed the engine. He watched as I smeared on my strawberry flavored lip shimmer and checked myself in the mirror.

  “C’mere,” His firm hand wrapped around the back of neck, pulling my mouth to his. I loved the way he kissed me. His soft tongue tangled with mine before he licked and sucked at my bottom lip. “Damn, you always taste so good.” He licked his lips and pulled me in for another breathtaking kiss. This one was hot and hungry and delightfully greedy. “Let’s go, babe.”

  Holden kissed my forehead then hopped out. Excitement skittered through my veins as I watched him walk around the front of the car, carrying a huge smile on his face.

  He then led me through the house and out onto the back deck. The sun had just started to set. Multiple tints of pink, purple, red, and orange painted the lustrous southern sky. A large blanket was spread across the enormous dock by the lake along with the pillows from the swing.

  “It’s beautiful.” I breathed.

  It was perfect, just like everything else about him.

  “I thought we’d have some dinner. Watch the sunset. Then maybe go for a swim…make out a little. Well, make out a lot.” He kissed the inside of my wrist.

  “And what makes you think I’d make out with you.” Oh, I was so going to make out with him…a lot.

  He tugged my wrist, snaking his arm around my waist and pressing his chest tight with mine. “After you eat some of my pecan pie, you won’t be able to keep your mouth off me.” He growled into my ear, causing me to shiver.

  “I need to change into my swimsuit.” I said, pulling from his arms. I needed a breather. I needed to calm down. I felt like I was stumbling over my feet.

  Falling.

  He gave me a light slap on my
ass when I turned to walk back inside. “Hurry up.”

  The large bathroom held little retreat. My conflicted emotions were all over the place. I quickly changed, then took a few minutes to catch my breath. This was crazy. I was not falling in love with him. That would be impossible. But if this wasn’t love, what the hell was it? I was so confused. I was scared.

  I found Holden waiting for me in the very same spot I’d left him. He was holding a picnic basket, a jug of sun tea, and wearing one of the brightest smiles I’d ever seen. He led us down to the dock, and then settled me in place on the blanket.

  We talked about everything and nothing, avoiding any mention of the future while we watched the sun dip further behind the pines. Holden had made fried chicken and potato salad, and for dessert…pecan pie. Pecan pie was my absolute favorite, but his was to die for. Pulling the fork from my mouth, I moaned in appreciation around my last bite.

  “You were right…this pie is definitely worth a kiss or two.”

  Holden sat his empty plate down, and then snatched my fork from my hand and my plate from my lap. Setting them aside, he laid me down across the blanket. One leg shifted between mine and I raised my pelvis to shamelessly rub myself against him. The delicious friction had heat bubbling like lava between my thighs.

  His lips covered mine, flooding my mouth with hints of sweet tea, pecan pie, and Holden. He licked my tongue with his, gifting me with his delicious taste. He ended the kiss way too soon.

  “C’mon.” he ordered, helping me up.

  “Where?”

  “Skinny dippin’,” Holden pulled his t-shirt over his head then kicked his flip flops to the side. His impeccable body didn’t hold one tan line or flaw. His rough, rugged face paired with that sculpted body created the picture-perfect man.

  “It’s almost dark. The mosquitos will be out soon. I don’t want a bunch of skeeter bites on my lady bits, Holden.” Crossing my arms, I popped one hip.

  “As long as you’re in the water, they can’t get to your lady bits. Only I can. Now move your ass.” He dropped his shorts then his boxer briefs followed.