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“Oh, not you. Sweet wholesome Holly Winters?”
“Shut it, sister dear.”
Holly watched Declan, but he didn’t get reeled in for another dance, instead heading back to the bar to join the rest of the guys. A rush of relief swirled through her as the gorgeous woman moved on to a man at the edge of the dance floor.
“That’s a rather satisfied smile,” Merry said.
Holly stopped smiling, setting her face into a blank mask. “Don’t know what you mean.”
“Holly, if you like Declan, why don’t you stop playing games and go for it?”
“He’s the one playing games. One minute he’s kissing me and the next I’m nothing that he wants and we should just quit now.”
“Ah, that sounds familiar.”
“What do you mean?”
“Clark didn’t want to get involved with me for similar reasons. What about the farm? Jace? We had a lot riding on whether or not we’d work out.”
“The difference is I don’t want a relationship with Declan. I just—”
“What?”
I wish I could stop thinking about him.
“I think I’ll stop having this attraction to Declan if I can get him out of my system, but he keeps taking a step back every time I think we’re headed somewhere good.”
“Maybe Declan pulls away because he wants more and is afraid to take that step and lose you?”
Holly scoffed. “Please, the man wants to leave Mistletoe in his rear view. I think he doesn’t enjoy feeling vulnerable and I like to know things about the people I go to bed with.”
“Really? What things? Is there a list of questions you ask before you do the deed?”
“Mock me if you will, but while I joke about hating sex and one-night stands, I don’t go to bed with people unless I genuinely like them.”
“And you don’t like Declan?”
“I didn’t for a long time, but the last few weeks I’ve seen flashes of this man I could like. But then he’s back to behaving like a pessimistic bastard and I just think maybe it’s not worth it. I’ll just buzz my lust for Declan into oblivion.”
“Buzz your—oh!” Merry covered her face with a laugh. “You are such a turd.”
“It’s part of the little sister handbook. Gotta keep you on your toes.”
All of the men came back to the table, with Tara, Sally, and Sam in tow. Sam took the seat next to Holly and before he was fully settled, Sally plopped down on his lap. Holly noticed Pike’s face tighten before he turned his attention to Delilah, who was talking with her hands animatedly. Holly knew Pike and Sally had dated for almost six months. It couldn’t be easy watching someone you cared about hanging all over someone else.
“Hey Sally, can I borrow your seatmate for a minute? I love this song.”
Sam shot her a look of gratitude and started to dislodge Sally, but the other woman gave Holly a dark expression. “Really, Holly? A table full of men and you have to take Sam?”
It took Holly a second too late to realize how the move must have looked, and she stammered, “We’re just good friends and I know he can dance so—”
“I can dance,” a quiet voice spoke up from across the table.
Holly turned toward Declan, blinking her wide eyes. “What?”
“I said, I can dance.” He shrugged. “Why not dance with me?”
Holly could think of a half dozen reasons, including his lackluster emoji choices, but rather than play out the dramatic little scene with Sally, she cleared her throat.
