Chapter 23
“You sure?” Holden asks.
“They say I can come home tomorrow. You’ll soon be sick of me. Go,” Dawn insists.
Holden kisses his sister’s cheek, makes her promise to call if she needs him, and leaves with Seth.
* * * *
“So, what do you want to do?” Seth asks as they make their way out of the hospital.
“No clubs. Not ready to party again, yet. I’ve been eating hospital and vending machine food, so maybe dinner somewhere?” Holden suggests.
Seth pats his stomach. “I like the way you think. I had to skip lunch.”
Holden looks concerned. “You need to eat, then!”
They talk about places to go as they walk to Seth’s car and decide they both feel like Mexican food after lots of boring, flavorless food for them both the past few days. Seth opens the passenger door for Holden as it sticks and ends up standing close to him in the quiet parking lot. Holden is almost as talk as him, and Seth doesn’t get that with a lot of guys. He reaches out, tempted to touch a strand of messy blue hair, but he hesitates. He’s learned, from mostly sex workers, that even innocent touches should be agreed upon. Some people you can have a relationship where you get to a point you don’t need to ask about some things, but Seth knows they’re not at that stage.
“You can touch my hair, if that’s what you were going to do,” Holden says with a slight smile.
“The ladies I work with taught me how important it is to be a gentleman, even more than my mom did. I don’t want to assume things with you, just because we’ve shared that we’re attracted to each other,” Seth admits.
“Seth, you’ve been nothing but respectful from the moment we met. I told you, I like sex. People know that about me. I’m sure Zack told you, probably thought I’d take you home long ago then never call. I’m not perfect. No one is, but I really appreciate the respect, and I’d like to kiss you now,” Holden rambles, seeming almost shy.
Seth doesn’t care how many lovers Holden has had in the past as long as, if they agree to something just between them, it stays just that. He deserves respect; everyone does, and he wants to show Holden he wants that kiss, too. “Come here.”
Holden complies, closing the gap, and they have an awkward moment of both of them not being sure where to put their hands. Then Seth’s hands settle in Holden’s hair, and Holden puts his arms around Seth’s waist.
They line up just right, both being tall, and it’s not awkward at all when their lips meet. This kiss sparks more than their first. Holden seems more relaxed under Seth’s hands, and they kiss deeply. Seth has never felt a tongue stud and a lip ring at the same time, and it’s oddly thrilling.
It’s not till Holden stumbles slightly where Seth is pressing against him that they break their kiss. Seth draws back and runs his thumb along Holden’s lower lip, flicking that now warmer ring, and he sees the same heat flare in Holden’s light-gray eyes that he feels in his own gut
“Food, um, we should get food now,” Holden says, his hands fiddling with the edge of Seth’s shirt in the back, like maybe he wants to slide up and feel skin. Seth would welcome that, but not here. He doesn’t want to get arrested. He’d never live it down.
“You’re right. I’m starving, and like you said, you haven’t eaten well. I don’t want Dawn kicking my ass for not taking good care of you,” Seth teases.
“Damn it! I amhungry. Let’s go.” Holden groans and looks like he has to pull himself away and into the car.
Seth takes a breath to try and calm himself, but all he succeeds in doing is breathing in Holden’s scent, and he has to hold in a growl. It’s been too long since he went for a run. Adding sexual frustration to that has his wolf making himself known.
He gets in his car and drives them to the Mexican restaurant they had agreed on, and they soon get a small booth that gives them some privacy. Holden must notice him fidgeting as they wait for their food as he asks if Seth is okay.
“I need a run. Been skipping it for a while. Too busy,” Seth admits. He doesn’t want to cut their first date short, but his bones are aching with the need to shift, to run on four paws.
“Ugh, me too. Work’s been busy. Then with this stress, I’ve been dying to let the animal me out. Crazy idea, but after we eat, why don’t we go for a run?” Holden suggests.