Page 101 of All Our Ghosts

I laugh. "Alright, alright, I'll quit asking...if you let me drive the bike."

His head tilts back letting out a laugh as his hand falls to his pec. "Sweetheart, it's backpack life for you until I can find an empty lot to teach you."

I raise a brow and step out of his embrace. "What makes you think I can't ride?"

He waggles his brows. "Baby, I know you canride." My mouth gapes open with a gasp as I shove him playfully, forcing him to wince away with a shit-eating grin. The gall of this man. "It's a long drive, Sunflower." He relents with a sigh.

"Fine," I huff. His finger hooks into my belt loop as he pulls me back to him.

"How about this?" He cups my cheeks, dipping his head to catch my gaze. "When we get to Santa Barbara, I'll find us an empty lot and teach you."

My chest flutters with excitement. "Promise?"

Without hesitation he holds up his pinky with a sly crooked grin. "Promise."

I smile linking our pinkies together.

"Hey, Andrews!" Wolfe calls out across the compound. He jogs towards us, waving what looks like a phone in his hand. My brows furrow as he stops in front of us and holds it out. "Got you a new phone," he says with a nod. "Programmed Nash, Cole, and myself in there."

My fingers wrap around the device, taking it from him. I know exactly why they did it but I never expected them to actually take care of this for me. "Thank you," I mutter. "Blake?"

Wolfe raises a brow and laughs shaking his head. "She caught me five minutes into setting it up. You think I got away without putting her number in there?"

That makes me laugh as Holden's arms wrap around me from behind. "Thanks, Dex."

He nods, tossing a glance to Holden over my shoulder. “When we get back, we should turn your phone back on.”

“Hey,” Holden’s low voice rumbles behind me. “Give it a rest, yeah? At least for the next few days.”

“We’ve given it a rest for a while now, Nash. We need to know–”

“Wolfe,” Holden’s voice booms, forcing me to tense in his arms. He must have sensed this because, for a moment, his arms tighten around my waist before loosening again. “Please brother, one good weekend away from this shit, that’s all I’m askin’.”

Wolfe’s eyes flicker between us and I force a small smile onto my lips, wishing that the tension that spreads between the two of them wasn’t always down to my safety. The last thing I want to do is to have the guys fight over how to handle me. It wasn’t the way to keep the club safe and focused if they were constantly pitted against one another.

"When we get back." I confirm with a nod before holding the phone back out to him. "Do me a favor? Take our picture?"

Holden dips his head, burying his nose into the crook of my neck. I feel his lips curl against my skin before he presses a gentle kiss to the spot just below my ear. "Why the photo?"

"I need a new phone background for that phone don't I?" I mutter, leaning back into his chest grinning as he nuzzles further against my neck.

"Mmm," he hums, and the vibrations send chills down my spine, my smile growing. I nudge him as Wolfe holds up the phone, his brows scrunched together as he focuses on taking the picture.

“Nash, don't be an animal. Look at the camera.”

I glance up at him over my shoulder feeling his fingers dig into the softness of my belly where he holds me. His eyes flicker down to my own as he smiles softly. Nothing but adoration glints back but I knew something else was hidden beneath that. Something deeper and something I feel in my own soul.

I'm in love with him and I had no doubt that, no matter what the world was about to throw at us, I would pick Holden every damn time.

"There," Wolfe says gruffly, holding my phone back out. "Now if you two are done honeymooning, we should start heading out."

With a sigh, Holden drops his arms from around me but not before planting a kiss on the top of my head. "You gonna be warm enough?" He asks with his eyes roaming down my body. Aflicker of heat ignites in my core as those bright blue eyes meet mine.

I glance down at my outfit, tearing my gaze away from him in fear that if I stare too long, we will never get out of here on time. I wasn't going to miss the chance of getting actual alone time with him without the club constantly around. My black jeans are snug against my legs with just enough stretch that the long drive on the back of his bike shouldn't be too bad. As usual, I'm wearing my favorite pair of combat boots combined with an old band tee. Holden's hoodie sits on my seat waiting for me.

"I'll be fine." I smile and reach for his hoodie to slip it on.

Even though it’s warm I know as soon as we get on the road, I'll be wind chilled within minutes. Holden's large frame helps block out the wind for the most part, but there is no way in hell I am going to be the one to make them all stop because I'm cold.

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