�Oh, yes,� Lance groaned as Holly lightly ran her tongue down his chest, stopping every few seconds to nip gently at his bare skin.
Her long hair covered her face, tickling him as she moved farther down his body. He thought he would explode if he didn�t feel her around him at that instant.
�Stop,� he commanded, his voice raspy with desire as she prepared to take him into her mouth.
Holly looked up lustily at him, her eyes lowered in the sexiest gaze he had ever seen. Even though she hadn�t said a word, he knew she wanted him as bad as he did her. In a move legends are made of, Lance flipped them to where she was beneath him. He assaulted her mouth with passionate kisses. A low growl emanated from the back of his throat as she captured his tongue between her teeth and sucking hard as he slid into her with one fluid motion.
�Oooh yesssss,� Holly moaned as her body accepted each powerful thrust he made into her.
�Mmmm�Holly,� Lance murmured, his hands making their way up her body to take hold of her full breasts. �You feel so good.�
He watched her face as he plunged deeper into her, feeling her tighten around him. She arched her chest upwards toward him, her nails digging deeper into the skin on his shoulders. He knew they were hitting the pace just right as the headboard began thumping loudly against the wall and she shouted his name, over and over.
�Holly, baby, I�m right here,� he gasped, trying to hold back a little longer. �And as sexy as I think it is you screaming my name, the neighbors might not think so.�
But still she continued to call his name, louder and the bed hit the wall harder and with more urgency until he rose up with a start. From somewhere in the distant recesses of his sleep ridden mind, he knew he heard Holly calling his name. Propping up on his elbows, he looked to the other side of the bed. Empty. He fell back down on his stomach with an aggravated groan. The loud thumping noise continued and he knew for sure he heard his name being called.
�What the hell?� He muttered, squinting sleepily at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Eight a.m. Who the hell is out and about at eight a.m.?
Grabbing the T-shirt on the foot of the bed, he slid it over his head and made his way down the hall to the front door, mumbling profanity about morning people.
�LANCE!� Holly shouted again, preparing to beat on the door one last time when he opened it.
�Do you have any idea what time it is?� He groused, propping against the doorframe.
�I know it�s early, but I need you.�
�Huh?� He asked, the dream from earlier suddenly standing in front of him.
�Yes. I need you to help me. Please. It�s an emergency,� she blurted, her face flushed from the shouting and banging on the door.
�Are you all right?� He asked, suddenly worried. �You�re not sick are you? Do you need me to take you to the emergency room?�
�What? Oh, no. I need you to take me to the grocery store.�
�Huh?� Lance said, growing more confused by the moment. �How is that an emergency?�
�Easy,� she elaborated, walking into his place and heading for the den. �My parents are coming over this afternoon and I�m cooking dinner for them.�
�Again, how does this warrant being an emergency?�
�You�re not listening. I have to cook.�
�And what? You�re a rotten cook? I can�t cook either, so I�m no help there,� he told her, yawning and rubbing a hand through his already messy hair.
�No. I need you to take me to the grocery store so I can get the stuff for dinner. But first, I need to borrow your phone.�
�I am so totally lost,� he confessed, slouching on the sofa, watching as she picked up his phone and punched in a number. He started dozing again as she spoke to the person on the other end of the line.
�OK. That�s settled,� she suddenly announced. �Why aren�t you dressed yet?�
�Holly,� he said, looking up at her. �Don�t take this the wrong way, but what the hell are you in such an uproar about? And who did you just call on my phone?�
�The landlord. I locked my keys in my house,� she admitted sheepishly. �And I had planned to make it to the store and back home, putting the roast on to cook before going to church. But of course, that was not meant to happen today.�
�Of course,� he agreed, fighting to keep his eyes open.
