Chapter 44
FINN
It’s been over two weeks since I’ve been able to be in the same room with Lex, to get to hold her and share the same space with her.
I feel like I'm going through withdrawals. I’m actually pretty pathetic.
Twenty-year-old me would kick my ass for being so lovesick, but I can’t help it—I'm crazy about her. Unfortunately, her classes are very demanding. She’s also working on applying to internships for the spring and beefing up her resume with extra training sessions on top of the classes she already teaches.
Add to that, my newest client is way more demanding than I had anticipated, requiring a lot of handholding.
Which is why my bags are packed and I'm headed to the airport, when all I really want to do is drag Lex back to my place and lock us in the bedroom for the next five days.
Checking the clock, I realize I'm way ahead of schedule. Maybe I can squeeze in a quick visit with Lex. At the next stoplight, I check the shared calendar we have so I can see if she’s free.
“Dammit, all to hell,” I gripe, tossing my phone in the passenger seat. The same seat she let me finger her in months ago. Lex has a class starting in fifteen minutes. Checking the map, I lurch off the line and speed toward the gym. I'm seeing my girl, one way or another.
I pay for a day pass and a one-time drop-in for Butts and Guts. There’s only one other guy in a sea of college females in the class. It’s a bit awkward as I roll out a mat and take a seat front and center. Smiling like a kid in a candy store while imagining her face when she sees me.
“Alright, class starts in less than five minutes, everyone. So, grab a mat, a towel, and I hope you have water because I plan to work those abs and asses until you are dripping…”
Her water bottle clatters to the floor, mouth dropping open as she trails off after seeing me sitting right in front of her.
“FINN!” Her squeal has more than a few people covering their ears.
Fiddling with the head mic she has on, silencing it, before rushing to me.
I just wave, not sure how to act, and not sure if any of her and Marcee’s friends are in the class.
She comes over and I can tell she wants to jump on me, but she’s being professional, so she kneels down in front of me instead.
“What are you doing here?” Her eyes light up as she stares like she still doesn’t believe it’s really me. “I thought you were flying out tonight?”
“I am.” Her face falls a little, and it’s almost too cute. “I had a few extra minutes and needed to see you. I saw that you had a class, so, here I am! Show me whatcha got, teach.”
The mischievous smile she throws my way makes me a little nervous about what’s to come. She winks at me as she stands and returns to the front of the class.
“Alright, class.” Upbeat music starts. “Today is extra special. A friend from out of town is joining us, and I think we need to show him how strong we are.” Cheers erupt around the room before Alexis starts calling out the first exercise.
What did I sign up for?
Forty-five minutes later, I'm sprawled out on the mat, sweating like a pig and sure I'll struggle to sit by morning, praying I don’t have to sneeze. I wait as the class empties and slowly sit up as she closes the door, making her way to me. Her skin glistens from all the work she put into class.
“Sanka, you dead man?” she calls, quoting Cool Runnings in one of the worst Jamaican accents I have ever heard.
“Yeah, man.”
Grabbing my hand, she hauls me to my feet and presses in close. “Come on, Daddy, do you have time for a quick shower before you head out?” My dick perks up at the thought, but reality crashes in when I see that I have to be on my way in the next ten minutes if I want to make my flight.
“Way to torture me further. No, I need to get on the road, baby.” I look down at my wet clothes and grimace. “I feel bad for the poor schmuck stuck next to me on the plane. You really kicked my ass.”
Lex wipes the disappointment from her face, keeping my hand in hers. “Then I guess I’ll settle for walking you to your car.”
Once we reach my car, I struggle to say bye.
Turning and pinning her to my car, I bring my mouth to hers.
It was meant to be a quick kiss, but ten minutes later, she’s straddling me in the driver’s seat as we make out like teenagers.
A timer dings, signaling our time’s up. I reach to silence her phone, but it isn’t the timer, it’s a text, one of many unread messages on her phone.
Unknown:
Answer your fucking phone you stupid bitch. You don’t get to jerk me around and not face me. You owe me!
They continue on like that. “What the fuck is this?” My voice is steely with barely controlled rage as I swipe through the thread of messages. Her face pales as she grabs the phone.
“Ugh, I need to change my number. Jax is back to trying to get my attention. I was an idiot and drunk dialed him the weekend we, well, you know. He went to my old place and was so pissed.” She rolls her eyes like it's no big deal, but I can see she’s upset and clearly bothered by this prick.
“Finn…” She moves her face in front of me. “Finn, look at me.”
“I’m canceling my trip and finding this little shit and kicking his ass.” Grabbing my face, she silences me with a kiss that has my head spinning.
“No, you won’t do any of that. I'll change my number as soon as you get back, and then he will disappear into the past where he belongs.”
Opening my mouth to protest, she presses a finger to my lips.
“Finn, I got this, okay?” The timer really does go off this time.
“Put it out of your mind. He has no idea where I live. My boss walks me to my car at night, and my building is secure. I’m safe.
Go do your thing, then get back here.” A quick peck then she’s moving off me.
“Thanks for coming to see me, it was the best surprise.”
Tugging her hair, I lean in for one last kiss as we disentangle ourselves. “I hate leaving, but I'll be back soon, and I told Allison to keep my schedule open for a couple of days after so I can see you.”
As she steps back and closes my door, I feel three little words bubbling up, and I want to say them to her, but wonder if it's too early. It has to be, and I don’t want to freak her out with a bomb like that then drive off.
Instead, I smile and blow her a kiss before pulling out of the lot and gunning it to the airport.
I’m going to get through this trip and tie up all the loose ends so I can silence my phone as soon as I get back.
I also make a mental note to look into Jax.
I’ll see if my friend Gerry, a PI, can get me any information on him.
I think I remember the name of the tattoo shop Lex said she had her work done at.
That should be more than enough to get info on him.
As I board the plane, I send a text to Gerry, asking him to put together a file on Jax.