Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Finn
“Asshole, dick, and punch him in the face” are the only things I can make out from the nonsense Riley’s grumbling to herself when I step in behind her.
“Who peed in your Cheerios this morning, angel?” I whisper in her ear.
“Mother fucker,” she yelps. She spins around so fast I barely have time to register she’s holding a spatula in her hand. The hard plastic smacks against my chest.
“Ouch,” I groan, rubbing my hand over the stinging spot on my bare skin. “I’m pretty sure I’m not the asshole dick that you want to punch in the face, so why am I the one taking a beating right now?”
She looks somewhat apologetic but not entirely. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“If you weren’t so lost in your head, you would have heard me coming. It’s not like I can be quiet in this body of mine.”
She seems to take in the fact that I’m shirtless for the first time. A blush spreads across her gorgeous, freckled cheeks as her eyes take me in, and I resist the urge to flex my pecs.
“Eyes are up here,” I say, pointing at my face. She glares at me, but the red tinge remains on her cheeks.
I step toward her. She retreats a step. We continue the pattern once more until her back is pressed against the counter beside the stove.
My body is flush against hers, her breath ghosting against my skin. She peeks up at me through her long lashes.
Her hair is as messy as I’m sure mine is. I didn’t even look at it before I made my way down here in desperate need of some caffeine.
Riley is a big enough distraction to deter me from my destination, at least for the time being.
“You’re awfully cranky this morning,” I say, bracing my hands on the counter on either side of her hips.
“You know why.”
“Mmhmm,” I hum. I do know why, or at least I can assume.
I heard Cole’s door slam closed about ten minutes ago. Whatever happened there is obviously the source of said crankiness.
“I could think of a few ways to make you less cranky.”
Her jaw drops open as her eyes stay locked on mine, like she can’t believe I just said that. It didn’t necessarily need to be taken in a dirty context, but her brain clearly went straight to the gutter.
I tuck one of her loose curls behind her ear. Reaching behind her, I open the cabinet and retrieve a coffee mug.
After reveling in the feel of her body pressed against mine for three more seconds, I step away, turning my back on her. I start making a cup of coffee.
“I guess you’re a dick, too,” she mutters, sounding far less frazzled than she looked a moment ago.
“Look at you already thinking about my dick over there,” I say, peeking at her over my shoulder. “I never even brought him up.”
She throws her head back, laughing. “Thanks for always making me laugh, Finn.” She gives me a quick hug before pulling things from the fridge.
I’m glad I was able to make her smile and forget about the gloomy mood she was in.
If only she knew that I wasn’t really kidding. If only she knew she’s the most stunning person, inside and out, that I’ve ever met.
If she only knew how right it feels to have her here in our home.
I try to help her make the French toast and scrambled eggs, but she firmly tells me to sit my ass down on one of the barstools. Like the good boy I am, I do as she says.
The way she effortlessly moves around our kitchen is mesmerizing. I could sit here and watch her cook whatever the hell she wanted to every damn day.
Theo finally makes his way downstairs as Riley’s dishing out the food onto four plates. It isn’t lost on me that she’s furious with Cole, but she still cares about him enough to make him breakfast, too.
“Hey, you,” Riley says to Theo.
He grunts out something resembling “morning” before making his way to the coffee maker.
“I see that hasn’t changed,” Riley tells me, pointing her thumb in Theo’s direction.
“I think it’s gotten worse. He’s becoming crankier in the mornings with his old age,” I say.
Theo leans back against the counter, taking a big swig of his black coffee. “I’m two years older than you, dick.” His eyes roam over the food. “Please tell me you didn’t let him help.”
Riley laughs, setting the dirty dishes in the sink. “No, it was a solo mission.”
“Thank fuck,” he mutters, taking another sip.
“Now, you’re the dick,” I tell him.
“Payback’s a bitch,” he says, quirking an eyebrow.
“Okay… I think that’s enough brotherly love for now,” Riley pipes in. “Let’s eat.”
We all carry our plates to the table.
“Do you want me to take Cole his food?” I ask.
“Well… I’m not taking it, so…” She leaves the sentence dangling there.
I nod, grabbing it from the counter. Her voice stops me when I get to the bottom of the stairs.
“Don’t tell him I cooked it,” she says.
“If I tell him I made it, he isn’t going to take a single bite of this,” I say with a shrug.
“Tell him it was Theo.”
“Fine,” I say, taking the steps two at a time. I turn to the left at the top of the stairs, landing three loud knocks on his door.
Sounds of shuffling feet and grumbling come through the door before it’s whipped open. He looks ready for a fight.
I snort out a laugh. “I take it you were expecting the much shorter, much prettier house guest… not me.”
“What, Finn?” The question comes out with utter exasperation.
“I brought you breakfast.” I pass him the plate.
He eyes it skeptically.
“She made it for you, dished it up, and everything.”
His eyes widen for a second before he smooths his features back into an indifferent mask.
“Thanks for bringing it up,” he says before closing his door.
I might not know the details of why their relationship ended years ago, but it’s clear that their feelings for each other aren’t as cut and dried as hating one another.
It seems fitting because I’m pretty sure Theo and I have similar complex feelings for the girl who randomly popped back into our lives yesterday. Everything is a complicated mix now.
I’m not complaining, though. It’s the best surprise I’ve had in a very long time.