Chapter 42 Finn
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Finn
We could have done rock-paper-scissors to choose one of us to stay up until Riley was ready to come home, but none of us were going to go to bed until she was home safe and sound.
Aspen Springs is a small town, so the chances of something happening to her are low. They’re never zero, though.
I think we all want to spend a little more time with her, too. Her time here is coming to a close, which is something I’ve been trying my hardest not to focus on. I want to be present during any time I have left with her.
I have no idea what’s going to happen when she leaves. Will that be it? Done? I have no idea if trying something long-distance would be what she wants.
If it were, I would put my heart and soul into it. It would be hard, but I know it would be worth it. That’s what you do when you love someone.
Yes, I love her. I tried to fight it because I knew her being in Aspen Springs wasn’t permanent, but it happened anyway. I don’t think falling in love with someone is something you really have any control over.
My phone vibrates in my hand. I breathe a sigh of relief seeing her name on the screen.
“Hey, pretty girl.”
“Finn?” she says, confused.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Fuck… I thought I called Cole, or maybe I did call you.”
She starts laughing, and I have to bite my lip to keep from doing the same. Theo and Cole are both staring at me with amused expressions, listening to me talk to our girl, who has obviously had several drinks.
“Why do all of you have four letters in your names?” she asks. “It’s so confusing.” She sounds so exasperated, and it’s adorable.
“I don’t know, angel. I guess you would have to ask our parents.”
She hums into the line. “Next time I see them, I guess…”
“Are you ready to come home?” I ask.
“Home.” She says the word with so much reverence. “Can you please come get me?”
“We will be there soon.”
“All of you are coming?”
“Yes.”
She texted earlier, saying Hadley would be getting a ride home from her guys. That only leaves Abby, who will need to be dropped off, so we can all easily fit in one vehicle.
It about killed me to let her leave with Cole earlier. She just looked so damn beautiful. I just wanted to hold her against me all night long, and don’t get me started on those damn lips. I’m getting hard just thinking about them.
Pressed against my lips. Wrapped around my cock.
I shake my head, realizing she’s in the middle of saying something. “…outside the bar.”
“Be safe. We’re on our way.”
I follow my brothers and climb into Cole’s truck. I would normally complain about wanting to drive or at least sit up front, but being squished in the back is a small price to pay for having Riley next to me on the drive home.
“Bye,” Riley yells at Abby as Cole helps her into her house. I pull her back to the seat, so she doesn’t fall out the window. “Hi,” she says, snuggling into my side.
I can’t help but chuckle as I wind her seatbelt back around her and click it in place. “Hi.”
“You smell good,” she says, nuzzling into my neck.
“How much did you drink tonight, love?” Theo asks from the front seat.
“Enough to not know how many,” she says with a happy smile.
I shake my head and wrap my arm around her. She startled when Cole jumped back in the truck, but settled quickly. She’s fast asleep before Cole even reaches the highway leading out of town.
We’re all quiet for the rest of the drive, letting her get some rest.
When we get to the house, I carry Riley inside while Cole and Theo gather up all the trash from our late-night burger run. It was evident that the girls needed some food to soak up all the alcohol, so we stopped to get them some food before dropping Abby off.
They devoured it like two teenage boys coming home from football practice. It was pretty impressive to watch. They both guzzled down a bottle of water, too, so fingers are crossed they won’t feel too shitty in the morning.
She blinks up at me when I set her on the end of her bed. I kneel before her, sliding her shoes off. She blinks a little more rapidly, getting a little more alert by the second.
“Are you proposing to me?”
“What?” Cole’s voice comes from the doorway.
“No,” I laugh. “I’m trying to help get you ready for bed.”
“Oh.” She sighs. Her shoulders fall.
Interesting…
The three of us work together to get her peeled out of her sexy clothes and into a fresh pair of panties and a T-shirt of Cole’s that she had lying on her bed. I dart into her bathroom to grab the pack of makeup wipes from the counter.
I crouch down in front of her. “Close your eyes.”
“Why?” she asks.
I bite my lip to keep from laughing at her. She looks genuinely confused.
Theo steps in beside me. He gently cups her face. “Just close your eyes, baby.” They flutter closed when he runs the back of his hand over them.
I use one of the wipes to clean her face of as much of her makeup as I can. A small part of my soul dies a painful death when I drag the wipe over her lips.
I hope I get to see her wear that again sometime.
With her lipstick gone, I kiss her. She smiles against my mouth, draping her arms over my shoulders.
She pulls back a little. “It’s later. You get to kiss me wherever you want. Remember?”
“I remember,” I say, kissing her lips again. Then I pepper kisses all over her face and neck.
She’s giggling and squirming away from me by the time I’m done. She ducks behind Cole… again.
“Why do you keep using him as your shield?”
“Because he’s bigger than me,” she says, peeking her head around him.
“He’s smaller than me,” I say.
Cole spins around, facing her. “And on that note… it’s time for bed.” He swings her up into his arms.
He sets her down in the middle of the bed, so she’s snuggled on the pillows. Theo pulls the comforter up, laying it over her.
An almost scared look takes over her face, and her grip on Cole tightens. “You guys can’t go.”
“We can’t all fit in your bed. It’s only a queen,” Theo says, ever the rational one.
“Please,” she whispers.
The three of us look at each other, trying to come up with a solution. “I’ll sleep on the floor,” I finally say.
“You sure?” Cole asks.
“For her,” my eyes move to Riley, who looks like she’s half asleep already, “I would do just about anything.”