Free Shifting Gears by Jenny Hayut Page B

where Holt is waiting. The closer I get to
him, the warmer my cheeks feel. God, there are even butterflies in
my stomach. Just like that first night, when I watched him make his
way over to me.
    I get to the booth, sit down, and grab
my coffee, taking a sip. I almost spit it out when Holt says, “You
good?”
    He knows. He fucking knows. I look at
him, pretending to be puzzled and sit, speechless.
    “One of your coworkers, right?” he
asks, pointing in Beth’s direction.
    I don’t dare turn around to see if
Beth notices.
    “You looked a little nervous talking
to her, and I’m guessing it’s because you don’t like the idea of
her seeing us together.”
    “Oh. Um, yeah, right,” I say with
relief.
    Holt laughs under his breath. “Well,
get used to it, babe, because I plan on being around you a lot.
Every chance I get.” His eyes suddenly turn lazy as his grin
becomes more of a smirk. “Don’t think I don’t know what you just
did to yourself in the bathroom either. I remember what you look
like after you come. Just seeing your face when you walked out that
door made me hard, baby. I hope like fuck I get the chance to look
down on that face after you’re screaming my name. I just fucking
wish I could’ve been those fingers. Soon, baby, soon I will work
them on you again.”
    Yep, it’s time to go. I don’t know how
much more of this I can take—being alone with him, listening to his
words, remembering.
    “Holt, it’s getting late, I need to
get home. Can you please take me back to my car?”
    “Your wish is my command, babe,” he
says, with a wicked grin.
    Um, that was too easy. Yeah, not
liking that.
    I lead him to the register, and after
he pays, he pulls me to him, wrapping his arm around my lower back
like he’s letting the world know I’m his. It arouses me, but I
fight it back. I cannot give in to him. My heart can’t survive it
again. For the first time since he left, I’m feeling good about
where I am. I love my job, my friends. My animals, like always, are
there for me when I need them. I’m not about to let Holt just walk
back in and bulldoze his way through all the walls I put up to
protect myself from getting hurt again. I can’t. I
won’t.
     

Chapter 9

    Holt pulls alongside my Honda and puts
Sex on Wheels in park, but leaves the engine roaring. That’s a good
sign that he’s not hopeful of anything. That rumble beneath me
though, it’s stirring my body. I woke my craving in that cramped
bathroom, and it’s refused to go back to sleep. Damn it all to
hell.
    Keep it together, Niki.
Keep it together.
    I slip off the seatbelt, grab the door
handle, but Holt’s hand on my arm stops me. Here we go.
    “Wait. Talk to me. I know you’ve got
words for me. I see it in your face. Talk to me, Nicolette. What’s
going on in that head of yours right now?”
    What’s going on in my head? Ripping
off his clothes and straddling his naked body. I have to get out of
this car. Now. Before it’s too late. Before I can’t stop
myself.
    “Babe?”
    The sound of his voice washes my
fantasy away as I slowly lift my head to see him staring at me
intently, waiting for me to speak.
    Just say it, Niki. Say your piece.
Then get out of the fucking car .
    I take a deep breath. “You know, it
was bad enough that you left without saying goodbye, without giving
me a chance to deal with whatever situation was dragging you away
from me. But to find out I wasn’t the only one? That you were
sleeping with somebody else when you were with me? I was certain
you’d left because of—” I stop myself before I go too far. He’s not
getting that.
    “What the fuck did you just say,
woman?”
    I look at him, confused, not wanting
to repeat myself.
    “Who the fuck else was I supposed to
be fucking?”
    “What?” I manage.
    “I said, who the fuck else was I
supposed to be fucking?” he growls.
    I can’t answer him. Is he pissed
because I found out or is it not true? Did Amber lie to me? And I
believed it?