For the Rush (Playing for Keeps #3) (10 page)

After deciding what we wanted, we placed our order. I sat back in my seat, glancing up at the band on stage.

“You like ‘em?” Holden asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, they’re pretty good.”

Holden stood abruptly, startling me. He thrust out his hand. “Can I have this dance?”

I giggled at the mock formality. Placing my hand in his, I allowed him to guide me out of my seat. The band’s music was frenetic and choppy, not really dancing music. But there were people rocking out around the room anyway. Standing next to our table, Holden turned to me and gathered both my hands in his. I froze, unsure of what was happening. It’s not like it was a slow song. Drawing me forward, our chests bumped.

“Um…what are you doing?” Shifting my gaze around, I noticed several patrons glancing over curiously.

“You said you like surprises.” Dropping our linked hands, he wrapped his arms around my waist. My hands fluttered over his chest as he pulled me even closer. Even though the music was fast, he swayed us gently, rocking us back and forth. His hands were warm on my waist, and I savored the feeling of them.

“Correction. You said you liked surprises.” I splayed my palms on his chest and his muscles flexed beneath my flesh.

“I believe you admitted to liking them too.” His hands skated up my spine, his face inching closer to mine.

The closer he got, the more disoriented I became. The room blurred, my surroundings like an impressionist painting. The only thing that was crystal clear was the boy standing in front of me. He angled his face, his lips so close that they almost touched mine. Desire surfacing, I inhaled sharply.

“I won’t surprise you with this.” When he spoke his top lip brushed mine. “I’ll ask permission.”

Fisting his shirt in my hands, I held my breath.

“Chloe, can I kiss you?”

I closed my eyes.

“Is that a yes?”

Nodding, I waited with anticipation.

Holden

I’d been dying to kiss her from the minute she came down the stairs wearing that red lipstick. Her perfect heart-shaped lips had been beckoning me the entire drive. Now that she was in my arms staring up at me with slightly parted lips, I couldn’t wait any longer. Besides, it was perfect. She was happy here, I could tell. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. Music woke her up, made her more alive. And that made me want her even more.

When she nodded her permission, my pulse quickened. Drawing her close, my lips brushed hers softly. Light like a breeze. Clamping down a little more firmly, the stickiness of her lipstick coated my lips, a faint fruity scent lingering. I exerted more pressure, our mouths fusing. Her fingers closed around my shirt, her nails dragging over my chest. Our bodies swayed slowly despite the music being much faster. My hands slid up her back, our chests pressed together until her heartbeat pounded beneath mine, a mismatched drumbeat. Silky strands of hair tumbled down my arm. Darting my tongue out, I teased her mouth open. Warm, minty breath escaped when she parted her lips. I ran my tongue over her lips before thrusting it inside her mouth. Our tongues slid together in a sensual dance, as her hands left my chest and curved around my neck, her fingers tickling the sensitive flesh. A small moan escaped from the back of her throat and desire rushed to the surface. I’d never desired to kiss anyone like this before. Sure, I’d kissed a lot of girls. And I always enjoyed it. But Chloe was different. Kissing her wasn’t just for fun. I desperately wanted to be close to her. From the moment we met, I was drawn to her in a way I’d never experienced before.

It went beyond attraction with Chloe. Of course it started out that way. The minute she stepped into the spa in that black bikini, I thought she was hot. But that’s not too unusual. I was a seventeen-year-old guy. I found a lot of girls attractive. However, it was when we started talking that my need for her surfaced. I didn’t even fully understand it. Almost like our souls were connected.

And I didn’t want to sever the connection.

Too bad I didn’t have a choice.

The song ended, and I felt the waitress’ presence as she delivered our food. Reluctantly, I pulled back from Chloe. Red lipstick smeared her lips, and oddly enough it looked sexy. I knew I probably had it all over my lips too. And I wasn’t sure it would be as sexy on me, so I swiped it with the back of my hand. But when Chloe reached up to wipe hers, I caught her hand in mine.

“Let me,” I mumbled, lowering her arm.

Then I gently rubbed off the lipstick traces with my thumbs. Her skin was warm to the touch as the pads of my fingers circled her flesh. As she stared at me with dark, wide eyes, I was grateful that the connection we’d had during our kiss remained. She was still with me. And I was determined to keep it that way. When I finished eradicating all remnants of red lipstick, Chloe glanced at the food on our table and smiled.

I grinned back, hurrying to her chair. After pulling it out, I held out my arm indicating for her to sit. An expression of surprise leapt to her face as she sat. I scooted the chair forward and then made my way around the table. When I sat down, I caught Chloe watching me with a pensive look.

