Holt's Holding part two (The Holt's Series) (23 page)

I shook my head remembering my dream. The dream, I thought
was so real.

“Thank you for dinner Charlie. This was amazing.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I cooked you clean” he laughed.

“That’s fair.” I laughed in response. Pulling from the bar,
I took his now empty plate along with my own.

The storm was in full bloom outside. The lights flickered a
bit. I looked to Charlie as he sat and drank his wine.

“So we won’t lose power?”

“No, well not all of it. The generators provide power first
and for most to things like the septic pump, well pump, Henry my house
security. However, the lights will go to the backup lights. The fridge and
freezer will also be maintained. Primarily the important things will keep
power. However, things like the TV and such will lose it. No worries we won’t
be in the dark. We’ll have some power.”

I finished putting the dishes in the washer, the power went
out. Within moments, the backlights came on. They were dim but provided just
enough light.

“Well, it looks like its back up power now.” I smiled
pulling my wine glass and refilling it. “I use to love storms like this when I
was younger. It was like watching nature showing her power, reminding us of our
place on this planet.” I walked to the open doors and watched the wind batter
the trees and the rain come down hard and
thick.“It’s
nature’s way of reminding us to show some respect.”

“You are without a doubt an interesting creature Lillian.”

“I’m not sure how I should take that comment.”
 
I looked to him as he was now standing to the
side of me.

“It’s a compliment Lilly” He smiled and that look in his
eyes was the same I remembered all those years ago.

“Not to sound rude Charlie.
 
However, why are you here?
 
I mean
really?
 
Why did you come here let alone
stay they entire day?”
 
Looking to him, I
really wanted an answer.

“Well, if we are being honest.
 
I was concerned last night.
 
Sebastian had said that you were drinking
heavily.
 
I also knew that you had driven
downtown.
 
Let’s face it this is a drive
from the city.
 
When your phone went to
voice mail, I guess it spiked my concern more so than I want to admit.
 
Nevertheless, I was almost here.
 
I had left the bar shortly after you.”
Laughing in what appeared to be an inner thought he shook his head and looked
to me, “You hit me pretty damn hard.
 
I
had no idea what I had done.
 
I could
only assume it was something Sebastian had told you to get you that angry.”

“Without a doubt Sebastian definitely got under my skin
last night.”
 
I raised my shoulders and
gave him an innocent expression.
 
“What
can I say, there you stood.”
 
Biting my
lip, I knew I should apologize.

“I deserved it Lilly, I should have told you. When I
spotted you coming out the restaurant, I knew I would owe you an
explanation.”
 
He shook his head and
leaned into the door next to me.

I had no idea what he was talking about.
 
What did he think that Sebastian had told
me?
 
Waiting I could only hope he gave me
a clue.

“I’ve known Rebecca for about three years now.
 
Marrying her is more a business merger than
anything else is.
 
She knows my
reputation and knows I’ll never be truly hers.
 
Our marriage just seems to make sense.
 
It pleases my father.
 
One more
acquisition in his mind.”
 
He shook his
head staring out into the storm.

Wholly shit he was getting married.
 
My heart felt like it had just fallen to the
pit of my stomach.
 
Trying to compose
myself, I didn’t know how to react.

“Where does she think you are Charlie?”
 
I couldn’t look at him.
 
If I did, I knew the tears I held would fall.
 
Damn it, I felt utterly defeated.
 
How in the hell was I feeling this strongly
about him?

“She doesn’t know where I am.
 
She flew back to New York this morning.
 
Honestly, she doesn’t give a shit what I do.”
 
Charlie shrugged and looked to me with a strange
expression.

“I would say that I feel sorry for you both, but as I see
it you are adults and know what you’re getting into.
 
I couldn’t imagine making that choice.
 
Marriage is a very sacred institution in my
opinion.
 
It should never be a business
merger or about money.
 
No offense, but I
think it’s sad that you hold no value in it.”

“If you haven’t figured it out Lillian, I’m not a romantic
and most marriages end in divorce.
 
Tell
me Lillian have you ever been in love?” he looked to me curious and smug.

“I suppose had I not been so closed off, perhaps, I could
have afforded that emotion.” Laughing, I finally realized that in many ways I
did indeed afford myself love and for the wrong person.
 
“I suppose I reserved that for the one person
that would never be worthy of it.”
 
I
turned and walked back into the house.
 
A
refill was what I was after.
 
I couldn’t
understand where this ache in the center of my chest was coming from.
 
There was no way I was in love with in.
 
I barely knew him.

“So, do I dare ask when you plan to marry?”
 
Not turning back to him, I poured another
glass of wine.

“Next month, in New York.” He stepped behind me.
 
He was mere inches and his breath on my
neck.
 
I felt like I was ready to
break.
 
He was getting married next month.
 
Looking at the glass of wine, I realized I
now had the taste for my go to liquor.
 
I
needed tequila and now.

I slid away from him, leaving the wine behind.
 
Pulling at the cabinet doors, there stood my
faithful friend.
 
Patron Tequila, I
pulled it from the cabinet followed by a large rocks glass.

“You really like tequila.” He noticed the multiple bottles.

