Conleigh
It took me a few tries but I finally got the gist of changing gears and made it to the hardware store without stalling. I am kind of proud of myself. When I get back, Holden is still down in his shop. The door is open so I walk in to give him his keys. I’ve never been down here before. There’s stacks of wood all around, of all different colors and sizes. There are saws of different makes and they make me nervous. I can’t help but think of Holden nearly sawing off a finger or something in here.
Looking around at the different projects he has started, I never knew he was so talented. Did he build these chairs and tables?
I hear the grinding of a sander and follow the sound until I find the source.
Holden is shirtless with a belt sander in hand going over the edges of a chest. My eyes aren’t on that chest though, they are on Holden’s pecs. Good lord the man is in shape. Sweat ripples down his abs, leading to the V- shape that vanishes beneath the waist of his jeans and the trail of hair that leads to other places. One place in particular, but I shouldn’t be thinking such wicked thoughts about Holden of all people.
He looks up, catching me staring at him, and I don’t dare look away because he has already caught me. The sander shuts off and he sits it to the side. “Did you need something?” He lets out a grunt and takes the cap off a bottle of water, chugging half then dumping the rest over his head.
“Um…” I wet my lips, suddenly feeling hot and thirsty. Saw dust forms clumps in his hair and on his torso. I fight the urge to dust them off as beads of water race down his neck. “Keys.” I clear my throat. “I have your keys.” I reach them out to him and when his fingers close in brushing against mine I feel like I have been shocked. I swallow, feeling strange…sweaty even. Sweet lord my panties are wet. What’s wrong with me?
“Thanks,” he says, eyeing me curiously.
Does he know I’m turned on? My cheeks flush and his brow furrows.
“So, um…did you build all this stuff?” I ask waving my hand around at all the different pieces.
“Yup.” He fires the sander up again and goes back to work. I should go upstairs and finish my laundry but my feet won’t move. I watch Holden work, but mostly I look around his shop, taking in all the different items he has created by hand. And what strong large hands he has.
The sanding has stopped and he is sucking up the dust with a hose. His eyes though…those stormy eyes are centered on me. His gaze is so intense it forces me to look away. My eyes land on two wooden butterflies and my hand instinctively goes to my arm where I have a matching tattoo. Walking over to them, I reach up to touch them, taken aback by the detail that has gone into the pattern of their wings.
“Did you make these?” I call out.
My question is met with the heat of Holden at my back. There I go, biting my damn lip and chewing on the inside of my jaw to keep from turning around to that damn bare chest of his.
“I made them for you,” his gruff voice whispers against the shell of my ear and my arm touches the wall of his sweaty chest. Sawdust grits against my skin and I am afraid to move. I don’t know what’s coming over me today.
“Why?” I dare to ask.
“Because I knew you’d like them. Figured I’d give them to you some day.”
“And why haven’t you…given them to me?”
I have to turn and see his face.
He appears angry but as lost as I feel right now. Why is he mad?
“Did I do something?” I side step from his glare as it pierces through me and looking at him now, maybe I misread him…he’s hungry for something, possibly me?
I would be a liar if I said I didn’t know Holden found me somewhat attractive. The first night we met he told me he wanted to kiss me and God did I want him to, but it would have ruined everything. I’d be a liar if I also said I hadn’t wondered what would have happened if he did kiss me.
It’s just as I have imagined. The way he is looking at me right now as he takes a step closer.
“Is it uh…hot in here?” I step back looking around, not knowing my way around the room.
“I feel fine. What’s the matter, Conleigh?” He takes a step forward and I feel all his usual joking is aside.
“I’m just gonna go finish my laundry.” I turn to leave when his voice pulls me back.
“It’ll never last. You and Ezra. We both know that first night at the bar who should’ve taken you home. It sure as hell wasn’t him.”
“Why are you doing this? For two years Holden. Two years I have watched you fuck anything that moves. Why bother with me now?”
“He doesn’t deserve you.”
I shake my head as tears threaten to fall.
“Go fuck yourself.”
As I am walking up the stairs, he comes through the door. “I did that this morning with your sock!”
I slam the apartment door and go straight to mine and Ezra’s room, locking the door behind me.
We need to get our own place.
—–——
At some point, I must have dozed off. I wake up to the light tapping of a knock on the bedroom door. “Con, let me in, baby.” Ezra.
Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I am still on edge over Holden’s strange behavior. Perhaps he was drinking.
“Hey,” I say, unlocking the door and allowing him into the room.
“Were you sleeping? Why was the door locked?’
“I must have dozed off and just habit from the dorms I guess.”
“Well, get dressed. I have a surprise for you.” He smiles and ushers me toward the closest. “Wear something nice.”
Wear something nice. He sounds like my mother. Ugh.
“How nice? Where are we going?”
“Dinner. I have a client meeting us for a drink, but he won’t stay long.”
I sigh. I thought he was taking me out, but what he really means is he wants me there as eye candy. I’d rather stay here and write.
Ezra brushes past me, going into the closet and pulling out my signature little black dress. “I was thinking this would be perfect. You know I love it on you.”
I want to say to him, and you know how much I hate dressing up, but I refrain. I smile and take the dress from his extended hand.
Ezra eyes his watch as though he is in a hurry and I am slowing him down. I hate when he does this. He plans a date and doesn’t tell me he has reservations and conveniently has a client who stays through the whole damn meal. I guess it is sweet that he is trying to include me and balance our relationship and his career, but I usually end up sitting there bored and listening to them discuss business while I look pretty. I hate it and would rather stay home.