Jilted Jock - Rebecca Jenshak Page 0,42
With some distance between us, I steered the conversation back to something sure to stop my heart from fluttering. “Are you excited about moving into your new place? When’s it ready? Monday?”
“Saturday, actually. The building manager was able to move things up a couple days for me.”
“Saturday,” I repeated. He’d be gone when I got back from New York. “That’s great.”
“Yeah.” There was a hint of uncertainty in his tone, but then he nodded and said more confidently, “Yeah, of course. It’s time kitty and I get out of your hair.”
“The place won’t be the same without you two, that’s for sure.”
“Right. Hopefully we didn’t disrupt your life too much. I appreciate it, sincerely. The past two weeks could have gone a lot different if you hadn’t taken us in.”
“Right place at the right time.”
“Are you always so obstinate when someone tries to thank you?”
I pressed my lips together.
“Anyway, thank you and I’m sorry if I did or said anything that wasn’t on the up and up. Those first few days are a bit of a blur, but I’m certain I was an arsehole on at least one occasion.”
“Just one or two come to mind, huh?”
He smiled. “These are done.”
The marshmallows were only medium not charred how I preferred. He must have read it on my face.
“Try it this way and if you don’t like it, then I’ll burn the shit out of the next one.”
He assembled the s’mores, handed one to me, and then held his up in the air between us. “Cheers.”
He watched as I took a small bite. There was really no ladylike way to eat a s’more. Melted marshmallow and chocolate stuffed between two pieces of graham cracker was messy and not the least bit sexy or romantic. Or at least I’d have sworn to that fact before Finn stared at my mouth while I chewed. He still held his in one hand, perhaps waiting to see my reaction before diving in, but his throat worked, and I found myself blushing.
“How is it?”
Mouth full, I nodded my approval. He leaned forward and used the pad of his thumb to catch a crumb at the corner of my lip. Instinctively my tongue swept my lips and I swallowed. His eyes locked on to mine and I was caught in the darkening pools of blue as he slowly brought his mouth to mine.
He kissed me so tenderly and softly, but it felt like the force of a thousand tons slammed into me. I forgot to breathe or think or be. I was soul and lips alone and they’d both been claimed by Finn.
His tongue swept in for just a second and then he pulled back slightly. The next kiss was harder, hungrier. His thumb continued to trace along my bottom lip and then he nipped at it playfully.
“Adele,” he whispered my name, gruff and needy.
I was on my feet with reflexes that would have made kitty proud. I pressed two fingers to my lips. “I’m so sorry.”
Finn stood in front of me looking calm despite the panic thrumming inside me. “I think that’s my line.”
“No, this was my fault.” I walked to the kitchen and tossed what remained of the s’more into the trash. “I have a boyfriend.”
He’d abandoned his at some point as well and shoved both hands in his pockets. “Yeah, I know. Kissing you might have been a jerk move, but I just had to know.”
“Had to know what?”
“If it’d be as good as I thought.”
I wanted to be mad or outraged… anything, but what I felt – curious. Was it as good as he thought?
“It was better,” he said and came closer. “My life feels somehow fuller having met you. God, that’s cheesy right? But it’s true. I forgot what it was like to have someone cut through all the bullshit and just be with me.”
“I’m not with you.”
“See, right there. Most people in my life wouldn’t dream of calling me on some technicality, but you… you don’t give a shit if you hurt my feelings. The past two weeks I’ve been a mess, but I’m not too screwed up to see that there’s something between us.”
He was wrong. So wrong. About all of it, but especially about not caring if I hurt his feelings. I cared, it’s just that I worried about protecting myself more.
He placed a hand under my chin. It would be so easy to give in, to let him kiss me, fuck me. But no one willingly walked into the