Page 99 of Control Freak

“Thanks, hon.” Holden leaned in and kissed me like he had that morning.

His brothers stared. Then Gray let out a sharp whistle, and Bailey laughed.

“Holy shit, I guess things are going well with you two.”

Holden grinned and shrugged. “Well enough. Shy, want to come into my office for a minute?”

“Sure.”

Once closed inside, Holden dipped down and kissed me again, more thoroughly. My body heated up as his tongue stroked mine.

“Hold—you’re gonna make me come in my pants.”

He chuckled, voice deep and rough. “Could I really do that? That might be fun.”

I resisted the urge to smack his arm. “Not for me.”

“Sorry. I’m sure this is a lot less exciting for you.”

“Are you kidding? I love kissing you, Holden. Just…don’t tease me too much, okay? I worry I’ll forget myself and cross a boundary.”

His eyes softened, and he took a step back. “Okay. That’s totally fair.”

“Kiss me goodbye, though. I’m off to run some errands, and I’m going to take your car.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Who’s bossy now?”

I smiled. “Don’t like it when the tables are turned?”

He pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “Pretty sure I like the tables turned any which way with you.”

He grabbed his keys off the hook on the wall and tossed them to me.

“I knew you were smart,” I teased.

The next few days passed much the same way. I covered my fourth-grade class twice, then got sent down to first grade when Parker called in with the flu.

Holden kissed me goodbye each morning, again at lunch, and much more intensely before bed. We were like a couple of desperate, horny teens who made out until our lips were chapped because we weren’t ready to go to the next level.

Friday night, Holden was in bed when I came out of the bathroom. That wasn’t unusual, but there was something different about him. A determination in his eyes that I’d begun to recognize.

I’d seen it the first few times he held my hand. Just before he’d kissed me for the first time.

And now.

My heart jolted. “What’s up?”

Holden reclined against a pillow, wearing boxer briefs and a T-shirt. Banshee slept at the foot of the bed, her snout resting over his ankles.

“Just waiting for you,” he murmured, patting the bed next to him.

I’d put on a pair of sweats and a tank top when I got out of the shower. I’d get naked when we went to sleep, but with all the making out, it helped to have a barrier to remind me not to go too far.

I climbed into the bed on my side, jostling a sleepy Banshee, who snorted. Holden leaned in to kiss me.

I parted my lips, giving myself over to the kiss. It would only amp up my body and make me want more, but I couldn’t give up the closeness with Holden. The intimacy. I loved it too much.

Holden pulled back, a challenge in his eyes.