Whiskey Kisses (29 page)
Authors: Addison Moore
“So what do you think?” Laney’s eyes elongate as she sticks her finger down her throat.
“The first band was definitely the best.” Baya nods with such exuberance I almost think she means it. They sounded like shit, though. But that’s the nice thing about Baya, she always seems to find the silver lining. I’m glad Laney has someone like Baya in her life.
“Ryder says there’s a wild card tonight.” Roxy looks over her shoulder at her brother. “He and Holt went scouting off campus and found a garage band to shake up the votes.”
“Nice,” I say. Holt vaguely mentioned something about it. Strange that he didn’t go into detail. We’ve been inseparable lately. “You never know who can swoop in last minute and steal the win.” Sort of the way Holt swooped in and won my heart. I don’t know if I’d call it the last minute, but for sure my sanity was beginning to fray in all sorts of unflattering directions.
Holt pops up from behind and lands a kiss on top of my head. “Can I get you girls something to drink?”
Roxy holds up a finger. “Pink Panty Dropper.”
“Buttery Nipple.” Baya shrugs as she says it.
“Between the Sheets.” Laney winks over at Ryder as he and Bryson head over.
“And you?” Holt kneels down beside me. His eyes glow in this dim light. His smile is dazzling and electric.
“A strawberry daiquiri. Make it a vir—make it whiskey.” I lean into this beautiful man who is all mine from head to toe. “Make it anyway you like it.”
His lids hood low. That lewd smile dips into his cheeks, and my panties want to slide off voluntarily.
Holy hotness, I’ll never get over the fact that Holt Edwards is a god that has come down to live among us.
“Make mine whiskey, too,” Roxy is the first to abandon her sexed up drink.
“Me, too.” Baya pushes her shoulder into Laney.
“Me three.” My sister is quick to cave.
“What’s up?” Bryson asks as the boys join us.
“It’s about to rain whiskey,” I say, and I have no idea why. Obviously Holt is much better at persuading people to purchase hard liquor than I would have guessed. If he keeps this superpower up, the bar has the potential to double its take in a month.
The microphone squeals as Cole introduces the next band in the lineup.
“Let’s hear it for the wild card pick of the evening,
Twelve Deadly Sins!
” The crowd whoops it up as if it were the second coming of the Beatles. “Let’s get some thunder going on up here!” Cole incites the bar into a riotous howl. The tables, the floor vibrates as a thousand coeds harness the ability to split the atom by way of stomping their stilettos.
Cole comes back and joins us just as one of the waitresses brings a rectangular bottle filled with our own brand of liquid gold—whiskey. Holt sits next to me and wraps his arm around my waist. It’s been a week since the incident, and he’s healing nicely, just a few stitches up by his forehead that have yet to be removed.
Bryson pours us each a shot.
“Let’s toast.” Bryson nods over to me, and we all lift our glasses. “To Izzy and Holt. Make it last forever.”
“
Forever
.” We each touch our glasses to one another until it sounds as if a xylophone is filling the air with its crisp, clear hum.
Holt leans in and brushes my cheek with a kiss.
“Why are they toasting us?” I whisper.
“Because they know I’m about to do this.”
Holt drops to one knee, and a tiny jar appears in his hand. Painted on the side it reads
Wishes and Dreams
. He unscrews the lid, and I’m momentarily blinded by the glittering rock inside.
“Elizabeth Sawyer, would you do me the honor and make all of my wishes and dreams come true? Would you be my wife?”
I take in a breath and clap my hand over my mouth. Holt is proposing. Holt wants to spend the rest of his life with me. All of the faces staring my way melt into the background, the music fades—the room feels as if it’s slipping away into another dimension, and it’s just Holt and me sharing this intimate moment.
The music shifts to a slow song, and the lights dim as the coeds scream with approval.
“How about it, Iz?” His cheek slides up one side just the way I like it, and my insides melt. “You in?”
