Because You're Mine (8 page)

Intent
.

              “I need to go. Katy’s probably wonderin’ where I am.” He refused to let me go. Fear and excitement danced in my veins.

“She’s fine. She’s talkin’ to Archer. See.”

Indeed, Archer was bent down at our table. I looked back up at Holden, relaxing in his arms slightly. That smile I was growing to like so much played with the corners of his lips and his eyes gleamed with steel determination.

              “Shouldn’t you be workin’?” I asked, trying anything to get away.

              “I’m on my break. Do you know how beautiful you are?” I’d been told I was beautiful before. But the way Holden said it, the words seemed to hold more meaning. Heat flooded my face under his hot gaze. “It doesn’t help when you blush like that either, babe.” He took my arms and placed them back around his neck, pulling me closer.

              “Do you always say the first thing that pops into your head?” I asked incredulously. He was always so straight forward and blunt. I liked that about him.

A lot.

              “Yes. I don’t have time to pussy foot around. I like you. I like you
a lot
. I’m not afraid to admit that.”

              “I like you too, Holden. But this can never work. You know that right? We’re two completely different people going in two completely different directions. This is pointless.” Disappointment churned deep in my belly. Now, the thought of walking away from him irked me.

What the hell was wrong with me?

One minute I’m ready to run for the hills, and then the next I want to stay locked inside his arms forever. I shook my head at his chest.

This was crazy
.

His firm fingers found my chin, claiming my eyes once more. “This is not pointless, Maddie. This…this is so much more.” Holden leaned down and pulled two soft kisses from my lips. It wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy me. I leaned in for more, but he let me go. Turning on a heel, he walked towards the back of the bar.

Deep down, I knew the sparks flying back and forth between us meant
something
. I was just afraid to find out what that
something
was.

I saw him a few more times throughout the night. Each time tucked away in some dark corner of the bar, watching me. I desperately wanted to approach him. I wanted to beg him to take me home with him tonight and have his way with me. But I thought better of it. One time with him wouldn’t even begin to scratch the surface. That was the
only
thing I wasn’t afraid to admit to myself.

CHAPTER nine

For it was not my ear you whispered

but into my heart,

it was not my lips you kissed

but my soul

-Judy Garland

Holden

             On Maddie’s sweet lips was a beautiful place to be. It took everything I had to pull away from our kiss last night, and a fuck load of will power to walk away from her on that dance floor.             

This was crazy and completely irrational. At first, I reasoned it must be the physical attraction that had me craving her like a rabid beast. Then I realized it was something much more than that. It was a pull I’d never felt before, an undeniable connection that could not be ignored. The unrelenting need to make this woman mine had taken over, and I was no longer in control of my own actions.

              Honestly, I’d never even thought about falling in love again. Love had the power to destroy you. I knew that first hand. Once your heart has been broken, it’s never really heals. The wounds may heal, but the scars remain there forever. And that delicate tissue must be guarded and protected at all cost. I’d done a damn good job of keeping my heart safe and protected. But when it came to Maddie, I had no choice but to throw down the sword. As if my heart had been waiting for her all along…I surrendered.

              That sounded crazy in my head and even crazier when I said it out loud. But there was just something about her, something I couldn’t describe with words.

             
Just feel. 

              Lying in bed last night, I debated over and over again whether to pursue this. She was right, what was the point in starting anything when she would only be leaving soon. But I came to the startling conclusion that I didn’t give one fuck.

I wanted her.

And come hell or high water, I would have her. I refused to fill my life with any more regrets. Fate had finally found me and given me something special. I wasn’t about to fuck that up.

              I arrived at the Water’s place around eight the following morning. I located the spare key Mrs. Waters had told me about when they asked me to keep an eye on things. Quietly slipping inside the house, I crept to the kitchen. Once I started a pot of coffee, I went upstairs to seek out Maddie’s room. I walked by two open doors that were clearly guest bedrooms. The closed door at the end of the hall had to be hers.

              Slowly, I opened the door. The room was dark but there was enough light peeking through the curtains to see her sleeping soundly in the center the bed. A floral bedspread was tucked between her legs and her hair was fanned out across the lavender pillow. She had on a white tank top and black underwear. My dick hardened immediately and I decided then that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. How the hell was I supposed to get out of here without crawling into bed with her?

             
Fuck
.

              She stirred, and my thumping heart beat harder. I stood silent at the foot of the bed, watching as her sleepy eyes fluttered open then closed. A lazy smile toyed with that sweet mouth of hers and her nipples grew hard beneath the thin layer of fabric as she arched her back from the bed in a full on stretch. She settled on a deep sigh then her eyes found mine.

              “What the fuck are you doin’ in my room, Holden?” Maddie scurried to sit up, pulling the comforter tight against her chest.

             
Thank God.

Being a gentleman had become a challenge since I walked into the room. “Rough night?” Her hair was a rumpled mess and it was sexy as all hell. I’d give my right nut to crawl in bed with her right now and mess it up some more.

              “Do you make it a habit of sneakin’ into people’s bedrooms this early in the mornin’? How the hell did you get in anyway? Breakin’ and enterin’ is against the law ya know. ” She clutched the bed spread tighter to her chest and her eyes darkened with in anger. Or was it desire?

              Whatever it was…
it was fucking beautiful
.

              “Not when you have a key, sweetheart. Get dressed. We got plans.” I turned towards the door. 

              “What?” she grumbled.

              “Your coffee is brewin’. Meet me downstairs in twenty.” I added before I walked out, closing the door behind me.