“Yes, I do.
 
I can
count on it to do its job without ever disappointing.
 
I like knowing the outcome of things.
 
It makes for fewer problems.”
 
I offered.

“Have I upset you Lilly?”

“Now why would you think that Charlie?”
 
I put the bottle and glass down on the
bar.
 
Fiddling around, I pulled the
plastic of the cork and poured a glass.
 
Turning, I reached for a lime and cut it squeezing the juice in.

“You seem tense and now pouring yourself a very large glass
of hard liquor. That would usually indicate that something is off.”

“No need to worry about my emotions Charlie.
 
I’m not in any way upset with you.
 
It has just been an interesting few days for
me and I have a lot on my mind.
 
I’ve
been distracted and will pay for those oversights come Monday.”

“Anything that I might help with?”

“No Charlie.
 
It you
haven’t figured it out I’m more than capable of running a business and I run
several.
 
However, you and your brother
are still set to take over my father’s company and as mandated by the court, I
am to keep the company running smoothly until then.
 
So you can understand I’m a busy woman.”

“I the thought the company was being run by the COO, Mr.
Ruhl
?”
 
He slighted
his head surprised and confused to my confession.

“Nope sorry to disappoint, I’ve been running the company
for the past 7 years.
 
Not that it’s
rocket science.”
 
I laughed, “Did you
know if it were rocket science than I would be the most qualified person to run
it.”
 
Oh shit I was buzzed.
 
Looking to the glass, I took the rest down
and refilled the glass.

“Don’t
 
tell me you
hold a degree?” he smiled with a weird grin “I thought you just recently
graduated with an MBA in Business?”

“Yes, I also hold a few others .”
 
Lifted my glass and took the bottle with
me.
 
I headed for the chaise lounge on
the patio.
 
I loved the sound of the
storm that had now eased yet still poured heavily.
 
The patio was covered so the rain wouldn’t
keep me from sitting out there.

Setting the bottle down along with my glass, I walked to
the gas fire pit and turned it on.
 
Turning around Charlie stood there looking to me in question.

“So how many degrees do you hold?” he grinned

“More than you, hell more than most.”

“How?” he walked over stopping in front of me

“It seems there is a lot you don’t know about me
Charlie.
 
I would have thought you and
Sebastian to do your homework before engaging.
 
I’m surprised more that your father hadn’t enlightened the two of you.”

“The only thing our father has ever shared when it came to
you was that we were to keep away from you.
 
I swear that man would probably give his own life for you.”
 
Charlie shook his head and sat down on the
end of the chaise.
 
Laughing he added,
“We once thought maybe you were in fact his daughter.
 
However, knowing him he would have made claim
to you from go.
 
Father likes his
possessions.
 
Moreover, I remember your
mother, the way she looked at your father.
 
She was a woman who loved her husband.
 
There was no question she would have never of strayed from him.
 
In many ways, you remind me of her.
 
There is something in your eyes just like
hers.
 
I can see that same type of
loyalty to those commitments you make.”

“My mother was a good woman Charlie.
 
She was strong and patient.
 
She was also a force to be had.
 
My father use to tell me that you didn’t want
to get on her bad side.
 
Her temper and
fury was like an unpredictable storm.”
 
I
laughed remembering her.

“I’m sorry for your loss.
 
You had a wonderful family.”
 
He sat
down into the chaise and pulled me into him.
 
Cupping the side of my face, I didn’t know what he was going to do
next.
 
Looking down into my eyes; It felt
like he was reaching into my soul.
 
“I
envy the man you give your heart to.” He whispered.

My eyes like magnets fell to his lips.
 
I wanted to feel them but the fear was too
much.
 
I was way over my head with
him.
 
Pulling slowly up to him my heart
felt heavy and slowed.
 
I kissed the side
of his face and moved to his jaw.
 
His
hands slowly moved into my hair.
 
My
hands running down his sculpted chest, I ended at his waist pulling his shirt
off.
 
He raised his hands and helped me
remove it, and then he removed mine.
 
The
movements were slow and calculated.
 
I
knew his instinct was to kiss me.
 
He
tempered every move reminding himself he couldn’t.
 
Pulling down to the chaise, he wrapped us in
the blanket.
 
Wanting to keep the
control, now straddled in his lap.
 
His
chest pulled to mine.
 

Charlie’s hands lowered to my pants and slowly, asking
permission, he began to pull them down.
 
Taking
his time, I felt the heat of his eyes taking in every inch of me. Feeling his
hand, lightly fall down my body, skimming so slowly; a fire followed his
wake.
 
My skin was
eletricfied
and my arousal began to peak.
 
Tracing
around my breasts, Charlie lifted up and tenderly addressed my peaked
nipples.
 
His mouth and tongue working
together, orchestrating a build with in me.
 
My hands holding his broad shoulders, I felt the tension of his
muscles.
 

The moment he sucked my nipple my hands raced into his hair
holding him to me.
 
My body arched into
his hold, as my hips pressed my aching core into his firm arousal.
  
The building began to grow.
 
The more I rubbed, circled into him, the
simple act of breathing became too much.