“Oh.”
“It’s a big tourist draw. We’re lucky to see him.”
“Lucky to see a giant crocodile?” Her eyes go to the animal. “He’s huge.”
“Yeah.” Normal size for a crocodile, but that is huge. Seven feet long, easy. Big enough to eat tourists for breakfast.
“People want to be this close?”
“He can’t get up here.” Crocs don’t usually attack people. Only if they’re threatened. But we’re safe here. He can’t get up the steep rocks.
If someone fell in—
I really don’t know. Maybe I should ask someone in Florida. They deal with this shit all the time.
Daisy turns to me. “What if he gets up here?”
“I’ll protect you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I pull her backward. Until we’re all the way on the other side of the sidewalk. And there’s no chance she’ll trip and tumble into the water.
Instead, she trips on a step. Falls right into my arms. Looks up at me with wide eyes. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“I, uh… It’s still my turn.”
“Huh?”
“Truth or dare.”
“You’re too old for that.”
“Yeah. But it’s still my turn.” Her fingers curl into my neck. My shoulder. “And, you, uh… you’re the only one here.”
“I am.”
“So… um… truth or dare?”
Dare me to fuck you, baby. I’ll go right here. Against this wall. Just grab that condom I gave you.
You can see if it tastes like chocolate.
“Holden?” she asks.
“I, uh—” My phone buzzes, saving me from an answer. A reply from Oliver. “Oliver and Luna are heading to a bar. It’s quiet. Good drinks. We can meet them.”
“Oh, right.”
“Or go somewhere else.”
“Back to the house, maybe.” She rests her head on my chest. “I’m kinda tired.”
“Sure.” I force my gaze to my phone. “I’ll call a ride.”
“Thanks. I, uh… I’m going to get a water.” She motions to a liquor store that’s still open. “You want one too?”
“Thanks.”
I let her go. Watch her until she’s in the store. Then I call our ride.
Five minutes.
Five minutes to figure out what the fuck I’m doing.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Daisy
Between the bumpy ride and the rum, my stomach is all butterflies. I press one hand into the car’s window. Place the other on Holden’s thigh.
It’s instinct.
It feels right. Like my body is taking over. Like there’s some Daisy who understands desire. Who knows exactly what she wants and makes no qualms about getting it.
The heat of his thigh, the softness of his jeans, the quiet sigh.
We hit another bump.
My fingers curl into his skin reflexively.
His gaze focuses on my hand. He stares, rapt, but he doesn’t say anything.
He doesn’t move my hand away.
Or closer.
We hit another bump.
He slides his arm around my waist. Holds me steady through our next string of bumps.
We’re almost there.
The last part is the worst.
I press my eyelids together. Focus on the safety of his touch. The heat of his skin.
All this fabric in the way.
My dress. His jeans.
It’s so close to being perfect.
I want it to be perfect. For one night.
One moment even.
His fingers curl into my skin as we turn onto the main road.
The car makes a sharp right.
His body presses into mine.
He’s sitting in the middle seat. It’s just us and he’s sitting in the middle seat. That means something.
My body melts into his as we take a sharp left into the driveway.
The car stops.
My chest caves with my exhale.
I’m still buzzing. Still antsy. Still impossibly on edge.
“Thanks.” Holden nods goodbye to the driver. He undoes his seatbelt, gets out of the car, moves around it to open my door.
“You’re a gentleman?” I take his hand.
He pulls me up. “Always.”
“Always?” My voice is light. Easy. That’s where I am. Happy drunk. No desire to confess ugly things. Only this beautiful buzz in my veins.
“Yeah.” His voice is light too. In that Holden kind of way. That I’m a troublemaker and I can prove it way.
“Opening doors, kissing hands, bringing young ladies home by curfew?”
He chuckles of course, slides his arm around my waist, helps me to the door. “Not usually what I mean.”
“What do you mean?”
“A gentleman makes sure a lady comes first.” He fishes his keys from his back pocket. Slides them into the door. Motions after you.
“You mean… sex?”
“Yeah.”
My body buzzes. I suck in a deep breath. Step inside.
My wedges teeter, but I stay upright. Sure, I sway, but it’s a sexy sway. It’s practically on purpose.
Totally.
“Hey.” Holden wraps his arms around my waist. He pulls my body into his. “Be careful.”
“Inside?”
He nods yeah. “This is a very breakable condo.” He motions to the glass table. The floor to ceiling window. The narrow staircase. “Come on, I’ll help you to bed.”
“Help how?”
He chuckles. “Is that your come on?”
“Is it working?”
He says nothing. Just motions to the kitchen. “Water first.”
“Water first?” Does that mean he’s joining me in bed second?
“Yeah.” He leads me through the living room.
I slip on the tile floor, but he catches me.
He moves to the sink. Pours two glasses. Hands one to me.