“What?” My hands instinctually flew to my face, assuming red lipstick was still smeared across it.

“Just never met anyone like you before.”

“Is that a good thing?”

She nodded. “A very good thing.”

My insides heated up. Across from me, Chloe picked up a chicken strip and dunked it generously in ranch dressing. Then she took a large bite. My lips tugged at the corners. Bethany never ordered anything but salad when we went out. And I was pretty certain she’d be upset with me if I took her to a place that only served pub food.

“I’ve never met anyone like you before either,” I told her.

Wiping ranch dressing from her face with her napkin, she chuckled. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

I smiled. “I bet.”

“But I’m not sure it’s always a compliment.” Even though she wore a smile, I could see a hint of sadness in her eyes.

“I meant it as a compliment.” Reaching my arm across the table, I covered her hand with mine. “From the moment I met you, it was clear that you weren’t like other girls. And it was what attracted me to you.”

“Oh really?” She raised an eyebrow. “I thought it was the bikini.”

“Was I that obvious?” I withdrew my hand, and reached for my burger.

“A little.” She lowered her gaze, her lashes fluttering.

I mentally kicked myself for coming on too strong. That was probably why she avoided me after our first meeting. She thought I was a pervert. “Sorry.”

Her head bobbed up, a chicken strip dangling between her fingers. “Don’t be. My ex-boyfriend was always on me to lose weight and stuff. It was nice to know that you thought I…you know…looked good in my bathing suit.”

“Hey.” I lowered my burger, setting it back down on my plate. “Your ex-boyfriend was an idiot, okay?”

“Yeah, he was.” She snorted, and it made me wonder what else he did to hurt her. I’d never met the guy, but I couldn’t stand him. And I knew if I ever ran into him I’d want to shove my fist in his face. Chloe was far from overweight. In fact, her curves were part of what made her so sexy. Not to mention the fact that she was fun and confident. No guy should ever make her feel like she needed to change. I didn’t want to change one thing. To me she was perfect.

“You’re gorgeous, Chloe,” I said firmly.

“Thank you,” she breathed. In the dim lighting her eyes shone brightly, her hair glistened. Tucking a lock behind her ear, she bent over her plate and took a bite from a French fry. The band started a new song, and her body involuntarily moved to the beat. She didn’t even appear to notice she was doing it. Almost like her body had a mind of its own. Like the music owned it.

“You like to dance, huh?” I asked her after swallowing down a large bite out of my burger.

She nodded. “You?”

I shrugged. “I’m not very good at it.”

She licked ketchup from her finger, and I swallowed hard. Was she trying to kill me? “Oh, I don’t know. From what I saw earlier your dancing skills are pretty good.”

“That wasn’t really dancing. I didn’t have to have any rhythm to slow dance. I only had to hold you in my arms, and trust me, that wasn’t difficult at all. I’d hold you all night if I could.”

“Then why’d you stop?”

“Because someone’s stomach was growling,” I bantered, and her cheeks flushed a little.

She stood, shoving her chair back. The legs scraped on the ground. “My stomach’s quiet now.”

My heart stuttered in my chest. “Is it?”

Nodding, she reached for my hands. I allowed her warm, soft fingers to fold over mine. Then I stood and swept her into my arms. Her body molded to mine as if this was where it belonged. As her head rested on my shoulder and my arms wrapped around her waist, I knew that I’d never be able to let her go. Not completely. In such a short time, she’d somehow stolen a piece of my heart.

And I was happy to give her the rest. All she had to do was say the word and it was hers.

After our date, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I remembered the weekend I first went out with Bethany. I took her to some swanky restaurant she liked and listened to her blab about her friends and the cheerleading squad all night. Then the next few days I blew her off to spend time with the guys. But this was different. I had no desire to blow Chloe off. I wanted to spend every minute with her. It should’ve scared me, but for some reason it didn’t.

Ryan had been texting me all morning asking if I wanted to hang out. But I ignored his texts and instead texted Chloe. When she said she was at the gym with her parents, I practically raced there. I didn’t even bother putting on my gym clothes. I knew exactly where she’d be, so I just threw on a pair of swim trunks and grabbed a beach towel. When I arrived at the gym, I headed straight to the spa. Sure enough, she sat amidst the bubbles wearing her bikini, her hair piled high on her head.

“Wow. You got here fast,” she quipped as I stepped into the water.

“Heard there was a hot chick in here.”

She glanced around. “Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s just me.”

