Page 112 of All Our Ghosts

The corners of his mouth curve upwards again, lighting that small fire in my belly.

"More than you know," he rasps, pulling me to him and pressing his lips to mine. I melt into his chest, my fingers wrap around the lapels of his vest while his hands wrap around the small of my back, practically hugging me to his chest.

I pull back just enough to see his eyes, my breath fanning across his flushed cheeks. "Are we crazy?" My voice is barely a whisper. "It's been what? A little over a month?"

"Sixty-two days.” He grins. It's so bright that it sends an ache straight through my chest. Holden trails his hands up my back and though he looks relaxed, when I move my hands down his chest I can feel the tension radiating through him along with the hammering of his heart against my palm.

"You've been counting?" I ask softly.

He nods as sadness flickers in his eyes. A sigh leaves him as he pushes back the fallen tendrils of hair from my face, tucking them behind my ear. He doesn't say anything for a moment buthe trails his fingers down my jaw and on instinct I lean into his touch when they curl around the side of my neck.

"Good things don't happen to men like me," he starts while holding my gaze. "So when a good thing like you comes into my life, you bet your ass I'm counting the days."

Warmth blooms in my chest as a wistful sigh leaves my lips. No one has ever said such sweet words to me and actually meant them. Holden does it every time even if he doesn't mean to. With no expectation of anything other than just my love. "You really have a way with words, Nash."

"Only for you," he whispers, pulling me close and brushing his lips against mine. He takes them for his own once more before patting my thighs and pulling back, cutting off the kiss I so desperately want more of. "This is supposed to be our day," he says with a soft frown. "I'm sorry that it was spoiled."

I grin, glancing back down at the ocean. The sun is still above the horizon, the glow of it glistens off the water below. "The day isn't over yet," I say looking back at him. "We can still make the most of it before we go back tomorrow."

The furrow in his brow deepens. "We don't have to go back tomorrow."

I raise a brow with a smile tugging on my lips. "We don't?"

He shakes his head. "I'm not ready to go back and deal with the bullshit waiting for me. I want time with you and I'm milking every minute I can get of it."

I can't help but laugh. "How romantic."

"Hey." His fingers find my ribs, tickling me gently as I burst into a fit of giggles. My hands shoot out to his wrists to try and pull away from him until he finally grants some mercy, "I'll show you how romantic I can be."

He buries his face into the crook of my neck, nipping at the junction between my throat and collarbone. It's the one spot he knows that has my heart going from zero to sixty in an instant.

"Mauling me on the side of the highway isn't romantic," I pant, unable to hide that even the slight fan of his breath against my skin is hitting me straight in my core.

The corners of his lips turn upwards against my skin as he trails them to the other side of my neck. "I beg to differ, Sunflower." His breath is hot against my skin now, "I've never needed someone more than I do you."

"Oh God, Holden," I groan pulling back from him. "You have to stop." Laughing softly I cup his face, capturing his lips with mine.

He instantly takes control of the kiss, forcing a whimper from me as his tongue runs along the seam of my lips. As soon as I part them, he delves in. The kiss turns needy and almost impatient as his hands skate down my back and up the hem of my shirt. The warmth of his skin against mine is all I need to ignite that fire in my belly and turn every logical thought I have into mush.

I move to stand between his legs while he sits on the wall, never breaking the kiss. His hard length presses against my abdomen as my hands rest against his thighs. I break the kiss this time, glancing around us to find anything that could seclude us from passing cars. The only thing near is the wall and peering over the side of it, there is still a good six feet before the ground drops off the edge of the cliff. A wicked thought crosses my mind as I grin at him.

"Do you trust me?" I ask, peering into his curious blue eyes that I love so much.

Holden raises a brow. "With my life."

I suck in a breath not expecting that response and swallow the emotions bubbling in my throat in order not to ruin the lust burning through me. I climb over the rock wall, shoving back the nerves running through me with his statement. They wrap around my veins like roots knowing he trusts me that much. Idon't know what the future holds for us but Jeremy is still out there and still gunning for me. Having him trust me with his life is a terrifying thought when I know that the man who almost killed me would do just about anything to get me back.

"What are you doing?" He asks with amusement in his voice. The question melts away the thoughts running through me as he turns around to see me standing near the edge of the cliff. It's still a few feet away but seeing the drop up close makes my heart thunder. Adrenaline courses through me as I look back at him.

"Mauling you," I chuckle to even out the sound of my voice.

I take two steps towards him, settling between his thighs and wrapping my fingers around his belt. With a tug, I pull him off the wall.

"Is that so?" He asks, watching me with curiosity laced with the fire burning in his eyes.

I hum my response and begin to work his buckle undoing his belt before moving to his jeans and making quick work of the button and zipper. A groan falls from his lips as I slide my hand beneath the waistband of his briefs, lifting to my toes to trail my lips along his jaw.

"Baby, you don't have to do this," he breathes. The shake in his voice tells me that this is exactly what I should be doing.

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