Finn looked up, his expression unreadable. “Yeah,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Good luck.”
Sam nodded and turned away, biting back the disappointment that threatened to overwhelm her. She’d put herself out there, hadn’t she? She’d let him know that she was … willing to … She tightened the towel around her. She didn’t know what exactly she was willing to do with Finn. All she knew was that things had changed between them and now that they had, she desperately wanted more from him. But he didn’t seem willing to play ball.
7
Finn
Finn’s gaze followed Sam as she tiptoed across the balcony, her towel tightly wrapped around her body, and whoa, what a body. He ran a hand through his damp hair, leaving it standing on end, feeling what he was starting to recognize as a familiar tension around his chest.What just happened?He’d beensoclose to kissing her, to changing everything between them—forever. The way her eyes had locked on his when they’d— He took a breath. And the way her cheeks had flushed as he’d stared at her— Oh God—she was stunning. More beautiful than he’d really ever noticed, which felt strange. This wasn’t the first time they’d seen each other in a hot tub, but somehow it had felt far more intimate than anything else he’d ever experienced. More private. Loaded. Like something between them had shifted without permission.
That swimsuit—he groaned quietly. He’d another raging hard-on—thank God for the bubbles hiding how hard he was. It was starting to become a regular habit,getting turned on when she was around. He pressed his lips together, unhappy at how he was thinking about her. Sam wasn’t just some girl he wanted to get with. She was more than that and had been from the moment they’d made their pact. She was more than how she’d looked; he knew that. It was everything that she was: the way she thought, the questions she asked him, the way she inspired him to get up and keep going even when he wanted to just give it all up. What he loved about her most was the way she was always just herself. His head snapped up. That was it—she was acting very unlike herself this evening … even down to the swimsuit she’d worn.
Had she chosen that suit on purpose—maybe she’d wanted him to unzip it, to run his hands over her smooth skin, to grasp her hair and tilt her head back so that her only option was to kiss him. He groaned. He’d wanted it, butno, she clearly hadn’t wanted it. She couldn’t have. Sam had never been backwards about being forwards—she didn’t believe in that. She believed in equality, especially in love, or lust. All that talk about breaking stupid rules though … had that been her making a move?Damn. Had he misread the signs?
His mind raced. He had a sinking feeling that he’d made a mistake, like he should’ve shut his mouth about the qualies later. He should have ignored his mind telling him that if Sam wanted him then she’d have made the first move because that’s what she’d always done—he’d seen her do it so many times with other men. Finn stared at Sam’s back as she straightened her shoulders. There was something in the way Sam was holding herself that made him feel she was upset,and whatever it was, he couldn’t let her leave this way. His erection subsided as he watched her shoulders slump.
“Sam?” His heart hammered as he shifted in the tub. She didn’t turn back, just adjusted her towel, wrapping it like a shield around her gorgeous body. “What’s going on? Why are you acting like this?”
“I’m not acting like anything,” Sam said, her words guarded. “I need to go, that’s all.” She shook her head as if shaking away the words she truly wanted to say to him. And it hit him, like a snowplow doing ninety in a fifty zone—unexpected, forceful and impossible to ignore. He couldn’t love her more. Her face was tight with emotion, her eyes bright, too bright. She’d pulled the towel up around her shoulders now as if she didn’t want to expose anything of herself to him anymore. Her eyes flicked to him, and she gave a small smile. Before he could say another word, she’d opened the door and stepped inside. The door behind her closed with a soft click.
Finn was left in the steam, his mind racing a thousand miles a minute. Was it possible that Sam—
The door opened and Maya bounded out onto the balcony, waving her phone. “You won’t believe the amazing shots I got of you two. The fans are going to love this—you guys are hot! I predict a sponsorship deal in no time.”
“She told you?” He slipped lower into the hot water.
“Oh, she did, as you should’ve guessed.”
“Right.”
“Listen, I am here for it, Finn. I got you and our girl all the way. Cross my heart.” Maya leaned a hip against the outer wall of the hot tub, holding her phone in front of Finn.Steam billowed around the phone but through the misty air Finn could see the photo Maya had captured so perfectly.
Him and Sam, their skin tinted warm peach by the hot tub lights, were leaning toward each other, wholly engrossed in one another. Sam’s zipper was low; his tattoo was bold. The mountains in the background were a blur and the steam swirled around them enticingly. The caption read:
Steam, stars, and stolen moments. Steaming up together before heating up the competition. #QualifyingForYourHeart #HotTubConfessions #MeltingPoint
Already the replies and likes were coming in hot and heavy with suggestions as to what exactly qualified as a hot tub confession. Finn half laughed, his mind still on Sam.
“Maya, this is crazy.”
“It’s brilliant,” Maya said. “Marketing 101. Sex sells.”
“There wasn’t any sex!” Finn blurted.
Maya looked at him, her face scrunched up laughing. “I know! Bet you wanted it though. I can see it—the camera never lies.”
Finn rubbed his hands over his face, scratching at his stubble as the bubbles rolled around him. “Ah, Maya, that’s …”
“Sorry.” Maya laughed. “But who wouldn’t! It’s so romantic out here, and you two are bloody gorgeous. Why you’re not actually together is a mystery to me.”
“We’re friends,” Finn mumbled, his heart low. “Best friends.”
“All the best couples are,” Maya chirped. “Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I’m on your side—I want you guys to get what you deserve. Valestré should’ve been Sam’s, and now she’s got to fight twice as hard as before.”
Finn closed his eyes briefly. “And then some.”
Maya nodded. “I know, but I promise you that I will make sure you guys get your sponsorships.”
“You’re a star, Maya, thank you,” Finn said. “I really appreciate that. I just hope that no one sees through us. And that Coach Harrington doesn’t catch wind of it either.”
