by Amber Garza
“Nice to you meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Martin,” Holden said politely, then looked pointedly at my dad. “I’ll have her home by eleven.”
“No later,” Dad snapped.
My face colored. I narrowed my eyes. Mom rubbed Dad’s arm, and whispered something to him.
“Have fun,” Dad said, but his voice was odd and tight.
I shook my head. “See ya later.” Spinning around, I hurriedly escaped out the front door. I’d never been so happy to be out of my house in my life. Cool air smacked me in the face, the scent of the flowers near the porch overwhelming my senses. “Sorry about the drill sergeant in there.” I pointed over my shoulder with my thumb as we made our way toward Holden’s car.
“No problem. He just cares about you.” Sadness flickered momentarily in his eyes, but it was gone so quickly I wondered if it had been there at all.
“So where are we off to?” He opened the passenger door for me, and I slid into the front seat. I didn’t think Ethan opened the door for me once in our entire relationship. Glancing back at the house, I hoped Dad was watching through the window. Then he’d see what a gentleman Holden was.
“You’ll see.” He shut the door firmly and walked around the car. After opening his door, he plopped inside, the faint scent of cologne wafting under my nose. I nestled into the leather seat as he started the engine and pulled away from the curb. “Your parents seem nice.”
I nodded. “They’re all right.”
“You have an older brother, right?”
Nodding, I was surprised he remembered. “He’s away at college.” I stared out the window, willing away the ache in my heart when I thought of Cole.
“That’s cool. I always wanted a brother.”
I faced away from the window, studying Holden’s profile. “Sisters are tough, huh?” Huffing, I added, “I bet my brother would say the same thing.” As close as Cole and I were as kids, he became more secretive in his teenage years and it seemed that everything I did annoyed him.
“No sisters.”
My body swayed as Holden took a corner. The sky was darkening, headlights of passing cars painting our faces. “Only child. What’s that like?”
He shrugged, keeping his gaze trained forward and hands on the wheel. My dad would be proud of how responsible he was behaving. Ethan always thought it was fun to drive erratically, swerving into other lanes and going over the speed limit. “’S okay.”
Whenever Holden’s family was brought up, I felt a wall being built up between us, and I didn’t like it. However, a first date wasn’t the time to pry, so I let it go. “If I guess where we’re going, will you tell me?” I sat forward in my seat, taking in my surroundings. We were coming up on the freeway.
“Sure. Why not?”
He merged onto Highway 50 toward Sacramento. I remembered him telling me once about a friend whose band played at a club downtown. “Are you taking me to hear some live music?”
His head snapped in my direction. I worried he’d lose control of the vehicle. But he recovered quickly, facing forward again. “No way. I can’t believe you were right on your first guess.”
“What can I say? I’m that good,” I teased.
He shook his head. “If I had known that, I never would’ve agreed to the game.”
I felt bad, worried that I’d messed up his plans. “I’m sorry. I should’ve let you keep it a surprise.”
“Hey, it’s not a Christmas present,” he said lightly. “It’s fine that you guessed it.”
“Christmas presents are easy to guess. Ever since I was a little girl, I’d shake them the minute they were under the tree. I’d have them all figured out in one day. Used to drive my mom nuts.”
“I bet it did.” Holden chuckled. “I never tried to figure out my presents. Always enjoyed the surprise.”
“You like surprises, do you?”
“Yeah, I guess I do.”
Nodding, I filed the information away for later.
“I’ve learned tonight that you don’t, though, so I’ll remember that.”
“I like some surprises,” I said softly, hoping he’d catch my meaning.
“Oh yeah?” He cocked an eyebrow.
“Yeah. I like when someone surprises me by showing me a side of themselves I didn’t know existed.”
“Then get ready to be even more surprised.” The enthusiasm in his voice made me wonder if I should be excited or concerned.
It took about twenty minutes to find the club, and another ten to find a parking space. I didn’t mind though. I liked being with Holden. He was easy to talk to, easy to banter with. And let’s not forget, he was very easy on the eyes. When we finally did find a space, I wasn’t sure Holden’s car would fit into it. Not because his car was large. It was a compact car, but the space looked like it would barely fit a Mini Cooper. However, somehow Holden made his vehicle fit.
