Read Holden…

 "Are you gonna spend the whole barbecue watching her, or are you just gonna go talk to her?"

Holden Donovan slid his brother Zephyr a glance. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The way you're staring at Taj, the way you always stare at Taj... one of these days you're just gonna have to grow some balls and talk to her. Maybe ask her out, give her a kiss, you know, all the things normal people do when they like someone, instead of staring at her like a creepy stalker."

Holden glared at his brother. "Just because you’re all loved up all of a sudden doesn't mean everyone else is interested. Besides, you're forgetting one important detail. I don't like her. And she doesn't like me."

That was true. He and Taj had hated each other on sight. Yeah, she was stunning, absolutely the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life. The problem with her was that every time she opened her mouth, she was brash, loud, obnoxious, and almost always busting his balls.

Seriously, every time she talked, she did it at rapid speed. She managed to completely baffle him at every turn. She was smart. Hell, he was smart, but she ran circles around him. Most of the time, he just wanted to make her quiet for two minutes so he could think.

But, Taj was never quiet. More often than not, she was going on and on about her pro-basketball boyfriend, which was just absurd because there was nearly a two foot height difference between them.

She's a lot shorter than you too.

He shoved the thought aside. It's not like he wanted her. 

Liar.

He didn't even like her.

There you go again with the lies.

She was too much. Too bold. Too sexy. And the talking. It was constant. It drove him insane.

Liar. You like her voice. You like hearing her talk. Aren't you the one who…

Never mind what he’d once done to the sound of her voice on a voicemail she’d once left him. That was a one-time thing. It was a moment of weakness when he was wasted.

Fuck. Who was he kidding? He spent a lot of time thinking about Taj. Thinking of all the ways he could make Taj be quiet. For some reason, every time he was around her, his brain got all clogged up and he couldn't get a word in edgewise.

He turned his attention to Zephyr. "I appreciate the advice, but I'm good. I'm not into Taj."

His brother nodded and used a napkin to wipe his mouth. “Then you don't care that she just went into the house crying about something.”

Holden couldn't help it. His attention immediately flickered to the French doors in the backyard. Sure enough, Taj was running through them and he could hear her sob.

You don't care. You don't care at all. Leave her alone.

But the lie he told himself so often he'd started to believe it, was a total fabrication and Holden knew it. Taj got under his skin because he wanted her. And she drove him insane. But something was making her cry, and that shit pissed him off. Holden handed Zephyr his nearly empty bottle of beer. "Hold this." Then he chased her inside. "Taj?" 

There was no response as he walked through the family room, into the hallway, and toward the kitchen. That was when he heard her sobbing again. "Are you seriously doing this to me right now? And then you're letting me find out from the paparazzi? I swear to God, I'm better than this."

There was a moment of silence, and then she was speaking again. "No, I'm done. I could make some leeway for a bachelor party. You know, boys will be boys celebrating a night of fun or what not, but this, you're in New York. I'm in New York. What were you doing with her? You know what, never mind. I don't care. I'll come and get my stuff this weekend. I expect you not to be there." She hung up and slammed the phone onto the granite counter top. 

Holden winced. "Are you okay?"

Taj's head snapped up, sending her dark hair flying over her shoulders. She narrowed her gaze on him. "Listen, Holden, I just got some shitty news. I am not in the mood to spar or whatever it is that we do, right now, okay? The next asshole that talks nonsense to me might be missing his set of balls. You want to take your chances?"

See, what should have happened right there, was that his balls were supposed to shrivel up and he was supposed to slink out of the room back outside to the barbecue and lick his wounds.

The problem was, every time she talked to him like that, his dick twitched.

"I get it. You're having a shit day. We've all been there. But that dickhead seems to have said something to make you cry. So despite knowing better, I'm here to check on you." 

Something in her gaze changed. It went soft for just a moment, but he saw it. It was what kept his feet going forward until he got close to her. But when he reached out to touch her hand, she snapped it back and straightened her posture. "I don't need you. I'm fine. So what, I had a moment of weakness. Shed a tear. It won't happen again. Not over that dicknozzle." 

Dicknozzle. That was a new one. Holden shoved his hands into his pockets. "Okay, if you say so. But, in case you did want to talk or something, I'm here to check on you and make sure you're okay. Do you want me to get Sera?"

Taj swallowed hard. And for a moment she looked like she wanted to acquiesce, like she needed a friend. But then she tilted her chin up. "Maybe you didn't hear me. I'm fine. I’m absolutely perfect. I don't need anyone's help." 

Holden wasn't exactly sure what happened. But something about the challenge in her eyes made something inside him snap. "God, you're such a goddamned pain in the ass. I'm standing here in front of you trying to be nice, because clearly, you have a problem picking boyfriends. I wish I could say this is the first guy I’ve heard of breaking your heart in some shitty manner, but honestly, this is your habit. You keep dating these athletes, or actors, or whatever, and then they dick you over.  This is your pattern. And then when someone isn’t a dicknozzle to you, you're like a prickly porcupine."

Why was he so close to her? When did that happen? Had he moved? Had she? 

"If I'm such a God damn pain in the ass, then why are you in here checking on me? You don't even like me. What business is this of yours?" 

He glared down at her. "You're right. I don't like you. I'm just pointing out a habit I see."

"You’re an asshole. What the hell did I ever do to deserve you in my life, Holden Donovan? God, I must have screwed up something awful in a past life to deserve your judgement and disdain.”

"Oh, you're pretending you don't like me now?" He leaned down. So close he could breathe in her intoxicating scent. It didn't matter that his head was objecting, he just wanted to dive in. "Because something tells me that you do like me."

Her lips parted and she spoke through gritted teeth. "I can't stand you."

“Ok. The feeling is mutual."

And then he lost his damned mind. Either that, or he just fucking let go of the tether of control, because he wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her to him. Her eyes went wide, her lips parting. The electric charge almost visibly zapping between them.

What are you doing? What are you doing? Stop it now. Stop. This is insane.

But his blood roared between his ears and drowned out any rational thought. Just once he wanted to know how she tasted.

“Hey, Taj? You in here?”

He should have let her go. But the command got lost somewhere in the need to touch her.

She’s not moving either.

She wanted this? Wanted him?

“Oh sorry, I was looking for Taj—”

Sera’s voice did it, it broke the spell. Taj pushed him away, and he stepped back, despite every nerve ending protesting. He forced himself to turn away from her. That was a close call.

Note to self, never be alone in a room with Taj again. That had been too close a call.

What if she’s not okay?

Sera was there. Taj would be fine. Right now, he had to worry about his own survival.