Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Sophie
Closing my eyes I try to keep my breathing calm and lean into Finn’s hold on me. When I feel him press a kiss to my collarbone, chills immediately roll over me in waves. “Loosen up, Soph.” He chuckles softly. “I promise I won’t bite and you don’t have to act afraid of me.”
“I’m not afraid,” I insist.
“Prove it,” he pushes a little more and I can’t help the smile that covers my mouth.
Slowly I allow my entire body to relax. This is Finn, and with him I am safe. Turning my head just enough to make eye contact with him, I hold his stare. “I’m not afraid of you.”
Holding his stare, he chooses to do the same. To anyone outside of the two of us, I am sure it looks as though we are simply lost in one another. But to us, it’s a game, one being played by each of us to see who will falter first. I refuse to be the loser in this battle.
Finn leans in a little closer and brushes his lips to mine and I do all I can not to flinch. I got this, one hundred percent. He repeats the movement and I stay strong. Okay, maybe it’s not one hundred percent and more like seventy-five…fine, sixty.
“That’s better,” he says before pulling me in a little tighter to his body. Then his lips touch mine and it may be a brief kiss, but it’s a kiss nonetheless. “I told you there would be kissing.”
I pinch his side and he chuckles but remains in control.
“That was your one free pass,” I say, widening my eyes at him to emphasis, or attempt to drive my point home. “You should probably know that if you attempt that again, I may have to hurt you.”
“Promise?” He chuckles, before kissing the tip of my nose. This side of Finn is one I’ve never truly seen before. A playful side that I’ll admit, I kind of like.
“Mr. Armstrong,” the young hostess interrupts the moment and we both look in her direction.
“Your table is ready.” She motions for us to follow and Finn leads me in the same direction by placing his hand on the small of my back.
His fingers brush against my bare skin exposed from the low-cut backless dress I’m wearing.
Just before we disappear around the corner I glance up, seeing Ryan staring at Finn. I don’t know what possesses me, but I giggle.
“Be nice,” Finn says with his own chuckle and it’s then I have to admit, his idea of fake dating might actually be fun. There is something very satisfying about seeing the man that hurt me suffer.
Everyone is right, I do deserve so much more than he ever offered.
It’s time I stop thinking I’m the one that is doomed when it comes to relationships. I am not doomed.
I’m amazing!
I’ve decided, I am no longer going to overthink things, I am going to let go. I am setting myself free from the confines of my mind. Laugh more, love more, enjoy more.
“I’m not a sushi fan.” Finn wrinkles his nose and leans back in his chair like the items I’ve just sat down on the table before him might jump out of the bag and bite him.
“It’s cooked,” I assure him. “I promise, and you can’t say you don’t like something unless you try it at least once. You have to form your own opinion and not go by what others have said.”
“I’ll pass,” he adds with a shiver and I laugh, rolling my eyes at him.
“And you say I’m afraid.” I laugh and he locks his focus on me, holding my stare. “Bawk, bawk, chicken,” I challenge and his brows furrow.
“Did you seriously just imitate a chicken, or attempt to?”
“I did,” I say with pride.
“I’m still not eating it,” he assures me and I accept the challenge. Laying out all the items on his desk, I open the containers of sauce and remove the chopsticks from the paper sleeve.
The cooked crab is my favorite, so it’s the first one I go for. Picking one up, I dip it in the Yum Yum sauce and tip my head back, popping the goodness into my mouth. When I start to chew I make eye contact with him once more and I notice him looking at my mouth.
“You are going to grow a third eye and an extra finger,” he says so seriously.
I snort and his eyes grow wide.
I continued to chew and then go for another one. Only this time I move around his desk and sit on the edge at his side.
“No way.” He shakes his head, backing away and I follow his movements.
“You push for me to stop being so leery and scared of things. You say I need to stop hiding out inside my own head, so why is that okay for me but not you?”
“This is different.” The way he wrinkles his nose makes me smile. So dramatic, and it’s hilarious.
“Big, bad, unaffected Finn.” I push out my lower lip. “Who knew behind all that there was a scared little boy.”
His eyes narrow at me.
“Do you need a tissue?”
Finn leans in, standing up from the chair and getting closer. I don’t back up, remaining where I am and holding out the sushi. He looks at the food like it’s somehow offended him but slowly opens his mouth and I move it closer.
When it’s in his mouth, he closes it and his nostrils flare as he chews it slowly. The entire time he says nothing. No sign of loving or hating it, still that same blank faced stare while continuing to eat it.
Then when he is done he closes the distance a little more, placing his hands onto the desk on either side of me. It’s my turn to react, as I freeze up and wait for his next move. I’m lost, not understanding how one thing led to the next.
Then just when I am about to respond he grabs the container of crab rolls and slides them closer, sitting down in the chair once more. Using his fingers he picks up another piece and pops it into his mouth.
“Excuse me?” I reach out and he turns his entire body, shielding the food.
He playfully tries to keep me away and somehow I end up half on his lap when the office door opens and there in the doorway stands Bennett and his cousin Aaron. Bennett is grinning, Aaron too, and I am mortified.
“Hey, boys.” Finn chuckles and I do the first and only thing I can think of. I stand up, grab my purse, and walk out of the office without one word or even a second glance back.
Not even when I hear one of the guys chuckle, and Finn telling them both to shut up.