�Lance,� Holly all but whined. �I know you barely know me, but I really need your help. It would mean so much if you would please take me to the store.�
�Why is it so important? Why don�t you just call your parents and let them know what happened and that��
�I can�t do that,� she said, falling into one of his over-stuffed chairs. �Do you know how flaky my parents think I am?�
�Holly, this is something of a flaky thing to do.�
�Who asked you?� She shot back, daring him to join sides with her parents.
�Easy,� he said, holding up his hands in resignation. �Give me a few minutes and I�ll be ready to take you to the store. Can you hold your horses that long?�
�Yes,� she sighed, resting her head against the back of the chair. �Just hurry.�
Lance shook his head as he left the room. She was right, he barely knew her, so what the hell was he doing agreeing to give up precious moments of sleep to help her out? That smile of hers, the way she said his name, the playful way she talked to him�that�s what he was doing giving up his sleep. And he hoped she appreciated it, too, he thought as he quickly stepped into a pair of jeans. As he sat down to pull on his sneakers, he was struck with the thought of something not being right with that scene. Shrugging, he finished tying his shoes and walked back to Holly.
�OK. You ready?� He asked, grabbing his keys from the mantel and yawning once again.
�Yes,� she answered thankfully. �I really appreciate this, Lance. You don�t know how you�ve just saved my hide.�
He chuckled, opening the passenger door for her to slide into the SUV. He loved to hear her talk and the expressions she used. It had been so long since anyone had unintentionally used such colloquialisms as she did. It was music to his ears, even when it was too early for any normal person to be up and about.
�But I�m not normal,� he muttered, climbing into the driver�s seat and starting the vehicle. He slowly backed out of his garage.
�That sounds like a personal problem,� Holly commented, checking to make sure traffic was clear on her side. �You�ve got it.�
Lance eased into traffic, stifling a yawn in the process. As he drove, he realized she had said something else besides the �ok� to go.
�What did you say?� He asked, making sure he had heard right.
�I said that sounded like a personal problem--you not being normal.�
�Funny, Holly,� Lance said, raising an eyebrow at her as he pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store. �Here we are. Go-destroy the store.�
Holly sat there, not making any effort to move. He looked at her, wondering why she was waiting.
�Oh,� he said, turning off the motor. �I�ll open your door for you.�
�No, that�s not it,� she said, tapping her index finger lightly on her forehead. �I just keep thinking I�m forgetting something. Oh, well, I guess I�ll remember it when I need to. You want to go in with me?�
�Sure,� he agreed, hopping out of the SUV and walking to her side, opening the door anyway.
�Thanks,� she said, smiling as she looked up at him. She reached a hand out to touch his face. �You look like a wolf. You need to shave.�
Lance rubbed his jawline, contemplating her words. He did need to shave, but he wouldn�t go so far as to say he looked like a wolf. Noticing she was way ahead of him, he hurried to catch up with her, taking the buggy away from her and scurrying down an aisle. Holly laughed, running after him as he picked up speed and stood on a bar at the bottom, riding the buggy into the produce section. They shopped, talking and teasing each other as Holly rattled off her list of items she needed for the dinner. Nearly an hour later, they arrived at the check-out counter. As she watched Lance unload the groceries onto the conveyer belt, she was struck by the realization that he probably didn�t do things like that very often.
�There,� he said, placing the last of the items on the belt. �You�re all ready to go.�
�Thanks,� she smiled gratefully at him. �This went by a lot faster than I thought it would. You don�t know how much you helped me out.�
�You can thank me later,� he said, nudging her gently with the buggy. �Move.�
Holly laughed, eliciting a chuckle in response from him. As the last purchases were scanned, she heard a few giggles and loud, excited whispers. Lance closed his eyes and barely shook his head.
�Umm�excuse me,� a girl, one Holly guessed to be about 16, giggled as she approached Lance.
�Yes?� He responded, all smiles and charm.
�Do you know who you look like?�
�No,� he said, slightly bumping Holly again with the buggy.
�Do you know who Lance Bass is?� The girl�s friend asked.
