Chapter Five
Finn stared at the closed door, wondering if what just happened had been some kind of hallucination.
“Did I… was he… shirtless?” he murmured to himself, still trying to process the image that had just burned itself into his memory.
Finn knew he should probably feel some kind of way about Prince, his best friend’s father, seeing him naked. But instead, his thoughts kept circling back to Prince’s muscular chest, broad shoulders, and the glimpse of the tattoo on his arm that was usually hidden beneath his shirts.
I was right. He’s sexier than Tucker.
No one knew it, but Finn had a serious tattoo kink. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but seeing a sexy man's body decorated in ink did things to him. Finn was grateful he hadn’t betrayed himself with an obvious reaction while staring at Prince.
Not to mention the way the belt had been draped over the man's shoulders. That image alone had sent Finn's imagination running in directions it absolutely should not be going.
Sighing, Finn hung the towel Prince had given him over his head and ran it through his hair as he left the bathroom. They really did need a system to signal when the bathroom was occupied.
Finn had been enjoying having the cabin to himself the past couple of days.
Waking up and savoring the beautiful mornings while sipping his coffee, playing with Gray, prepping dinner before getting dressed, then spending a couple of hours skiing before returning to shower, cook, and relax for the rest of the evening.
To some people, it might have seemed boring, but it was perfect for Finn. His friends often joked that he was an old man trapped in a young body.
Finn entered his bedroom and cracked a slight smile when he saw Gray curled up asleep on the folded blankets on the bed. The kitten had been a bright spot during his vacation.
Careful not to disturb the sleeping cat, Finn quietly got dressed and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. He didn’t know what Prince had planned for the evening, but earlier today, before heading out, he had set some steaks to marinate using a recipe passed down from his grandmother.
Veronica Turner had been a phenomenal cook and had put together a recipe book filled with her quick tips and tricks for living on a budget, something that had served Finn well over the past few years.
He had found it while cleaning out her apartment after she died.
Finn remembered seeing her write in the book once or twice, but he’d never asked what she was doing.
He had always assumed it was something personal, maybe her private thoughts, and had left it alone.
At first, he hadn’t planned to look through the notebook. He had safely put it away and somehow forgotten about it. But one night, when he missed her terribly and wished he could hear her voice, he remembered the notebook.
When he opened it, the first thing that caught his eye was her neat handwriting. As he read further, he realized it was not a journal at all, but a recipe book. Now, whenever he made a dish following her instructions, he could almost feel her presence beside him, guiding his hands.
Each time he cooked, Bevin would rave about how good the meal tasted. Thinking of his friend now, Finn realized they had spoken recently, but he hadn’t mentioned what had led to him staying with Prince.
He didn’t know if Prince had spoken to his son about it, but if he had, Finn was certain Prince had not mentioned the details. If he had, Bevin would have already said something to him.
Finn chuckled. I wonder if that was a conscious choice on both our parts. He would not deny that his friend could be a little annoying at times.
"What's so funny?"
Finn glanced up from the grill he had just turned on, letting it heat for the steaks.
Prince stood nearby, dressed in gray sweats, a clear sign that he wasn’t planning to go out that evening.
The loose fabric still hinted at the strength beneath, broad shoulders and a solid chest that the soft material could not quite hide.
Finn quickly cut off the direction his eyes and thoughts were taking and focused back on the grill.
"Did you tell Bevin I'm staying here?" Finn asked, clearing his throat and forcing his gaze back where it belonged.
"Should I have?" Prince asked, picking up a chopped carrot and munching on it.
"Hey!" Finn lightly smacked Prince's hand when he reached for another. "That's my dinner."
Prince blinked in surprise. "Did you just hit me?"
Finn might have apologized, but the smile spreading across Prince's face stopped him.
"Well, you deserved it," Finn huffed.
"What, no dinner for me?" Prince tsked, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
"I didn't know you were coming home."
Prince lifted the wrapper off the bowl holding the marinating steaks. "There are two in here. Come on, don't be stingy. Let me have one," he said, giving Finn the most pitiful expression.
Why is he so cute right now? A grown man like Prince should not be this adorable. Finn bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. "Fine." Finn sighed. "But you have to work for it. Nothing is free around here."
"Really?" Prince asked, surprised.
"Take it or leave it." Finn shrugged one shoulder. "I mean, you could order room service, but with all the snow coming down, it will take longer than normal and I doubt it will smell or taste as good as what I'm making."
He reached for the bowl, picked up a steak between his thumb and forefinger, and held it close to Prince's face in playful teasing. The rich marinade filled the air as it slowly dripped over the marbled meat. Finn noticed Prince's eyes darken slightly as he watched.
Taking the teasing one step further, Finn finally placed the steak onto the hot grill. The sharp sizzle echoed through the kitchen as the spicy aroma filled the room.
"If you think I'm going to pass up something that smells that good, you're out of your mind," Prince said. "So put me to work, boss."
Finn chuckled and pointed to the rest of the uncut vegetables. "Don't cut them too big."
"Yes, sir," Prince replied with a laugh as he got to work.
Finn turned his focus back to his preparations.
They worked in comfortable silence. Finn tended to the steaks while Prince focused on the vegetables. Once the steaks were grilled to his preferred doneness, Finn removed them from the grill and set them aside to rest, just as his grandmother's cookbook had instructed.
Then he moved on to sautéing the vegetables and preparing the buttered herb orzo.
"I picked out a bottle of Malbec that would pair well with dinner," Prince said as he uncorked the bottle and set it aside to breathe.
Finn had just finished adding the final touches to the steak sauce with the leftover marinade.
He hadn’t even planned on making such a spread, but he had everything he needed in the kitchen.
And as much as he loved Gray, who had not yet made an appearance, he was about to share a meal with actual human company and wanted to show off a little.
