Chapter 7
seven
. . .
Finn
Reese and I stepped outside of Cottonwood Café, and I reached for her hand when the cool breeze hit us right in the face. She stopped, her back pressed against the brick building, and rolled her eyes.
“I swear you just let Mrs. Runither round second base with that hug she gave you when she said goodbye,” she said.
I chuckled and reached for the zipper of her coat, tugging it all the way up.
“Do you even know what rounding second base means? An ass grab does not count as a base.” I saw something out of my peripheral vision, and my head turned the slightest bit before I realized who it was. On instinct, I leaned forward and covered her mouth with mine.
She gasped against me, her hands gripping my coat as my tongue slipped inside and tangled with hers.
Only Reese could taste minty after eating a Cottonwood Café burger. The girl was always prepared with mints and lip gloss and sunscreen.
I shouldn’t be surprised.
But I didn’t know she would taste so good.
I liked the way her lips felt, the way they melded with mine.
My dick was out of control, and this kiss was the equivalent of a missile launch countdown. He was ready.
I definitely needed to get laid. Between no sex for the last year, and then not even so much as a make-out session with a woman since Jessica launched this psychotic campaign against me, and now fake dating my best friend—there was no light at the end of this tunnel.
Or should I say, light at the end of this missile launch.
“Reese,” a voice growled, and I smiled against her mouth before pulling back.
She blinked up at me several times before her gaze slowly moved to find her ex-boyfriend, Carl, standing there.
He stood with his arms folded across his chest.
Christy Rae Lovell was beside him, her eyes moving between us.
“Carl,” Reese said, clearing her throat and squaring her shoulders like she was preparing for battle.
Atta girl.
“Hey,” he said awkwardly, raising a brow at me as he moved closer as if he wanted me to step back so he could hug her.
That wasn’t going to happen.
She was mine now, at least as far as everyone knew, and I wouldn’t do anything to help him out.
Reese would have to make the move if she wanted to hug him.
Of course, she shot me a look and slid away from me, giving him the world’s most awkward hug.
Well, second to my hug with old lady Runither, who goosed me on my way out the door.
She stepped back quickly and then nodded at the woman beside him, and they both said an awkward hello.
“I texted you,” he said before glancing at his girlfriend and then back to Reese. “Christy knows that we’re going to get together for some coffee and some closure. Oh, have you not told Finn that we’re meeting up? I hope I haven’t caused any trouble.”
“Are you kidding? My girl told me all about it. We don’t have secrets.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “Yep, when we were soaking in the tub last night with glasses of wine in our hands, she mentioned it. Briefly. You know, we had more important things going on at that moment.”
Reese’s foot pressed down hard on top of mine, and then she tried to play it off as if she’d slipped. “Oops. Sorry about that, Finn.”
“Can’t get close enough to your man, can you, baby?” I said, wrapping one arm around her and pulling her to me.
Carl just stood there with his mouth hanging open.
Clearly, the dude had never soaked in a tub with her because apparently, he had the libido of a corpse and a dick that required batteries.
Christy Rae Lovell’s eyes widened as she took us in. “Well, I trust my man, so it’s fine with me. I can’t keep him on a leash, can I?”
I felt Reese stiffen against me.
“If you want to pull out a leash, I wouldn’t mind if you tied me up, baby.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek, and she chuckled.
I was ridiculous when it came to Reese. I couldn’t stand the idea of this dickless wonder hurting her any more than he already had.
“All right, well, just let me know when you want to meet. It was good to see you both,” Reese said, stepping out of my arms and reaching for my hand.
Carl looked surprised that she was ready to walk away, and I loved seeing the bastard squirm.
“Yeah. I’ll text you, and we’ll get that scheduled. I’m glad you’re home, Reese.”
She nodded casually, as if it didn’t matter when he texted her, and I fucking loved it. We walked hand in hand toward my truck, and I waited until we were around the corner of the building to speak. “You okay? You handled that well.”
She nodded, and I helped her into the truck. Her eyes watered the slightest bit, and she shrugged. “It’s just weird, you know? We were supposed to be married by now. Did I mess everything up by leaving? Was I not worth the wait, Chewy?”
