In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes: Chapter 32

BEFORE HOLDEN ARRIVED SATURDAY MORNING, I headed out on another walk through the forest with a shovel under one arm and the giant alien dick under the other.

I was getting rid of this thing today. It had to be cursed, the way it kept returning to me. Both of those times were my fault, I’d admit, but with my luck, the garbage collector would probably fish it out and leave it at my door if I tossed it in the bin again.

A couple hundred meters along the trail, I found a good spot to bury it. My shovel hit the dirt and I began to dig. Sweat rolled down my forehead as I worked, and I stopped to yank my sweat over my head. Once I had dug a small hole, I threw the dildo in, gave it both middle fingers, and packed dirt over top.

“There,” I huffed, wiping my hands off on my jeans.

“Hi,” Holden said behind me and I jumped.

“Jesus.” My hand came to my chest. “What are you doing out here?”

He raised his eyebrows with a bemused look. “I had the same question.”

I shrugged. “Just getting a little exercise in.”

He stared at me. If anyone could look hot in a black rain parka, it was Holden. The dark color made his eyes stand out even more. And those lashes. So unfair. His hair was damp, like he just got out of the shower.

He studied the ground I had just filled in.

“I was burying the dildo,” I explained.

He rolled his eyes with a grin.

“It’s cursed, Holden. I need to get rid of it. And this way, someone will find it in a hundred years and think aliens made a stop in Queen’s Cove.”

“Okay.” His eyes were warm as he watched me. “Got you a coffee. It’s back at the inn.”

I brightened up. “Thank you.” We walked through the forest back to the inn. Although it wasn’t raining, the air was damp, intensifying all the fresh forest scents. The ground was soft under our feet and a squirrel chased another up a tree. The fir trees stretched high into the sky, strong and solid.

Kind of like Holden.

“It’s nice here,” I said as we walked. “The forest is so peaceful.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he looked at me. “Mhm.”

“You live near a forest, right?”

He nodded. “I had a part of the forest cleared and built a house in the middle.”

Something occurred to me. “How come I’ve never seen your place?”

“It’s in the middle of the woods. It’s a long drive.”

I studied him as we walked. Maybe he was worried I’d come over and never leave. Or maybe he had something in his house he didn’t want me to see.

“I know your secret,” I told him with raised eyebrows.

He stilled and his wary gaze shot to mine. “You do?”

I nodded. “Mhm. You’ve got a weird doll collection.”

He relaxed. “That’s it. You got me.”

“Do you brush their hair every night?”

He nodded with a mock serious, stoic expression. “They all sleep in my bed with me.”

I laughed, cringing. “Ew. That’s weird.”

We stepped out of the forest and walked across the lawn to the inn.

“What do you want to do at the inn today? We could knock down another wall.” I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

His eyes were warm. When he looked at me like that, affectionate and sweet, a thrum hit me in my chest.

“Sure. You can use your big dildo energy.”

I tilted my head with a scowl and his eyes glittered as he tried not to laugh. “We’re not calling it that.”

“What, big dildo energy?

“Ew. Holden. Stop repeating that or I’ll tell everyone you snuggle Cabbage Patch dolls and you’ll never find a wife.” I opened the door and held it for him. “Now, where’s that coffee you so graciously brought me?”

“Here.” We dried our boots off before I followed him to the kitchen. A big paper bag sat on the counter and he nudged it toward me. “Got you something.”

I shot him a curious look. “You did?”

“Mhm. Open it.” His expression warmed.

I smiled and peeked in the bag before pulling out a yellow raincoat. It was bright, cheerful, and ridiculous. It was like out of a kids’ book except it looked like it fit me.

“You can’t wear that puffy coat all winter here,” he said, leaning on the counter. “You need a good raincoat.”

“Holden,” I murmured. I didn’t know what to say.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I can return it if you don’t like it.”

“No.” I smiled at him. “I love it. I’m just surprised.”

“Try it on.”

He watched me with his arms folded across his chest as I undid the zipper and pulled it on. It came to just above my knees and fit perfect across the shoulders. He stepped forward and pulled the hood up. I studied his face as he did the snaps up under my chin.

This guy. There was a balloon inside my chest, about to pop. I swallowed.

He reached back into the bag and pulled a shoebox out, flipped it open, and put a brown Blundstone boot on the floor.

“You got me boots?” I repeated.

“You can’t wear sneakers in the rain, your feet will get all wet.” He crouched down and his hand brushed the back of my calf so I could step into them. I set my hands on his shoulders as he helped me into the boots. My throat squeezed at the strange intimacy of this moment.

“How did you know what size?”

“I looked inside your sneaker.” He straightened up. “They feel okay?”

I nodded, staring at him in confusion. “You bought this stuff for me?”

He pulled the string on the hood with a little smile on his face. “Yep.”

“Like, you went to a store in town?”

His brow wrinkled. “Mhm.”

My heart squeezed up into my throat. Faster than I could react, tears stung my eyes and spilled over. Holden’s face fell. He stooped and his hands came to my shoulders.

“What’s wrong?” His eyes searched mine and concern creased his brow.

I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest. “Thank you.”

I listened to a low hum of approval in his chest. His hand brushed across my back in slow circles. He pulled my hood down and dropped a quick kiss onto the top of my head and my heart flip-flopped. I inhaled his intoxicating smell before I made myself pull back.

Holding him like this was pushing the friends-with-benefits boundary, no matter how good it felt.

“Ready to knock down a wall?” His voice was low and he watched me with an unreadable expression.

I skated my hands over my new raincoat and a grin twisted onto my mouth. “I want to try out my new stuff. Do you think we could take the day off? We can do the demo tomorrow if you’re worried about the schedule.”

He shook his head and warmth filled his eyes. “The schedule is fine. Let’s test out your new boots.”