Page 64 of Holly Freakin' Hughes

Hermouth stretched into a wide grin and shrugged. “Someone who really cares aboutyou, I think.”

Ientered the room again and smiled at Brandon, who had preoccupied himself withpetting Camille and flipping the pages of a romance novel I hadn’t yet read. Helooked up from the paperback, spotting my sister and I standing in the doorway.

“Areyou ladies done whispering about me?” he asked with a knowing simper. Lizflashed me a sideways glance, and he sniffed a laugh. “If you want to talkabout someone, don’t do it right outside the door.”

Iwalked into the room, sitting down next to him with the sensation that theworld was falling around me. My hands grabbed at my head, and I felt the gentletouch of his hand against my arm, pulling me down to lay against his hard,sturdy body. I found a comfortable place in the crook of his arm, resting my headon his shoulder as my eyes closed. There wasn’t any more spinning ormind-splintering headache; just the stability and ease of being with him.

Nowthis…Thisis right. He’s always been right.

Ihad forgotten Liz was still standing in the doorway. “Um, okay. I, uh … I’mjust going to take Anna out to, um, run some errands,” she said before closingthe door behind her.

Iknew she was making herself scarce after witnessing whatever she thought shewas seeing, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful as I listened forthe sound of the front door.

“Areyou enjoying your book?” I said with a smile, listening as the pages turned.

“Mm,”he mumbled before clearing his throat. “Oh, yeah, it’s great. Youwannaknow what’s happening?”

“Sure,”I grinned, snuggling into his shoulder. “But can you talk quietly? My head isfucking killing me.”

“Oh,right,” he said, bringing his voice down to a gruff whisper, causing the hairson my arms to stand on end. His arm wrapped tighter around my shoulders. “Okay,so right now, this guy Raoul is meeting with his housemaid Angeline in thewater closet. He’s apparently very wealthy and she’s been trying to seduce himfor a long time, because she wants to marry rich, but she never thought she’dfall in love with him. So, they’re talking about what it is that’s happeningbetween them, when he forcefully kisses her full on the mouth, running histongue along her full bottom lip, and ... Jesus.”

“Didyou openrightto this part?” I laughed, and I pretended to not notice theway he readjusted himself.

“Oh,of course. I think most of these have convenient breaks in the pages at thegood parts. Unless …youput some extra creases in the spine …” Hisvoice was teasing, but his hand continued a gentle stroking of my arm that didnothing but soothe me into a drowsy comfort.

“Itdoes get very lonely here all by myself,” I half-joked.

“Well,hey, if you want really good book sex, you should check out some fantasy books.You know, if you’re into elves and orcs.” I heard the book close and drop backon my nightstand. His other arm crept around me into a full hug,

“Hot.You’ll have to recommend some to me.” I sighed, knowing I was well on my way todrifting back into sleep and not sure I wanted to fight it from happening.

Thestubble on Brandon’s cheek rubbed against my hair as he got himselfcomfortable. “I could definitely do that,” he said drowsily, “but first, Ithink maybe a nap is in order.”

“Wejust woke up, though,” I protested without making any effort to show I cared.

Myhand smoothed over his t-shirt, finding a place on the side of his chest. Myfingers stroked lazily, opening and closing against the fabric and the contoursof the muscles beneath it. Without putting any thought behind my actions, thathand slid up and over his collarbone, over the side of his neck, and up intothe thickness of his hair. My hand slid between the strands, separating themwith my intrusion. I tangled my fingers in it as I gently massaged his scalpwith my fingertips, rubbing in a way to soothe myself without any consciousattempt to be at all sensual.

Ifelt him move against the top of my head, and without a single thought toprevent me from doing otherwise, I tilted my chin up in hopes that my lipswould somehow make their way to him. With my fingers still manipulating hishair, my nose nudged against his and our lips grazed; not kissing, but just …there, daring the other to make the move.

“Holly.”His breath was hot against my mouth, and the sound of my name passing throughhis lips was enough to make my toes curl. I heard him swallow hard before hespoke again in a voice that suggested he was just as tormented as me. “CallBen.”

Ipulled my hand from his hair, laying it back down on his chest, and my headmoved back to his shoulder. My eyes opened to see him looking down at me, theclear blue irises emphasized by the still-painful rays of sun streaming throughthe window blinds.

“Idon’t want to,” I stated in a whine, all of a sudden wishing Mom could be thereto call him for me.

“Iknow it sucks,” Brandon sympathized, “but you’re doing it. It’s the right thingto do.”

Igroaned, crawling off the bed. I walked to the dresser to find a shirt he mightfit into. “Do you have any objections to this?” I asked, holding up an old bandt-shirt.

Hegrinned. “I’ll never say no to the Foo Fighters.” I tossed the shirt over tohis open hands.

“Remindme why it’s the right thing to do,” I whined, clutching my stomach.

Brandonlaid the shirt out in front of him and without looking up at me, he said,“Because you’re keeping yourself from being happy.” And whichever way Iinterpreted the statement, I knew he was right.

“Youwant me to make you some coffee?” I asked, obviously stalling.

“Ohno,I’llget it,” he insisted with a knowing smirk, as he sat upstraight to pull the dirty t-shirt over his head, “andyoucan callBen.”

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