“Finn…” She tried to make it come out as an admonishment, scold him for being inappropriate, but instead, it came out breathless. Like a plea for more. Her entire body warmed, her cheeks growing hot, and there was no doubt in her mind everything was written all over her face.
She finally let herself meet his eyes, only to find his even more heated than before. Like it was taking all his strength not to grab her by the ass and hoist her up so she’d be wrapped around his hips—to hell if they were in a public place or not.
“It’s nice to see your cheeks get red for somethin’ other than you being pissed at me,” he said, running the back of a finger down her warm skin. “Though I don’t mind that either. As long as you’re talkin’ to me, I’ll take what I can get.”
His acknowledgment of her arousal only made the heat bloom more. She darted her eyes around him to where Rory and Nola stood, their attention focused on the lighting offered, paying her and Finn no mind. But all it would take was once glance in their direction, and Rory would see everything. And she would never, ever let Willow live it down.
Finn looked over his shoulder to where Willow’s eyes were fixed, then he circled her wrist with two fingers and tugged her around the corner into an empty aisle. And, dammit, but that was both better and worse. She wanted to be in a crowded store, surrounded by people, as much as she wanted it to be just the two of them, hidden and tucked away where they could do anything they wanted.
And,Lord, did she want. No more lying to herself. Which meant she didn’t trust herself around him. It was that simple. She’d proven time and time again she couldn’t be trusted in his company, and the longer she was in it, the higher the probability she’d do something totally out of character for her. Something her sister—the sister who stood only an aisle over—would have a conniption over. Something she’d hold over Willow’s head for eternity, right after sharing it with their daddy.
But Willow forgot about all that when Finn tugged her to him, sliding an arm around her to press against the small of her back. He didn’t stop until their fronts were flush, an intimate touch that was absolutely inappropriate for the middle of the hardware store…and for two people who weren’t a couple.
And yet Willow didn’t push him away. With hands resting against his chest, she stood stock-still and stared up at him. His lips curved into the tiniest smile before he leaned down, bringing his face closer to hers. She panted—there was no other word for it. Her breaths came shallow and fast, her fingers curling into the material of the T-shirt covering all that muscled goodness Finn hid under his clothes.
He was going to kiss her again.
And…she was going tolethim. She wanted that kiss more than her next breath, wanted to feel those warm lips of his against hers, wanted the sinful slide of his tongue along her own. He was so close, she could nearly taste the sweet tang of his tongue. But instead of pressing his mouth to hers, he brushed his lips across her cheek before nuzzling her neck as he inhaled deeply. She went boneless, certain the only thing holding her up was his arm around her, solid and sure.
Against her ear, he whispered, “You ready to stop ignorin’ what’s between us?” He pressed a light kiss on that heavenly place behind her ear—the one he’d learned at eighteen was her weakness. “Because I am. I’m here and ready whenever you are. I’ve thought about that kiss every damn second since it happened. Played it out a hundred different ways, and they all end the same, Willowtree. With me inside you.”
The floor might as well have vanished beneath her, the aisle of decorative hardware surrounding her fading into nothing as she did the only thing she could. Sheclungto him. She gripped his shirt in her fingers, and he tightened his arm around her in response, holding her up and against him. They were as close as they could be in public, every hard inch of him pressing against her, and yet it wasn’t enough. She wantedmore. Despite knowing better, despite everything that’d happened between them, she wanted more.
“Will?” Rory called out from the other aisle, making Willow jump, the trance broken.
After another kiss behind her ear and a deep inhale, Finn stepped back. His eyes were heavy, his lips parted, and she couldn’t stop herself from dropping her gaze to the front of his jeans where his arousal was clear as day as it strained against the denim. For her.
“I have to go.”
He nodded once, just a slow dip of his chin, his eyes never leaving hers. Reaching up, he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “Anytime, Willowtree,” he said, his voice low and gritty as he dropped his hand and stepped back from her. “Remember that. Anytime.”
And then he turned and walked away, down the aisle and around the corner before Rory and Nola could find them together. All Willow could do was stare at his retreating form.
Stare and daydream about what it’d be like if she actually gave in.
Willow had slept like shit the night before, her body overheated and her dreams a constant reel of what’d happened yesterday in the hardware store. At three a.m., she’d been desperate, having jolted herself from yet another dream before she could climax, and slipped her fingers into her panties to get herself off. And though she had finally gotten relief, that relief had come to thoughts of Finn—something she hadn’t done inyears. Worse, though, was that she’d woken for the day with him still on her mind, the images she’d used of the two of them together as she’d made herself come popping up at the most inopportune times.
Like while she was at work.
She sorted the papers on her desk, trying to get her mind on her schedule for the day instead what Finn’s body would look like now that he’d fully developed into a man. She’d gotten a glimpse of it at Ty’s house, but she wanted to see more. Wanted tofeelmore. She had about a hundred fifty-seven things to tend to before her daddy got back tomorrow, and not one of them was Finn’s dick, which kept flitting through her mind despite her attempts to block it.
“Hey, girl,” Avery said as she strolled into the outer office. She powered on her computer and tucked her purse away. “I’ll be right in.”
Good. Maybe having her best friend in her office would stop Willow from picturing herself tracing the willow tree tattoo on Finn’s side…with her tongue.
“Since you’re here, I’ll assume you didn’t commit a felony against Rory last night.” Avery sat in the chair across from Willow, prepared for their daily morning meeting with a pen and pad of paper in hand. “What did—” She cut off when she finally glanced up at Willow. “What’s happening? What’s going on here?”
Shit. Avery was too observant for her good. Or for Willow’s good anyway.
Willow shifted in her seat, figuring playing dumb was her safest bet. “What do you mean?”
“Imean, what’s with your face?” Avery gestured in Willow’s general vicinity.
“Um…I tried a new blush this morning?”
Avery snorted then pointed her pen at Willow. “Bullshit. Something happened.” She gasped and leaned forward, resting her elbows on Willow’s desk. “WithFinn?”
“No, not with Finn.” Willow avoided Avery’s narrowed gaze until she’d bounced her eyes onto every flat surface in her office. When Willow glanced back at her, Avery’s eyebrow was raised in silent judgment. “Okay, fine. Yes, with Finn.”
