Page 119 of L.O.V.E

“Oh. Nice to meet you.” Tuuli gave Holden a firm shake, then gasped and stepped back. “HOTraversFitness.” She laughed, clutching her heart. “I follow you on Insta.”

Holden smiled, his spine straightening.

My stomach twisted. What the actual F-word was happening?

“That’s me,” he said, chest expanding.

“My husband is a huge fan. That series you did on core health and sexual endurance.” She ducked her head and laughed. “Life changing. You saved our relationship.”

“Not surprised.” Holden puffed like a peacock. “That’s a popular series.”

“He’s upstairs,” Tuuli continued. “He’d love to meet you.” She grabbed my hand once again. “Maybe you’ve heard of him, Cole Adams.” Squeeze. Squeeze. “He’s famous in the fight world. Not as famous as you, though.”

Cole was not upstairs. Only a few minutes had passed since he called. How Tuuli got involved, how she even knew Cole’s name, I hadn’t a clue, but what the heck did it matter?

The little actress had Holden. Hook. Line. Sinker.

Any chance for Holden to meet a celebrity, he was all in. Any opportunity to promote his brand, he was game.

“Yeah. Yeah. Sure.” Holden cupped my face, rubbed my bottom lip with his thumb. “Nats and I were just heading up anyway.”

Killed me, but I played along, allowing Holden to wrap his beefy arm around my shoulder and help me hobble inside and then to the penthouse private elevator.

I tried and failed to speak on the ride up, which didn’t matter because Tuuli and Holden rattled on about breathing techniques and stretching.

We were greeted inside the lavish home by a short and deadly gorgeous woman, a wiggling toddler in her arms. She looked vaguely familiar, but came at me like we were besties and hooked me in a tight, one arm hug, effectively freeing me from Holden’s embrace. “Good God, Natalie. What happened? You shouldn’t be on your feet.” She landed a kiss on my cheek and whispered, “Play along,” before shooing me to the other room, settling me on the couch, and shoving the child into my arms.

“Where’s your husband?” Holden asked, his gaze sliding to me, then toward the stairs, then back to the two women at his side.

“He’s in his office. I’ll call him down.” Tuuli moved around the kitchen island, grabbed her cell, and with thumbs moving across her phone screen, said, “Holden, this is Aida. Aida, Holden.”

“Nice to meet you, Aida.” His offered hand hung in the air for five heartbeats, his cheeks reddening. He finally cleared his throat and dropped his arm to his side, eyeing her warily.

I almost laughed. The two of them looked as though they’d planned their matching outfits, both donning black, zipped hoodies that stretched tight over fit bodies. While Aida wore leggings and Moto boots, Holden wore black jeans and Danners.

Aida, though small in stature, stood regal and commanding, sizing up Holden like they were opponents in the ring. “Damn, you’re huge.” She crossed her arms and started to circle. “What are you, one-eighty, one-eighty-five?”

Holden laughed, his chest swelling. “You’re good. One-eighty-seven this morning.”

“Hmm,” she said, crossing her arms and planting her feet in front of his. “You a fighter?”

The baby fussed and wiggled in my arms, clearly not happy to be constrained by a stranger. I shifted her from my right thigh to my left and bounced my foot, my heartbeat a thunderous roar.

“No.” He smirked, gave Aida his practiced smile, his gaze slicing to me once again before he said, “I’m a lover.”

Cringeworthy? Oh, God, yes.

But Holden wasn’t finished. He continued, “Isn’t that right, Nats?”

Aida, bless her soul, didn’t give me time to react. Dropping her hands to her sides, she shook her head. “That’s not what I hear, big guy.” She threw a wink at me over her shoulder.

Tuuli moved into the far corner of the kitchen, giving me a reassuring smile. Her eyes held wisdom far beyond her twenty-something years.

Aida stepped closer to Holden. “I hear you’ve been harassing my girl over there. Sending her vile messages.”

Face a fiery shade, Holden ran a hand through his hair, shot me a glare. “Babe. Time for us to go.”

“She isn’t going anywhere, you big, ridiculous waste of space.” Eye level with Holden’s chest, Aida raised her chin.

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