And that fucking did it. The first tear streaked down her face, and a sharp ache moved across my chest. I slipped my hands beneath her knees and her neck, and I lifted her just enough so that I could slide into the truck and drop her onto my lap.
I tugged the door closed and wrapped my arms around her.
“You’re okay, Miney. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s his loss.”
“It doesn’t seem like it is, does it?” she croaked. “He seems to be doing just fine. He’s already got a new relationship, and they look happy.”
“No, they don’t. He looked fucking miserable and jealous. Did you see the way he was staring at me when I had my arms around you? He was struggling to control himself.”
She sniffed, and her phone vibrated in her purse, which was sitting beside us on the seat. “Really? You think so?”
“Hell yeah, I do. There is no one like you,” I said. “He can try all he wants, but I know it, and he knows it. Christy Rae Lovell doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
“She’s pretty; you can’t deny it.”
“I honestly didn’t notice, Miney. Because my eyes were on you.”
She sniffed once more and then tipped her head back to look at me. “You’re the best fake boyfriend in the world, Chewy.”
Her phone vibrated again, and she reached into her purse and pulled it out. I glanced down at the screen to see a lengthy text from Dr. Limpdick.
“I think you might be right about him being jealous,” she said, her tone lighter now. “He wants to meet during the week. For dinner. It was supposed to be coffee, but he said we have a lot to discuss.”
“There you go. See, everything is going to be fine.” I kissed her forehead, and I shifted to get out of the truck, but she surprised me by wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me even tighter.
“I’d be lost without you. Thank you for always having my back.”
“Always will, you know that. Now, how about we go home and watch our two favorite movies and chill out?”
“Let’s do it. I think we should watch Star Wars first because you just saved the day,” she said as I moved her off my lap and climbed out of the truck.
Once I was in the driver’s seat, I glanced over. She was still staring down at her phone as he continued to text her.
It bothered me that he kept fucking with her head. He’d cut her off, had gotten fully into another relationship, and didn’t have a care in the world about Reese.
Until he found out that she was coming home and that she was with me.
And the minute he thought she was happy without him, he wanted to swoop back in.
That didn’t sit well with me, but I wasn’t about to take this moment from her. She was happy, and I’d just have to deal with it.
“How exactly did I save the day?”
“Well, that kiss clearly sent him sideways.” She chuckled, tucking her phone back into her purse.
“Yeah. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.”
“It was a good one.”
“Good decision or good kiss?” I chuckled as I pulled into my garage.
She turned to face me. “I mean, I haven’t kissed anyone in over a year, and you are a trained actor.”
I barked out a laugh. “Damn straight. And I’ve always loved kissing, so obviously I’m good at it.”
“If you say so, Romeo.” She jumped out of the truck, and I slipped out and shut the garage door.
“Well, I didn’t say it first; you did. Just admit it. Best kiss you’ve ever had.”
“I’m not going to say that.”
“Because it isn’t true, or because you feel guilty admitting your ex-boyfriend is a terrible lover?”
She set her purse down on the kitchen island and gaped at me. “I never said that. I said he has some medical limitations with certain things, but he’s a great lover. I mean, not that I have anything to compare him to. You know that he’s the only guy I’ve ever been with.”
“That still breaks my heart,” I said, pressing my hand to my chest dramatically. “You should have had a fling in London. Had some fun. Only being with Carl would be like never eating anything but a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “Just because I’m not like you does not mean my way is the wrong way. I found a guy I loved my senior year of high school, and I like monogamy.”
I grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and motioned for her to follow me to the couch.
My home had one big open great room with a large brown sectional couch that Reese had picked out a while back.
I set the water bottles down and kicked off my favorite cowboy boots and sat down.
Reese did the same and reached for the throw blanket on the back of the couch.
“I’m not saying you have to sleep around. I’m just saying… being with one person, especially Carl, for your entire life—never having an orgasm…” I shrugged. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Her cheeks pinked, but I didn’t regret saying it. Reese and I had always been honest with one another. I wasn’t going to stop now.
“I never said that I’ve never had an orgasm. I said I’ve never had one with Carl.” She raised a brow.