�I think so. Isn�t he a baseball player or something?� Lance asked, cutting Holly a look from the corner of his eyes, daring her to even think about laughing.
�No,� a third girl responded, sounding like he was the biggest idiot in the world. �He�s a singer in a group. You look just like him.�
�Now that you mention it, I think I do know who you�re talking about.�
�Here,� the first girl chimed in, shoving a teen magazine in front of him. �See? You look just like him.�
�Oh, yeah,� Lance pretended to remember. �I get that all the time. Actually, his nose is too big. See?�
Holly choked back a giggle, watching as he felt his nose to show them the difference.
�So, you�re not him?�
�No,� he answered dejectedly. �If I was, what would I be doing here in Alabama, let alone Rainbow City?�
�I told you it wasn�t him,� the third girl knowingly told her two cohorts, shoving them away. �He�s not blonde enough to be him, anyway. I can�t believe you just embarrassed us like that.�
Lance smiled apologetically, shrugging as they walked away, arguing that it would have been better if it had been a Justin look-a-like instead. He turned back to Holly, raising an eyebrow as she tried her best to ignore him and pay for the groceries.
�Oh, you remember your money, but you lose your keys?� He queried as they exited the store.
�That�s how I locked my keys up. I dropped them on the kitchen table when I went back to get my purse and walked out, thinking they were in my purse.�
�But you said you dropped them on the table. Holly, how can they be in two different places at the same time?�
�That�s the problem,� she said. �They can�t. That�s why I lost them.�
Lance shook his head, finishing loading the groceries into the back of the SUV. A few minutes later, they were back on their way to the townhouses. As Lance turned into the driveway, Holly swore.
�What?�
�I forgot to pick up a cake. I won�t have enough time to cook one and get it frosted by the time my parents get here. It�s already nine.�
�Holly, if this isn�t any of my business, please tell me. But why is this getting you so upset?�
�Because it�s something that my parents would expect from me. They always think of me as this ditzy girl who can barely talk and walk at the same time.�
�But you�re�� he began, turning off the vehicle in front of her house.
�Doesn�t matter what I am now,� she said, somewhat sadly. �I�ve always got to prove that I have half a brain in my head. Preferably the half that works. Oh, I see that Mr. Beauchamp got my door unlocked. See? He left the flag upon my mailbox. Now, if you don�t mind one more favor, would you please help me get these groceries unloaded?�
�Of course.�
~*~
�I don�t know how to thank you for all you�ve done,� Holly said as the last of the groceries was put away and she had dinner in the oven.
�I can,� he said aloud before he realized it.
�I swear,� Holly laughed heartily, shaking her head. �You and your joking. OH! I know. Come over and have dinner with me today.�
�Uhh�� Lance tried to think of some way out of the invitation.
�No, please. It�s the least I can do to make up for turning your whole day upside down. I�d really enjoy the company.�
�Your parents will be here.�
�Right. And like I said, I�d really enjoy the company. Please say yes?�
She turned her eyes up to him, making them big and batting her lashes at him. Damn tease.
�Okay,� he finally acquiesced. �What time?�
�Um�how about one-thirty? I�ve still got to get a shower and finish cooking. That should give me about thirty minutes of hell-I mean, bonding time with my parents.�
�Fine,� Lance laughed. �I�ll see you then.�
Holly beamed at him. As he started towards the door, she called his name. He stopped, turning to see what she wanted. Without saying anything, she walked to him, stretched up a bit and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
�Wha�What was that?� He asked, totally bewildered.
�Just another way of saying thank you,� she answered, almost shy. �Now, go. And be back by one-thirty. Don�t forget.�
~*~
�What are you doing?� Holly�s mother asked as her daughter fidgeted in her chair for about the millionth time.
�Nothing, Mama. Just anxious for dinner to finish.�
�I really don�t know why you didn�t just put something in the crock-pot before you left for church.�
�I forgot,� Holly lied, hoping her mother wouldn�t see through her flimsy excuse.
