John has joined Evelyn and Holden, and the trio has migrated to the deck by the time I come downstairs. I draw in a steadying breath before stepping outside. Holden looks up and beams, his sentence continuing without a hitch. His hand pats the cushion beside him, and I don’t hesitate to join him on the sofa. I tuck my legs under me and lean into his side; his arm wraps around my shoulders, holding me strong and secure against him. Something inside of me loosens, breaks free from the vice that’s had me within its grasp since I agreed to come.
Voices come from inside only an hour later. I sit up to see who has arrived and get enveloped in a tight hug from behind. Laughing, I pat the top of Eddie’s head where it rests on my shoulder. He presses a smacking kiss to my cheek then ducks out of range of Holden’s swinging hand. Samantha and Phil take the empty patio chairs at the end of the table, but before I can greet them, my attention is stolen by Holden as he captures my mouth with his. His hand comes up to bury in my hair, holding me still. The kiss isn’t the gentle, sweet ones or even the fiery ones full of desire we’ve shared before. No, this one is him staking claim. Proving I’m his and no one else’s. This is him making a point: Eddie is no competition.
Cheryl watches us closely when I finally pull away. Her expression is guarded, tight, but I don’t get long to think about it before John ropes me into conversation.
Holden disappears after a couple of hours. Though I wish I could go search for him, I don’t. I don’t want to seem clingy and give Cheryl more ammunition against me. So I grab my phone and make my way down the wooden stairs, to the far side of the pool. Sitting on the edge with my bare feet in the water, I type out a message to Katie. My phone rings only seconds later.
Katie smiles brightly when I answer the video-call. “Hey, how’s vacation?”
“It’s going well. I’m glad I came. How are you and Ashton?”
“We’re good. Let me get him.” The sight of the ceiling fills the screen, and I wince when Ashton whines in the background. A moment later, Katie comes back and lifts the phone. “Look, Ashy, it’s Dealla!”
Ashton squeals happily when he sees me, and I blink away the heat in my eyes. The ache in my chest settles slightly at the grin on his face. His babbling washes over me, and I listen intently, not wanting to miss a second of hearing his voice. Or seeing his face. My skin prickles, and I glance up to see Cheryl standing at the railing. The woman’s brow rises before she pointedly turns away.
“You ’ome?”
I look back at Ashton, at the hope on his face. “Oh, no, buddy. I’m not home, remember? Auntie Dee had to go on vacation. But I’ll be home in just a few days, then I’m kidnapping you from your mama so I can have you all to myself.”
“I’ll be ready for that,” Katie says off-screen with a laugh.
I swallow down the snide words bitter on my tongue. Letting them out will only cause Katie to never speak to me again, therefore severing the connection I have with Ashton. I can’t risk that. So I say nothing. I just listen to my nephew telling me about his new toy car. Footsteps approach, and Holden comes to a stop a few feet away. Nodding, I swallow thickly and smile at Ashton.
“Okay, my dude, I gotta go eat. I’ll call you again tomorrow, okay?”
“’Kay.”
“I love you more than the rainbow.”
His face scrunches up with his grin as he shrieks, “Bow!”
Katie ends the call without a word, and I cough to dislodge the lump in my throat. After a moment, I push myself to stand, taking care not to fall face-first into the pool, and shake the water off my feet one at a time. Holden links our fingers together, pulls me to a stop before I can pass by. He doesn’t say anything, though. He just stares down at me, gaze searching my face for something. I stretch up to kiss him gently, and his expression smooths out.
“It’s time to eat,” he announces, and I follow him up the stairs.
Night descends upon the backyard with a slow sort of patience. Gradually, shadows fill faces, and John and Holden move to light the citronella torches lining the deck. I excuse myself and head inside. Someone’s gaze lingers heavy on my back, but I ignore it in favor of going upstairs to the bathroom.
The door creaks open as I wash my hands, and Holden crowds me against the counter. I can see a dangerous gleam in his eyes, reflected in the mirror as his hands move along my body. I bite my lip when he presses closer; he’s hard already, and he grips the edge of my shorts. He meets my eye in the mirror, questioning, waiting—hoping.
I nod.
Holden’s fingers make quick work of unbuttoning my shorts and letting them fall to the floor. My underwear is next, and he shoves his jeans to his knees.
“We shouldn’t do this,” I whisper while his lips trail against the back of my neck.
“Do you want to stop?”
I shiver at the breath ghosting across my skin. “Please no.”
A moan escapes when he bites down on the column of my throat, and his hand comes up to cover my mouth. His other presses against my back, pushes me forward until I’m bent over the countertop. My fingers splay across the marble, and I squeeze my eyes closed as he carefully pushes into me.
“Shh,” he murmurs when I gasp at his first gentle thrust, at odds with the fire in his eyes. The heat of his hands. “The others could come in at any minute. Do you want them to hear us?”
I shake my head, but something in his words sends a tightening in my gut. He lets out a husky laugh and grinds against me. I don’t—they can’t know of this—but the risk… God, the risk…
“Are you sure?”
I shake my head again, whispering breathlessly, nearly silently, “No, just us.”