“I’m impressed,” I told him. “I suck at parallel parking. If I had tried to do that, I would’ve taken out both of those cars.”
“Then I’m glad you weren’t driving,” he said with a grin.
Our parking space was around the corner from the club. My flats pounded on the pavement as we walked. Cars zipped down the street and couples walked by us on the sidewalk. We passed a little cafe and a Mexican restaurant. The scent of chips and salsa made my stomach growl.
“They serve food in the club. It’s pub food,” Holden said. “But we can eat somewhere else if you want.”
Shaking off the embarrassment of him having heard my stomach growling, I shook my head. “Nah, the club sounds good.” We rounded the corner and my foot hit a slope in the pavement. I teetered on the balls of my feet for a moment. Holden’s arm extended to steady me.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, pushing hair out of my face. When I lowered my hand, Holden caught it in his, folding his fingers over mine. My heart flipped at the gesture. This time I didn’t wear gloves, so I could feel his rough skin against mine. It felt as good as I’d hoped. As we neared the club, I caught sight of the large bouncer standing outside, tattoos riding up his arms. I paused. “I’m not eighteen yet, remember?”
“Me either.” He flashed me one of his heart-stopping grins. “It’s an eighteen and under club. A place for younger bands to try out their stuff.”
“Oh.” I relaxed. “That’s cool.” I’d never heard of a club like that before.
Turns out the bouncer was actually a nice guy and not nearly as scary as the way he looked when I first noticed him. He and Holden greeted each other like old friends before he let us in.
“Do you bring a lot of dates here?” I knew it was a lame question, but I had to know.
“Never.”
I raised a brow. “But the bouncer acted like you were old friends.”
“We are. He used to go to Gold Rush High. Graduated a couple of years ago.” Snatching up my hand, he lead me inside. Music was already playing, and it swelled around us. It was dimly lit, dark wooden tables scattered throughout. The place was bigger than I had pictured it with open spaces for people to dance and a small stage up at the front. It kind of had the vibe of a pub and a café put together. The scent of fried food permeated the air, and my stomach piped up again. Luckily Holden didn’t hear it this time since it was so loud in here.
My lips involuntarily curved upward as I glanced around at the eclectic decorations on the wall, the music thumping under my feet. Definitely my kind of place. The music was edgy, the vibe fun. I squeezed Holden’s hand in anticipation as he guided me toward an empty table in the corner.
“This okay?” He leaned in close and spoke right in my ear. His soft breath tickled my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. My knees buckled, but luckily I was near a chair so I landed in it. The chair legs scraped against the floor. I dropped my elbows on the table as Holden slid into the chair across from me. A waitress sidled up to our table, introduced herself, and handed us two menus. Holding up the menu, I glanced over
it. Even though I was starving, I wasn’t sure how I’d be able to eat with Holden right across from me. Lowering the menu, I caught a glimpse of his dark hair, and my stomach tumbled to the ground. God, he was so hot. I could hardly believe I was out on a date with him.
After deciding what we wanted, we placed our order. I sat back in my seat, glancing up at the band on stage.
“You like ‘em?” Holden asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, they’re pretty good.”
Holden stood abruptly, startling me. He thrust out his hand. “Can I have this dance?”
I giggled at the mock formality. Placing my hand in his, I allowed him to guide me out of my seat. The band’s music was frenetic and choppy, not really dancing music. But there were people rocking out around the room anyway. Standing next to our table, Holden turned to me and gathered both my hands in his. I froze, unsure of what was happening. It’s not like it was a slow song. Drawing me forward, our chests bumped.
“Um…what are you doing?” Shifting my gaze around, I noticed several patrons glancing over curiously.
“You said you like surprises.” Dropping our linked hands, he wrapped his arms around my waist. My hands fluttered over his chest as he pulled me even closer. Even though the music was fast, he swayed us gently, rocking us back and forth. His hands were warm on my waist, and I savored the feeling of them.
