Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
Rhodes
“Why are you taking Finn on a date, Daddy?” Chloe asks, her legs swinging back and forth.
And bumping into my seat with every kick.
“Because I like her.”
“Oh.” She pauses, considers that as we pull into Chrissy’s driveway. “I like Finn too. Should I take her on a date?”
A Mommy-Daughter date.
Like Anna used to always talk about.
My heart pulses with pain and I hold on to that blip of hurt. Accept it. Then I—
Release it.
“Yeah, I bet Finn would like that a whole lot.”
“Maybe we’ll get our nails painted something pretty.”
“You mean painted pink.”
“Yup,” she says with a pop of the p.
I chuckle, put the car into park, and turn off the ignition.
“Where are your taking her on your date, Daddy?” she asks as I open her door and wait for her to hop down.
“Ice skating.”
“I love ice skating.”
“I know.” I snag her bag from the back seat. “Maybe once Finn learns, we can all go.”
“Yay!” She runs up to the front door and Chrissy is there, sweeping it open before Chloe can knock.
The next few minutes are spent being given shit by King—who just “happened to drop by”—and being questioned on the manner of all things romance by Rory and then being let off the hook by Rome.
(Chrissy was commandeered by Chloe to “meet the kitties” almost immediately.)
I drive back to the house, walk into the kitchen, and—
Feel my mouth drop open.
“Wow,” I breathe.
Finn is…
Fuck, she’s beautiful.
She pats her hair self-consciously, smooths her hand over her shirt, her jeans. “It’s not fancy, I know. But you said we’d be skating and I figured…”
I take her hand. “It’s perfect.”
Plus, I’ll get to stare at her ass in those jeans all night.
“Okay,” she whispers.
“Ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
“You have a jacket? The rink will be cold.”
“Oh, I’ll go grab one—”
“No,” I say, snagging my sweatshirt from the back of the chair. “Take this one.”
I slip it over her head, don’t even try to deny that I like her wearing my things, then take her hand. “You ready?”
Hazel eyes on mine for several heartbeats.
Then her fingers squeeze mine and she says, “Let’s go.”
“Whoa!” I say, reaching for Finn as she flails and almost falls.
I catch her, drawing her close so she doesn’t trip and go down.
Except that means I go down.
Hard.
I grunt at the impact. Then grunt again when she lands on top of me in a heap.
“Sorry.” She winces and pushes off me, one hand on my chest, the other on my stomach.
I grunt a third time.
Cold is seeping into my back, my legs, and Christ, my ass…
It hurts.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
I flip over to my knees, wrap my arm around her middle, and deliberately haul her against me. “I’m fine,” I tell her as I maneuver us to our feet.
Aside from my ass hurting like a motherfucker.
“You don’t sound fine,” she says as I help her slowly start moving forward again.
I bend, slant my mouth over hers. “I’m fine,” I say when I pull back. “Now, have I met a worse skater in my entire life? No, I don’t think so.”
She gasps. “It’s not easy!”
“Yeah, I do know that.”
“Sure, Mr. Glides Around Effortlessly. Sure it’s hard for you.”
“Did you just forget I was the one on the ice?”
“Because I put you there.”
I chuckle. “Baby,” I murmur, stealing another kiss. “Any time you want to knock me down and climb on top of me”—I nip at her bottom lip—“you have full permission to do so.”
She narrows her eyes.
Then smiles, launching herself into my arms.
“Whoa—” I say, digging in my edges.
But then her mouth is on mine, kissing me deep and long and—
Pain radiates through my ass again as I go down a second time, Finn on top of me.
“Whoops,” she says when she pulls back, her eyes dancing, her lips a little swollen and far too tempting. “Did I do that?”
I narrow my eyes and drag her mouth back to mine. “You’ll pay for that.”
A wink. “I hope so.”
And that devilish little wink is the reason we get kicked out of the rink.
Or maybe…
It’s because I can’t stop myself from tasting her again.
“How’s your ass?”
I slant my gaze at her as we walk into the house. “I know how yours is going to be if you keep bringing it up.”
“Poor baby,” she murmurs, sweeping her hand over the ass cheek in question—
The one that’s been aching since our attempt at skating.
And I definitely mean our.
Thankfully, dinner was less eventful, and we both enjoyed the Thai restaurant.
Same goes for the glass of wine before strolling along the trails outside of Oak Ridge.
Even at night they’re lit up prettily, and because the air has a bit of a chill, I had another excuse to keep Finn and her luscious body close to mine.
Even more so when we finished the night off with ice cream.
I catch her hand and press my lips to her palm…
Then swat her delicious ass cheek.
“Hey!” she protests.
“This gorgeous ass has been teasing me all night.” I nuzzle at her throat. “Hell, it’s been teasing me for months now.”
“Likewise.” She turns her head, nips at my jaw. “I have it on real authority that hockey players have the best asses.”
That has me chuckling and drawing her into the kitchen. “Who is this authority?”
“Me.” She grins. “And Rory and Chrissy and even Dee might have mentioned it.”
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea to be talking to my coach about my ass.”
“We were referencing asses in general.” She shrugs. “Plus, if there’s any ass she’s obsessed with, it’s Huddy’s.”
“That’s true enough.”
Complicated or not, the pair have been linked at the hip since the earthquake.
Finn leans back against the counter, smiling up at me. “Thanks for tonight,” she says. “It was…it was really nice.”
“Nice?” I tease.
“Would you rather I say mediocre?”
I laugh. “No, Stitch.” I move closer. “I’d rather you say it’s not over yet.”