"Sounds good," Finn said with a smile. "Let's eat."
Prince nodded and filled their wine glasses before sitting down. "Everything looks delicious," he commented.
"I hope you like it."
"I know I will," Prince replied with a smile.
Finn didn’t eat right away. Instead, he waited tensely, watching as Prince took his first bite.
Prince closed his eyes, savoring the first bite.
The steak was cooked perfectly, the orzo was tender, and the herbs blended seamlessly with the butter.
It was rich without being heavy and complemented the vegetables, which were cooked just right.
To top it all off, the steak sauce brought everything together.
“So?”
Prince opened his eyes, only then realizing he had closed them. He looked across the table at Finn, who had not yet started eating. From the expectant look in Finn’s eyes, Prince understood immediately.
“I’m mad,” Prince said.
“What?” Finn’s eyes widened, looking as if he were trying not to tear up. “Is it that bad?”
“No, I said that wrong.” Prince shook his head. “I’m jealous that Bevin gets to eat like this. You’re going to make someone really happy in the future. It’s good, babe.”
With that, Prince went right back to eating.
"I'm…" Finn cleared his throat before speaking again. "I'm glad you like it."
His ears tingled, and his heart still hadn’t slowed down after being called babe.
Prince kept eating as if nothing had happened, as if it had been a simple slip of the tongue.
He had no desire to examine the feeling too closely, so he pushed it aside and began eating. Still, his heart refused to settle.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to culinary school after you graduate?" Prince asked, taking a sip of his wine.
They had already finished their meal but remained seated at the table, enjoying a pleasant conversation.
Finn chuckled at the suggestion. "Cooking is my hobby. I have other plans after I graduate."
"Like what?" Prince leaned back in his seat, crossing one leg over the other, his fingers tracing the stem of his wine glass watching Finn with genuine interest, wanting to hear about his future plans.
After taking a sip of his wine, Finn explained that he hoped to land a full-time position at the company where he was currently interning, just to gain some experience. His ultimate goal, however, was to start his own investment firm.
He shared a few details about the business proposal he had already written, something he planned to use to attract a few investors. But for now, without any name recognition, he couldn’t move forward.
Finn knew people who could get him in the door. He could easily pitch his ideas to his friends, since many of them came from influential families. Still, he wanted to make a name for himself first.
"That's a sound plan," Prince told him.
"Thanks. I know it will take some time, but I'm determined to make my dream happen." Finn smiled.
"Have you told Bevin about this?"
Finn shook his head. "Not to the full extent. He knows I want to be financially stable. Besides, Bevin doesn't like to talk about the future. He pouts like a child when I try to bring up going our separate ways after graduation."
"Don't take it to heart," Prince said. "Bevin doesn't like separating from his loved ones. You could say it's a family trait." He poured himself another glass of wine.
"Sounds like an obsession," Finn joked.
"Maybe." Prince looked at him, his gaze suddenly so intense that Finn felt his skin prickle, like sparks dancing across it.
"Would it really be so bad to be with someone who wants to protect you, whose every thought is about you and what will make you happy?
" His eyes darkened slightly. "And who will love you with so much passion that it makes your entire soul burn. "
"No," Finn answered without thinking. "But Bevin and I aren't in a relationship that requires such devotion."
"Why not?" Prince asked. "Better question, do you want a romantic relationship with Bevin?"
Finn almost blurted out He’s not my type, but he caught himself and chose a more diplomatic answer.
“I only see him as a friend.”
Prince chuckled. “Nice way of saying you’re not into him.”
“Sorry,” Finn said softly, glancing down at his fingers.
Bevin was gorgeous, no doubt about it, but Finn had always seen him as a friend, almost like a brother.
The idea of them becoming lovers had never even crossed his mind.
If he were being honest, Bevin’s immaturity could be a bit of a turn-off.
“Nothing to be sorry for.” Prince shrugged. “We all have our preferences.”
Finn looked up at Prince, curiosity getting the better of him. He found himself wondering what the older man liked.
“Do you want a partner?”
“What?” Finn’s eyes widened at the question, thinking he had heard wrong.
What does he mean by partner? Does he mean a sex partner?
Finn had never had sex before, and the thought of giving his virginity to Prince Sullivan scared him just as much as it had the first time he had almost given it away.
Finn figured an older, more mature man who knew exactly what he was doing in bed would be overwhelming.
Even the thought of it made his body zing in ways he was not prepared to deal with.
“Why do you look so surprised?” Prince asked. “You have a good head on your shoulders. So send me your business plan, and if it sounds as good as you say, I’ll invest as a silent partner and mentor.”
Finn heard Prince, yet his brain was still catching up. He had been seconds away from offering his virginity up on a platter, when all Prince had actually been offering was the business opportunity of a lifetime. Finn felt his face heat with embarrassment.
Oh fuck, I’m an idiot.
"So what do you think? You'd have to move to New York. That might not be in your original plans, but…"
"I… I…" Finn stuttered, cutting Prince off. He could not seem to form a coherent response. His mind was still stuck in the wrong place, and he struggled to focus as his thoughts spiraled out of control.
"Are you alright?" Prince asked, concern clearly showing on his face. "Your face is all red." He leaned a little closer, and the clean scent of his expensive cologne hit Finn's nose, making him even more flustered.
"L-let me think about it," Finn managed.
Finn didn’t wait to see if Prince had anything else to say.
He abruptly stood from the table, silently praying that Prince had not noticed the problem he was trying to hide, and hurried out of the room.
He tried not to make it look like he was running as he reached his bedroom and quickly closed the door behind him.
Finn pressed his back against the cool wood, hoping it would calm him down as he slowly slid to the floor and buried his face in his bent knees.
"Fuck, what the hell was I thinking?"