I focus, digging my fingernails into the wood frame. “We need to talk.”
“It’s late.”
“And I’ll be up all night if we don’t fix this. I have a feeling you’ll be doing the same.”
The blue hue beneath her eyes worries me as much as it reassures me that she’s in the same boat I am. It’s not just me suffering. I was just the first to break.
“Let me in. Just for a few minutes,” I murmur.
She exhales, and my gut twinges at how heavy it sounds. Her eyes are dull as she steps to the side, making room for me to enter her place. The door closes behind me, and I do a quick sweep of the condo, like I need the reassurance that nobody else has been here.
There’s no sign that she’s had company, which I already knew.Fuck.
Without a word, I watch as she goes straight for the fridge and grabs two cans of Dr Pepper. When she offers me one, I take them both and crack them open before handing hers back. Her lips lift at the corners before dropping, her throat working with a swallow.
“This is awkward,” she admits, turning toward the living room.
I chuckle, following. She sits on the couch, directly on the middle cushion, and I relax just enough to take a proper breath, knowing that she doesn’t want too much distance between us. Joining her, I let my thigh press against hers, creating a soft connection that I wait to see if she breaks.
When she doesn’t, I push forward. “I don’t like when we don’t talk, Bree.”
“I don’t, either.”
“So talk to me. Tell me how to fix this because I don’t want?—”
She twists. I blink, and she’s in front of me, perched on her knees with two hands on my shoulders. I swallow the rest of my sentence and press my lips tightly together, too afraid of spooking her. Heat blasts through me, curling beneath her touch and spiralling outward. The weight of her hands feels better than anything has since she kissed me.
“You didn’t do anything that needs fixing. I was the one who kissed you, Finn. You’re not allowed to blame yourself for anything.” Her eyes flick between mine. “I want you to tell me if you hated it. Or if you wish I hadn’t done it because you think it made things weird between us.”
“I’m not going to lie,” I rasp, sounding as wrecked as I feel.
“I don’t want you to.”
“Then what do you want?”
It sounds simple, but it couldn’t be further from it. The question is heavy, loaded with everything I can’t put into words just yet. I search her expression for any hint as to how she’s feeling, only to find pure desire. I blink a few times to clear my vision. But no, it’s still there. The want burning in the deep blue of her eyes hasn’t been replaced with cool indifference.
My heart leaps. I feel the heavy weights of my hands in my lap as I force myself not to reach over and pull her into my arms. She’s still holding me, her thumbs stroking my shoulders at aslow, cautious pace. I bite down on my tongue and grow stiff with restraint.
“I don’t know,” she finally whispers. Her gaze drifts over my face before falling to my mouth, lingering. “Nothing good.”
“Tell me.”
I snap my eyes down to where she grabs my hand and starts to guide it. She brings it to her stomach, and I suck in a breath, fingers twitching but not reaching out despite how badly I want to feel her properly. The silk robe pinches beneath my palm, rising when she continues moving my hand.
“I’m . . . what if . . .” She trails off, her lip nestled between her teeth.
My blood roars when I cup her breast, her movement stalling. Her nipple is pebbled, poking through the robe and scraping against my skin. The flutter of her lashes draws a desperate groan up my throat. I watch her while I squeeze, applying pressure to the heavy softness.
I lean closer, unashamed of how helpless I sound when I ask, “You’re what?”
She tugs on my hand, and then it’s moving again. Over the swell of her breasts and to the bare skin exposed by the robe now slouching down her shoulder, she sweeps my fingers up her body. My nails drag over the goosebumps, and I inhale the warm scent of vanilla lotion, flicking my eyes up to watch her features tighten and then relax.
“Am I going crazy?”
“No,” I answer instantly.
“I need to know if it was just one time. If we were just confused.”