“Yes,
God
yes.” I fall over him, tangling myself up in Holt and this beautiful love we share. Holt slips the ring on my finger and blesses it with a kiss.
The lyrics start, and I hear my name.
Izzy, the first time I saw you—I knew it was you for me right from the beginning…
“Holt, they said my name.”
“I know they did, kitten.” Holt pulls me up. “I asked them to. I found these guys last week, and they worked with me until we nailed it. This song is for you, Iz. I helped write it.” He buries a scorching kiss onto my lips.
“
Holt!
You didn’t have to do that.” My cheeks flush with heat. “But I’m glad you did.”
“They’re playing our song”—he nods toward the dance floor—“shall we?”
“By all means.” I can’t believe this gorgeous man is going to be my husband. I can’t believe this wild card of a band is singing a song that sounds as if the lyrics were ripped straight from my soul. Mostly, I can’t believe any of this is my life.
Holt leads us to the dance floor, right into the heart of the crowd as a sea of coeds look on.
“You’re incredible, you know that?” I say as we wrap our arms around one another and sway to the music just like we did that first night we kissed.
“It’s just a reflection of who you are. You ready to do this life thing with me?”
“I don’t think I can do it any other way.”
The band sings,
Just give me some more of your whiskey kisses, I can’t get enough of those whiskey kisses, and when the night comes to an end and we’re holding each other tight, I whisper—you in, and you say…”
“All the way, baby.” I whisper directly into Holt’s ear as the band finishes the song.
Holt pulls back and gives the hint of his bone-melting grin. He crashes his lips to mine, and the bar, all of Hollow Brook fades away.
Oh, yeah.
I’m all in.
*Thank you for reading
Whiskey Kisses
(3:AM Kisses #4). If you enjoyed this book please consider leaving a review at your point of purchase.
Look for
Rock Candy Kisses
(3:AM Kisses #5) Annie’s story coming soon!
Big thank you to all of my wonderful readers that have enjoyed and supported the 3:AM Kisses series from the beginning. It was such a pleasure giving you Holt and Izzy’s story. I hope you’ve had fun with the previous adventures at Whitney Briggs University, and I look forward to sharing more with you. Big hugs to all! I love you guys!
To my spectacular proofreaders and betas, Christina Kendler, Rachel Tsoumbakos, Kathryn Jacoby, Rachel Dick, Delphina Miyares, words cannot express enough how grateful I am to you! Christina Kendler, you have no idea how blessed I feel to have you take time out of your insanely busy life to do the things you do for me. I’m deeply indebted and thankful for all of your hard work. Rachel Tsoumbakos, you are an Aussie rock star and a word ninja of the highest order! I am so humbled to know you. Kathryn Jacoby, boy am I ever glad we met! You are an angel. Your keen eyes are like no other. A million words couldn’t express how thankful I am for you. Rachel Dick, I have such mad love for you girl! I know you are so busy with your own life and that makes me that much more thankful that you would read for me. Huge thank you for that. Delphina Miyares! You truly are a super reader and a super person. Your input has saved me countless times. Thank you to the moon and back for lending me your beautiful mind. I cannot wait to go to dinner with you again. This must happen.
To Sarah Freese, my saving grace, who puts up with far more than she ever should. How do I thank you for the countless hours and late night interruptions that I’ve put you through? Thank you for always having the answer. I heart you like crazy, girl.
Finally, to Him who sits on the throne; worthy is the Lamb. Your word is manna for my hungry soul. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. You alone are enough. I owe you everything.
Addison Moore is a
New York Times
,
USA Today
, and
Wall Street Journal
bestselling author who writes contemporary and paranormal romance. Her work has been featured in
Cosmopolitan
magazine. Previously she worked for nearly a decade as a therapist on a locked psychiatric unit. She resides with her husband, four wonderful children, and two dogs on the West Coast where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she's not writing, she's reading.
Feel free to visit her blog at:
http://addisonmoorewrites.blogspot.com
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