I nodded. So did Finn. Our eyes were locked. If they’d left, I couldn’t tell you. I was fixed on Finn and ready to push him behind a stage and have my way with him. This was really, really not me…atall.
“I can’t believe I found you,” he said, finally breaking the silence. His hand reached out and touched my arm. The contact sent shivers to the tips of my toes. “I’ve been lookingeverywhere.”
“Well, FYI, I’d never be where you just came from.” I gestured to hisblinkingbody.
“Is it too much? I was just trying to impress you. When they were handing out the bling, I was like, load me up ‘cuz I know this girl who’s totally going to digthisshit’.”
“The only part of your get up I’m jonesing for is that drink inyourhand.”
“Say no more.Followme.”
We navigated our way through crowds of people. I was having trouble staying with him as stoned zombies pushedamongus.
Finn stopped suddenly, and I ran into his back. “My god. Is he banging her? On a porta-potty?”
I followed his stunned gaze to see a couple going at it, smashed up against the portable toilet facilities. She was wearing an American flag tank top, and her denim shorts were bunched down around her cowboy boots. “Nowthere’san uncomplicated girl,” I said, laughing out loud at the absurdity ofitall.
“God bless her,” Finn added, nodding as his head bobbed to theirthrusts.
The two of us just stood there and watched, mesmerized. And we weren’t the only ones. A crowd of people circled around the couple, cheering on the two like prizefighters in the ring. They went at it for an impressively long period of time, seemingly unfazed by their audience until the woman hit a crescendo and screamed out in ecstasy. Finn, looking sufficiently impressed, took a sip of his drink and then bent down and reflected, “It’s times like these I’m proud to beAmerican.”
My eyes fluttered over him. Damn, he wasadorable.
“You ready, or should we wait and see if she’s got one more in her?” Finnasked.
“Nah, I’m predicting she’s a one-hit wonder. Let’s get outofhere.”
He held his hand outtome.
I didn’t do hand holding. Not that I’d really had the opportunity, but still. It always seemed so gooey andsweet.
He immediately picked up on my apprehension. “So I don’t lose you to thedarkside.”
I continued to stare at his hand like an idiot. What did it matter if I took it? It wasn’t like one hundred years of the feminist movement would be shattered if I accepted. Finn smiled at me like my inner conflict amused him. This was ridiculous. What the hell was the big deal? To the dark side! I slipped my hand in his; and of course his palm, like the rest of him, was hot and sweaty. Oh, lord. I was so out of my element.Just go withit,Emma.
Finn led me to an open-air bar and snagged us a little table, pulling the chair out for me like a gentleman. After ordering our drinks, he took the seat opposite me. We held each other’s stare until, suddenly, I felt suspiciously short ofbreath.
“Sooo, first off, I’ve got to thank you. What you did today… I still can’t believe it. It’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever doneforme.”
Taken off guard by his sincerity, I could do nothing but nod. He must have had a shitty upbringing if that was the best thing he couldremember.
“And secondly, I’m really happy you agreed to have a drink with me. I didn’t think youwould.”
“Whynot?”
“I don’t know. You seemed, uh… donewithme.”
“Done with you?” Iquestioned.
“Like I’d worn out mywelcome.”
Yep. That was probably how I’d come off to him. I definitely needed to work harder on first impressions. Jake wasright.
“Well, you didn’t. I wanted to callyou,but…”
“I get it. You’ve obviously got plans thisweekend.”
“No, that’s not it. The truth is, you scare me alittlebit.”
