Mr. Holt

A Few Weeks Later

"Savannah," Lex says to me as I'm still lying in his bed one morning. I glance up at him but say nothing.

"I have some business to do this morning. I ordered some breakfast for you. It's in the oven to stay warm," he says and kisses my forehead.

I reach up and pull him back, kiss his lips, and say, "How long will you be gone?"

"A few hours."

"Alright," I say and roll back over. I hear him walk out of the apartment. 

As soon as he's gone, I jump out of bed, rush into the bathroom, and turn on the shower. After taking a quick shower, drying my hair, fixing my makeup, and throwing on jeans and a sweater, I hurry into the kitchen and shovel down the breakfast he ordered. Then I toss on my shoes and coat and rush down the elevator and to the parking garage to my car. As I'm driving through the city, I get a text from Lex.

He doesn't reply as I pull into Target's parking lot. I grab my purse and keys, lock my car, and walk inside and to the Christmas decor aisle. I shop for a little while and pick out a tree, lights, and some ornaments. While I'm shopping, I'm approached by a man.

"You alone?" he says.

I glance at him and say, "Not interested."

"I saw your picture online. Alexander Holt, huh? Pretty big time."

"Please go away," I say.

"Aw now don't be like that," he says and moves closer. 

I discreetly glance over at him once more as I'm picking out a tree skirt, and I notice he's got light-colored hair and pale eyes and is probably about the same height as Lex. 

"Did you need something?" I ask, with a huff, and feeling annoyed as I finally look him in the eyes. He seems familiar to me, but I'm unsure where I've seen his face before, and in an effort to make him go away, I stay quiet and keep shopping.

"No, just being friendly with Holt's property," he says.

"I'm not his property," I say.

"Tell your man I said to watch his step." 

When he says that, my head snaps up and I see him walking away, but my heart is pounding in my chest, and I'm wondering who he is. 

 Then I head over to the checkouts to head back to Alexander's apartment. As I'm paying, he texts me again.

When I pull into the parking garage of his apartment building, I see Alexander's car parked in the spot next to mine, which I find interesting since he said he would be gone all morning. I unload the bags but leave the tree in my car, and I head to the elevator.

"Keeping secrets?" Alexander says when I step off the elevator into his apartment.

I roll my eyes. "No. I told you. I went to the store."

"Why?"

I set the bags on the coffee table and say, "For you. Stop being a controlling ass."

He furrows his brow, then opens the bags and sees the ornaments, lights, and stockings, and he says, "No tree?"

I smile and hand him my car keys. "It's in my car. Be a good boy and go get it. Then you can help me decorate."

He takes the keys from my hand and walks to the elevator, and I start unboxing the silver and red ornaments I bought. Then I turn on my Christmas classics playlist, light the gas fireplace, and wait for Alexander to return with the tree.

"Where do you want it?" he says with the tree box slung over his shoulder as he steps off the elevator. 

I grin widely and point next to the fireplace. "Over there."

Alexander carries the box over to the corner by the fireplace and unpacks it, and I go over and begin placing lights on the tree. 

"What should I do?" he asks.

"Well, you could start decorating the tree," I say. 

"How?"

I laugh. "Just put the bulbs on it. Duh."

He begins placing bulbs in one place, and it looks a little bunched up, so I say, "Spread them out a little."

"Oh. You do this. I suck at this."

I laugh and say, "You're doing fine."

"No I'm not."

I reach up and kiss his lips and say, "You are. Keep going. I'm gonna make some coffee."

I walk into the kitchen to make coffee. As I'm moving around the kitchen, I feel his arms wrap around my waist and feel his lips kiss the curve of my neck.

"Why are you doing all this for me?" he asks.

I get out two coffee mugs from the cupboard and say, "Because Christmas should be happy, but it's not for you. So, I want to give you new memories."

"Stay here with me," he says, and cups my face in his hands and looks into my eyes.

"I usually do," I say and turn to grab the creamer from the fridge.

"No, I mean for good. No one in my life, and I mean no one ever, has cared this much about me, Savannah. I need you here with me."

"I'm not going anywhere," I say and pour creamer into the mugs.