Sunbursts. The whole setting sun. “Oh God. Finn.”
The bed cushioned her cheek, as her lungs fought for air. Her eyes were ful to brimming with scalding hot tears. Seizures still racked her when she gave in and asked, “Are you finished?”
The man behind her stilled, his c**k still buried in her.
“What?”
“You heard me,” she said.
He pulled out of her and the loss was devastating. Everything was cold and empty.
“What the f**k is your problem?” Finn’s voice was quiet and cold with anger.
Ali turned over, legs locked. Finn’s c**k was hard, his hair disheveled. He was so beautiful it hurt, and she hadn’t even gotten to touch him.
She sat up straight, tucked her feet beneath her. Faked the dignity sorely lacking. What was even happening here?
“Good question,” she muttered.
“I just made you come. Twice.” He waved two fingers in her face in case she needed the visual aid. “Twice, Al.”
“Because it’s a competition. Right? We really need a scoreboard in here, don’t we?”
Finn shoved a hand through his blonde hair, his mouth a strict line. “Al …”
“Are you finished proving whatever you felt you needed to?” The first tear spilled onto her cheek, and she hated herself for it. She wanted to yel with frustration, batter at him with her fists like he was a locked door. “That’s what I meant, Finn.”
He stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes stunned, horrified. He looked at her like they were strangers. Of course they were, really, weren’t they?
She had been stupid. Breathtakingly dumb to have thought this meant something. It was almost funny, to be making this mistake. She was too old for this shit. Crying was for pussies. Making a mess of herself served no purpose at all. Now was the time to toughen up.
“Remove the condom. I’ll finish you off,” she said, just wanting it done.
He flinched like she had hit him, green eyes locked on the latest dumbass tear trailing down her cheek.
“Sorry ‘bout that.” Ali flicked off the offending tear with her fingers, forced herself to face him. Still beautiful. The whole situation still wrong. “Well, are you —”
He grabbed her without warning, hauling her up onto her knees. Shock held her rigid. His mouth slammed down on hers, and his tongue forced its way inside. Forced a reaction from her.
She thought briefly about biting the bastard. There was no doubt he deserved it. But she couldn’t. Because she was stupid. Clearly.
Instead she found herself kissing him back, holding onto him as hard and tight as he did to her.
Both of them desperate.
“I’m sorry, Al.” Her name was an agonized groan as he dragged his mouth over her cheek. His arms around her so tight her ribs creaked. “So sorry.”
“Okay. It’s okay, Finn.”
“No.” He wrapped an arm beneath her butt, one around her back, and lifted, taking her back down into the middle of the mattress with him above her. The weight of him pressed her down, and her legs wrapped around him, her h*ps cradling him. “No, it’s not. I want you so much.”
“You have me.” She slicked her fingers over his back, comforting him. “I’m right here.”
“With conditions.” Face against her neck, his teeth sank into her. The sting of it had her body bucking beneath him, her pelvis pushing. He was still hard, amazingly enough.
“Yes.” And she wanted him worse than ever. She still wasn’t going to lie. “With conditions.”
Finn drew back, up onto his elbows, and studied her hungrily. Her neck stung, her body ached and she still couldn’t read him for shit.
Whatever was going on in his head, she remained out. It nearly started the tears again.
“Don’t,” he said.
“Don’t what?” she asked.
“Don’t cry. Shit. Don’t.” His hand slid between their bodies as his mouth slid over hers. Sweet and hungry and perfect.
The press of his c**k against her pu**y seemed natural and right. She canted her hips, tightened the pul of her legs around his waist.
The head of his c**k nudged her entrance and his hand guided it back into her. They both panted.
Finn stared at her. She followed suit, watching the pleasure take him. The tongue swiping out over his lips and the clench of his teeth.
He started slow but it didn’t last. Long, satisfying slides of his c**k inside her made everything right. His strokes grew harder and faster.
He held nothing back this time.
Not performing.
Blonde hair clung to his forehead and the pale green of his eyes seemed swallowed by black. He was beautiful. So f**king beautiful she didn’t know what to do.
He took possession of her hands, first one and then the other, pinned both of her wrists to the mattress above her head. Her rib cage tilted, her back arched. Her ni**les scraped against his chest as he moved, sending sparks of pleasure through her.
The feel of him all over her was deliriously good. Him moving inside her, building the hot and brilliant sensation. The tension running through him, making him shake, took hold of her too. But nothing compared to the surge she got from watching him. He was exquisite.
Finn dropped his head and his teeth found the place on her neck he had made his own. He came, body shuddering above and inside her.
She didn’t feel the least bit alone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
A line of smoke rose into the blue sky, cutting the horizon neatly in half.
Finn sat on the front step and watched the world wake, enjoying the birds singing and the sun rising. He felt happy, relaxed. But then the smoke snapped him to attention.
What signal was it sending, good or bad? Distances could be deceiving, but he didn’t think it was more than an hour away. Perhaps less.
“Hey.” Dan stomped out onto the concrete and tipped his chin at him. “Ready to move on?” And for a second, just a second, Finn thought he was being given his marching orders.
“Is that smoke?” Dan asked.
Finn cleared his throat, shook himself free of the flash of panic. Neurotic idiot. “Yeah. I thought we should check it out.”
Al wandered out with two cups of coffee in hand, and passed one down to him. He overreached on purpose, letting his fingers slide over hers as he took the cup. He wanted to touch her. Resisting those impulses hadn’t gotten him anywhere, so why fight it?
“Thanks,” he said.
“You’re welcome.” She smiled at him, and the tight knot of tension in his chest eased, unwound. Because the smile was pushing at the edges of her lovely mouth, threatening to morph into a grin, and it was just for him.