“Correction. You said you liked surprises.” I splayed my palms on his chest and his muscles flexed beneath my flesh.
“I believe you admitted to liking them too.” His hands skated up my spine, his face inching closer to mine.
The closer he got, the more disoriented I became. The room blurred, my surroundings like an impressionist painting. The only thing that was crystal clear was the boy standing in front of me. He angled his face, his lips so close that they almost touched mine. Desire surfacing, I inhaled sharply.
“I won’t surprise you with this.” When he spoke his top lip brushed mine. “I’ll ask permission.”
Fisting his shirt in my hands, I held my breath.
“Chloe, can I kiss you?”
I closed my eyes.
“Is that a yes?”
Nodding, I waited with anticipation.
CHAPTER 17
Holden
I’d been dying to kiss her from the minute she came down the stairs wearing that red lipstick. Her perfect heart-shaped lips had been beckoning me the entire drive. Now that she was in my arms staring up at me with slightly parted lips, I couldn’t wait any longer. Besides, it was perfect. She was happy here, I could tell. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. Music woke her up, made her more alive. And that made me want her even more.
When she nodded her permission, my pulse quickened. Drawing her close, my lips brushed hers softly. Light like a breeze. Clamping down a little more firmly, the stickiness of her lipstick coated my lips, a faint fruity scent lingering. I exerted more pressure, our mouths fusing. Her fingers closed around my shirt, her nails dragging over my chest. Our bodies swayed slowly despite the music being much faster. My hands slid up her back, our chests pressed together until her heartbeat pounded beneath mine, a mismatched drumbeat. Silky strands of hair tumbled down my arm. Darting my tongue out, I teased her mouth open. Warm, minty breath escaped when she parted her lips. I ran my tongue over her lips before thrusting it inside her mouth. Our tongues slid together in a sensual dance, as her hands left my chest and curved around my neck, her fingers tickling the sensitive flesh. A small moan escaped from the back of her throat and desire rushed to the surface. I’d never desired to kiss anyone like this before. Sure, I’d kissed a lot of girls. And I always enjoyed it. But Chloe was different. Kissing her wasn’t just for fun. I desperately wanted to be close to her. From the moment we met, I was drawn to her in a way I’d never experienced before.
It went beyond attraction with Chloe. Of course it started out that way. The minute she stepped into the spa in that black bikini, I thought she was hot. But that’s not too unusual. I was a seventeen-year-old guy. I found a lot of girls attractive. However, it was when we started talking that my need for her surfaced. I didn’t even fully understand it. Almost like our souls were connected.
And I didn’t want to sever the connection.
Too bad I didn’t have a choice.
The song ended, and I felt the waitress’ presence as she delivered our food. Reluctantly, I pulled back from Chloe. Red lipstick smeared her lips, and oddly enough it looked sexy. I knew I probably had it all over my lips too. And I wasn’t sure it would be as sexy on me, so I swiped it with the back of my hand. But when Chloe reached up to wipe hers, I caught her hand in mine.
“Let me,” I mumbled, lowering her arm.
Then I gently rubbed off the lipstick traces with my thumbs. Her skin was warm to the touch as the pads of my fingers circled her flesh. As she stared at me with dark, wide eyes, I was grateful that the connection we’d had during our kiss remained. She was still with me. And I was determined to keep it that way. When I finished eradicating all remnants of red lipstick, Chloe glanced at the food on our table and smiled.
I grinned back, hurrying to her chair. After pulling it out, I held out my arm indicating for her to sit. An expression of surprise leapt to her face as she sat. I scooted the chair forward and then made my way around the table. When I sat down, I caught Chloe watching me with a pensive look.
“What?” My hands instinctually flew to my face, assuming red lipstick was still smeared across it.
“Just never met anyone like you before.”
“Is that a good thing?”
She nodded. “A very good thing.”
