Chapter 33
Millie
“Fry jacks?” I shout, grabbing Finn’s big biceps in both hands when I notice the Belizean food truck. “We have to get, like,
ten of them, because they’re also delicious for breakfast,” I say, pulling him toward the bright orange truck.
Picnic tables run through the middle of the food-truck park. The whole space is bathed in a golden gleam from the sunset,
and patio lights hang above the tables. Finn has never had a fry jack, so I really do order ten of them. He gets pad kee mao
and mango sticky rice from a Thai food truck, and we also get Greek gyros.
“Where do we start?” Finn asks, sliding onto the bench next to me and gazing over our smorgasbord of food.
I carefully unwrap the foil around a fry jack and reveal the dough filled with refried beans, chicken, and cheese.
“I’m going to let you have the first bite because I’m so nice,” I tell Finn seriously, holding it up to his mouth. He takes a giant bite and nods his appreciation as he chews it. “I lived off these things when I did a summer abroad in Belize and Guatemala. There was a woman who made them in a cart right outside our rental, and I think we kept her in business through the summer. She’d have them waiting for us when we came downstairs every morning, and during our last week there, she taught me how to make them.” I take a bite and grin as the savory flavor hits my tongue.
“What you’re saying is, I could’ve had these already, and you’ve been withholding them?”
“I keep these a secret until I know I truly like the person.” I shrug. “And I don’t know if I like you that much yet.”
He flashes an impish grin. “You seem to like me when my tongue’s between your legs.”
I choke on my bite and hunch over coughing. Finn rubs my back while he laughs until I’ve swallowed my food and can breathe
again.
“Well, you’re not wrong,” I admit, rolling my eyes. “I guess I’ll make them for you.”
Finn opens his container of pad kee mao and scoops up a bite. “Are you ready for next week?”
A lump forms in my throat. “I don’t know how ready I can be to meet the person I’m competing against for a promotion.”
Finn nods. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Are we allowed to?” I ask, my brows pulling together. “I’ve managed to get this far without prying information from you,
but I can’t deny that I’m curious.”
He shrugs. “I’m not on the panel anymore.”
“It feels like cheating, though. I don’t want any special treatment.”
“Well, I won’t give you any information you’re uncomfortable with. But I’ll answer any questions you have as honestly as I
can if you want.”
I pull my lips between my teeth as curiosity swirls through my mind. The questions are endless. But as I filter through them,
one thought seems to encompass most of my concerns.
I’ll allow myself that one question and his one answer, and I’ll leave it at that.
“Are we evenly matched?”
Finn sets down his drink and meets my gaze. “You are,” he says in a soothing tone. “You each have different skills and abilities
to bring to the position, but both of you are very passionate and would make great department directors.”
I bite the inside of my cheek and try to let the sharp sting steal my focus from the pain his words are causing.
But it doesn’t work well. I try to remind myself this is not a betrayal. Even if I don’t like his words, I asked for his honest
answer, and he gave it.
My tongue burns to ask follow-up questions, but I won’t let them out. I refuse to allow my relationship with him to impact
my promotion. I’ve worked too hard to taint this experience with secrets and insider information.
“Okay. That’s all I want to know,” I tell him, and he nods, rolling us into a new topic.
As we dive into the rest of our food, the sun completes its final show of the day around us. I block out all thoughts of next
week, and the conversation flows easily as we talk about our high school and college experiences and what we’ve done in life
since then. We end the feast with ice cream cones, Finn’s arm around my shoulder the whole time we savor our treats.
“When do you need to be home for the girls?” I ask as we walk back to his car.
“I told Gabriella I’d be home at eleven tomorrow morning,” he replies, completely nonchalant. He turns to catch my questioning
gaze and chuckles softly. “We have the whole night to spend together.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. Dr. Kline ordered me to practice taking time for myself away from the girls, and I want to spend it with you.” He laces our fingers together. “That does not mean we have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. You get to choose. We could just sleep next to each other and wake up together tomorrow morning and I’d be thankful you let me.”
I flash him a bright smile. “And if I want more than that?”
***
Oaks Folks
Dad: Wishing Avery and Eloise were here to play Uno with me. Your mother’s out with Eva and I’m bored.
Millie: Maybe Fabes will play with you.
Fabes: He hasn’t asked me. Probably scared I’ll beat him.
Tess: From what I hear, he was going pretty easy on Ave and El. He must not be as sharp as he was when we were little.
Fabes: Maybe all that homemade beer killed too many brain cells.
Dad: Stop hiding in your room and find out, Fabes.
Millie: Wish I was there to see the showdown in person.
Dad: photo of Fable and Dad playing Uno
***
Finn’s hand stays plastered to my thigh for the whole drive to my house, and he keeps a firm grip on my hips while I unlock
the door. The steady contact has kept the tension between us on a low simmer, but as soon as Finn kicks my front door shut
and slouches against it, everything escalates to a boil.
“Where’s Lena?” he exhales as I step between his legs, and he guides my lips closer.
“Visiting her brother this weekend.”
His hands drop into the back pockets of my jeans, and he yanks me firmly against him, burying his face in my neck. The hot
slide of his tongue has my head falling back to expose more skin for him.
But we’re interrupted by a soft whine and Pepper’s nose nudging between our thighs.
“Hey, Pepper girl,” Finn says adoringly, taking his hand from my pocket and petting the top of her head.
She’s been inside for a while, so I reluctantly pull myself from the warmth of his body to let her outside. She creeps toward
the back door, leveling me with a side-eye the whole way, like she was hoping for more time with Finn.
When I get back to the living room, Finn has settled on the couch, arms over the back and thighs spread wide. His head tilts,
glittering blue eyes assessing me behind his glasses.
I have this insanely attractive man spread out on my couch, and my body buzzes to be near him. To slide onto his lap and kiss him. And I could. We could do anything we wanted.
But the prospect makes me nervous for some reason. I know I’m safe with him, but I’m also suddenly overwhelmed.
This isn’t a one-night stand to throw myself into, free of strings and attachments. This feels so much bigger than that.
I wring my hands in front of my jeans, and Finn’s eyes drop to catch the movement. His brows stitch together, and he unfolds
his body from the couch to walk toward me.
“What’s on your mind?”
“I’m anxious and jittery,” I tell him honestly.
“Okay.” He scans around the living room like he’s looking for an idea. “What would you do if I wasn’t here? What does a normal
night at home look like for you?”
A book, a bath, and a toy from the drawer in my nightstand. That’s what I’d do if he left right now.
I bite my bottom lip, hesitant to tell him the truth.
“Tell me,” he urges. “I want you to feel safe with me, and the only way I can do that is if you communicate with me.” He wraps
his arms around me in a tight hug, and I exhale against his chest.
My shoulders nestle perfectly between his arms, and his chin rests against the top of my head. It’s my spot.
Safety and understanding and acceptance.
Home.
“I would read a book. Maybe take a bath.” I clear my throat. “Probably get in bed with a vibrator and think about you.”
Finn pulls back, eyes huge and muscles tense at the words that came out of my mouth. They twirl in the air between us like
sweet, smoky incense.
Long eyelashes flutter against his cheeks as he blinks a few times before his pupils return to their normal size. He puts his lust in a box and pushes it away until only a bit of desire shows through. “Let’s start with the book. I’ll go get our bags from Muses out of the car, and you go get into something comfortable.”
At the door, he pauses, handle in his grip as looks me up and down. “Don’t think I’m going to forget about that last part,
though.”