Page 11

HOLT

The second she opens the door she folds her arms across her plump chest and pouts. “This is getting really old, sir.” The sarcasm dripping from her makes me laugh.

“I think it’s pretty funny.” She’s so damn hot it makes my groin painfully throb just to look at her. Of course, she’d be even hotter if the dress weren’t black. It’s a short little number with one strap.

And I’m dressed in cargo shorts, flip flops, and a T-shirt.

“I specifically asked, and you said we were going out to eat.” She looks down at her high-heeled feet. It looks like her shoes are rubbing her skin raw across the bridge of her toes.

“We are going out to eat. We’re just not going to a white-tablecloth kind of place.”

Despite her best efforts, the relief on her face is easy to read. Well, every emotion on her face is easy to read, but even a blind person could see she’s relieved to hear that news. “Do you like wearing dresses and high heels like that? Because it sure doesn’t look like you enjoy it.”

She presses her lips together, working her red lipstick. “I’m a girl, Holt. Girls like playing dress-up every now and again.” She turns and walks into the kitchen.

I’ve been here several times now, so she doesn’t think anything when I follow her and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. “Ah, but that’s the key phrase, isn’t it? Every now and again .”

Her smile morphs into a shit-eating grin. “You think you know me so well.”

Setting my bottle on the countertop, I slide my hands around her waist. She sucks a small breath into her lungs. And holds it. “I do know you. Now, tell me more.” I press my fingertips into her skin, wondering how great it would feel not to have the fabric of this black dress between us.

“Well, let’s just say the idea of not having to wear makeup and heels and life-squeezing fat-suckers was one of the major draws for me opening a children’s store. I think I would collapse in a pile of tears if I still had to work at a job where I had to dress up every day. And when your bosses are your husband and your father-in-law, you have to make sure you always look perfect. Not a hair out of place, not a smudge of lipstick on your face.”

Leaning forward, I softly place my lips against hers. Her body sinks against mine, and her mouth parts, already wanting more.

I absolutely love it.

She smells like toothpaste and almonds.

But instead of kissing her, I rub my lips back and forth, smearing her brick red lipstick across both her face and mine. “You mean like this?”

She tosses her head back and belly laughs, shaking in my arms. “Yes. This would’ve been completely unacceptable.”

I stare into her eyes. The white light of the kitchen makes the greens and blues more prominent. “Well, fuck them. Because I think you’re completely acceptable.”

This time she catches me off guard. When her fingertips grab the waistband of my shorts, she catches my skin on fire, sending burning chill bumps across my abdomen. She places one soft kiss on my lips before stepping away. “Thank you, Holt.”

Under normal circumstances, I’d laugh. I mean, her chin and nose are covered in red splotches. She looks like she hooked up with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

But… it’s not so funny.

It’s breathtaking.

Clearing my throat, I point down the hall to her bedroom. “Now, go put on something different. We don’t wanna be late.”

“Be late for what?”

“Go change, woman, or you’ll never find out.”

Mumbling under her breath, she stomps down the hall. I quickly wet a paper towel and clean the makeup from my face. A few minutes later, she races back into the living room. Her curiosity always gets her excited. “Okay, I’m ready. Where are we going?”

That’s much better. She’s dressed in shorts, a sleeveless blouse, and flip flops with sparkles all over them. She’s pulled her hair into a messy bun. She also tried to take off a little bit of her eyeliner when she was removing her rogue lipstick. The smudges make her eyes look seductive and sultry. I reach for her hand and tug her next to me.

And then, I sit down on the couch. “Turn around,” I order.

Her eyebrows lift into next week. “Excuse me?”

I pull out a spray bottle from the leg pocket of my cargo shorts and dangle it in front of her face.

“Bug spray?”

“Yep. Now turn around. I’ll get the back of your legs first.” When she doesn’t move, I threaten her. “Now, do you wanna see what your surprise is or not?”

Her face immediately perks up. “You didn’t say it was a surprise.”

“Well, I’m saying it now, Mer. Stop being difficult and let me cover you in this,” I turn the pump bottle toward me, reading the label, “aloe-scented, family-friendly, no-stain bug repellent.”

***

“City Hall? Why are there so many cars here?” Her brow furrows. “I’m not really into politics, Holt.”

“Well, I can assure you, I’m not taking you to a city council meeting on a Saturday night.” I point to the alleyway leading behind the building. “You know what’s behind there, right?”

“Yeah, City Hall Park.”

“Well, did you know that they play movies in the park on Saturday nights during the summer?”

She leans across the console of my truck, trying to stare down the alley. “Yeah, but they always play kids’ movies. Cartoons.”

“Well, not every kid movie is a cartoon.”

She smiles widely, flashing her white teeth. “What’s playing tonight?”

“ The Wizard of Oz .”

She jumps, making the leather seat squeak. “I love that movie!”

I smirk, damn proud of myself. “I know. You already said.”

