Page 49 of Holden
“I can drive,” he offered after they put their shoes on.
“Ah, yes.” Holden stood up and shook himself into shape. “The new car. Let’s see it.”
Holden took Bryce’s hand after he locked the apartment, and there was something so freeing about it. He’d neverwasted adaywith anyone before, but he was ready for Holden to be his first. In many things, apparently. Down on the street, Bryce unlocked the car and Holden gave the BMW a quick appraisal before pulling open the passenger door and sinking into the black leather seat.
“What do you think?” Bryce asked.
“It’s nice.”
“I thought so.” He turned the car on and unrolled the windows to let some fresh air in. The car smelled a little bit like weed even though Bryce didn’t smoke. “Where is our first stop?”
Holden plugged an address into the nav and then reached over the console to take Bryce’s hand. Even without using his words, Holden saidso muchsometimes Bryce found it overwhelming…in the best way. In thehe wanted more of itway.
Whatever place Holden had decided on for lunch was just over half an hour away, and the directions called for him to go west, so that’s where Bryce headed. He turned on the radio, enjoying the feel of Holden’s hand in his while he drove. Holden didn’t say much, but when Bryce asked him questions, he answered. By the time they reached Santa Monica, Bryce knew how long Holden had been tattooing for, what his favorite movie was, what he liked to do in his spare time when he wasn’t barebacking Bryce, and a slew of other inconsequential facts. He’d offered all of his own answers to Holden in return, who nodded quietly with a smile on his face.
“Noted,” Holden murmured, tapping his temple after Bryce pulled into a metered spot a few blocks from the beach.
“Where are we going?”
The two of them got out of the car and Holden took his hand again, squeezing his fingers before leading him a couple blocks away from the beach toward a little taco shop that wasn’t much more than a hole in the wall with a sliding window and a menu on a folding easel board.
“What is it with you and places like this?” Bryce teased, thinking back to the cafe around the corner from Ink and Ember Merrick had sent them to his first day in LA. That hadn’t been too long ago, but it felt like a lifetime. How had Bryce met—and fallen in love with—someone in such a short amount of time?
“I know what I like.”
Bryce hummed. “You certainly do.”
They stood quietly together in line, and Bryce leaned his head against the outside of Holden’s shoulder. It was nice, he thought, finding the quiet outside of the bedroom. To Bryce, it was more proof he’d chosen right, that Holden’s love was as safe as he thought it was.
When it was their turn in line, Holden ordered for him and Bryce continued to relax. His shoulders sagged, his fingers softened in Holden’s grip. He wasn’t trying to pull away, but he trusted Holden’s feelings for him and also didn’t feel like he needed to hold on so hard. So much of his life with Merrick had been a fight for attention, for love, for resources. With Holden, everything he offered was freely given with no moderation in sight. Holden gave and gave and gave to him, and Bryce had never been able to take so freely. He knew his relationship with Holden couldn’t stay a secret forever, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t want this to himself for just a little longer.
Ten minutes later, Holden grabbed a brown paper bag with a dozen street tacos inside of it, took Bryce’s hand again, and led them back toward PCH. Bryce didn’t say how happy it made him to let Holden take the lead. He didn’t think he had to.
They made their way to the short concrete wall of the boardwalk and both of them sat down, the food between them. Bryce watched quietly as Holden meticulously pulled out all the tacos and arranged them on top of the bag.
“Are you going to feed me too?” he joked, grabbing one of the foil-wrapped tacos and tearing into it.
The scent of marinated pork and pineapple wafted up to his nose and Bryce made an indecent sound when he breathed it in. Holden shot him a scathing look, his own taco in hand.
“Save it for later,” Holden muttered.
Bryce laughed and took another bite of his taco. It really was delicious and well worth the drive to Venice. Behind them, people skated and jogged down the boardwalk, and before them, the waves crashed onto the shore. There was so much noise, so much happening around them, but it was just him and Holden. The two of them in a little bubble that apparently could extend past the bedroom.
They ate all twelve tacos, and then Bryce took care of the trash before Holden could get up. When he came back to the wall, Holden pulled him close, one arm around his waist and the outsides of their legs touching.
“I could get used to this,” Bryce said softly, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth as the sun beat down on the top of his head.
“The beach?”
“You.”
Holden’s fingers flexed against his side. “I didn’t tell you earlier, but?—”
Holden was interrupted before he could get the words out. What Bryce imagined would have been Holden’s first time using the L-word with him instead turned into the sound of Merrick saying Holden’s name.
Holden’s fingers twitched against him again, and he moved to pull his arm back. Bryce didn’t stop him, and neither of them dared to breathe. So much for his little bubble of peace with Holden, so much for their secret.
“Bryce?” His own name fell out of his brother’s mouth with much more surprise than he’d offered Holden’s. “What are you two doing here?”
