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Authors: Jessica Cruz
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could feel the heat coming off of him. The beat of my heart picked up a little bit. He moved his hand over mine, twining our fingers together, and giving it a little squeeze. I couldn’t believe it. I was drunk, and his first reaction was to hold my hand? Garrett Holden really knew how to surprise me.
We took the rest of the ride just like that, hand in hand. The cab driver pulled up to my building. Garrett gave him some cash and helped me out the car. As soon as our feet met the pavement, he grabbed my hand again. Admittedly, I left it there. It felt too good to pull away just yet. Besides, it meant nothing, right?
Jeff, the doorman, held open the door for us. He nodded his head in my direction, “Good morning, Ms. Ward.” I smiled in return.
Once we got to the elevators, I stopped and stared up at Garrett, completely overcome by his new found charm. Shit, I was drunk, but I had to keep my composure. It felt so easy to give into him, but I wouldn’t let myself.
In a light voice, I said, “Thank you for tonight. I appreciate you for making my objective to be a classless drunk much less pathetic and lonely.”
He gave my hand a little squeeze. He shook his head, “I had a lot of fun, too. We can be pathetic together any time.”
My chest heaved as I took a deep breath in, holding it in place. My world was spinning. This was so fucking unexpected, yet I wasn’t sure I wanted this to end. I had fun. Should I give a shit if he was a Holden? A quick image of his young daughter corrupted my thoughts. Fuck, even if that didn’t matter, the fact that he was married with kids certainly did. There, my decision was made. This needed to end here and now.
Garrett stared into my eyes searching for something, anything, confirmation, denial, yes, no. My expression was unreadable. Without thinking, he leaned in, kissed my lips, holding me in place, possessing my mouth with his. He inhaled sharply through his nose, and I pulled myself out of his grasp. We both stared at each other for the shortest of seconds. I took a step backwards, distancing myself from him.
I couldn’t think of how to articulate what I was feeling or what I wanted. I gulped, forcing out the words, “Goodnight, Garrett.” I pushed open a door, opting instead to take the long flight of stairs up to my floor instead of waiting for the elevator. Fuck, I couldn’t believe that happened.
I walked up a couple steps, grateful he didn’t try following me. I removed my heels and jogged the rest of the way. My feet felt swollen beneath me. It was such a grueling, earned punishment that I forced myself the entire way.
Once I got up to my floor, I went to my door and unlocked it. It felt dark and lonely in here. I dropped my things to the counter and stripped myself of the dress. Once I was completely naked, I climbed into bed and stared out my bedroom window to the city. It was my favorite view. Maybe after a while, I’d feel a little bit happy.
My lips were still tingling, missing him already. This was impossible. Garrett just strutted into my life and took it over so efficiently. Yes, I ended that kiss, but I certainly didn’t protest against it. Should I be surprised he was capable of doing this to me? He was, after all, a Holden.
Shit, this couldn’t be real, and now that I was by myself again, all those feelings from two months ago hit me like a bus. I was alone again. I was alone and single and angry, and it was all my fault. After all, I was the one who used to strip. I’m the one who can’t keep her nose clean or her glass empty.
After an eternity of going through old memories, I gave into sleep, completely surprising myself, because the last image that danced through my mind wasn’t of him …it was the rainbow colored woman from the painting, “Center of Attention.”
Chapter 7
I couldn’t believe my alarm was going off. It felt like
We took the rest of the ride just like that, hand in hand. The cab driver pulled up to my building. Garrett gave him some cash and helped me out the car. As soon as our feet met the pavement, he grabbed my hand again. Admittedly, I left it there. It felt too good to pull away just yet. Besides, it meant nothing, right?
Jeff, the doorman, held open the door for us. He nodded his head in my direction, “Good morning, Ms. Ward.” I smiled in return.
Once we got to the elevators, I stopped and stared up at Garrett, completely overcome by his new found charm. Shit, I was drunk, but I had to keep my composure. It felt so easy to give into him, but I wouldn’t let myself.
In a light voice, I said, “Thank you for tonight. I appreciate you for making my objective to be a classless drunk much less pathetic and lonely.”
He gave my hand a little squeeze. He shook his head, “I had a lot of fun, too. We can be pathetic together any time.”
My chest heaved as I took a deep breath in, holding it in place. My world was spinning. This was so fucking unexpected, yet I wasn’t sure I wanted this to end. I had fun. Should I give a shit if he was a Holden? A quick image of his young daughter corrupted my thoughts. Fuck, even if that didn’t matter, the fact that he was married with kids certainly did. There, my decision was made. This needed to end here and now.
Garrett stared into my eyes searching for something, anything, confirmation, denial, yes, no. My expression was unreadable. Without thinking, he leaned in, kissed my lips, holding me in place, possessing my mouth with his. He inhaled sharply through his nose, and I pulled myself out of his grasp. We both stared at each other for the shortest of seconds. I took a step backwards, distancing myself from him.
I couldn’t think of how to articulate what I was feeling or what I wanted. I gulped, forcing out the words, “Goodnight, Garrett.” I pushed open a door, opting instead to take the long flight of stairs up to my floor instead of waiting for the elevator. Fuck, I couldn’t believe that happened.
I walked up a couple steps, grateful he didn’t try following me. I removed my heels and jogged the rest of the way. My feet felt swollen beneath me. It was such a grueling, earned punishment that I forced myself the entire way.
Once I got up to my floor, I went to my door and unlocked it. It felt dark and lonely in here. I dropped my things to the counter and stripped myself of the dress. Once I was completely naked, I climbed into bed and stared out my bedroom window to the city. It was my favorite view. Maybe after a while, I’d feel a little bit happy.
My lips were still tingling, missing him already. This was impossible. Garrett just strutted into my life and took it over so efficiently. Yes, I ended that kiss, but I certainly didn’t protest against it. Should I be surprised he was capable of doing this to me? He was, after all, a Holden.
Shit, this couldn’t be real, and now that I was by myself again, all those feelings from two months ago hit me like a bus. I was alone again. I was alone and single and angry, and it was all my fault. After all, I was the one who used to strip. I’m the one who can’t keep her nose clean or her glass empty.
After an eternity of going through old memories, I gave into sleep, completely surprising myself, because the last image that danced through my mind wasn’t of him …it was the rainbow colored woman from the painting, “Center of Attention.”
Chapter 7
I couldn’t believe my alarm was going off. It felt like
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