Sierra Lancaster has had an agonizingly mediocre life. She grew up in a happy home, made loyal friends, graduated college, and is now pursuing her dream of running her own bakery. Boring, right? A story like this wouldn't be one for the books. At le...
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Holden's hands grip the back of my thighs and he lifts me up the length of his body before pressing it into mine, wedging it between him and his office door. He holds me there, one hand gripping my ass and the other cupping the back of my neck. He devours me with his kiss. Takes a hold of me so fierce that I know I'll never belong to anyone else. He just...takes me.
The silk of his tie slips over my palms as I grab it to pull him closer. I tip my head up to bring my mouth closer to his. The kiss quickens in pace until I'm unable to so much as pull in my next breath. It's just our lips meeting over and over like we're afraid to stop at all.
But Holden does eventually pull away and I draw in a deep breath, panting just as hard as him. Our eyes remain locked and it's just as intense as the kiss, if not more.
"What was that for?" I whisper.
The hand on the back of my neck tightens. "I didn't need you to handle that phone call for me. I had it. I've always had it because it's always been just me."
Guilt pulls my eyes down. A little embarrassment too. "I'm sorry. I got carried away."
"Sierra." His thumb nudges the underside of my chin and forces my eyes back up. "I'm saying I don't know what it's like for anyone to have my back. That's why I don't need it. But I never knew how much I wanted it until you just did what you did."
"You mean go bat-shit crazy on your parents?" I mutter skeptically.
"Exactly." The barest smile tugs one corner of his mouth up. "Because for the first time ever, someone other than me took control of my situation. It didn't freak me out. There's no panic right now. I'm okay but only because it was you who did it. I didn't need you to do that for me but I think I just realized how much I need you. That's what I'm saying."
The walls around my heart give in like a sinkhole, not a single boundary left. "You do?"
He presses his forehead to mine and my eyes fall shut. All I feel is his breath on my lips when he whispers. "You're insane. A mess. You care too much and you feel too hard. You're everything I'm not."
"I thought you were afraid of that," I whisper back.
"Not anymore. I need you exactly as you are."
My poor, pathetic heart. It's nothing but a pile of goo with absolutely no chance of going back to the way it was, before Holden. Cause of death: extreme swooning.
"And to think you couldn't even apologize to a rock when I first got here." I nip his bottom lip and feel it form a smile against mine. "Most improved award goes to you."
"Yeah?" He chuckles quietly. Both of his hands go to my ass and he pulls me up higher against him. I let out a soft gasp when his length nestles between me, right where I need him. He speaks tauntingly against my lips. "What's my prize?"
