Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Chloe

T he salty heat of Holden's skin brushes my tongue, his vanilla cake pheromones filling my nose. He smells so good that I want to eat him up.

My teeth press harder against his throat, and his breath hitches, his body tensing. With a start, I realize what I'm doing and mortification sweeps through me.

I straighten and swipe away the tears, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "I-I'm sorry. Damn contacts."

I wiggle my eyelids with my fingertips to readjust them. Crying left them dry and gritty, and I long to take them out.

My focus drifts to the blond wig lying on the table nearby, and a wet laugh escapes me. "I'm terrible at keeping this whole thing under wraps, huh?"

Holden studies me for a moment before he asks, "Why do you hide your real designation as an Omega?"

My heart races at his question, but I know it's time to be honest. "This isn't the first time I've been bullied through social media."

Nibbling on my lips, I look away. "It hasn't happened since high school, though."

I fidget with the lucky shamrock necklace around my neck. "I had a group of friends growing up, but when my dad publicly broke the contract with my mom and disowned me for not being his child by blood, they turned on me, too."

Holden sucks in a sharp breath, but he stays silent.

"My old besties started to bully me, and things got pretty bad." My voice trembles. "On my eighteenth birthday, I changed my last name and tried to leave my old life behind."

Holden's warm hand covers mine, the simple gesture making me feel safe.

"When I published the first book in The Fairy and the Dragonlord, I released it under a pseudonym so my past wouldn't come back to haunt me." I play with the synthetic blond strands of my wig. "At first, I used a logo as a public representation, but when my publisher pushed for a book tour, I realized that since my bio states I'm a Beta, I needed a disguise. Grady didn't like the idea from the beginning, but after so many years, how can I turn around and tell my readers that I lied?"

Holden's eyes narrow slightly. "And Grady is…?"

"Grady Finch, my agent." I smile, but it wobbles. "He's been with me since college. He's always had my back."

Holden's shoulders relax, and he leans his elbow against the table. "Is he the guy who's at all the signings with you?"

"Yeah, that's him," I confirm, tugging at the hem of my dress. "He was the one who encouraged me to write my first manuscript and helped me find a publisher. He believed in me when no one else did. Grady means so much to me, but there are still secrets I've never shared with him. "He doesn't know about the bullying in my past."

Or about Louie and his link to my mother. All he knows is that my mom is an alcoholic with a gambling addiction. She's always careful not to bring up how she sold me into courtship with an Alpha to pay her debt.

Holden's grip on my hand tightens. "Thank you for sharing with me."

I wipe my eyes again, my skin tight and puffy. "Hey, we're trauma buddies, right?"

Holden's expression softens with understanding. "Is that what you used as inspiration for the torment your fairy princess went through during her training in book one?"

My cheeks heat at his intuitive question. "Yes. Do you think less of me now?"

"Of course not." Sincerity fills his voice. "In fact, those parts of the books always resonated with me."

My heart aches for him. We both deserved better from our peers growing up, but I'm glad his loving family helped him through it.

"Until I became friends with Blake, I never dreamed of forming my own pack," he says, his tone a touch bitter. "He was the first person outside of my relatives who saw me as a real Alpha."

I blink in surprise, unable to imagine anyone thinking less of the man before me. But then, I know firsthand how cruel people can be, especially to those who least deserve it.

I brush the stiff fabric of my dress, wishing I had worn my onesie. I surround myself with cozy comforts to drown out the pain from my past, and I need that right now.

"All those people were wrong about you." I turn my hand under his to link them together. "You're an amazing Alpha. If there's someone who can't see your value, then they're not worthy enough to be a part of your life."

He smiles, his freckled cheeks lifting. "Thank you. That means a lot to me, but I know I don't scream Alpha. I'm soft, and I like to bake."

My focus shifts from him to the pie, and affection swells inside me for this gentle soul. Leaning forward, I close the distance between us, my fingers brushing against the fabric of his shirt. "Omegas love sweets and cuddling, so how are you not the perfect Alpha?"

Holden's breath catches, and his heart thunders beneath my touch. "Can I kiss you?"

My eyes drop to his lips, full and inviting, and I lean in closer, drawn by an irresistible magnetic pull. "Yes."

Our lips meet hesitantly, both of us testing the waters. Our knees knock together as I shift on the bench, and the awkwardness of the moment makes me giggle. Despite the uncertainty, a spark jumps between us.

He cups my cheek, his mouth opening over mine, and the first brush of his tongue tastes vanilla sweet, like the best dessert. With a moan, I melt into the sensation even as my body hums to life.

Everything about Holden is sweet, from the gentle way he kisses me to the flutter of his breath against my cheek. It makes me want to crawl on top of him, to wrap him in my arms and indulge in an entire night of licking and sucking, discovering what other sweet delights his body holds.

He releases my hand to cup my waist, pulling me onto his lap. The added height brings us into better alignment, and the warmth of his body surrounds me.

Holden pulls back, searching my face for any hint of regret or hesitation. "Is this okay?"

The question makes me think about what we're doing, and what it could mean.

My mind whispers that I shouldn't get closer. I have no right to be kissing Holden when I'm not in a position to be pursuing anything more. But he smells so yummy, and the purr rising from his chest turns my thoughts fuzzy.

I swallow my doubts and nod. "Everything is more than okay."

He cups my face, his thumb sweeping over my cheek. As our lips meet again, the world fades away, leaving only the two of us and the spark between us that grows into a rush of tingles through my body.

Holden deepens the kiss, and passion joins the tingles, sending shivers down my spine and into my limbs, making me weak. His lips turn insistent, and I melt into his embrace. My hands find their way to his golden-brown curls, tugging gently, demanding more.

"Chloe," he murmurs, his voice husky.

The sound quickens my pulse, and I struggle to keep my thoughts coherent. This is dangerous territory, but the temptation of his touch makes it hard to remember why.

As we continue to kiss, our movements become more and more urgent. I shift on his lap with restless desire, and his grip drops to my hips, lifting me to straddle his waist.

In our fervor, we lose track of our surroundings, and we bump the table with enough force to make the bowl of potatoes wobble, and it almost tumbles to the floor.

We freeze, staring down as the golden morsels roll around.

Then laughter bubbles up my throat, the sound filling the room, light and breathless, and Holden joins me.

"This is becoming a habit for us." Amusement glitters in his hazel eyes as he moves me back onto my place on the bench. "Are you up for some food now?"

I nod, still grinning from ear to ear. "Can we start with the pie?"

Holden's freckled cheeks dimple with his smile, and he reaches for the pan. "Dessert before dinner is one of the best things about being an adult. Grab a fork."

I snatch up the utensil from next to one of the plates. "We're not even going to pretend to have restraint, are we?"

"This can also be a habit of ours." He positions the pie between us. "Dessert straight from the pan."

"I love it." I scoop up the delicate crust and syrupy apples, then lift my forkful.

Once he does the same, we toast the first bite and dig in.

As we savor our dessert first, though, a nagging thought lingers in the back of my mind. This intimacy intoxicates me, but it's dangerous.

For both of us.

How long can I continue down this path before the consequences catch up to me?