Page 32 of Once Bitten

Chapter Thirteen

His lips on mine woke me up in the morning. I could make out the scent of coconut in the air from the Furze blossoms already, and the quiet of the Irish countryside was almost deafening compared to the white noise chaos of the early morning streets of Manhattan.

“Hmmm, good morning, sleepyhead,” he whispered against my lips before kissing me gently again.

I smiled at him, he was already showered and dressed. I’d fallen into such a deep sleep, I didn’t remember anything after falling asleep in his arms.

“Good morning,” I answered shyly, unsure of where we were going to go from here.

“I thought you might want some coffee before we drove back to the airport. For our flight.”

The airport, our flight. Back to the real world.

He handed me a small porcelain cup on a saucer, the smell of the coffee deep and strong. Just what I needed to wake me up.

Finn watched me as I took a tentative sip, testing the temperature. It was delicious, I really did want to take Doris home with me.

“Um, I’ll get up and get dressed and we can go.” Last night was so perfect I didn’t want to ruin it with talking, and I wasn’t going to be the one who brought it up first.

“Kara.” Maybe I wouldn’t have to.

“It’s ok, Finn.”

“Argh,” he clutched at his hair and glared at me. “Would you just let me talk for once?!”

I went back to my coffee.

“Last night was...insane. You drive me insane, Kara.”

“Um, tha-anks, I guess?”

“Shush! If I could hide away here forever with you, in this bed in this hotel, I would. If there was a possibility we could live our lives that way, I would. Do you get that?”

I didn’t. I didn’t think that I could live a life just as his sex toy. Well, I mean I could...but, I’d want more. So I just kept quiet.

“But I can’t do that. I have a life that needs more of me than just satisfying your every sexual need.” He winked, trying to break the ice.

“Finn, I said it’s ok. We don’t need to have this conversation. I’m not 17 anymore. We had an itch, and we scratched it. And now we can go back to what we came here for.”

“No...that’s not...argh! You’re so infuriating! Have you always been this way?”

“Probably?” I shrugged nonchalantly, even though the bottom of my stomach was free falling. I didn’t know what I expected after last night, but now the thought of not being with him was making me sick.

“I don’t want you to think...that last night wasn’t special to me, but after this trip, there are things I need to take care of, I didn’t expect this to happen between us. Not now. ”

Then when? I wondered to myself. In what universe could he have expected that our paths would’ve crossed and we’d be sitting here the morning after the best sex of my life, trying to figure out what our relationship would be?

“So...” I didn’t know what the end of the sentence should be.

“Kara, after what happened last time, the last thing I want is for you to think that this was ...that you’re not special to me. You know you are, I know you know. But there are ...some things I need to take care of. And I can’t commit to anything more than this week with you. But I want at least that. You understand?”

No.

“Yes.” I shrugged, trying to sound like it all didn’t matter, “we let things get out of hand last night, and it’s as much my fault as it was yours.

Don’t worry about it, Finn. You didn’t make me any promises.” I put the empty cup by the bed and pulled the sheet around me as I got out of bed. “Just let me take a quick shower and we can be on our way.” I headed towards the bathroom, feeling his eyes on me. I turned back and forced a smile on my face, “no hard feelings, Finn. Not this time,” and I went to cry over Finn O’Reilly one more time.

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