Page 48 of The Road Back Home

I lead Ashton into the house, yawning and stretching on the way.

I am inordinately glad to be home—in more ways than one.

Not only is the drive over, but I’m home.

Home . Ashton immediately heads for the living room, for the toys I know are waiting for him.

I breathe in deeply before stepping out of the way so Holden can come in from the garage.

He sets the suitcase on the floor, wraps his arms around my waist from behind, and rests his chin on my shoulder.

I place a hand over his and close my eyes.

“Welcome home, sweetheart,” he murmurs in my ear.

I smile at the words, the soft and sweet tone he uses. “Right where I belong.”

“Forever.”

I pull away and reach for my suitcase. There is laundry to wash and a home to settle back into.

As I unpack the suitcase, I think back to the past couple of days.

I’d told Tara I’d be back at work on Monday, so I have that to look forward to.

Yesterday, we’d made a four-hour drive to visit my stepmother so she could see her grandson and I could see my mama.

It wasn’t until before dawn this morning, when we were leaving Austin, that Holden told me he’d let the separation slip while talking to her.

I still can’t figure out how it came up in conversation, why he’d think to tell her anything at all.

He had to have known that she would tell my mom and dad about it—and rightfully so.

They deserved to know their daughter was nursing a broken heart.

They deserved to know I almost lost the greatest relationship I’ve ever had, no matter that I caused the issue, too.

“You alright, sweetheart?”

I jerk to attention at Holden’s hesitant question, nodding quickly. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just doin’ some thinkin’, that’s all.”

“Your accent’s coming out. You must be tired, too.”

“Shush, mister.” I pause then shake my head. “But I am tired.”

Holden stretches out a hand toward, and I take it with a smile. He leads me to the living room where we sit as one on the couch. Ashton beams at us before turning back to his toys. I chew on the inside of my lower lip as I tuck my legs under me and lean into Holden’s space.

“I think I’m gonna tell Daddy he can stop paying on the apartment.”

“Why?” Holden asks quietly, frowning.

“I don’t think I’ll need it anymore, y’know? I mean, we’re together again. We’re back here. So why keep a place in Austin when it’s no longer home?”

Holden blows out a breath and rubs my arm with a calloused hand. “Luci explained it as him wanting us to have a place to stay whenever we visit.”

“When’d you talk to Luci?”

“How do you think I got to your apartment from the airport?”

My brows draw together, and I pick at a stray piece of fuzz on my sweatpants.

I hadn’t thought about it, hadn’t tried to figure out how he got halfway across the city.

I just assumed he’d taken a rideshare. Shrugging it off, I rest my head on Holden’s shoulder and yawn widely.

The conversation fades to quiet, but I don’t mind.

I’m too tired and worn out from the early wake-up and drive.

Plus, my emotions are still too near the surface from having to say goodbye to my friends. Again.

Luci and Tristan had been thrilled to see me go, promising they would miss me but they were glad to see the back of me if it means I’m happy again.

And happy I am. That doesn’t stop the doubts from creeping in at the edges of my subconscious.

What if this is just a bandage slapped over a wound that won’t ever fully heal?

I know this is going to take a lot of work, and I can’t stop the fissure of fear that things will end up reverting to how they were before I left.

But, I surmise, all I can do is put forth the effort to make sure it doesn’t.

To fight for this relationship.

I am half-asleep when Holden gently eases me away from him.

I protest weakly, but he shushes me with a quiet voice and soft brush of his lips to my forehead.

Holden lifts Ashton into his arms then reaches for me; his hand has never looked so welcoming.

I lace my fingers with his, let him pull me to my feet, and follow him up the stairs.

To my surprise, Holden doesn’t stop by Ashton’s room; instead, he carries the toddler into the bedroom across the hall.

I understand after a moment—he’d nearly lost his family.

Of course he’d want to spend as much time as possible with us now.

Ashton snuggles into my side as soon as Holden sets him on the bed, and I kiss the soft hair atop his head.

He rolls over to seek attention from Holden almost immediately.

I giggle and reach across the toddler to run my fingers along Holden’s arm.

“I love you both.”

Holden chuckles and presses his lips to the ridge of my knuckles. “I love you, too. Now, Ash, do me a favor. Tell Auntie Dealla to go to sleep.”

“Go s’eep, An’ Dee,” Ashton parrots dutifully.

All I can do is shake my head at the ridiculous antics of my two loves teaming up against me.

Settling further into the mattress, I lift her arm so Ashton can scoot even closer.

With Holden holding my hand and Ashton’s warm breath puffing against my skin, I feel like I can breathe properly.

Like home is home again, and I will always find it within these two.

I close my eyes and fall asleep with every roughened piece inside of me slotting smoothly into place.

Morning comes too quickly. One second, I’m dreaming of flying over the world on a glittering pink unicorn with my favorite actor astride the unicorn behind me, watching over everyone I love as they live their lives.

