Page 13 of Havoc for the Holidays

I blinked at the back of his head before letting a chuckle slip from my lips. When he turned to me with a devastated look on his face, I quickly stifled the sound.

“I'm not laughing at you, Olls.” The distance between us evaporated as I strode across the kitchen, set the utensils down, and cupped his cheeks in my hands. “I'd never laugh at you. As far as the answer to your question… because you're adorable, fascinating, gorgeous, smart, and so incredibly fun to be around.”

“Oh…”

“Oh, indeed. See? Adorable.” I leaned in and pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. “Cute as a damn button. Now let's eat before I say screw the food.”

He inhaled a soft breath and grinned, looking bashful and happy and so damn sweet, all I wanted to do was wreck him. I had a hunch he looked absolutely delicious after a good roll between the sheets. He was already damn near irresistible—thepossibilities had me ready to drag him to my room straight away and see just how accurate my suspicions were.

“Right. Dinner. Lord,” he backed away one step and fanned his face with a laugh. “I don't think I'm prepared for what you have in mind, judging by the look in your eyes.”

“No pressure, okay? Do I want to ravage you this very instant? Absolutely. But please believe me when I say, I'm not in a rush. Even if all we do is eat and talk and maybe get a little frisky on the couch, I'm more than happy.” I tugged one of the chairs out and gestured for him to take a seat. He waved me off with a laugh before sitting.

“Sir, with all due respect, I am hoping for more than a little ‘frisky’ action.” He winked at me once I was seated opposite him. “I'm not a prude. I might not have dated in years but trust me when I say I haven't gone without.”

“Well, well, well. Aren't you full of secrets, Mr. Branson.” I focused on dishing out my food as he did the same, continuing only once we were settled. “Care to elaborate?”

“My parents were very understanding. My friends too. Every so often, I was encouraged to take a weekend to myself.” He shrugged and examined a string bean at the end of his fork. “We might be in our own little picturesque world here on the mountaintop, but the capital is only an hour away.”

“For some reason, I can't picture you hitting the clubs or hookup apps. There's a disconnect for me.” I waggled my knife at him. “Tell me it isn't true?”

“Oh, well. Mostly dance clubs, actually. Especially once I turned eighteen. I'd always been a little… curious? My first solo weekend once I was old enough to get in for the open entry nights was all the confirmation I needed.” He shrugged again, biting his lower lip. Judging by the flush on his cheeks, Oliver certainly had some interesting stories tucked away in that pretty little head of his.

“Color me curious.”

“It's a good color for you.” His smile turned smug as he dug into his dinner. I followed suit with a laugh. He was a breath of fresh air, and seeing him slowly relax and peel back the complex layers of his personality was exhilarating. For as much as I liked to flirt and test his boundaries and see how much I could fluster him, I also enjoyed these candid, relaxed moments that revealed so much more about him. To say I was growing fixated wouldn't quite be accurate. Honestly, I couldn't get enough.

“This is amazing, Ez. It's so nice to have a proper meal without constantly being on. And string beans. God, I love string beans.”

“You don't have them regularly?” I boggled at the strange comment.

“It's easier not to. Becs hates them and I never wanted to get myself in the position of having to prepare separate meals. After a while, I stopped trying. She likes most vegetables so it wasn't like it was a huge sacrifice.”

“Huh. Note to self: prepare string beans every time I can steal you away for dinner.”

He laughed, rich and loud. The sound brought a warmth to my chest as I became infected by the sound. We laughed until there were tears in our eyes, and then some more.

“You really know the way to a man’s heart, Ez.” He wiped his eyes, his smile never fading. “I really enjoyed tonight. Thank you.”

“Question—is it apropos to ask for a kiss on the second date?”

He bit his lower lip, causing his cheeks to plump even more as he grinned. Before I realized what was happening, he was out of his seat, around the table, and standing between my knees.

“Don't ask. Just do.” His words were quiet, confident, and so wholly uncharacteristic, I was swept off my feet, figuratively. Thank God I was still seated, because the way he grabbed my face in his hands and blanketed my lips with his would have myknees giving out. Oliver Branson might have been shy, awkward, and prone to fluster, but when he put his mind to something, he went for it no holds barred.

In a move that should have been criminal for how sexy it was, he shifted closer, swinging his legs to straddle my lap as he deepened the kiss. It was one of the most arousing things in recent memory and we hadn't even taken our clothes off. In an instant, I had my hands on his body to pull him closer and I groaned as his tongue swept over my lips to demand entrance. It was a demand I was more than happy to concede to. The tangle of our tongues and his weight on my lap had my pulse skyrocketing and my blood running hot in my veins. My infatuation with the shy, sweet redhead instantly turned into primal lust as he commanded the kiss and ravished every inch of my willing and eager mouth with his tongue.

He broke away with a gasp to let his lips travel over my cheek and along my jaw. “I got tested a few months back. All good. No one since.”

“Nngh, fuck…” I battled to return his attention in the same way, letting my lips find his pulse with another groan. “All good. I hit the clinic before I came here.”

“Good.” He cupped my chin and turned my face till we made eye contact. “Preferences?”

“Uh… oh!” I huffed out a breathless laugh as I gripped his ass in my hands with a squeeze. “Honestly? Top, bottom, side—it all works for me.”

“God, you're so attractive and just got even more so.” He dove in for another kiss, ravishing me until my eyes rolled back in my head and my dick ached in my jeans. Once he pulled away with a wicked grin, I knew I wouldn't survive him. He had the potential to ruin me for any other man and I couldn't care less.

“Vers, for the record but I do like topping most of all.”

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