Holden Steele's Ruin [Completed]

Chapter 22

Holden and I were still lying on the trimmed grass, our hands remaining in their intertwined state. His grip on my hand was uncomfortably tight but I wasn't going to address it, he seemed like he needed it. After the talk about his mother he had crawled back into his usual closed off self and I wish he hadn't.

"I don't know how this works" he murmured beside me, his head tipping slightly towards me "I want to get to know you, I just don't know how" he seemed tense, I understood why, he generally didn't seem like someone that let people into his head. Everyone had secretes of their own and I respected that.

"Neither do I" I shrugged, shivering slightly when the wind picked up, rising goose bumps on my exposed skin.

"Are you cold?" Holden asked when I shivered again. Disregarding the shaking of my head; he sat up, tugging his hoodie over his head before handing it to me, revealing a strip of his toned stomach. My legs clenched as if to prove just how much he affected me.

"I didn't peg you as a football jock" I said at yet another reminder of his frankly dangerous desired sport. The moonlight bathed over the hoodie brightly illuminating the football team logo at its front, with the words 'USB football team' above it.

"What, I don't make the cut?" He made a show of flexing his bulging biceps, stretching the ink on his skin as he feigning hurt.

"No! I mean yes!...ugh" I was failing horribly at trying to retract my words. I didn't mean that he wasn't muscular because he had more than enough muscles, he just didn't seem like a cliché version of an all american jock. I groaned slipping on the hoodie to hide my flushed cheeks.

"Since I can remember I've always loved football. I crave the thrive and excitement it gives me...when I'm on the field its just me and the game" he brightened up instantly as he spoke conveying how deep his love for the sport really ran.

"Um...how old are you" it was a general question, a step closer to knowing him.

"Would you not want me if I were a thirty year old in collage?" He questioned, a grin spread across his lips as he looked at me in amusement "I'm twenty two on the seventh of next month. How old are you?"

"Would you not want me if I were a thirty year old in collage" I fired back, surprised when he let out a boisterous laugh. It was nothing short of pure man and sin, I didn't want him to stop.

"I probably would" came his response his crystal grey eyes dancing with laughter.

"Is that what your into, cougars?" I asked him wanting to keep playful Holden for as long as I could.

"I don't know, I'm into you so you tell me" he placed his arm around my shoulder pulling me into him before planting a swift kiss on my temple. His words immediately had my cheeks heating up as I tried to conceal them with my hair.

"Okay my turn, what's your middle name?" Holden asked as I lay my head on his chest, a position that felt so normal for me it was scary.

"Its Poppy, like the flower" I said as a bittersweet smile graced my at the name. Blake had always preferred to call me by my middle name rather than my first, he said Savannah was too common. If it was up to him he would have probably made Poppy my first name.

"Poppy...that's a beautiful name, it suites you" a shivered of delight raked through me, my eyes closing involuntarily to sever the way my name rolled of his sleek tongue. I immediately flushed in humiliation when I opened my eyes to find his looking straight at me his grey eyes sparkling.

"You like it don't you?" he didn't wait for my response, suddenly crashing his soft lips on mine. His arm slipped around my waist pulling me closer to him until I could feel his heat through my clothes. The kiss escaladed quickly, it was being driven by pure need, I had to stop it. I placed my had on his chest slightly pushing him back, an animalistic growl resonated from the back of his throat showing his displeasure at the interruption.