I sank into the water next to her, and snaked my arm around her waist. “Hey, none of that. You’re the hottest chick I know.” Leaning over, I stole a kiss on her cheek, and she snuggled into me. It felt good to know that I could touch her and kiss her without her pulling away. We hadn’t really defined our relationship, and a part of me didn’t want to have that talk. I liked how everything happened organically with us, and I wanted that to continue. However, the thought of her dating anyone else killed me. I knew if I ever saw another guy with his hands on her, I’d pop a freaking fuse. Therefore, I had to know how she was feeling about us. “I had a good time last night.’

“Me too.” She rolled her head, staring up at me lazily.

Under the water, I fumbled around with my free arm and found her hand. Knotting our fingers, I ran my thumb over her palm. “I want to do it again.”

“Go to the club?”

“Go out with you,” I clarified. “I don’t care where.”

“I’d like that too.” She straightened, lifting her head.

I thought that would be enough, but it wasn’t. I had to know that she was mine. “Can I pick you up for school in the morning?’

“Don’t you have practice after school?”

I cocked an eyebrow. “You know my practice schedule?”

“Yeah, because I’m stalking you,” she said sarcastically. “Don’t look so excited. I have marching band practice on Monday nights, and sometimes I see the football team finishing up practice when I drive in.”

“Practice isn’t right after school. I have enough time to drop you at home first.”

“I don’t want you to go to all that trouble.” She wiped the dampness from her face with her free hand.

“I want to drive you, Chloe. It’s important to me.” I squeezed her hand.

“Okay.” A skeptical expression crossed her face, but she smoothed it out with an easy smile. “If it means that much to you, then you can pick me up.”

Chloe

This morning I was on cloud nine.

Yesterday I was unsure of why Holden was so desperate to give me a ride to school today. But this morning as we walked onto the campus hand in hand, it became crystal clear. He wanted everyone to know we were together.

He was staking his claim.

Normally this type of male dominant behavior would irritate me. But Holden wasn’t controlling like that. I knew he didn’t mean it in that dog-peeing-to-mark-his-territory kind of way. No, he meant it in the sweetest way possible. In the same way that he had at the game, he was proving that he was proud of me. And that meant a lot.

However, my good mood crashed at lunchtime. No longer was I soaring above the clouds, all giddy and carefree. It was one thing to walk into school together and disperse at our lockers, it was quite another for me to merge with his group. When Holden and I were alone, I fit in with him perfectly. However, I wasn’t sure I fit in with his friends. And I wasn’t sure they wanted me to.

When Holden insisted I eat with him, I’d been excited. But now that I was at his table surrounded by the jocks and cheerleaders, I found my gaze slipping back to the band table with longing. So far Holden was the only person who’d paid any attention to me. It was like once I’d sat on this bench, I’d become invisible. Like I’d donned a magical cloak. Only I knew that wasn’t the case. And it sickened me.

Ryan was the worst. He hadn’t only ignored me, he’d also thrown me the occasional disgusted glance as if he couldn’t quite figure out what I was doing here. And honestly, I was starting to wonder the same thing.

An elbow jammed me in the back, and I flinched, scooting forward.

“Oops. I’m sorry,” A girl’s voice said apologetically over my shoulder.

Well, at least she could see me.

“It’s okay.” I glanced behind me, instantly recognizing the girl as one of the cheerleaders. She was the one who was glaring at me when Holden ushered me off the field last week. My stomach tightened.

“Oh, you’re the new girl, right?” She smiled kindly, and it threw me off guard.

I peered at Holden, but he was deep in conversation with Ryan and a guy named Sawyer. Sighing, I thrust my hand toward the girl. “Chloe.”

She shook my hand. “Bethany.” Her eyes flickered over to Holden. “So you and Holden, huh?”

Pressing my lips together, I nodded.

“Well, if you ever want someone to talk to you, I’m here. I know what it’s like to date Holden.” Bethany slid onto the bench beside me, the scent of vanilla drifting under my nose.

My insides coiled into knots. At the beginning of lunch I’d been hungry, but now I couldn’t eat a bite. I shoved my sandwich away. “You two used to date?” Bethany was everything I wasn’t - popular, gorgeous, blond, bubbly.

“Yeah, all last year.” She leaned in close, whispering as if we were best friends. “I feel terrible, but I broke his heart.” When she shrugged it didn’t seem like she felt terrible. “I fell in love with someone else. What are you gonna do? The heart wants what it wants.” She giggled. “Isn’t that a song? If not, it totally should be. Anyway, I think it’s great that he’s finally dating someone else. I was worried he’d never get over me. Especially after our talk last week in the halls. It was clear he’s still pretty tore up about the fact that I cheated.”

