Page 86 of Holding The Reins

We move toward the front door, and just as Nash unlocks it, Asher comes towards us up the sidewalk.

“Boss,” he greets in his very deep tenor before turning to me with a smirk. “CeCe.”

It’s the first time I’ve seen him smile. Boyish dimples appear in his cheeks and they seem like they don’t belong with his massive, inked and almost scary, brooding appearance.

“Remind me not to play any drinking games with you anytime soon.”

“Ha-ha,” I say back. “I won’t be drinking like that again for a long time.”

“I’m going to take CeCe home, and to be honest, I’m wrecked. I’m going to take the night off,” Nash says, and Asher looks at Nash like these are words he’s never heard from him before.

“The night off? Uh… yeah, sounds good.”

“You have lots of servers in tonight?”

“Yep, eight. Sandy Elliot’s 58th birthday.”

Nash nods, and I make a mental note that my mother will, in fact, be here tonight with her gang of lady friends. She and Sandy have been friends since high school.

“I’ve got my cell if you need me. The bar is fully prepped,” he says to Asher as he gestures me away and follows behind.

We drive in silence, and as Nash turns down the driveway to the ranch, I realize that he may, in fact, be bringing me home. Anger builds inside me at the idea of him getting off like that and then just taking me home like some sort of piece of ass.

He pulls up to Stardust and I start to speak sarcastically because when I’m nervous as shit, that’s what I do. “Thanks for the day today. It was fun having you jack off all over me, I guess I’ll… see you around.” I grin and then go to open the door.

Nash huffs out a breath as he puts his truck in park, and grabs my arm to stop me.

“Jesus Christ, Rae. I’m not dropping you off. You think I’d just use you like that to get off and then leave you on your doorstep?” He looks amused as fuck as I shrug.

“I don’t know what to think, Nash. I don’t know what… this is,” I say quietly, gesturing between us, suddenly feeling silly for my overreaction.

His eyes soften and he grips my face. I turn my face into his palm. I love the warmth and safety of it too much.

“I’m not done with you yet. I brought you here so you could go get everything you need to last you the weekend. I want you to stay with me.”

Nash leans into me and kisses my lips, slow at first, but deliciously calculated, tracing his tongue over my bottom lip and restarting the ever-burning fire between my legs for him.

His voice is low and deep as he pulls his lips away from mine. “Now, let’s get your things. I’m going to make you dinner.”

I register what we’re doing here, what he’s saying. Whatever this is, I realize that he’s fighting it as much as I am because it’s us, and there is no doubt that we’re crossing that line here now. Once we do, is there any way to go back?

I just nod and get out of the truck as he asked, like the good girl I am.

Iset the plate in front of CeCe and she looks up at me.

“This is too pretty to eat.”

“I could say the same thing about you,” I retort and she smiles at me with the coy little smile that goes straight to my dick.

“Touché.” Cece takes a bite of the chicken marsala I made us and moans, “Oh my God.”

Yeah, it’s fucking delicious.

“You really can cook,” she mumbles between bites.

I shrug and shovel in a bite, smiling at her as I do.

We’re sitting at my dining room table. The sun is sinking behind the trees over the creek.

---