19. Kate
Kate
The grey light of early morning spilled through the blinds, warming the room slowly.
Noah’s gentle snores pulled me from sleep and when I lifted my head, the sight stopped me cold.
Finn was on the floor again.
Just like before, one arm crooked beneath his head, the other reaching through the cot bars while Noah’s tiny fist stayed wrapped around his finger. His head tilted towards the cot, eyes closed, chest rising and falling steadily. Something soft tugged in my chest.
I slipped from the bed and padded into the bathroom. When I came back out, Finn was awake, blue eyes following me through the dim light.
He didn’t move his hand from the cot or break Noah’s grip.
“Morning,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep.
“How?” I gestured towards the floor.
“Heard him fussing during the night.” A small shrug lifted one shoulder. “Figured you could use the sleep.”
I leaned against the doorway, folding my arms lightly across my chest. I hadn’t even heard Noah.
“That floor can’t be comfortable.”
“I’ve slept in worse places.”
I looked at him for another second before climbing back into bed and pulling the covers aside.
“Not good enough,” I said firmly.
Finn blinked at me.
I nodded towards the empty space beside me. “Get in the bed.”
His brows lifted. “Kate?—”
“I’m serious.” My pulse hammered painfully hard despite how calm I tried to sound. “You end up on the floor half the time because of us. It’s ridiculous.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it isn’t.” I pointed towards the mattress again. “Get in the damn bed before you throw your back out trying to play human guard dog.”
A reluctant huff of laughter left him, then he pushed slowly to his feet. The movement pulled his shirt tight across his shoulders before he grabbed the hem and tugged it over his head in one smooth motion.
My mouth went dry.
Broad shoulders. Hard muscle. Faded scars scattered across his ribs and shoulder like proof of every fight he’d survived.
Heat rushed through me so fast, it almost hurt.
Finn caught me staring.
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly before he looked away and moved towards the bed carefully, like he still expected me to change my mind.
But I didn’t want distance from him anymore. That was the problem.
“There’s room,” I whispered, scooting back slightly beneath the blankets.
Finn slid in beside me stiffly, keeping as much space between us as the mattress allowed.
Still, I could feel his warmth. Every breath. Every shift.
The room suddenly felt too small, too quiet.
My pulse thudded painfully hard beneath my ribs while Finn stared straight at the ceiling, like looking at me would kill him.
“You don’t have to act like I’m gonna break,” I whispered eventually.
His head turned slowly towards me. Blue eyes locked onto mine in the soft morning light. There was heat there. The same look he’d given me the night before.
“I don’t think you’ll break,” he said.
My breath caught.
Finn swallowed hard once before adding, rougher, “I’m just not sure I can stop if I start.”
Every nerve in my body tightened. Suddenly, all I could think about was his mouth. His hands on me. The way he looked at me like holding himself back physically hurt.
“What if I’m tired of pretending I don’t want this too?”
Something in Finn snapped. He rolled towards me suddenly, one hand bracing beside my head while the other caught my waist gently but firmly.
Then his mouth crashed against mine and the kiss stole every thought from my head.
Hot. Desperate.
Like he’d been holding himself back for weeks and finally couldn’t anymore.
My fingers tangled into his hair automatically, pulling him closer as his body pressed against mine. A rough sound escaped him when I arched into him.
Finn kissed me deeper, slower, like he was trying to memorize the feeling instead of just survive it. His hand slid up my side beneath my shirt, rough fingertips brushing against bare skin and sending heat racing through me.
I gasped into his mouth.
“Jesus Christ,” he muttered roughly against my lips like he was already losing control.
My hands moved over his chest, feeling hard muscle and old scars beneath my fingertips. Finn groaned when I shifted beneath him, his forehead dropping briefly against mine while his hand tightened on my waist.
“You have no idea what you do to me,” he rasped.
The honesty in his voice nearly undid me. I kissed him again before I could think too hard about it. His hand slid higher beneath my shirt and my breath caught sharply when his thumb brushed the underside of my breast. Every nerve ending in my body lit up.
“Kate,” he warned roughly, like saying my name was the only thing keeping him together.
I didn’t want him to be careful anymore.
I wanted him.
My fingers slipped lower, brushing the iron bar of him through his sweats and a broken groan left his throat.
Then, a loud wail shattered the room. Both of us froze.
Noah.
Finn dropped his forehead against my shoulder with a muttered curse while I burst into startled laughter beneath him.
Finn stayed exactly where he was for one dangerous second longer before dragging a hand down his face.
“That kid’s timing is terrible,” he muttered hoarsely.
I laughed harder, cheeks burning as reality came crashing back into the room.
Finn looked down at me, breathing rough, lips swollen from kissing me.
Then Noah yelled again.
“Yeah, yeah,” Finn grumbled before carefully rolling off me, but not before stealing another quick kiss that left my entire body aching for more.