My motherfucking dick responded like a caged bull breaking free after the gates opened. He sprung to life and was ready for action. I adjusted myself as inconspicuously as possible, but her eyes moved down, and she shook her head.
“You’re unbelievable. All it takes is the slightest breeze, and there he is again, showing off.”
But it wasn’t a breeze my dick was responding to.
It was Reese.
But I’d write it off to my lack of sex lately.
“Let’s finish this intriguing conversation,” I said.
“Only you would find a conversation about orgasms intriguing.” Her tongue dipped out to wet her lips, and I couldn’t look away.
Had she always had such pouty pink lips?
“I will not apologize for knowing the importance of the orgasm. I always make sure my lady climaxes first. I’m a generous lover. So, tell me, when was the last time you orgasmed?”
“Oh my God, Chewy. Why are we talking about this?”
“Hey.” I held my hands up and laughed. “You want to fix things with the asshole, and part of that will be improving your sex life. Trust me, Miney. If the sex had been fabulous, you wouldn’t have considered leaving him for a year.”
“Why?” She pursed her lips, not hiding her irritation. “You apparently have fabulous sex, yet you leave everybody.”
Damn. Shots fired.
“You wound me,” I said, both hands on my heart. “I don’t leave anyone that doesn’t know what the score is, and you know that. I’m a straight shooter. I love women. I just haven’t found one I loved for longer than a weekend… aside from you, of course.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. You want to talk about it. Let’s talk about it.”
“Have you and Carl never talked about sex?”
“No. He doesn’t like to talk about it, and neither do I.”
Bullshit.
That prim and proper prick has made her feel ashamed to talk about what she wants.
“Well, there’s no shame in talking about it. I always ask my partner what they like. What they want. What makes them feel good. And I take my time getting them off. I don’t just fuck and run.”
She groaned and fell back against the couch. “Carl and I do not fuck and run, either.”
“All right, so tell me. He never made you come? I know it didn’t happen during sex, but what about other things?” I asked, and I was suddenly dying for her to answer.
“I’m going to tell you something, but if you bring it up or throw it in my face, I will never discuss sex with you again.”
“Well, I like that we’re talking about it now, so I won’t risk that.” I smirked, moving closer to her like she was about to tell me her darkest secret.
“I’ve only orgasmed by myself.” Her cheeks flamed pink, and she looked away.
That fucking selfish prick.
I reached for her, settling my thumb and pointer finger beneath her chin, and turned her face toward me. Her sage-green gaze locked with mine.
“There’s no shame in that, Miney. I get myself off all the time. Hell, my right hand is getting a real workout lately.” I laughed. “But I want you to know that having an orgasm with a partner is better. More powerful.”
“If you say so,” she whispered. “It doesn’t bother me that it hasn’t happened during sex. Lots of women don’t orgasm during sex.”
“I don’t know if that’s true, but I know there are other ways. He couldn’t even get you off with his fingers or his tongue?”
Her mouth fell open, and I suddenly wondered what it would be like if those lips were wrapped around my cock.
What the hell was wrong with me?
“Jesus, Finn. I’m done with this conversation.”
“Just answer the damn question.”
“We don’t do… you know—that.”
“What does that mean? He doesn’t go down on you?”
“He went to medical school; he knows too much.” She shrugged.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Miney. Lots of doctors eat pussy.”
Her head fell back in laughter, and I couldn’t help but join in. This was a ridiculous piece of information.
What kind of man didn’t like pussy?
I guess the same kind of man who doesn’t like pleasing his lady.
“Okay, can we please start the movie? That’s enough show and share for the day.”
I reached for the remote and turned on the TV. I searched for the movie and then leaned back against the sofa.
“Hey, you don’t have to put on Harry Potter first. I said we could start with Star Wars.”
“That was before I knew your pussy has been deprived all these years. So, we’re watching Harry Potter, Miney. But when you get back together with that selfish prick, you’re going to make some demands, and I’m going to help you.”
“Deal,” she said, extending her hand to me just as the movie started. But instead of shaking it, I tugged her close, and her head settled against my chest. My arms came around her on instinct.
For a moment, I wondered what it would be like if she didn’t go back to Carl.
And she stayed here with me.
Forever.