“We should put this on the tree.” She stands and offers me her hand, pulling me from the floor. “It’s going to stick out like a sore thumb on this matching tree.” She laughs as she chooses a branch in the middle to hang the ornament. They’re all matching, just like you would see at a department store, but I’m hoping that’s going to change. We have years to add our own personal ornaments. Maybe we’ll get a special tree just for sentimental decorations.
“Well, we’re just going to have to buy another tree just for our ornaments.”
“That’s silly.”
“Is it? There are all kinds of life-changing events that we can purchase ornaments for.”
“Oh, Holden.” She wraps her arms around my waist and buries her face in my chest. I return her embrace and savor the moment. I never want to forget what this feels like. It’s not the house, or the tree, or the new furniture, but the woman in my arms who makes this place feel like home.
“Will you stay?” I ask.
With her head tilted back, she smiles up at me. “I’d love to.”
That smile of hers has my heart constricting in my chest. “Let me lock up and turn off the tree.”
“We should clean up first.”
“Nah, leave it. It will be here tomorrow. Right now, all I want to do is hold you.” That’s not entirely true. I want to do more than hold her, but no way am I going to make her feel pressured. “Go on up and get ready. I’ll be right there.”
She nods and stands on her tiptoes, her lips meeting with mine. “Thank you for an amazing day, Holden.”
I swallow hard. “We have many more ahead of us.” After another quick kiss, I pull away from her. She heads upstairs, and I make sure the house is locked up and turn off the tree. The past three days have been crazy getting everything set up to be here, but this moment was worth it all. I wouldn’t change a single second of any of it.
CHAPTER 24
Parker
I have to force myself to walk slowly up the stairs. Once I reach the landing, I sprint into his room and rush to the bathroom. I quickly brush my teeth and strip out of my clothes to freshen up. Swiftly, I turn off the bathroom light and rush to the bed, diving under the covers. My heart is racing, and my palms are sweating. I’ve never been this bold with a man, and it’s fitting that it’s Holden, the one person I was fearful of shattering my heart. He’s not the man I assumed him to be. He’s so much more. He’s good to me, and I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me. This isn’t a game to him. This player is hanging up his hat for me.
I want to show him that I’m in this. He says I’m not ready to hear how he feels about me, and maybe he’s right. Because I know I’m falling in love with him, but I’m too damn scared to say the words. Instead, I’ll show him what he means to me with our bodies, and hopefully, one day soon, I’ll get the courage to come out and tell him that my heart, my body, and my soul are all his.
I hear him enter the room and close the door behind him. The sound of his belt unbuckling has me clenching my thighs together. I’m debating on letting him change into pajamas or just tell him now what I have planned.
“Hey, Holden?”
“Yeah?”
“Can we maybe not do the pajamas thing?” I ask quietly.
I can hear him moving, and then the bed dips next to me. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”
“I just” I start but then stop. What do I tell him? That I can’t think about anything other than being pressed skin to skin. That I think about his lips tracing every inch of me? That I’ve fantasized about his making love to me?
He leans in close and rests his palm against my cheek. “Don’t ever hide from me, Parker. My career is going to make this difficult enough as it is. I want you to always be open and honest with me. Tell me what you want, baby.”
“You,” I blurt. “I want you.”
“You have me. All of me.”
He’s not getting it. With a deep breath, I slide my hand out from under the blanket and reach for his hand that’s resting on my cheek. Moving his hand under the covers, I place it on my chest.
He sucks in a breath. “Jesus,” he whispers. He runs the pad of his thumb over my hardened nipple.
“I want you,” I repeat.
“You sure about this? Parker, I don’t know” He swallows hard. “I know I don’t have the willpower to sleep naked next to you. I just… I don’t have it in me. I want you with a ferocity I’ve never known before.”