Page 140 of Control Freak

Holden gave my naked body a once-over and sighed mournfully. “Wish we could be even later.”

“Can’t. I have school today.” I ran for the bathroom. “I’ll be quick!”

I showered and dressed in record time, then went to the kitchen while Holden finished up. We hadn’t yet crossed the boundary to showering together, but I was looking forward to that day, if only to save time.

Emory popped a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster while I reached for the coffee pot. “Hey, how are you feeling? Last night was alot.”

“It was.” I poured a mug full of rich, bold hazelnut coffee. They really did stock the good stuff. “But I’m okay. It’s a huge relief, honestly. I didn’t realize how much weight I was carrying until it was gone.”

He smiled sympathetically. “I know that feeling.”

I took a seat at the table beside Gray, who was spreading a scary amount of grape jelly all over toast slathered in butter.

“You’re going to clog your arteries,” I warned.

“Mm, and what a delicious way to do it,” he said with a wink.

It was a morning like any other morning, except periodically, it would hit me: This was my life now.

I no longer had to worry about Brick and Curtis catching up with me. No longer had to look at my bank account with guilt that I couldn’t contribute to expenses here or dread that I’d still not saved enough to pay off my so-called debt.

I was free. I could go wherever I wanted. Do whatever I wanted.

And what I wanted most was right here in front of me.

Love. Family. A real home.

So many things I’d never managed to build in St. Louis, no matter how I tried. Something I hadn’t had since early childhood, before I’d really understood the way my parents would never accept me for who I was.

I’d never have to worry about that here. Holden and his brothers supported one another through everything. I was so lucky they’d opened their home and invited me into the fold.

Holden emerged from the hallway and sat down beside me. “You’re thinking hard. You okay? I know a lot has changed very quickly.”

“All good changes,” I said with a quick smile. “Guess I’m still trying to absorb what it means to me.”

“Oh?”

“I’m not a victim of circumstance anymore. You don’t have to be my hero and rescue me?—”

“But I want to be,” he interrupted. “No matter what your circumstances are, I want to be the hero in your story.”

“I know,” I said.

He frowned, forehead creasing. “Do you not want that?”

“Maybe I want to rescue you for a change.”

“But you do. Every day.” He put his hand over mine on the table, reaching for me so easily it made my chest warm. “You’ve changed my life, Shy.”

My heart melted, and I leaned in. Holden met me halfway in a sweet kiss.

“I haven’t even eaten yet,” Bailey complained. “Can you not?”

Holden flipped him the bird. “I’ve earned all the kissing I want. So has Shiloh.”

“Those dudes were real shitheads. It sucks they made your life hell,” Bailey said. “But they weren’t so tough last night,were they? When Taz bit that douchenozzle, I about fell over laughing.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t,” Holden said dryly. “We’d have seemed a lot less scary.”