My insides heated up. Across from me, Chloe picked up a chicken strip and dunked it generously in ranch dressing. Then she took a large bite. My lips tugged at the corners. Bethany never ordered anything but salad when we went out. And I was pretty certain she’d be upset with me if I took her to a place that only served pub food.
“I’ve never met anyone like you before either,” I told her.
Wiping ranch dressing from her face with her napkin, she chuckled. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”
I smiled. “I bet.”
“But I’m not sure it’s always a compliment.” Even though she wore a smile, I could see a hint of sadness in her eyes.
“I meant it as a compliment.” Reaching my arm across the table, I covered her hand with mine. “From the moment I met you, it was clear that you weren’t like other girls. And it was what attracted me to you.”
“Oh really?” She raised an eyebrow. “I thought it was the bikini.”
“Was I that obvious?” I withdrew my hand, and reached for my burger.
“A little.” She lowered her gaze, her lashes fluttering.
I mentally kicked myself for coming on too strong. That was probably why she avoided me after our first meeting. She thought I was a pervert. “Sorry.”
Her head bobbed up, a chicken strip dangling between her fingers. “Don’t be. My ex-boyfriend was always on me to lose weight and stuff. It was nice to know that you thought I…you know…looked good in my bathing suit.”
“Hey.” I lowered my burger, setting it back down on my plate. “Your ex-boyfriend was an idiot, okay?”
“Yeah, he was.” She snorted, and it made me wonder what else he did to hurt her. I’d never met the guy, but I couldn’t stand him. And I knew if I ever ran into him I’d want to shove my fist in his face. Chloe was far from overweight. In fact, her curves were part of what made her so sexy. Not to mention the fact that she was fun and confident. No guy should ever make her feel like she needed to change. I didn’t want to change one thing. To me she was perfect.
“You’re gorgeous, Chloe,” I said firmly.
“Thank you,” she breathed. In the dim lighting her eyes shone brightly, her hair glistened. Tucking a lock behind her ear, she bent over her plate and took a bite from a French fry. The band started a new song, and her body involuntarily moved to the beat. She didn’t even app
ear to notice she was doing it. Almost like her body had a mind of its own. Like the music owned it.
“You like to dance, huh?” I asked her after swallowing down a large bite out of my burger.
She nodded. “You?”
I shrugged. “I’m not very good at it.”
She licked ketchup from her finger, and I swallowed hard. Was she trying to kill me? “Oh, I don’t know. From what I saw earlier your dancing skills are pretty good.”
“That wasn’t really dancing. I didn’t have to have any rhythm to slow dance. I only had to hold you in my arms, and trust me, that wasn’t difficult at all. I’d hold you all night if I could.”
“Then why’d you stop?”
“Because someone’s stomach was growling,” I bantered, and her cheeks flushed a little.
She stood, shoving her chair back. The legs scraped on the ground. “My stomach’s quiet now.”
My heart stuttered in my chest. “Is it?”
Nodding, she reached for my hands. I allowed her warm, soft fingers to fold over mine. Then I stood and swept her into my arms. Her body molded to mine as if this was where it belonged. As her head rested on my shoulder and my arms wrapped around her waist, I knew that I’d never be able to let her go. Not completely. In such a short time, she’d somehow stolen a piece of my heart.
And I was happy to give her the rest. All she had to do was say the word and it was hers.
After our date, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I remembered the weekend I first went out with Bethany. I took her to some swanky restaurant she liked and listened to her blab about her friends and the cheerleading squad all night. Then the next few days I blew her off to spend time with the guys. But this was different. I had no desire to blow Chloe off. I wanted to spend every minute with her. It should’ve scared me, but for some reason it didn’t.
Ryan had been texting me all morning asking if I wanted to hang out. But I ignored his texts and instead texted Chloe. When she said she was at the gym with her parents, I practically raced there. I didn’t even bother putting on my gym clothes. I knew exactly where she’d be, so I just threw on a pair of swim trunks and grabbed a beach towel. When I arrived at the gym, I headed straight to the spa. Sure enough, she sat amidst the bubbles wearing her bikini, her hair piled high on her head.