�Holly,� her mother sighed. �I swear you�d forget your head if it wasn�t attached. I just don�t see how you�ve made it this far, being as scatterbrained as you are. And the fact that you are able to hold down a steady job��
The ringing of the doorbell sounded like angels singing to Holly. She jumped up, grateful for the interruption and practically ran out of the room.
�Holly,� her dad called after her.
She skidded to a stop halfway to the door, convincing Harold she wanted to play chase. He arched his back and hopped sideways at her.
�Not now,� she told him. �You need to get somewhere and hide.�
�Holly,� her dad called again. �Come here.�
�OK,� she answered, turning back towards the living room when the doorbell rang again, followed by a short knock.
She turned back to the door, torn between what to do first-let Lance in or see what her dad wanted.
�Holly,� her dad called more forcefully while the bell rang again.
�Aarrgghh!� Holly muffled a scream.
She took a deep breath and slowly counted to ten. Feeling Harold eyeing her ankle, she looked down at the smoky gray feline, narrowing her eyes at him.
�Don�t even think about it, furball,� she muttered threateningly, stopping the cat as he prepared to pounce.
�Daddy, I�ll be right there. Just let me get the door,� she called into the living room.
�Why is someone at the door more important than us?� Her father called back, trying her patience.
Holly bit her tongue, growling softly to herself. If she ever said what she was thinking, she would definitely be out of the family forever.
�I�ve invited someone over to eat with us,� she called back.
�Well, don�t just stand there, hollering back and forth with your father, Holly,� her mom called. �Let the person in.�
Holly swung open the front door to see Lance laughing at her.
�It is not funny,� she whispered, pulling him inside.
�No, it isn�t,� he agreed, chuckling. �Why didn�t you just go see what he wanted?�
�Because you kept ringing the stupid bell,� she hissed, slapping lightly on his shoulder. �Are you in cahoots with them?�
�Yes.�
�What?�
�Joking,� he told her, kissing her on the nose. �You need to lighten up a bit. You�ve been carrying on like it�s the king and queen you�re having Sunday dinner with, not your parents.�
�About the same thing,� Holly murmured, taking Lance�s hand and walking with him into the kitchen.
�Holly?� Her mother called.
�Be with you in a second, Mama,� she answered sweetly.
Lance snorted and was rewarded with a withering look.
�Here,� he said, handing her a cake.
�What�s this?� She asked, apprehensively taking it from him.
�Well, it�s not a bomb, so don�t be worried about that,� he told her, shaking his head and smiling mischievously. �It�s the cake you forgot to pick up today. You were having such a bad day and I felt bad that you forgot it, so I went back to get it for you.�
�Oh, Lance,� Holly said, tears welling up in her eyes. �That�s so sweet.�
�I didn�t do it to make you cry. I swear.�
�I know. It�s just�� she trailed off, her voice catching with emotion.
�Holly,� Lance said softly, taking her into his arms. �It�ll be all right. I didn�t know it would mean so much to you. What do you think a cheesecake will get me? A night of passion with you?�
Holly laughed, sniffling, feeling silly for her little outburst in front of him. He had been so good about the whole day and his arms felt so good around her right then. She forgot about anyone else being in the house with them as she felt the warmth of his body through his clothes. She took a deep breath, inhaling his cologne. Lance noticed the change in the way she held her body and took a chance by pulling her closer to him. He found her willing to be drawn closer and ventured to lean down, brushing his lips against hers. No one was more surprised than Holly when she reached her arms behind his neck, returning the kiss, pulling his head closer to hers. He shaved, she thought absently as he tentatively slid his tongue across her lips. The scent of strawberries and cream wafted to his nose, eliciting a soft moan from him as she opened her lips to his advancing tongue.
�Holly! What on earth are you doing?� Her mother suddenly shouted.
