Millie:Wish I was there to see the showdown in person.
Dad:
***
Finn’s hand stays plastered to my thigh for the whole drive to my house, and he keeps a firm grip on my hips while I unlock the door. The steady contact has kept the tension between us on a low simmer, but as soon as Finn kicks my front door shut and slouches against it, everything escalates to a boil.
“Where’s Lena?” he exhales as I step between his legs, and he guides my lips closer.
“Visiting her brother this weekend.”
His hands drop into the back pockets of my jeans, and he yanks me firmly against him, burying his face in my neck. The hot slide of his tongue has my head falling back to expose more skin for him.
But we’re interrupted by a soft whine and Pepper’s nose nudging between our thighs.
“Hey, Pepper girl,” Finn says adoringly, taking his hand from my pocket and petting the top of her head.
She’s been inside for a while, so I reluctantly pull myself from the warmth of his body to let her outside. She creeps toward the back door, leveling me with a side-eye the whole way, like she was hoping for more time with Finn.
When I get back to the living room, Finn has settled on the couch, arms over the back and thighs spread wide. His head tilts, glittering blue eyes assessing me behind his glasses.
I have this insanely attractive man spread out on my couch,and my body buzzes to be near him. To slide onto his lap and kiss him. And I could. We could do anything we wanted.
But the prospect makes me nervous for some reason. I know I’m safe with him, but I’m also suddenly overwhelmed.
This isn’t a one-night stand to throw myself into, free of strings and attachments. This feels so much bigger than that.
I wring my hands in front of my jeans, and Finn’s eyes drop to catch the movement. His brows stitch together, and he unfolds his body from the couch to walk toward me.
“What’s on your mind?”
“I’m anxious and jittery,” I tell him honestly.
“Okay.” He scans around the living room like he’s looking for an idea. “What would you do if I wasn’t here? What does a normal night at home look like for you?”
A book, a bath, and a toy from the drawer in my nightstand. That’s what I’d do if he left right now.
I bite my bottom lip, hesitant to tell him the truth.
“Tell me,” he urges. “I want you to feel safe with me, and the only way I can do that is if you communicate with me.” He wraps his arms around me in a tight hug, and I exhale against his chest.
My shoulders nestle perfectly between his arms, and his chin rests against the top of my head. It’s my spot.
Safety and understanding and acceptance.
Home.
“I would read a book. Maybe take a bath.” I clear my throat. “Probably get in bed with a vibrator and think about you.”
Finn pulls back, eyes huge and muscles tense at the words that came out of my mouth. They twirl in the air between us like sweet, smoky incense.
Long eyelashes flutter against his cheeks as he blinks a fewtimes before his pupils return to their normal size. He puts his lust in a box and pushes it away until only a bit of desire shows through. “Let’s start with the book. I’ll go get our bags from Muses out of the car, and you go get into something comfortable.”
At the door, he pauses, handle in his grip as looks me up and down. “Don’t think I’m going to forget about that last part, though.”
Chapter 34
Finn
