Chapter Three

Patrick

I play one round with the new dealer before I realize that my daughter is the wife of the man who owns the place and I’m his oldest friend—if I want to go to the damn breakroom I can. Once that realization sets in, I cash out. My trip to the casino tonight wasn’t for work or even to play. I needed to see Holly, and I’ll be damned if I waste even a minute of time we could be spending together.

I know the way to the breakroom easily, after decades of wandering in and out of this building. But, I just have to hope that Holly is alone. That’s the thought I send up as I make my up to the metal double doors labeled “EMPLOYEES ONLY.”

When I push the door to the breakroom open, Holly looks up from her phone, confusion etched into each of her features. Along with that confusion is the unmistakable brightness of excitement. While she wasn’t expecting me, she certainly wanted to see me. I let that little tidbit of knowledge go to my head.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” The corner of my mouth quirks up as I drop into the seat next to her.

“Of course not,” she replies, gesturing at the seat across from her. “Actually, I welcome the company. We’re slow tonight, so there’s only one person on break at a time.”

“Sounds like your break was horribly boring,” I reply, taking a few steps toward her.

“It was until you got here,” she says as she tilts her head curiously. “Not to sound like I don’t appreciate your company, but why are you here?”

“You mean tonight or in the staff break room?” I ask even though the answer to both is the same.

“Both, I suppose,” Holly says after a moment of consideration. “I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon. If I had to guess, I’d say you just really like blackjack. And also, you’ll probably get in trouble for being in here.”

“To address the first thing you said, I don’t care about the game,” I say casually, smiling at the way she crinkles her nose while she thinks.

“Then…” she trails off, clearly still trying to put together her thoughts.

“I only came tonight to talk to you,” I tell her, not wanting to leave any room for doubt. “That’s the reason I followed you in here. And I won’t lie to you, I’m glad to see that you’re the only one here.”

“The second thing I said?” she prompts with a shy smile.

“That I’ll get in trouble? I know the owner. I’ll be fine,” I respond waving away her concerns with an easy shrug.

“Well aren’t you fancy,” she teases, shouldering me gently. I chuckle, but turn my full attention toward her for what I say next.

“In truth, I’d really like to get to know you better, Holly,” I declare, leaning in to close the distance between the two of us. “I hope that isn’t too forward.”

“It’s not,” she murmurs, lifting her head to look at me through her lashes. “I want to get to know you better, too.”

“Is that so?” I ask as I knock my knee into hers. I’m enjoying toying with her, so I decide to prod her more, and get her to admit what I already know. “Just as a friend?”

“No,” she says after a few seconds, that pretty blush reaching down her neck. I bet her entire body is red with it. “I…I’d like to know you as more than that. I hope that’s okay.”

“It’s more than okay,” I reply, ducking down to catch her eye properly. “Can I tell you a secret?”

Apparently unable to find the words to respond, she nods and swallows hard. I wonder if her mouth is dry, if her heart is pounding in her chest. I can’t say I’m feeling much differently. My composure is something that I learned over my years of working in high stakes, dangerous situations. That doesn’t mean my palms don’t sweat or that my blood doesn’t rush in my ears and through my body when I’m having conversations that matter.

“I can’t remember the last time I felt this way about someone,” I murmur, reaching forward and grabbing her hands. “You’re special. There’s a spark in you, Holly. I’m drawn to you in a way I haven’t been to anyone in such a long time.”

She takes a deep breath, likely to steady herself. Then, she looks at me with wide, trusting eyes and says, “I don’t think I’ve ever been interested in someone the way that I’m interested in you.”

“Yeah?” I say, unable to keep the smile off of my face. “And how’s that?”

“I don’t know,” she admits quietly, maintaining eye contact even though I’m sure it’s difficult for her to do. She looks so vulnerable. “I just don’t think I’ve ever really had a crush on anyone before now.”

“Really?” I ask, genuinely taken aback by the response. “I’m honored.”

Surely I can’t be the first person she’s ever wanted. I’m certainly not upset about that. In fact, knowing that I’m the only person she’s been interested in romantically makes possessiveness flare in my gut. She’s already mine, and she doesn’t even know it yet.

“You don’t mind?” she prods softly, her hands twitching in mine.

“I don’t,” I confirm, threading our fingers together. “Honestly, it’s endearing.”

“But…” she trails off, staring at our joined hands. “You know that means I don’t have any experience, right? I don’t have any idea what I’m doing.”