My head spun. He was talking to her last week? Did he want to get back together with her? And why did she seem so proud about the fact that she’d cheated on him? Everything about this conversation caused my insides to scream. All I wanted was to get off this bench and get the hell out of here.

“Hey, Beth. What’s going on?” Ryan stood directly behind me. “You making friends with band chick over here?”

“Ryan,” Holden’s voice rang out like a warning shot.

I held my breath.

“Don’t let Ryan get to you. He’s an ass to everyone,” Bethany muttered in my direction, wrinkling her nose. “Except for Holden. He’s good to Holden.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, reaching toward the floor, trying to locate my backpack. It was clear that I didn’t belong here. I didn’t know Holden. Not the way the rest of them did. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to get to know him if it meant hanging out with these people. Snatching my backpack off the ground, I stood.

“You’re not leaving, are you?” Bethany asked sweetly but there was a flash in her eyes that told me this was exactly what she was hoping. It made me want to plant myself right down on the bench.  But then I caught Ryan glaring in my direction and it propelled me forward. Sitting at this table was like swimming with sharks. And I was worried that if I stayed they’d rip me to shreds. Spinning around, I hurried away from them.

“Chloe,” Holden’s voice followed me.

Blowing out an exasperated breath, I turned.

“What’s going on?” Reaching out, he slid his hands up my arms. I shivered.

“I don’t fit in with your friends, Holden.”

His eyes darkened. “What did Bethany say to you?”

“Nothing. She was fine.”

“Was it Ryan?” His jaw clenched.

I shook my head.

“Cause he might be my best friend, but I’ll kick his ass if he’s mean to you.”

The last thing I wanted was for him to fight his best friend for me. Even if I didn’t get their friendship, I didn’t want to stand in the way of it. “I don’t know if this is going to work out. I’m sorry.”

“No.” His fingers closed around my arms, and he stepped closer. My heart hammered. “We have a connection, Chloe. Don’t you feel it?”

Head spinning, I nodded.

“Then you know we can’t walk away from it.”

“But…” My gaze slid over his shoulder, landing on his table.

“Look at me.” I did what he said, his dark eyes swallowing me up. “I don’t care if no one else understands what’s going on between us. That doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is what you think, okay?”

“Okay.”

“What do you think, Chloe?”

I swallowed, thinking. “I….I like you, Holden.”

“I like you too.”

“You’ve said that before.” I grinned.

“And I’ll keep saying it. I’ll say it as many times as I need to.” His hands slid up my arms and rested on my shoulders. “I want us to be together.”

“Are you asking me to go steady?” I chuckled, feeling like I was in one of those cheesy eighties movies.

“Whatever we have to call it for you to be all mine.” His fingers played with my hair. All my earlier doubts started to disappear until I caught Bethany staring at us. Was that why he was pushing this whole thing with me being all his? Was it because he’d been cheated on? “What are you thinking? Talk to me.”

“I don’t know. It’s all just happening so fast, I guess.”

“I’m sorry.” Disappointment flashed in his eyes. “I know I promised you we’d take things slow. I guess I just never liked anyone like this before.”

“Not even Bethany?” The words burst from my mouth, my conversation with her fresh in my mind.

He recoiled like he’d been slapped. “So she did say something to you. Let me guess, she told you how she cheated on me.”

“I’m so sorry,” I spoke gently, wishing I’d never brought her up at all. “I know it must have been hard on you.”

“Not in the way that you’re thinking.” Holden shook his head. “I mean, yeah, I was mad that she cheated on me. Of course. But it was more because my pride was injured. Not because I didn’t want to lose Beth.”

My stomach knotted at the use of her nickname. It showed familiarity, and for some reason that bothered me.

Holden continued, “The truth is that I was relieved when Beth and I broke up. I know that sounds awful, but we weren’t good for each other. She may have been the one to cheat on me, but I gave her plenty of reasons to. We both screwed up our relationship.” He stepped closer to me. “I wasn’t into her. Not the way I’m into you.”

I wanted to melt into him, but I needed to be sure. “But she said that you were trying to get her back last week.”

His face hardened. “She said that?”

Biting my lip, I nodded.

“She’s lying. She approached me last week. Not the other way around.” His hand reached out and touched my face. “Who are you gonna believe? Me or her?”

I didn’t even have to think about it. “You.”

He pressed his lips to my forehead, and I sighed deeply.

“Hey, wanna go sit with your friends?” He asked.

I drew back and stared up at him, confused. His arms fell away from my body.

“I’ll come with you.” He smiled, snatching up my hand.

“You don’t have to. You can go back and be with your friends.” I hated making him choose between us. That wasn’t the kind of person I was.

“I want to be with you. It doesn’t matter to me where that is.”