The Date (Magnolia Grove #2)

Chapter 5 - {Cammie}

I hold my finger up. "A minute."

He smiles and slowly nods. "Okay."

My eyes never leave his as I work this out in my mind as fast as I can. If I know Holden, he's probably counting the fucking seconds. If I explore this with him, everyone will assume I cheated on Oliver. I will, for sure, have a branded A on my forehead. It won't even be removable like the scarlet A was. This will be so seared onto me. I'll never be the same. It wouldn't matter that Oliver was the cheater because I'm convinced everyone would think that was ultimately my fault for not keeping my man satisfied. It's always the woman's fault. If she leaves, if she stays, she's screwed either way.

I can hold a grudge, drag Oliver through the mud, and share in his scandal. Or, I can create my own with Holden. I could give Oliver privacy and preservation of his reputation. Mine's gone to shit regardless. That'd make me the bigger person, right?

Ha.

I'm just trying to justify what I want with Holden in my mind. But if I do this, Oliver could keep his secret. He could, would, play the victim. With Holden by my side, I think I could be okay with whatever stones people threw at me. Because, unlike last time, I do think Holden would protect me from that the best he could. I guess he tried. Brody's nose. "Wait." He disagreed with me earlier before I said excuse me. What the hell was that about? "Why did you say I was wrong?"

"I am saving you this time, tigress."

"Oh yeah?" I arch a brow. "How do you figure?"

"From the worst mistake of your life. You can't marry him. What if..." He clenches his eyes closed. "What if you accidentally got pregnant? Or do you think you're going to remain celibate while he romps around with whomever he pleases? Or are you going to just have an open marriage? I won't share you, so if that's your plan—"

Tossing the towels on the ground, I'm straddling him and grabbing his head between my hands before he can say another word. "Kiss me, Holden."

"No leftovers. No seconds, Cam. If I kiss you, I'm not walking away this time." His head is stiff. He's not budging, not leaning in, but I feel his cock beneath me, and I know his body at least wants to. I guess this is classic Holden, isn't it?

My mouth drops. "Are you fucking kidding me? You told me you wouldn't kiss me again until I asked. Now I'm asking, and you're saying no?" My voice is so high, it cracks.

He places his hands on my ass and pulls me closer, rocking his hips against my core. "I did say I wasn't going to do it again until you asked. But I don't want you to make a rash decision, Cam. I want you to be positive, without a shadow of a doubt, this is what you want. I don't want to be your rebound. I want to be your forever."

"I like you, Holden," I breathe through his parted lips. We're so close. His lids are hooded, and he looks like he's already in ecstasy. He smiles. "Do you?"

"I do. Like kiss you on the mirror like you. Like willing to be the talk of the town like you."

"Fuck, come here." He closes the small distance between our mouths and our lips lock. Warm and inviting. Everything I thought he'd be. Yeah, I kissed him last night, but I didn't appreciate that those were finally his lips. I can now. Our tongues do the dance of lovers, chasing and relenting, but never letting our connection break. My hips start to move against his jeans. He pulls my dress up even more, his fingers skimming the sides of my waist the way they did my thigh under the table last night at dinner. God, I want a do-over. I grind more against him, moaning into his mouth, pushing his hand back down. He moves it back up and wiggles my dress over my head before tossing it on top of the pile of towels. Flicking the clasp of my bra, the straps slide down my shoulders and my breasts fall free. His hands are cool, and they feel so good on my flaming body. Everywhere he touches erupts in goosebumps.

He pulls away, panting. His eyes rake me over. "Let me look at you. All of you. Just for a second."

I push myself off his lap. His hands grip my ass. "Whoa, whoa. Where are you going?"

"Letting you see all of me." I drag my heels in front of me from the side of the couch. "And putting these on for you because you can't deny you haven't fantasized about this moment five hundred times since last night."

He gulps as he stretches his arms out across the couch and spreads his legs. "Was that all you thought of it last night? Five hundred times?"

I shake my head. "I didn't count. It was too many."

"And now?"

"Not enough." Grabbing the hem, I pull his Rind 'N Grind T-shirt over his head. "Mmm. My stomach is rumbling. I need food."

"Oh no, you don't."

"Uh huh. I saw your shirt, and I remembered how little you fed me last night."

He chuckles. "That's not how it went down, you know. I'll feed you, but please don't lead me on. I don't think my dick can take any more of your teasing. In fact"—he motions for me to come close—"it's seen enough of all of you. It wants to feel you now. My dick, my fingers, my mouth. Come closer." I do as he says, feeling the sexiest I've ever felt in my adult life. A whole flock of birds just took flight in my stomach. And a lion or something just roared. He shakes his head. "I don't want this to be a quickie."

Grasping the zipper of his jeans, I slowly pull it down, staring at him the entire time. "Do I look like I'm in a hurry?"

"You look like a fucking angel."

He lifts his hips as I slide his jeans and boxers down to his knees. He's long, thick, and so hard. I drop to my knees and hold it in my hand, sticking my tongue out as I start to lick it like a lollipop. I never imagined this when we were younger, but last night after I woke up and got some water, I fell back to sleep with him on my mind. And my dreams were all about this.

He sucks in a breath that ends up sounding like a whistle. "Ah. Fuck, yes." He loops my hair around his hand and guides my head and up down. I lick, swirl, and suck, using my hand to massage his balls. "Stop." He jerks me away.

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. "What? Was that not good?"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"What part of I don't want this to be a quickie did you not get? If you'd kept doing that, I was going to be a goner."

He reaches around me, messing with his pants around his knees. "What are you doing? That is so unattractive. I can finish undressing you since we're taking our time."

He grumbles something under his breath. "Trying to get a condom."

"Let me." I pull his wallet from his back pocket and toss it at him. Then, I pull his pants and boxers off, tossing them behind me. I'm glad he has a condom. I didn't even think about that. It's probably not a bad idea, though. It's a reminder that I need to get myself checked out as soon as possible. So much for thinking I was in a monogamous relationship.

He freezes. "What's wrong, tigress?"

"Nothing. Not important. Not right now, at least."

Holden nods. "Sure?"

"Positive."

He snatches a packet from his leather billfold, then tosses his wallet onto the floor. "Come here." He bites his lip.

Straddling his lap again, I suck in a breath at the connection of our naked bodies. He palms both of my breasts before taking one into his mouth, sucking it until my nipple pebbles. Unable to be still, I swivel my hips on his lap, rubbing and grinding against his cock, yearning for friction. "Holden, please."

"Please what?"

"Make love to me."