“That’s it,” David said, grinning. “If you want to know what Maurice wants, watch him. He’s not subtle.”
Finn frowned, confused until he glanced over at Table One. Maurice was watching him. Not casually. Not politely. Watching him like Finn was the only thing in the room worth paying attention to.
The second their eyes met, Maurice’s mouth curved into that slow, devastating smile. Then he looked away, pretending he hadn’t been staring.
Finn’s stomach did a full somersault.
David snorted. “See? You don’t need me to translate that.”
Finn tried to play it cool. Failed miserably. “I’m not—I mean—I’m just…”
“It’s fine,” David said, waving him off. “He’s been looking at you like that since the second you walked in.”
Finn’s face went hot. He grabbed another card just to hide behind it. “‘Describe your perfect first date.’”
David raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you want to ask me that one? You’re barely in this conversation.”
“I’m not distracted,” Finn lied, immediately glancing over again.
Maurice had shifted his elbow on the table, chin in his hand, eyes locked on Finn as if he were studying him, memorizing him.
Finn forgot how to breathe for a second, everything narrowing to that one moment.
David laughed. “You two are going to be impossible by the next round.”
Finn slumped in his chair with the card limp in his hand. “Maybe, if we stay,” he muttered, unable to stop smiling.
David nudged him with his foot under the table. “Or maybe you should go figure out what that look means.”
Finn said nothing, but he didn’t need to.
He already knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Chapter Ten
Finn
Finn barely heard thebell over the rush in his own chest. One second David was mid-sentence, and the next Finn was already halfway out of his seat like someone had hit a launch button under him.
David laughed under his breath. “Go. Before you vibrate out of your skin.”
Finn muttered something that was probably “thank you” but came out more like a noise, and then he was weaving through the tables, trying not to look like he was sprinting—even though he absolutely was. Maurice was already standing. Of course he was. Like he’d been waiting for Finn the whole damn round. He had one hand in his pocket, the other resting lightly on the back of his chair, and his eyes tracked Finn the entire way over. Slow. Warm. Possessive in a way that made Finn’s stomach flip.
“You didn’t waste any time,” Maurice said.
Finn stopped in front of him, slightly breathless. “We, uh… finished early.”
Maurice inched closer and Finn felt the heat of him. His hand came up, fingers brushing Finn’s elbow—light, but enough to settle him. “You kept looking at me.”
Finn’s face went hot. “And you kept looking at me.”
Maurice’s smile deepened. “I wasn’t trying to hide it.”
Finn swallowed, pulse thudding. “Neither was I.”
Maurice’s thumb traced a slow line along Finn’s arm, barely there, but Finn felt it everywhere. “How was David?”
“Nice, but I don’t think he liked me.” Finn was distracted by Maurice still touching him.
