Chapter 321: Together

David's POV

Holly sat up behind me, clutching the sheet to her chest. “Is everything okay?”

Kayla’s eyes went huge the second the door opened wider and she actually saw me standing there in nothing but black boxer briefs, hair wrecked, lips still swollen from Holly’s mouth.

Her eyes flicked between us…taking in the obvious post-sex glow, the rumpled bed, me half-naked.

“David?” Her voice cracked on my name like she’d seen a ghost. “What the hell…how are you even here?”

I cleared my throat, feeling heat crawl up my neck. Awkward didn’t even begin to cover it.

“Funny story,” I said, rubbing the back of my head. “I… couldn’t let her fly back alone. Not after yesterday. So I’m going with her. To LA. To help drop your son off safely. And, uh…handle some other business while I’m there.”

A look passed over Kayla’s face…tired, bone-deep exhausted, a flicker of frustration that she was too drained to fully let loose.

Her shoulders sagged like someone had just added another brick to the pile she was already carrying.

She exhaled through her nose, long and slow.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. No fight. No why-are-you-doing-this lecture. Just…gratitude that sounded like it cost her the last of her energy.

She glanced past my shoulder into the room, then back at me. “I came to see if Holly was up. Her phone’s been going straight to voicemail. Their flight leaves at 9:15. She needs to get moving.”

“She’s awake,” I said. “Promise.”

Kayla’s gaze sharpened. Despite the exhaustion carving lines around her eyes, a tiny teasing, knowing smirk tugged at one corner of her mouth.

“Be the sensible one, David,” she said, voice dropping. “Take it easy on her. Holly’s already a maniac on a good day. I need her functional for this flight, not limping.”

From inside the bedroom, Holly’s voice rang out…bright, shameless, and way too loud.

“I heard that!”

Kayla rolled her eyes, but the smirk grew.

She leaned closer to the crack in the door and called through. “Get your ass off that bed, Holly. No more funny business. We’ve got less than two hours to get to the airport, clear security, and not look like we just survived a war zone.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Holly singsonged back.

Kayla huffed a small laugh…the first real one I’d heard from her since yesterday’s nightmare started.

She gave me one last look…half warning, half reluctant approval…then turned and walked down the hallway toward their own room.

I shut the door, locked it and then turned around.

And froze instantly.

Holly had slid the blanket off completely. She lay there naked in the middle of the rumpled white sheets, skin still flushed from earlier, hair a dark tangle across the pillow, eyes locked on mine with that slow-burning hunger that always made my brain short-circuit.

My cock twitched instantly. Traitor.

“Nope,” I said, holding up both hands like I could ward her off. “No way. You heard Kayla. We’ve got to get ready. Flight. Airport. Reality. All that shit.”

Holly didn’t say a word.

She just rolled gracefully to her feet, every movement deliberate, predatory, beautiful.

She stalked toward me…slow, hips swaying just enough to make my mouth go dry.

“When,” she murmured, voice low and velvet, “have I ever listened to anyone?”

She reached me before I could back up another step.

Her hands planted flat on my chest, pushing. Not hard…just enough to guide me backward until the backs of my knees hit the edge of the dressing chair in the corner. I sat. Hard.

Holly climbed onto my lap without hesitation, straddling me, knees bracketing my hips. Her heat pressed right against my growing erection through the thin cotton of my boxers.

“Holly… Baby—” I started.

She silenced me with her mouth.

This kiss wasn’t frantic. It wasn’t filthy. It was deep and slow in that devastating rhythm.

Her tongue slid against mine like she was memorizing every inch, every taste. Her fingers threaded into my hair, tugging just enough to tilt my head back so she could kiss me deeper.

I groaned into her mouth.

She broke the kiss only to trail her lips along my jaw, down the side of my throat. Soft. Worshipful. She sucked gently at my pulse point…hard enough to leave a faint mark, soft enough to make me shiver.

“I love you here,” she whispered against my skin. “Right where I can feel your heart racing for me.”

