CHAPTER FOURTEEN
RILEY
Well, I fucked up royally and had sex with my enemy.
Immediately, I delete the line and try again.
I’ve got a real-life plot twist that you’re never going to believe.
Again, I delete the words. I’m sitting at the little kitchen table in my boxers. It’s been a couple days since the con and the explosive hookup with Finn, and I’m still reeling.
Whatever the hell happened between us, it was a fluke. A glitch in the matrix. The chances that he would show up to that panel are next to zero, and something about it broke my brain.
I surprised myself when I kissed him. It surprised me even more when he kissed me back.
And when we found our way to bed, I couldn’t stop staring up at him, my eyes fixed on his face, the way his features curled and tensed with pleasure. Every moan was a reward that I drew out of him. Typically, I’d want to take my time and enjoy something like that, but we were caught up in a forbidden frenzy, hidden from the con by only the door of the hotel room. It felt like I could lose him at any moment, the opportunity ripped away from us, and I raced toward our greedy, sweaty satisfaction.
Unlike any hookup I’ve known before.
I shake my head, chasing the thoughts away. It doesn’t change the way I feel about Finn, and it doesn’t change our situation, either. We were both clear about that.
But for some reason, I can’t bring myself to tellMorningEnthusiastabout this latest development. He’s the person I would typically share vulnerable stuff like this with, safely anonymous. And I trust his advice and perspective, too. We’re different from each other in lots of ways, but also, he understands me. He’s clear-eyed and insightful, and I learn something whenever he shares his thoughts.
As I sit there, I start to admit the truth to myself. I don’t want to tell MorningEnthusiast about Finn because I like the fantasy that MorningEnthusiast and I are together, even though I know that’s not true. Especially since learning we’re both in New York, the possibility that he could become something more, something real, lingers.
He claims I’ve got a streak of optimism hidden inside me, but I’ve resolved myself against actually meeting and spoiling our good thing. Telling him that I hooked up with someone else feels especially complicated, like it would be closing a door. Instead, I stick to our regular script.
Great idea adding the psychic link between these guys. Now that our heroes have fucked their way out of the pocket dimension, they’re going to have a hell of a difficult time keeping those fantasies secret from each other…
I catch a glimpse of the time and see that I better get moving. After wolfing down the rest of my cereal, I grab a to-go cup of coffee and head to the garage. The morning is getting started with a steady pace of business, and I’m pleased to see the teamall working together smoothly. Since I arranged them back to a logical working order, they’ve been exceeding my expectations and keeping largely professional, too.
But Pride is approaching, and I know the crew is getting ready to let loose. Chase has got a party planned that we need to discuss as well.
I note a few employees using the side door, rolling bikes out in accordance with the new rules I implemented. Satisfied, I head to the office to go over business with Chase. Before he arrives, though, there’s a knock at the door, and I look up to see Finn.
He’s neatly dressed in a light green collared shirt and tan trousers, all nicely fitting his slim body. There’s a file folder tucked under one arm, and he stands with perfectly straight posture and a smile that I can tell is professional, not as bright as the easy, wide smile I remember from the picnic when we first met and his brown eyes seemed to sparkle.
And nothing like that gorgeous, moaning face I saw in the hotel.
Emotions lurch through me. The frustration that I associate with him bubbles up, but it’s complicated now that I know what it’s like to kiss him and feel his body against mine. And it is much more difficult to ignore how hot he is. I’m hit with a surprising jolt of need, a desire for him to want me, or like me, or something. A part of me is even glad to see him, but I quickly manage to wrestle that down and bury it away.
“Finn,” I say as I cautiously stand from behind the desk. He couldn’t be here because he wants to see me after our hotel encounter, could he? “Come in.”
He casts his eyes around as he steps into the office. “I was hoping to catch Chase, too. I thought he came in early.”
“Usually. Just me for the next hour or two today, though.” I try my best to look neutral, unbothered, but my heart is pounding. “Something I can help you with?”
Finn nods. Maybe he glances down my body, too, checking me out, or maybe I’m just delusional.
“I wanted to drop this off. It’s a letter from me and the other residents of the block.” He pulls the folder out and removes a letter printed on a fresh piece of paper, which he presents to me, leaning forward, closer. “Some friendly suggestions that the garage could take to preserve the pedestrian-friendly atmosphere, and a few notes on ways we could collaborate with you.”
I take the letter and frown at it as I step back, doubts and insecurity rising up. My eyes dance over the words, courteous before landing on a list of recommendations, everything from quiet signs to soundproofed doors. Like he said, there’s a whole second sheet with names and signatures.
I look back up to him, and my thoughts clarify. “You all got together and decided what we should do?”
He tenses, and I feel us instinctively moving toward an argument like usual. “You didn’t leave us much choice,” he points out and then clears his throat. “And like we said,” he adds, voice hushed. “Nothing is personal between us. This is entirely a business matter.”
“Right. Business.” I look back at the paper, trying to think through this like the professional Chase hired, leaving my emotions aside. “You know, we’ve already done some of this.”