She cocks her head, studying me. “Wait a minute. Did you have something to do with this? Was The Wizard of Oz supposed to be playing tonight?”

She’s really starting to read between my lines.

And I like it.

I shrug. “I didn’t do much.”

“But you did something, right?” She sits back in her seat and eyes me suspiciously. “I’m not getting out of this truck until you tell me what you did.”

“It was nothing big. They had The Wizard of Oz scheduled to play at the end of the month, for the last movie. I just asked them to switch it to tonight.”

“And the powers that be just agreed. Simple as that?”

“Well, a donation to the new public library might have been involved.”

“Holt!” Merit shakes her head and stares at the floorboard. “You shouldn’t have done that; there’s no need to spend that kind of money on me.”

“Hey,” I reach over and slide my hand around the back of her neck. She immediately arches, rolling her head backward against my hand, basically pinning me to her. I don’t think she even realizes she does it. It’s so mild-mannered on the scale of sexuality, yet it may be one of the most sensual things I’ve ever seen.

And that includes the time a fan delivered a homemade apple pie to me, wearing nothing but an apron and fishnet stockings.

The fan, not the pie.

She turns to look at me when I don’t finish my sentence. I’m so distracted it takes me a minute to even remember what I was in the middle of saying. “I was already planning on making a donation to the library. I promise.” I massage my thumb against the edge of her collarbone. “This idea just popped in my head, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how excited you would be. So, please, don’t ruin my moment by worrying about money.”

After a minute, she snorts, trying to rid herself of the lust drawn across every inch of her face before busting my balls. “Spoken like someone who has tons of money.”

“And if I have tons of it, why does it matter if I spend a little bit for a good cause? It’s not like I built a bonfire out of hundred-dollar bills, Mer; we’re talking about a public library. Laura’s in there nearly every single day checking out books. You want my niece’s brain to wither away?”

She bites her lip, trying not laugh. “No, definitely not. I’m a firm believer that children need constant stimulation to thrive and grow.”

I jump from the truck, growling under my breath. “I’m the one with constant stimulation over here.”

She giggles, shutting the passenger door behind her.

I grab the blanket and large picnic basket from the back seat. Holding them in one arm, I usher Merit down the sidewalk with my free hand on the small of her back. Several large groups of people are walking near us. Some of them even glance our way, obviously recognizing me.

Despite the scrutiny of the public eye, she doesn’t try to move away from my touch.

And I like that too. A lot.

I catch her glancing at the picnic basket. One. Two. Three times.

Finally, she can’t stand it. “I didn’t see that in the back seat.”

“I know you didn’t. I covered it with the blanket.”

“What’s in it?”

“Well, I promised we would eat out, didn’t I?”

Excitement blooms across her face. “You packed us a picnic supper?”

I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning like a damn moron because you can tell she’s never had anyone do this for her before. That realization makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.

We settle in the middle of the park, close to the front where the stage is, with Merit helping me spread the blanket. She neatly stacks her flip flops in one corner and crawls across the fluffy white fabric. She looks around, absorbing her surroundings. There are some vendors set up selling different snacks and drinks and trinkets. I open the basket and hand the items to her one at a time. Paper plates, plastic silverware, napkins, and water bottles. I stop for dramatic effect before I get to the food.

Merit leans forward, eager to see what’s on the menu.

“Chicken salad on croissant. Shaved prime rib with Swiss cheese and horseradish sauce on garlic-herb focaccia. Fettucine pasta salad with pesto and alfredo. And miniature sugar biscuits with honey butter.”

I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so shocked before.

“Holy crap, Holt. You made all this?” Her eyes dart from side to side as she mumbles, her train of thought going off the rails. “How can you be so good at everything? It’s unnatural.”

I toss my hat to the side. “Well, I can hold my own in the kitchen, but I definitely can’t take credit for this. Jeff and Cullen are catering a wedding tonight. They let me steal some food.” I hold my hand up before she can protest. “And before you say anything, I got permission from the groom. Took a couple of photographs with him, and I even signed their wedding photo.”

“Oh. Is Carson working with them tonight?”

I wasn’t expecting her to ask that question, but the genuine concern on her face warms my heart. “Yeah, he is.”

“Oh, that’s so nice. I still feel horrible about the whole restaurant thing. He’s a good kid.”

When she catches me staring at her, she blushes. I love it when she’s flushed. Pink cheeks, flustered smile. It’s the way she looks after I kiss her.

And I always want to be kissing her.

In fact, if we weren’t surrounded by forty families with little kids, I’m pretty sure I’d have my tongue in her mouth right now.

Food be damned.

I think she can read my mind, though, because she coyly smiles and starts plating the food. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

I lean forward, tucking an errant hair behind her ear. “Good idea. Let’s eat and continue talking about how I’m so good at everything . Does that include kissing, Mer?”

She snorts. “Absolutely not.”

“Don’t lie, Merit.”

“Mmmm?”

“You love my kisses. It’s written all over your face.”

