Page 50 of Anchored to the Storm

I leaned to the center and tucked my feet toward the door. “Right? He hides those scars that make me want to—” I shied away from what I really wanted to say.

Finn teased, “Waaant toooo…” Then waited.

I giggled, then rushed, “Lick ’em.”

He roared with laughter! “My bestie is a bad girl!”

I hid my face in his shoulder. “Am I twisted?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely! And I love it!”

I didn’t come out of hiding but squealed like a young girl finding her wings—and not the dying kind that had kept me suppressed to the ground. I was taking deep breaths. Guilt-free ones… until I remembered how wrong that was.

I stilled.

“No, Miss Beyond-Her-Means-Sarah. There is no guilt in laughter or desire.”

Weight took over again. My body felt so heavy. “I love Caleb. How can I⁠—”

“And he loves you.” Finn gently pushed his much larger shoulder into me. “Where he is now, he sees things so clearly. He’s grateful for how you took care of him. I bet he wants you to do the same for yourself now.”

I gawked at Finn. “When did you get so wise?”

He side-eyed me. “Promise not to think I’m nuts?”

I couldn’t stop myself from being a smartass. “Just because you like nuts doesn’t mean you are nuts.”

That sent us both into a laughing fit.

Catching our breath, I promised not to judge. Finn told me, “I think it was Johnny. I swear he awakened a part of me that was screaming to be heard.”

I was already nodding. “Preach.” I leaned against Finn’s shoulder again and stared out the windshield. “From the first moment I saw him, I knew there was something special about him.”

Finn sighed. “Didn’t have to carry his weight, did you?”

My eyes drifted shut. Finn’s lecture rang even more true now. Quietly, I admitted, “He carried mine.”

“Even during his nightmares?”

I released another deep, cleansing breath. “Even during his terror, he fought to protect me from his own past.”

“That is some deep shit.”

After a moment of basking in serenity, I asked, “What was his kiss like?”

Finn groaned, “Like… finding home.”

I hid my face again.

Finn chuckled. “Tell meeeeee.”

I stared up at him, biting my bottom lip.

He shrieked, “Ethan’s kiss was the same?”

I sat up, all giddy. “I mean, I was ‘possessed’ during it.” I rolled my eyes. “So, hopefully it still counts, but—” I delivered a look, hoping he would get it.

Finn nodded immediately. “Oh yeah. A hundred percent.” Then he softened. “Sarah, I owe you an apology.”