Chapter 6
�Mama!� Holly exclaimed, quickly stepping away from Lance. �What are you doing in here?�
�I came to see what made you forget your manners and was taking you so long to introduce your guest to us. But I see this answers my question.�
�Mama,� Holly said, not wanting to think of what might happen next.
�Honestly, Holly, the least you could do is introduce this young man to your father and me. What with you having had your tongue down his throat...�
�MOTHER!�
�Well, what else would you call what you were doing? It seemed pretty obvious to me.�
�Holly had her tongue somewhere it shouldn�t be?�
�Just strike me dead-here and now,� Holly muttered as her dad joined the conversation.
�How do you know it wasn�t the other way around? Or at least a mutual��
�Daddy,� she admonished, her face burning with embarrassment. �There wasn�t any tongue involved anywhere. I can�t believe I�m even standing here having this discussion.�
�What exactly were you doing with this person, then? You know your mother never gets bent out of shape unless she knows something is going on. By the way, I�m Mark Beckett,� her father said, extending a hand.
�Lance Bass, sir,� Lance replied, taking the outstretched hand in a firm grip. �I can assure you there was nothing improper going on here. Holly was just�thanking me for bringing the cake she left in my car.�
�Oh. In that case, it�s nice to meet you.�
�Lance, I�m Carol Beckett, Holly�s mother. Perhaps if she thanked more people like that, she�d be married by now.�
�Mother,� Holly said calmly, imagining various ways to end her torture. �Why don�t you and Daddy go into the living room with Lance while I finish dinner?�
�I can help you,� her mother offered.
�NO! I mean�you�re my guest. Go, sit, relax. I�ll have everything ready in a few minutes.�
As Holly quickly ushered them out of the kitchen, Lance turned back, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
�There was most definitely tongue involved. I expect more later as the rest of your thank you for saving your ass just now.�
Holly�s mouth dropped in surprise. Lance smiled devilishly at her and swatted her playfully on the behind before putting on his best �innocent� face and joining her parents.
~*~
�Holly, I�m impressed. I didn�t know you could cook like this,� her father said, taking a second helping of her potato salad. �In fact, this is almost as good as your mother makes.�
�Thanks,� Holly said, blushing. �But I have to tell you, it�s from the deli at the store. You know every time I try to make potato salad, it comes out like soup.�
Lance choked back a snort at Holly�s admission and her mother�s reaction to Mark�s comment.
�Mark!� Carol admonished, slapping at his arm. �You know I cook better than�than��
�Take out?� Holly suggested sweetly.
�Yes, thank you, Holly. I can�t believe you�re going to sit there and say something like��
�Mrs. Beckett,� Lance interrupted, despite the nudge from Holly underneath the table. �I think Mr. Beckett said it was almost as good as yours. Personally, I�d take that as a compliment. To me, that sounds like you could cook and market your own brand of salad and the like.�
�Oh,� Carol said, running a hand across her hair. �In that case, thank you, Lance, for making what my husband said clear. He has this tendency to talk in circles. I�m sure you�ll find that Holly has inherited that trait.�
�Mom,� Holly cautioned. �Now�s not the time to start in on what bad trait�s I�ve gotten from Daddy.�
�She�s right,� Mark agreed, leaning back in his chair. �I like this boy. He�s a lot nicer than that jackass you used to date, Holly. What was his name? Jarvis or something like that?�
�Jarvis?� Lance chuckled, watching Holly squirm as the attention in the room suddenly fell on her.
�His name was Jeff, Daddy. And I�d really rather we didn�t discuss him right now, considering we�ve just eaten. Furthermore��
�Oh, here it comes,� her dad teased, lacing his fingers behind his head. �Whenever she drags out those words like �furthermore�, Lance, you�re in for a little sermon.�
�Furthermore,� Holly continued, ignoring her father as best she could. �Lance and I are not dating. He�s��
�We know, Holly. We had a nice little conversation while you were finishing dinner. Lance told us that he�s here on a vacation of sorts while his group takes a break,� Carol told her daughter. �Holly tends to be a bit high strung at times, Lance.�
�Just like her mother,� Mark muttered under his breath, drawing a glare from both his wife and daughter.