When she doesn’t answer, I press her. “Tell me the truth.”

Suddenly, the speakers come to life, and the big screen hanging from the stage flashes with a picture. “Shhh. The movie’s starting.” She immediately faces forward, focusing all her attention on the screen, and takes a huge bite of her prime rib sandwich, promptly ignoring me.

It doesn’t take long at all to see Merit takes her movie-watching very seriously.

There’s a strict no-talking policy. Of course, she couldn’t stop the whispers, yells, and tomfoolery of those around us, but the rule was strictly enforced within the four corners of our blanket island.

And when she had to use the bathroom? She ran so she wouldn’t miss much. Well, sprinted is more like it.

And when I saw some guy hitting on her while she was standing in line for the porta potty? I nearly lost my mind. I bolted from the blanket and made a beeline straight for her, pretending that I needed to ask her a question that couldn’t wait. In return, she scolded me for leaving our first-class seats and expensive basket open for stealing. Like we’re in the middle of a biker bar and not in a park surrounded by a bunch of first-graders.

All in all, it’s the best time I’ve ever had watching a movie.

When it’s over, we gather our stuff and get ready to leave. For the hundredth time tonight, I watch Merit stare at someone walking past us with a funnel cake from one of the food vendors. It’s plain to see she wants one. She’s craving it. “Why don’t you get one before he shuts down for the night?”

“Get one what?”

“A funnel cake.”

She looks down at the ground and folds her hands in front of her. After a second, she lifts her head. “Oh, I’m fine. But thank you for the offer.”

I squint, trying to stare past the facade she’s projecting. A sliver of cold fury worms its way into my heart. “What did he do to you?”

She frowns. “Who?”

“Your dickhead ex-husband.”

“Edward?” She furrows her brow, looking around. “He’s here?”

If I were in a better mood, I’d chuckle. Sometimes talking to her is like running around in circles. Like a dog chasing its tail. “No, he’s not here. I’m asking what he did to you to make you act like that?”

Her eyes widen. It’s finally clicked, and she knows exactly what I’m talking about. She chews on the side of her beautiful, pouty lip. “Like what? What are you talking about?”

“Mer, you know damn well what I’m talking about.” I cock my hands on my hips. “Formal. Too polite. Meek.” Fear rips at my gut, making it hard to breathe. “Scared.”

Her face softens, and she reaches for me. Quickly rethinking her decision, she grabs the hem of her shorts and twists the fabric. “It’s not what you’re thinking, Holt. He didn’t hit me. He never raised a hand to me.”

I feel like someone’s injected adrenaline straight into my heart, releasing my tension in a powerful wave. “You promise? Because I swear, Merit, that thought blinds me.” I pause, searching for my words. “It fills me with fucking blinding, violent rage.”

She nods, telling me the truth. “I promise.”

I suck air into my lungs, thanking God. “Then what? Why do you act like that?”

She takes a step forward. This time I don’t give her a chance to rethink her decision. I grab her hands and lay them on my chest. The heat from her fingertips immediately sinks into my skin. Warming me, filling me with longing.

“How about we save that conversation for another day? I really don’t feel like talking about my ex-husband right now.”

“What do you feel like doing?”

She smiles brightly. “Eating a funnel cake.”

I can’t help but smile back. “Well, I was really hoping you’d say you felt like kissing me. But I suppose eating a funnel cake is the next best thing.” I reach around, grabbing my wallet. “Here, let me give you some money.”

She jumps back like a scalded cat. “Oh, no. You just did all this. I can’t let you pay for that too.”

I roll my eyes and shove a ten-dollar bill at her. “It’s just a funnel cake. Here, take it.”

She vehemently shakes her head. “Nope. You finish getting the stuff together. I’ll be right back.” She turns away, calling over her shoulder. “Do you want one too? Because I don’t share funnel cakes.”

Now, there’s the Merit I like. My Merit.

I carry the blanket and picnic basket on our walk back to my truck while she happily eats her dessert. I’ve never seen a funnel cake with so much powdered sugar on it. She must’ve asked for extra. The little moans she makes when eating are driving me to the brink of utter madness.

It’s better than the last porno I watched.

We’re almost to the truck when a really big gust of wind comes out of nowhere. It’s so strong, it nearly blows the blanket out of my hands because I wasn’t prepared for it. I duck my head against the breeze and hit the unlock button on my key fob. Suddenly, I hear Merit’s horrified whisper behind me. “Oh, no.”

I immediately stop in my tracks. “What’s wro—?”

I can’t even finish my sentence. I nearly collapse on the sidewalk in laughter. I’m laughing so hard I can barely breath. She’s covered from head to toe in powdered sugar. She looks like a snowman.

Like she rolled in flour.

Like she got caught in a cocaine explosion.

It’s even in her eyebrows.

She sticks her tongue out and tries to lick the side of her face. She snorts and giggles. “Do I have any on me?” she jokes.

I wrap my arms around her. “No, baby. You’re just fine.”