The next, I’m waking to someone shifting in the bed next to me.

Groaning, I bury my face in my pillow and tug the blankets over my head.

A calloused hand brushes against me shoulder, and I sigh but don’t open her eyes.

“We have all day to ourselves,” Holden whispers.

I pop up onto one elbow, sleep dissipating from my mind in an instant. “What do you mean? Where’s Ashton?”

“Took him to Phil and Sam’s for the play-date you postponed. Said they’d watch him as long as we need so we can have some time to just be a couple.”

“Holden…”

“We deserve this, don’t we? And wasn’t one of our problems not spending enough time together, just us?”

He’s right. I know it. So I drop back down and rub a hand over my face.

Holden knows he’s won, that much is clear, and I barely have the willpower to stop him from kissing me.

I manage it, though it is with immeasurable strength, and he rolls his eyes as I climb out of bed.

Once my teeth are sufficiently scrubbed, I set my toothbrush in the holder and stare at my reflection in the mirror.

Nothing remains of the haunting darkness, the loneliness that stained my face during the separation. Now, all that’s there is the peace Holden brings to my life.

I suck my lower lip between my teeth then glance back through the door.

Holden is watching me closely, smiling softly from the bed, and something tightens in my gut.

His brows furrow as I reach for the hem of my shirt, and I tug the fabric over my head and let it fall to the floor.

A laugh bursts free when I see his jaw has dropped. Then he’s scrambling off the bed.

He brushes his teeth quickly while I turn the shower on, waiting only a minute before stepping under the spray.

My skin ripples with goosebumps, and I shiver even as I reach for the shampoo.

Holden is close behind; he has stripped with efficiency and pins me against the wall.

Leaves a searing kiss to my lips. The bottle falls from my hand as I wrap my arms around his shoulders.

“I’ve missed you,” he murmurs into the kiss, and his hands skim along my sides to rest heavily on my hips. “God, I’ve fucking missed you.”

“I missed you, too. So much.”

Words become scarce, no longer needed as Holden speaks volumes with the way he kisses me, steals my breath.

His touch stokes the flames that eat at the very core of me.

I have anticipated some sort of intimacy since the night he showed up in Austin and we talked, but I hadn’t expected it to feel so new.

Heat and desire burn through me, and my fingernails press into his skin as I lose myself in the taste of mint on my tongue.

I gasp when his thumb digs painfully against the sharp curve of my waist. His other hand slips between us, and a rough-padded finger presses into me with ease.

“Ho—Holden, please,” I whimper as I step impossibly closer. His body is a solid wall of heat along my front; the heel of his palm is firm, shifting just right, pressing against my clit with gentle pressure. “Please…”

“Whatever you want, sweetheart. Just tell me, and it’s yours.”

I shove my hips downward onto his hand, but it isn’t enough.

It’ll never be enough. A litany of pleas falls from my lips, a chorus of wanton begging that should embarrass me.

Holden chuckles darkly and hooks his finger forward.

By the time he removes his hand, I am scarcely able to breath.

My heart races, pounds, blood buzzing in my veins.

My mind blanks out at the electric lust ripping through me when his cock brushes against me.

His hand curves under my thigh, holds my knee to his ribs, and I cry out as he slides inside.

Home. Security. Love. Everything I have ever had with Holden echoes in my mind as he sets a pace that’s just this side of too rough.

I want this to last. I ache to relish the sensations he brings me.

Even though my back hurts from the solid cold wall behind me, this is perfect.

It’s what I’ve needed. Holden kisses the tears from my cheeks, mouth painting my flesh with the butterfly-soft touch of his lips.

His teeth suddenly scrape against the column of my throat—so rough, so desperately needed—and I burst into fragments of light and want and devotion to this man.

Holden’s thrusts slow as my orgasm crashes over me, and I pant heavily as my body twitches and shudders.

I breathe out an order for him to keep going, don’t stop, please , and Holden gives me what I beg for.

He trembles from want or exertion, I’m not sure, but I need him to be as satisfied as I am.

He buries his face into my neck, breaths coming fast and hard, and he pushes into me with increasing tempo.

I card my fingers through his hair, tug lightly on the strands. His head follows the pressure.

“Come for me, baby,” I whisper before covering his mouth with mine, and that’s all it takes.

Holden moans as his movements grow unsteady, jerky, then with a grunt, he spills inside of me.

He fucks me through the high, each thrust more and more gentle.

My legs are numb when he releases me, and my head spins.

The world tilts wildly around me. I pats his chest clumsily and give him a wobbly smile.

“That’ll do.”

He gapes at me for a second then laughs in surprise. “You’re so rude!”

“You love me anyway.” I kiss away the smile on his lips. “And I love you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I came in here to take a shower, and you got in the way of completing that task.”

Holden’s hand lands sharp against my ass, and he tweaks my nipple before slipping out of the shower stall. I watch him through the glass with a grin then turn back to the water beating down on my skin.