God, she’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. She’s so worried that there might be something that deters me from her. Little does she know that even the things that she thinks make her undesirable are the exact opposite of that. I want her even more because of her innocence. There’s nothing more alluring to me than the thought of teaching her everything she wants to know.

“And that’s okay,” I assure her while I squeeze her hand to accentuate my point. “We’re just talking. No pressure for more. I just want to get to know you.”

She’s quiet, chewing on the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. Then, she surprises me and says, “What if I want to do more than that? More than just talking?”

“Like what?” She dips her head to escape my gaze, but I free one of my hands and use it to bring her gaze back to me. “Have you ever kissed anyone before?”

Holly shakes her head, her eyes falling closed. Her demure nature is irresistible. I can’t stop myself from leaning in closer, bringing our lips close together, just centimeters from touching. Her breathing gets faster, and her hold on me gets tighter.

“Would you like to?” I murmur, drawing this out because I can’t get enough of her reactions. I’m sure we’re on some kind of time constraint, but I don’t care. This is the only thing I’ve thought about since I met her.

“Yes,” she whispers, leaving her mouth parted ever so slightly.

I lean in, closing the distance between us, giving her what she wants. The way she inhales sharply before melting into the kiss is delicious. Her response is chaste, and I can tell that she’s hesitant about her skills. I don’t mind, though. I love the way she worries about impressing me even though I’ve already told her that I want her.

Even though I’d like to push things a little further, I let things progress slowly. Our lips slide against each other, and sparks of desire spread through me. Gently, I stroke her cheek with my thumb, our hands still clasped together between us. It’s sweet and indulgent, and I can feel Holly getting more and more confident as each second passes.

Then, she does something that surprises me. The tip of her tongue darts out, exploratory. She doesn’t quite commit to the action, her confidence not yet extending that far. I know what she wants though, and I’m more than willing to give it to her.

So, slowly as to not frighten her or overwhelm her, I mirror the action she aborted just a few seconds ago. This time, she whimpers, her free hand reaching over to grip my knee—a way to anchor herself. When she recovers from her surprise, from what was very surely an overwhelming wave of desire, she responds.

Her tongue is velvet against mine, meeting me in the middle. The passion of her movement makes up for the inexperience, and I drink her in. I guide her through it, taking my time with the gentle prod of our mouths moving together in sync.

As things continue to progress, I let my hand shift from her cheek to her soft, curled brown hair. It’s like silk between my fingers. Although this kiss is nothing more than a declaration of intentions, my mind supplies images of her down on her knees as I tangle the locs around my digits.

An involuntary groan escapes my lips at the idea. In my boxers, my cock begins to take notice of what’s transpiring between the two of us. I want nothing more than to make that fleeting fantasy a reality. So what if there’s a chance that someone walks in on us? That would only heighten the experience.

Before I’m able to do anything about drawing us closer to that eventual end, a ringtone goes off and Holly jumps back. Her face is flushed, her lips are swollen and shiny with spit. Somehow, she looks even more beautiful now.

We stare at each other for a beat before her head snaps to her cellphone, currently vibrating its way across the breakroom table. She curses under her breath as she snatches it up and stares down at the screen. With a sigh, she looks back at me.

“I’m sorry,” she murmurs, finally silencing the sound.

“What’s there to be sorry for?” I ask, bringing her hand that I’m still holding up to my mouth and pressing a kiss to the back of it.

“My break is over,” she says with genuine sadness in her voice. “I have to get back on the floor. My boss is kind of a hard ass. I don’t want to get written up.”

I consider telling her that I’m friends with the owner, that she doesn’t have to worry about that write-up. I know we’ll have more time, though. So, that’s why I say, “Still nothing to be sorry for. How about I give you my number and you let me know how the rest of your shift went.”

Holly visibly perks up at that, unlocking her phone quickly and handing it over. I punch in my contact information before calling my own phone to ensure that I have her number, too. Then, once I know I’ll be able to talk with her outside of her place of work, I pass the device back.

“I’m going to get out of here, now,” she says as she rises from her chair.

I rise too, walking with her to the break room door. Before she wraps her hand around the doorknob, I catch her wrist and spin her around. Then, while she isn’t expecting it, I surge forward to give her another, more chaste kiss.

“Have a good night, Holly,” I tell her, reaching for the door and opening it for her. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“You have a good night, too,” she replies breathlessly, her eyes locked on me as she passes by. “I can’t wait to see you again.”