�So, why don�t we cut into that cake you left in my car?� Lance suggested, deciding Holly had suffered long enough. �Why don�t I pour us all some coffee to go with it?�
�Yes,� Holly accepted gratefully. �In fact, I�ll help you. After all, you are a guest.�
As they stood side by side at the counter, Holly whispered her thanks to Lance.
�It�s nothing,� he whispered back. �I�m used to that, being around the guys like I have been for so long. You just learn to live with it.�
�Still,� she hissed, her face starting to feel warm again. �I swear, they do this type of thing on purpose.�
�Of course they do,� he assured her. �That�s their job.�
Later, as they sat around the table, enjoying the coffee and cake, Holly found herself actually relaxed enough to appreciate the humor of the whole day.
�You know what would have been even better with this?� She asked, raising an eyebrow inquisitively at Lance over her cup.
�No, what?�
�Cheesecake,� she replied saucily, grinning slightly at his bemused expression.
~*~
�Well, that was very interesting,� Lance surmised later that evening, after her parents were gone. �They weren�t that bad.�
�Again, it�s because they�re not your parents. Actually, they were on better behavior than I figured they�d be,� Holly said, sitting on the couch next to him, propping her feet alongside his on the coffee table.
He smiled warmly at her, draping an arm across the back of the sofa. He let his arm slide to her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.
�Mmm,� she said, snuggling to him. �That�s nice.�
�You don�t mind?�
�I guess not, considering my parents already have us married and expecting their first grandchild by next week.�
Lance laughed loudly, gently rubbing her arm.
�I don�t think that�s quite possible,� he said, looking down at her. �Especially since we only had our first real kiss just this afternoon. Unless you know something about biology that I don�t.�
Holly looked down, refusing to allow him to make her blush. She felt his gaze still on her, burning on her face.
�Do you?� He asked, his voice suddenly lower and closer to her ear than she realized.
�Do I what?� She replied, her voice growing husky as she looked up at him.
�Know something new about biology?�
�Maybe,� she flirted, her heart beating fast at his nearness. He smelled so good and it was driving her crazy. �Why don�t we try it and see?�
Lance�s eyes widened slightly in surprise at her sudden forwardness. Was she hiding her bad girl side behind all the goody-two shoes? Damned if he was going to let the moment to find out go by without trying.
Slowly, Lance brought a hand to the side of her face, caressing her cheek lightly with his thumb. He smiled tenderly at her, gazing deeply into her eyes. With his other hand, he brushed the twig of hair that was always in her way out of her eyes, resting that hand behind her neck. He lowered his head to hers, positive this time no one or nothing would interrupt them. Gently, he pressed his lips to hers, eliciting a soft sigh from her as she closed her eyes, receiving his kiss. Lance wasn�t sure if he could remember anything being as sweet, innocent, or as damn sexy as a simple kiss like this was. Beneath his lips, Holly parted hers slightly, uncertainly darting her tongue out. Lance gasped slightly as he felt the tip of her soft tongue dance gingerly across his lower lip. Grinning, he pulled back to look at her.
�You said you wanted�� She began.
�You nut,� he growled, pulling her closer. �I know what I said. I just didn�t think you�d��
�Who knows what I�d do that you wouldn�t think,� she responded saucily.
�Why wonder when I can find out?� He asked, suddenly pushing her down on the couch as she laughed.
�I like you,� Holly told him, giggling as she ran her hands through his hair.
�Good. You can keep me, then,� Lance retorted, suddenly raining kisses on her neck.
