Lainey huffed. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you. Us.”
Finn returned to the bed and climbed in beside her, brushing a piece of hair from her cheek. “Lainey,” he murmured. “Seeing you laugh reminds me of everything I’ve missed.”
Her breath caught. But then reality pushed at the edges like it always did.
She reached for his hand. “Finn, I want you. I do. But we have to talk to Luke first.”
His smile faded. “I know.” He leaned in and kissed her. “And we will. Together. No matter what happens, we’ll face it together. Okay?”
She nodded.
Finn grinned, some of the teasing light back in his eyes. “Then come here, sweetheart. I have a condom, and I know how to use it.”
Lainey giggled. “That was … so cheesy.”
“Cheesy but true.” He rolled the condom on.
Then he kissed her deeply, thoroughly, and Lainey melted in his arms. She was soaked. Dripping. Her body was aching with need.
“Now, Finn,” she breathed.
He looked deep into her eyes. Saw what he was looking for. Rolled on top of her, bracing himself on his elbows, and he slowly pushed inside. Stopping to make sure she was okay.
Lainey huffed. She tightened her legs around him and pulled him in closer.
“So, it’s gonna be like that, huh?” he said, grinning.
“Move it or lose it, cowboy.”
“Your wish is my command, sweetheart.” He pulled out all the way, then slammed back into her. Again. And again. Their bodies found a familiar rhythm.
The sensations washed fast over Lainey. Too fast.
“Finn, I’m gonna…” But the words dissolved into a cry as she came hard, her whole body shuddering. She screamed his name. He groaned her name as he followed, burying himself deep one last time before stilling.
They lay there for a long moment, their breath ragged, their hearts beating.
Eventually, Finn moved off her, kissed her once more and got up to take care of the condom.
When he came back, he slid in beside her and smiled. “You are so beautiful when you come. I can’t wait to see that for the rest of my life.”
Then he frowned a little. “That is, if everything goes okay with Luke.”
Lainey sighed and sat up. “Luke’s a good kid. Smart. He’s going to love you.”
“I hope so. I know it’s going to take a while.”
He glanced at his watch. “We’ve got a little more than an hour before school’s over. Let’s clean up, take a breath. Then when you’re ready, we tell him the truth as best we can.”
She curled into him, letting the moment settle.
She didn’t know exactly how Luke would react. But Lainey knew this: Finn was part of her life now.
And she could see the future. It included Finn.
CHAPTER 37
Finn tookanother swallow of coffee. He shouldn’t have had it. His stomach was doing flip-flops, worse than anything he’d faced in a combat zone. Lainey had gone to pick up Luke, and that left him with nothing but time on his hands wondering. What if Luke hated him? What if the boy thought he had abandoned him on purpose?
