Page 88 of Ink and Ashes
It takes her a minute, but eventually, she relaxes into me. A soft whimper falls from her as she tilts her head back further, her lips parting for me. I take that as an opportunity to wedge my tongue inside, sweeping it across hers.
My grip tightens on her waist as her arms around my neck do the same, and when my hardened cock brushes against her core, I can’t help the groan that falls from my lips.
Which is all it takes for us to come crashing back to reality.
“Colson,” Holland whines, pulling her mouth from mine. She drops from her tiptoes, pressing her forehead against my chest. “We should stop.”
I use my pointer finger to tilt her head back up to look at me. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, Hol. Don’t tell me you haven’t.”
She huffs a laugh, shaking her head as she tears her gaze from mine. “I have, but not like…this. It’s been a long day, and your emotions are heightened. You’re vulnerable and not thinking clearly right now.”
“Holland,” I say, drawing her attention back to me. “I’m thinking clearer tonight than I have in weeks.”
She rolls her eyes with a smile. “You’re using the wrong head to do it.”
That elicits a chuckle from me, and damn does it feel good to laugh. But she isn’t wrong.
Her smile fades as she locks her gaze on mine again and leans into my hand still cupping her face. “This isn’t what you do, Colson. Nothing can come from this. I’m still leaving once this is done.”
Those words sober me right up. In the heat of everything, the fact that this thing between us won’t last slipped my mind.
My shoulders fall. “I’m sorry.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t apologize. I just don’t want to be the reason you get hurt again.”
My jaw flexes. I want to argue, say that us getting togetherwon’t hurt me. But I already know her departure is going to leave a Holland-sized hole in my heart, and if we go where we both want to, that hole will be even bigger.
“Do you want to stay in here tonight?” she asks, her chocolate irises searching mine. “Nothing will happen. But I don’t really want to be alone, and I don’t think you do either.”
She’s right about that too.
She’s always fucking right.
“Yeah. Okay.”
She takes my hand in hers and drags me inside, the door clicking shut behind us. She climbs back into her spot in bed, and gestures for me to take the spot beside her.
“I’ll just…sleep on the floor,” I force out.
“Like hell you will.” She scoffs. “Get your ass over here, Lieutenant.”
I don’t need much convincing. I climb onto the bed next to her, staying on top of the covers. She huffs a laugh but doesn’t protest further. She leans over me, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek, and says, “Goodnight, Lieutenant.”
I swallow. “Goodnight, Rhodes.”
She clicks the lamp off and the darkness surrounds us.
I wakethe next morning alone in bed. Rolling over, I check my phone to see that it’s quarter after seven. Despite everything that happened yesterday, I slept better than I have in weeks, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Holland is to thank for that.
I shift to a seated position, running a hand over my face. Holland returns to the room a moment later, her hair wet from her shower, and my mouth goes dry.
“Good morning, Lieutenant,” she teases.
I scan her body, appreciating the way her clothes hug her curves in all the right places. Flashes of last night come rushing to the front of my mind. The warmth of her body pressed againstmine. The noises she made as I swiped my tongue along hers.
I don’t know how I’m going to continue being around her without kissing her again.
But she was right to stop it. I wasn’t in the right mental space to be making any rash decisions. And if I give into the urges I feel for her, nothing good will come of it.
