I got into the car with Holden. His mother and sister wanted to end the evening with a nice lunch and were still deciding on a restaurant. Which left us driving around until they came to a decision."I still think this was a very bad idea. We should have considered how big this lie would actually get." The driving around alone would at least allow me to get some sense in Holden's thick head."Can you relax? Please," he shrugged off my concerns, "everything is fine."How could he be so optimistic?"Holden, how is everything fine?" I looked at him and he kept his eyes fixed on the road."Being a bridesmaid is not that big of a deal.""Maybe to a man," I pointed out, "but for women we choose our closest friends and family to stand beside us on that special day.""You are such a sap, Bambi.""And you don't have one romantic bone in your body. What's your idea of a good time? Buy a girl dinner and then hook up and leave before she wakes up in the morning.""Precisely, no hard feelings," he
After the weekend I had it was hard to concentrate on lectures. I found myself slipping easily into a daydream. I tried to concentrate but since I didn't read any of the assigned chapters it was easier to stare at the lecturer and act like I knew what they were saying, meanwhile I was in a galaxy far far away.After the last lecture of the day, Jett drove me home. It wasn't even hard to concentrate on what he said most of the time. My mind was just not my own for the day."Are you okay?" Jett asked. It was half an hour till three and I had to go to Holden's apartment as per our arrangement.So in laments terms, I was not okay. I was the exact opposite of it and maybe it was the cause of why I had been so distracted most of the day. I was freaked out with a combination of nervousness. Who knew the Pandora's box that awaited me this evening at Holden's apartment.But I had a feeling if I could just get through this week then the rest of my life would fall into a routine. "Emery," Jett c
After classes, every day I cooked for Holden and Mason. I thought I would be in for torture working for Holden but it was better than working for Giovanni.No rich men were hitting on me. No indecisive customers and I didn't get treated like a servant. Mason usually kept me company when Holden worked in his room.I dried my hands with a dish towel. Holden was sitting down at the kitchen island finishing his dinner. "I guess if that's everything I'll be on my way out.""Hot date?" He asked."Not a date per se but Jett asked me to go to that motorcycle event with him."Holden smirked, taking a sip from his glass. "So a date. Good for you, Bambi."He moved to place his plate in the dishwasher."It's not a date," I said, "not that it is any of your business that Jett and I decided to be friends —until I'm done helping you with your family."Holden's grin was saying he had more to say. "What?" I asked."I don't know, Bambi, what if this lie never ends and we have to get married.""I'm not m
I looked at Holden and he looked like he was concentrating hard. His knuckles were red. "Do you have a first aid kit?" I asked, as he tried to maneuver the car through traffic. "In my cubby. Why did you cut yourself?" He asked and I moved to get the first aid kit. I took his hand and he looked at me. "I'm fine you don't have to," I didn't listen to him as I rubbed an ointment for cuts and bruises over his knuckles. He flinched at the sudden burn and I blew on his knuckles. I looked up at him and he was watching me work. I wrapped the bandage around his knuckles and made a small knot. "Bambi, you didn't have to do that. It would have been okay." "Well you were protecting my honor yet again and it was the least I could." "I'd punch anyone for you," he said causing me to smile. "Good to know." He had a goofy grin on his face as he made a turn and I noticed we were going to his apartment. "An adventure in your apartment. Great, what will I be doing?" He smirked devilishly at me. "I
Holden's POVI woke up on the beach next to a beautiful girl. She slept silently beside me. Her body rose and fell and I covered her with the other half of the beach towel and sat on the sand.I had to tell her she wasn't my type. If I told her I was attracted to her I didn't know how she would react. Good or bad reaction I felt it would have a negative end result.If I told her how I felt she would like me and I'd want to kiss her and touch her. I didn't want to break her heart. I denied myself her because I wasn't going to be that big of an asshole and destroy her.If her reaction was negative and she felt creeped out by it she would never want to see me again.She was a good girl and I was not the guy she needed in her life. Jessie's little brother would do for her. But she needed an adventure and that little shit taking her to a motorcycle race then to a dumb party afterward— with predators lurking was idiotic.If I couldn't have her it didn't mean I couldn't give her memories. I c
Emery It was a clear night. The sound of crickets was barely audible due to loud music coming from down the street. Every house on the block was lit up in bright light. People roamed the street happily laughing with their friends and talking loudly. The cab driver swiveled in his seat to look at me. Of course, I knew what that meant and scratched in my pocket pulling out a crumpled ten-dollar bill and a few cents. I handed him the money and stepped out of the car. Everything just got louder and felt much more real. In the car, it was like I was watching through a screen. I was protected by that unhygienic cab interior and exterior. I took in a deep breath. Get it together Em. I moved over to the trunk to get my luggage. It was only university, not a lion's den. I could do this. I could be an adult, even th
Holden I grabbed my car keys from the table, pocketed my phone, and shrugged on my jacket. I was going to Jessie's yearly house party. Jessie, Lynch, and Cade. We all became fast friends considering we shared a lot of the same interests. "Going somewhere." I heard Mason ask and I turned around to see him standing at the entrance to his room as he watched me. Mason was my babysitter, yes my fucking overbearing stepfather who I'd crawl to the ends of the earth to be far away from sent him to babysit me. Not that I disliked Mason, he was more my best friend than Edward's bitch. "Hello to you too dear," I rolled my eyes while looking for the keys to the apartment. "Just going out for a little late-night stroll. Care to join." He waved his hand in the air. "My days of late-night strolling are behind me." "Oh come on mate Ariana is back i
Emery Hooters, police sirens, and the sound of a helicopter shattered the Shangri la of a peaceful sleep that distorted my realities. Thick black curtains covered the windows allowing minimal lighting in the room. The sound of running water and masculine whistling got me to sit up. I was on top of a large soft bed. The bed smelt like musk, a distinctive scent of a man. Then in my disoriented state, I couldn't remember an inkling from the previous night as I wondered how I came to be in this place. Then in a moment of panic, I threw my sheets to the side in fear that I did something stupid and reckless last night. I sighed when I saw I was still in my clothes. I moved to get out of the bed and searing pain pierced my temples causing me to fall back and sit on the bed. The room around me spun and I was fighting the urge to lay back down. This must of been what a hangover felt li