The saleswoman looks at me funny, but she still takes my cash and places my change on the counter.
I don the shades, sling the plastic bag around my wrist, grab my cell.
It’s still too bright. I can barely see the screen. I have to stop under an awning to make out the texts from last night.
Nothing important. A lot of where are you? Are you coming? For fuck’s sake, tell me if you’re not, so I can go home and fuck myself. Luna is driving me insane.
You think she’s as good with that pretty mouth as she looks?
I bet she is.
I bet she’s greedy.
She’s tall enough we could sixty-nine. Haven’t done that in forever. Kinda miss it.
God, my best friend really is a dirty bastard.
If Daisy was any other girl, he’d cream himself over the story. Taking a virgin home on her eighteenth birthday, warming her up slowly, filling her—
No.
Even if she was another girl, it would be weird telling him. Wrong.
It’s not like me. Usually, I replay all my fucks.
It’s fun. Kills time between appointments. Keeps the day interesting.
With Daisy, there’s something different. Personal.
I like her.
A lot.
I need to talk to her. To make sure I don’t hurt her.
However the fuck I do that.
I call my sister—she isn’t a relationship expert, but she is honest to a fault. Leave a message.
“Hey Ariel. I hope I didn’t wake you. Call me when you get a sec. Need to ask you something. Give Charlotte a kiss for me. And tell her that no one ever made headlines playing it safe. Love you.” I end the call. Slide my cell into my pocket.
Climb the streets back to the house.
Oliver is MIA—no doubt fucking himself in the shower.
Daisy is sitting at the kitchen table, across from her best friend, picking at a bowl of oatmeal.
She smiles as her eyes catch mine.
I melt.
I completely forget what I’m trying to accomplish.
I forget everything but how badly I want to make her smile again.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Daisy
“Hey.” Holden tosses his sunglasses on the table. His green eyes meet mine. His cheeks just barely flush.
“Hey.” I press my thighs together. It’s not enough to contain the ache between them. I’m sore in a way I’ve never been sore before.
And now I’m acutely aware of this emptiness in my core.
And how good it feels to fill it.
If I can even handle him, ahem, filling me.
Right now.
I mean, because last night—
God, I’m already red.
“I made a chai.” I hold up my mug. “You want a sip?”
“Sure, yeah.” He leans over the table. Takes the mug from my hand. Brings it to his lips. “Morning, Luna.”
“Morning.” Her eyes go straight to his chest. Not the Latin tattoo. Or the tan skin.
The red marks. In the spot where I was—
Fuck, I did that to him.
I branded him.
It shouldn’t be so hot, but it is.
When I saw my hickeys in the mirror this morning—
Shit. I comb my hair over my neck. So Oliver won’t notice.
“That’s good.” He takes another sip. Swallows hard. “Really fucking good.”
“Thanks.” It’s torture doing anything besides touching him.
Which is ridiculous. This is good oatmeal. Spicy from the cinnamon, chewy from the raisins, just sweet enough.
The same breakfast I have every day.
Nourishing. Delicious. So much less appealing than Holden.
“You making me one too?” Luna teases.
“If you want,” I say.
“No, Holden. You’re the master of chai lattes, right?” Her gaze moves down his body, then back up it. It’s not an I want you look. More like she’s assessing him as worthy or not.
“You could say that.” He places my mug on the glass table. “Daisy is good too.”
“Are you?” She turns to me. Raises a brow. “How good are we talking?”
“Oh.” Realization spreads over his face. “You…”
“No.” My cheeks flame. I shake my head, sending my hair in every direction. “I, uh…”
“You should probably practice your lines.” Luna takes a long sip of her coffee. “Oliver is hung over, but he’s not blind.”
“We didn’t.” I clear my throat.
Holden just shrugs. “I’m gonna shower.”
“Right,” I say.
His eyes meet mine. “You good?”
“Yeah.” My blush deepens. There’s so much I want to say. But not in front of Luna. Not in front of anyone.
He places a plastic bag on the table. “Aspirin in here. As your brother requested.” He looks to Luna. “Whatever you’re doing with him, it’s driving him insane.”
“Oh?” Satisfaction spreads over her face.
“Supposedly he’s in the shower, fucking himself to thoughts of your thighs,” I say.
“Are you supposed to share that?” Her laugh is easy.
Holden shakes his head. “He’d be glad I did. If he could see your face right now.”
“What about it?” she asks.
“You’re thinking it too.” He winks at her. Then his eyes meet mine. His expression gets shy. It’s not like him. Which makes it super hot. “We’re doing something cool today.”
“We are?” I know everyone wanted to make my birthday special, but there’s no way we’re topping last night. We might as well just…