Her mouth moved lower…open kisses across my collarbone, then down to my chest. She licked a slow circle around one nipple, then sucked it between her lips. My hips jerked up involuntarily.

“Fuck, Holly…”

She smiled against my skin, wicked and sweet at the same time.

Then she rose up on her knees, reached between us, and tugged my boxers down just enough to free me. I was already rock-hard, leaking at the tip. She wrapped her hand around me…firm, slow strokes that made my vision blur.

“Look at me,” she said softly.

I did.

Her eyes were liquid dark, full of something deeper than lust. Love. Trust. Need.

She lined me up, sank down in one long, torturously slow glide.

We both moaned…long, broken sounds that filled the quiet room.

She didn’t bounce right away. She rocked. Gentle rolls of her hips that let me feel every slick inch of her gripping me.

Her hands braced on my shoulders. Mine automatically went to her breasts…cupping their weight, thumbs brushing over tight nipples.

She leaned in, forehead pressed to mine.

“I love you,” she breathed. “So much it scares me sometimes.”

“I love you more,” I rasped back.

Then she started moving…faster now, but still controlled. Passionate. Every downward stroke deliberate, every upward glide teasing. Her thighs slapped softly against mine with each roll. I gripped her ass, helping her ride me harder, deeper.

She kissed me again…messy, desperate. Our tongues tangled and teeth grazed each other's lips.

One hand left my shoulder to slide between us. She rubbed her own clit in tight circles while she rode me.

“David…fuck…I’m close—”

“Me too,” I groaned. “Come with me, baby. Let me feel you.”

Her rhythm faltered. Her thighs started trembling. I thrust up to meet her…harder, deeper…until we were both panting, sweating, lost.

She came first…quiet this time, body locking around me, pulsing so tight I couldn’t hold back.

I followed right after, spilling inside her with a choked groan, hips jerking, holding her down so I could fill her completely.

We stayed like that…foreheads pressed together, breathing each other’s air…until the tremors eased.

Then we both started laughing…soft, breathless ridiculous sound.

“No more,” I said, still half-laughing. “I’m serious this time.”

“Really?” She raised one eyebrow, rocking her hips just enough to make me hiss.

I exhaled hard. “We have to shower. Get dressed. Time’s going.”

She leaned in, kissed me slow and sweet…one last lingering press of lips.

I sighed against her mouth.

I couldn’t say no to her.

Never could.

And honestly? We had the exact same appetite for each other.

She lifted off me slowly…both of us wincing at the loss…then stood, smirking down at my still-hard cock like it personally offended her.

“You said no more, right?” she teased, already backing toward the bathroom.

I groaned, staring down at myself. “You’re evil.”

Then I was up…chasing her into the bathroom like a man possessed.

The shower was quick this time. Desperate.

Her back against the tile, my hands under her thighs, lifting her as I thrust up into her. Fast. Deep. Loving.

We came again…quiet gasps swallowed by the water…then finally, finally, we washed each other properly. Soap. Shampoo. Gentle touches. Aftercare wrapped in steam.

Later…much later…we were out. Dried. Dressed. Bags packed. Phones charging. Reality crashing back in fast.

Holly looked at me in the mirror while she pulled her hair into a messy bun.

“David…” she started, voice small. “Are you really serious about coming with me? About leaving everything with the police investigation?”

I crossed the room in two strides, cupped her face and kissed her hard.

“I already booked my flight last night while you were sleeping. No way in hell I’m letting you walk into LA alone…not after yesterday, not after today, not ever.”

Her eyes shimmered and I brushed my thumb under one.

“We’re doing this together. Whatever’s waiting in LA…we face it side by side.”

She swallowed and nodded, a smile gracing her lips.

I kissed her again…slower this time.

“Finish up, baby. We don't want to keep Kayla waiting.”

She did.

And just like that…an hour before wheels-up…we were stepping into whatever storm waited on the other side.

Together.