              While Maddie dressed, I found some eggs and ham in the fridge and starting making us an omelet. Twenty minutes later, her bare feet were stomping down the stairs. She had on a pair of tight cotton shorts and a blue tank top and her hair was still wet from the shower. The hard on that I had just managed to get under control was back with a vengeance.

“There she is.” I sat her coffee cup next to the omelet covered plate in front of her. Then, I turned my attention back to my omelet still on the stove. I took several deep breaths, trying to think about anything other than the way she looked right now. All I wanted to do was spread her out across this island and lick and taste every square inch of her body.

             
Fuck.

              “So what are these plans you mentioned?” With the pan in my hand, I turned to find her bright, blue eyes peering back at me.

              Sliding my omelet onto the plate, I moved to sit next to her. “The horses need to stretch their legs and it’s a beautiful day. I thought we could go for a ride.” I took a bite of my omelet. “Then I’m gonna cook you dinner this evenin’.”

              Maddie sat her cup down then picked up her fork. “And what makes you think I’d agree to that?” She wrapped her lips around a fork full of eggs with a soft moan. Shit, just watching her eat had my dick ready to pound nails.

              “You and I both know the horses need exercise…and from what I can tell…you only have one ass. As for dinner tonight, well, you seem to like breakfast, so I’m certain you’ll enjoy dinner too.” I finished with a shrug.

              “You’re awfully sure of yourself, aren’t cha?” Looking over at me, she took another bite.

              “When I want something bad enough, I do what I gotta do.” I grinned, shoveling in another bite.

              The fork clinked against her near empty plate as she shifted in her seat to face me. “Nothin’ is gonna happen between us, Holden. So you can just give it up.” Debating the many ways I intended to make her
mine
was not on my agenda this morning. And she wouldn’t hear any of it now anyway. I’d have to show her instead.

              “Fine.” I said nonchalantly.

              Glaring at me, she crossed her arms. “So we have an understanding then?”

              “Yep.” I nodded, returning my attention to my plate to keep from laughing.

              “Good.”

              Did she really think I’d give up that easily?

             
Not a chance in hell.
             

              “I’ll go change.” She slid from the stool, reaching for her plate.

              I grabbed my empty plate then hers. “I’ll get this. Meet me in the barn when you’re ready.”

              Tilting her head, she gave me her sweet smile. “You sure?”

              I smiled right back. Those every present sparks flying back and forth between us were damn near blinding. “Absolutely.”

***

              I had the horses brushed, saddled, and ready to go by the time she made it down to the barn. We set out on a well beaten path at a slow trot. There were plenty of things I liked about Maddie. But her riding a horse had to be by far one of my favorites.

              She’d returned to me earlier dressed in a white tank top, skin tight jeans, and dirty cowboy boots. Her thick brown hair was once again pulled into a side pony tail resting on one shoulder and she had on a weathered straw cowboy hat. I thought my dick would explode in my fucking jeans.

              Perfection
. 

Closing my eyes, I sighed at the vision of Maddie straddling me like she was straddling that horse right now. Her silky hair wrapped tight in my hand, pulling her down to…

              “You ok back there?”

              I parted my eyes slowly, reluctant to let go of the fantasy of her mounted on top of me. Resolve burrowed deep inside my chest. I let my wicked grin speak for me as I trotted up beside her. My eyes focused and intent on exactly what I wanted.

              Shifting uncomfortably in the saddle, she gave Bella a subtle kick sending her to trot faster. Nudging Samson forward, I did the same. Maddie was doing everything she could not to look at me, but I could see her watching me from the corner of her eye. “Would you please stop looking at me like that.” she demanded. 

              “Like what?” I leaned in closer. “Like I want you?” Her shocked blue eyes locked with mine as she jerked away.

              Desire licked her creamy cheeks. “Stop sayin’ stuff like that.”

              “Why? It’s true.” I could see a little smile tugging at her mouth before she bit down on her bottom lip to stop it.

My dick was as hard as the oak tree we were now stopped next to. Looking right into my eyes, she said the one thing I never expected

              “You can have me for one night. That’s it. We have sex and we get…whatever this is out of our system.” She tried to keep her voice steady, but she faltered. Maddie cleared her throat and turned those beautiful blue eyes back to mine. “We should head back. I need to go visit my folks soon. Then we can get rid of all this
tension
you keep yappin’ about.” Maddie gave Bella a hard kick and they shot off like a bullet.

Adjusting myself in the saddle, I sucked in a deep breath. She was out of her fucking mind if she thought one time was all she was giving me.

She was in for a rude awakening.  

Evil dark clouds descended and thunder rumbled loudly as we approached the barn. We silently set about removing the saddles from the horses and brushing them down. Rain pelted the roof of the barn, matching the thumping beat of my heart. Every now and then, Maddie would steal a glance here and there. The sexual tension between us was growing thicker by the second.

Once we put everything away and had the horses secure, we started walking towards the door of the barn.

              Opening the door, rain slapped the ground in a heavy downpour while thunder and lightning filled the angry sky. “Should we make a run for it?” she asked, biting down on that damn lip.

That was all it took.

              The door flapped back and forth from the strong wind of the storm as I pressed my throbbing cock between her thighs, pinning her against the wall. She was mine. Right fucking here, right fucking now.

             
Mine
.

              Her breathing became heavier as her soft body relaxed into mine. “Holden, please.” My name dripped from her lips, sending pleasure coursing through my heated body. The need to be buried inside of her was excruciating and intense.

Our first time would be quick and rough. And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.