Chapter 9 #2
“Thank you. Other than the obvious meaning, it’s also a reminder that you have to keep going even when the worst thing happens. Curling up and dying isn’t an option.”
“You’re amazing, but you probably already know that.”
“No, I’m not.”
“You really are. What happened to your parents?”
Chloe took a deep breath and let it out.
Finn immediately regretted the question. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s okay that you asked. They fought a lot. Always did. My dad, he had a drug problem and it had gotten really bad in the last few months before they died. He came home one night with a gun.”
“Oh my God, Chloe.” Instinctively, he reached for her hand, jolting when she winced. He pulled his hand back. “Sorry.”
“He shot her and then himself.”
Horrified, Finn could barely breathe. “Where were you?”
“Upstairs. At first, I didn’t know what had happened, but when I came down and saw the blood, I ran out of there. Someone told me later that the neighbors called the cops. I don’t remember much about what happened after I left the house. A big chunk of my memory is just blank.”
“How old were you?”
“Seven.”
He winced as his heart broke for her. “I’m so sorry you had such an awful thing happen to you.”
She smiled, but her glorious eyes were sad. “What is it about you that has me telling you something I rarely tell anyone?”
Her sadness gutted him. “I don’t know, but I’m really glad you trusted me enough to share that with me.”
“I told Katie about it the other day. You’re the first two people here who I’ve told.”
Because he needed it and thought she might, too, he moved his chair closer to hers and held out his arms to her.
She hesitated, but only for a second before leaning into his embrace.
As Finn put his arms around her and felt the silk of her hair brush against his face, he closed his eyes and breathed in her unique scent.
He couldn’t identify the various elements that made up the scent, but he would forever associate it with her.
“I’m supposed to be feeding you, but I can’t seem to let go. ”
She exhaled and relaxed against him. “This is okay for now.”
Later, Finn wouldn’t be able to say how long they sat there, wrapped up in each other as daylight waned into dusk.
Time ceased to matter. The only thing he cared about was offering comfort after hearing her heartbreaking story.
He couldn’t imagine living through such a tragedy, especially at such a young age.
His had been a charmed, blessed existence with two parents who’d adored him and the brother who had been by his side from the beginning.
Compared to what she’d endured, he’d never had a problem in his life.
“What’re you thinking?” she asked after a long silence.
“How lucky I am to be here with you, and to have had such an easy life compared to what you’ve been through.”
“I don’t want you to pity me.”
“I don’t. I admire all you’ve accomplished on your own. You opened a business in your twenties and have made a success of it.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. It pays the bills, but that’s about it.”
“You support yourself through a business you own. I think that’s incredible. I dream about owning my own business, and you already do. It’s a huge accomplishment that most people never achieve.”
“Well, when you put it that way…”
Her husky laugh made his skin tingle with awareness and, yes, desire.
He wanted her, and not just physically. He wanted all of her, and that was truly a first for him.
After being with Chloe, he got why Riley had gone over the bend with Nikki.
Once you’ve experienced something so magical, you’d do anything you could to keep it in your life.
“You’re making a freaking mess of me. I hope you know that.”
She raised her head to look at him, her brows furrowed. “How so?”
He caressed her face, and when her lips parted, he could think of nothing else but how badly he wanted to kiss her.
“Finn?”
“I think about you all the time. I count the hours until I can see you. I’ve never done that.”
“No?”
He shook his head. “Never.”
“I… We said we were going to keep this casual.”
“I know.”
“That doesn’t sound casual.”
“It’s not.”
She drew back from him. “Finn. Please. I can’t do this. Not if you’re leaving. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”
Though it was the last thing he wanted to do, he let her go, then took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair, wishing that was all it would take to get his head back on straight. “I promised you dinner. It’s all ready.”
He got up and went into the house, intent on serving dinner and trying to keep things casual with her, even as he was forced to acknowledge that his feelings for her were anything but.
After hearing about what she’d been through, he better understood her aversion to risk.
And the last thing he wanted was to hurt her.
He couldn’t upend his plans for a woman he’d met less than a week ago. Who did that?
Riley did, and look at where it got him.
Shut up.
Now he was having arguments with himself. Awesome.
He put steak and baked potatoes on plates and walked them out to the patio.
She greeted him with a warm smile that made him want to say to hell with his plans or anything that didn’t include her. “That looks so good!”
“Glad you think so. Be right back with the salad.”
His hands were actually shaking. What the fuck was happening to him? Back in the kitchen, he took a minute to get himself together, to take a deep breath, to settle himself. With his hands propped on the counter, he took another deep breath.
“Finn? What’s wrong?”