Love is Weakness

I’m terrible for keeping things from Aidan. He’s really sweet and respectful. I owe him more than this. I owe them both more than this. Aidan and I share a history and much more. But Holt turns my knees to rubber and my brain to oatmeal. There’s no thinking with him. I react. It’s instinctual.

“I’m not exactly pleased with myself. But the only reason you want me to dump him is because then you win. It has nothing to do with me or his heart being broken.”

“Of course you’d believe I wouldn’t have the capacity to empathize with another person.”

“I know I don’t belong to either of you. He hasn’t talked to me about anything past going out as friends at this point. And when it comes to you, well, you’re everything he isn’t.”

“Best of both worlds,” he says emotionlessly.

“You know, I wouldn’t be so eager about my making a decision about you two. Hate to break your heart, but you may not be the one I pick.”

That was harsh. But as usual, he pushed me.

I stride out of the kitchen, done with this conversation, and down the hall toward my waiting guest. I’m rounding the stairs, Aidan’s back in view, when I’m stopped roughly, nearly spilling the drink in my hand. Shoving me against the wall, Holt kisses me deeply, hungrily. It makes me woozy with arousal.

Snapping out of his influence, I jostle him away, not wanting Aidan to accidently discover us sucking face in the entryway.

“That’s what you want from me, isn’t it, Evie? You want me to give you everything he won’t, everything he can’t.”

He gives me exactly what I need, but I don’t want Aidan to discover me pinned to the wall by Holt’s hard body.

“Keep it in your pants, Turner,” I scold him.

He sets his hands on the wall behind me, sandwiching me between them, and leans his mouth right up against mine. My lips part on an exhale. He smirks into my open mouth. He has me all screwed up on him, and he knows it.

“You didn’t say that the other night,” he whispers and then nips at my bottom lip. Pushing himself back, he stares me down.

“Do you think this is easy for me?” I hiss, trying to keep my voice low enough so Aid doesn’t hear.

“You have only yourself to blame for that one, peaches.”

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