“What’s your name?” If he ignores this question again, I’m not going with him.
“Holden Adair,” he finally answers, and now I know why he gives off dark and dangerous vibes.
“The prince,” I say.
He smirks again, and I wonder if he knows I like the dimple. “Indeed, I am. That a problem?”
Everyone knows who the Adairs are. They’re like American royalty, only the bad-guy version. Although, you don’t hear a lot about that. His mom, Lilith, volunteers not only her money but her time to one of the most successful battered women's shelters in the area. Because of her generosity, they’ve remained up and running for years. On more than one occasion, I’ve thought about leaving and taking Sawyer there with me, but I’m terrified he’ll be separated from me because he’s only my cousin.
“Noelle?” Holden asks when I’ve been silent for too long.
“No, it’s not.” With a mother like Lilith, he can’t be all that terrible.I hope.
As I slide into my seat, Holden grasps the seatbelt and reaches across from me, buckling it. I hold my breath and count to ten as he backs away.
He smells of pine and honey. Two scents I easily get lost in.
“Where are we going?” He waits for me to answer before starting the vehicle.
“TK Elementary on Cherry Street.”Too late to back out now.
The drive is faster than the fifteen-minute walk, so we sit in the silence of his vehicle, waiting for the bell to ring.
I’m not very good with being in the dark, though. “What are we doing?” I ask as I unbuckle and gaze over at Holden to catch his eyes already watching me.
“Waiting for your cousin?”
I roll my eyes. “No, I mean this. Right now. Are we going on a date? Are you about to murder us? Kidnap us? What’s happening?”
“Murder,” he repeats before laughing out loud. The sound is rusty but pleasing to the ears. “Definitely not murder. Or kidnapping.”
“What’s the plan then?” I cross my arms. He needs to give me something.
“I plan to take you to dinner; hopefully kiss you. A lot. Then I’ll take you home,” he explains.
“And what about Sawyer?” He frowns. “My cousin.” I wave to the school just as the bell rings. Opening my door, I don’t let him answer as I stand outside. Sawyer won’t recognize the vehicle, and he always looks for me.
“I thought we could take him home first.” Holden comes around the SUV to stand beside me.
“No,” I respond.
“Why not?”
This is where I’ll likely scare him off. “Sawyer doesn’t get left at home without me. He’s with me, or he’s at school. There’s nothing in between.”
I can feel him staring at me again. “What about his parents?”
“I said no!”
I notice Sawyer coming out of the school. He stops when he sees Holden next to me. Sawyer doesn’t do well with strangers; they terrify him. I’ve been dating Cory for almost nine months, and my little cousin still won’t speak to him.
“I have a boyfriend,” I blurt out, worried he forgot. Certain thatIdid.
I feel the heat of Holden’s hand before he touches me, gripping my chin and turning my head to face him. “I almost kissed you in front of him. I was touching you, holding you, and all he could do was curse at you. He’s not your boyfriend.” That sounds more like a demand than an explanation.
“Noelle?” Sawyer’s shaky voice drags my attention away from Holden.
“Hey, bud. How was school?” His tiny hand slips into mine, and his frightened eyes won’t leave Holden.