Holly giggled harder as he ran his tongue lightly down her neck, nipping and sucking gently as he made his way to her ear. Blowing lightly in her ear, he whispered unintelligible words, sending shivers down her body. One of his hands roamed up her side, coming to rest against a breast. He gently ran a cross her erect nipple, eliciting a moan from her as she caught his mouth in a hungry kiss. He groaned from deep within, returning her ardent kiss. He gently squeezed her breast, causing her to arch her chest towards him. He felt himself growing aroused at her response and wondered just how far she would let it go. Or how far he would let it go. Deciding to just let it happen, he eased a hand under her blouse, flattening his hand against her warm skin. Damn, he wanted to taste more of her. As he began to unbutton her top, they both startled at buzzing and vibration that suddenly came from his pants.
�What the hell?� He asked, rising off her.
Holly propped up on her elbows, watching as he took the offending phone out of his pocket.
�God!� He exclaimed, frustrated. Looking at the number on the display, he scowled as he answered, �Dammit! What?�
Holly raised an eyebrow at seeing him angry. She didn�t think he could be flappable. Noticing the obvious bulge in his pants, she choked back a snort, thinking there was no way he would be flapping anytime soon.
�Hell, no, this isn�t a good time. What the fuck do you want, Justin?� Lance barked into the phone, standing up and walking around the room. �Of course you can�t hear me that well. I�m inside, you moron. Again, what do you want?....Can�t that wait until later?.... Damn, hang on. I�ll go home and call you on the regular phone�.No, I�m not at home�.It doesn�t matter where I am or what I was doing. Just give me five minutes�..All right, hang on, then if you don�t trust me.�
Lance took the phone away from his ear and held it against his leg.
�I�m sorry,� he told her, taking her hand in his to help her up. �I need to go home to deal with this.�
�It�s all right. I understand you have business to take care of,� Holly told him, buttoning up her shirt. She looked almost embarrassed as she reached up to kiss him. �About earlier��
�Yeah,� Lance grinned, kissing her softly. �I�d hate to think what would have happened if I had brought cheesecake. I�ll make this up to you. How about I take you out on a real date Friday night? Would you go out with me?�
�I don�t know. I hardly know you,� Holly replied, pretending to think it over.
�Oh, very funny, Holly. I think you know me better now than some of my closest friends do. I�ll call you later. Thanks for today. I enjoyed it.�
�I enjoyed it, too. I�m glad you decided to come.�
�If the damn phone hadn�t rung, I wouldn�t have much of a decision in the matter.�
Holly laughed at his intentional innuendo, pointing to his now-forgotten phone. He made a face and brought it to his ear, stopping in mid-air to kiss her again.
�Bye,� he told her, walking down the front steps. He brought the phone all the way to his ear again. �What are you rambling about?....Cheesecake?.... What the hell are you talking about?.... No, I don�t think it�s any of your business who that was�..Dammit, Timberlake, get me off the fucking speaker phone�.I know because I can hear JC laughing in the background. I swear��
Holly snickered, listening to him bless out whoever it was on the other end of the line. She suddenly realized something.
�Lance!�
He stopped in mid-step, nearly at his townhouse, turning to see what she wanted.
�I never said I�d go out with you.�
�You would have anyway. You can�t resist me,� he called back, blowing her a kiss.
�Smartass,� she muttered, smiling and shaking her head as she walked back into her own home. �Just because I would have said yes, didn�t give you the right to assume it.�
As she closed the door behind her, the smoky gray tomcat suddenly appeared, weaving figure-eights around her ankles.
�Now, Harold, what are we doing to wear on this date?� She asked as they made their way down the hall to her bedroom. �Something sexy?�
The cat meowed, jumped on the bed, laid down and began purring loudly.
�Nah, I don�t think so either. And that�s a good thing, considering I don�t own anything like that. I do believe I�m going to have to go shopping. What do you say to that?�
Harold purred his response, rolling onto his back for her to rub his belly.
�Just like a man. Always after his own pleasure,� she teased, doing his bidding as she flopped on the bed. �I just wonder if Lance will be like the rest.