Chapter Six Shelby
Waking up being held is wonderful. Five stars. Highly recommend. I don’t remember Konner being so cuddly. He’s always very much into having his own space to sleep. I usually don’t mind, but maybe I’ve been missing out.
The hair on his chest tickles my cheek. Chest hair?
On the always immaculately groomed Konner?
What? My eyes pop open. This isn’t the honeymoon suite.
The hand resting heavily on my hip isn’t Konner’s.
Suddenly, everything that happened yesterday comes flooding back.
Walking in on Konner fucking my best friend.
Fleeing the resort. Going to the wildlife refuge where I spent so much happy time growing up.
Seeing Finn again. Going home with him. Waking up in his arms. This is crazy.
But it feels right.
“Good morning.” I feel the words rumble in his chest as much as I hear them.
His hand flexes on my hip. Even through the sheet and comforter, I feel his weight and heat.
It feels right. Which feels wrong. I’m not the type of woman who flits from man to man.
When I make a commitment, I mean it. When I said yes to Konner’s proposal, it was with the intention of only ever waking in his arms. But maybe it’s time to try something different.
Obviously, what I was doing wasn’t working.
Maybe a fling is just what I need. And I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have it with.
Tipping my chin up, I gaze up into Finn’s warm brown eyes.
His hair is disheveled with a lock falling across his forehead.
I could wake up to this deliciousness every morning.
On impulse, I reach up and push it back.
The way his breath catches at my touch surprises me.
Maybe he’s as aroused by my touch as I am by his?
Could I be that blessed? I haven’t been before. Maybe I’ve had to earn it?
“Good morning,” I say. “I hope I’m not crowding you.”
He grabs my hand and places it over his heart with a light squeeze. The strong, steady beat is so comforting.
“No, not at all. It’s the first time I’ve not woken up in this bed alone. It’s wonderful.”
Marsha meows from her nest between our feet.
“Okay,” Finn amends, “First time I’ve woken with another person in this bed.”
Wow. I don’t see how that can be. I’d think he’d have a line of women at the door taking a number like they’re in line at the deli waiting for a pound of hard salami.
“What would you like to do today?” He strokes his knuckles gently down my arm, an unconscious caress that melts me entirely. “Did you want to go anywhere?”
Is he planning on me staying beyond today? Does he want me to stay?
“Um...”
Finn’s long-lashed brown eyes widen, and a flush creeps up his chest and neck into his cheeks. “I mean, what were your plans? You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. Or if you want to get your car and leave, that’s fine too. I’m good with whatever. Whatever you want.”
The deep breath he takes makes his chest rise and fall so I feel like I’m resting on a raft on a rippling lake.
“I’m making this weird,” he says in his rumbly morning voice. Finn rests his free forearm over his eyes.
I raise and put my weight on my elbow so I can see Finn’s face more clearly. “Hey, don’t hide.” I run a fingertip along the silky dark hair dusting his forearm.
“I’m a Bigfoot shifter,” he mumbles. “That’s kinda what we do.”
After a beat, we both laugh, and he uncovers his face and wraps his arm around me. He’s not trapping me; he’s holding me close, like something he cherishes. No one has held me like this before.
“What do you want?” I ask.
Sincerity and maybe a touch of vulnerability shine in his brown eyes. “You.”
“Is...is this crazy?” I whisper. “To feel this connected? So quickly?”
“Maybe? Do we care? Is it actually quick, or was it just delayed? Maybe it’s right on time. We started on the show, needed time and experience to realize what we really wanted and needed. Once we knew, fate brought us back together.”
I close my eyes at the gentle touch of his hand as he brushes my hair back from my face. When his thumb rubs along my bottom lip to get me to release it from the bite of my lower teeth, my tummy flips.
“I should be married this morning. What if I didn’t walk in on them and married him? I wouldn’t be here. I think that would break my heart more than anything I went through with him ever would.”
“Fate works as it’s meant to. You’re here now, and that’s what matters. Our pasts brought us where we are now, and I’m grateful for that.”
Oh my. My ears hear what he says, and my heart is feeling it. My brain knows he’s right.
“Can I kiss you?” I whisper, shocked at my boldness.
The shuddering breath he lets out feathers against my skin.
“Please do,” he says.
Slowly, I lower my head and brush my lips against his.
His beard is soft and I want to discover what it feels like against my skin.
Our kiss starts soft and tender, but soon his arms tighten around me, and it deepens.
Morning breath isn’t even an issue thanks to the Thin Mint cookies we noshed on before falling asleep.
Our tongues tangle and stroke one another, and suddenly I’m flat on my back with Finn’s weight surrounding me.
He’s so much bigger than I am, but I don’t find his size intimidating.
It’s comforting, the way he covers me, like a sexy blanket.
I’m amazed that even though he’s a Bigfoot shifter, he’s not hairy everywhere.
He has chest hair but a moderate amount, not a pelt.
As I run my hands along his broad back, all I feel is smooth skin over taut muscles.
Finn stops kissing me and drops his head to my shoulder, nuzzling my neck and placing a light kiss there. “If I don’t stop, we’re not leaving this bed today.” His nose brushes my ear, and his beard tickles my cheek.
When I don’t reply, he lifts his head and gazes at me, questions and desire in his dark chocolate eyes.
“Shelby?”
“I’m thinking.” And I am. It’s been so long since I’ve felt desire, since I’ve felt desired.
If the heavy length against my thigh is any indication, I am definitely desired.
But as much as my body is saying yes—hell, my heart is saying yes—my brain is saying take it slowly.
Even if slowly is a couple of hours, take a break and think before acting. I hate it when my brain is right.
“We should get up,” I say, reluctance dripping from every word.
“Okay,” Finn replies before rolling off me and standing by the bed, adjusting the waistband of his navy boxer briefs that do nothing to hide what he’s packing.
Hell, they barely contain it. You know what they say about men with big feet...
It’s true...it’s true. Hopefully it only takes my brain a few hours to feel totally on board with what I just called off.
Maybe I shouldn’t have hesitated... No. Time is good.
We can pick up where we left off earlier.
“What do you want to do for breakfast?” he asks. “I have eggs and bread here. Go Fork Yourself is an option.”
“What?” I splutter as I scoot off my side of the bed.
“It’s a local mom-and-pop place. Their motto is ‘Great Food, Shitty Attitude,’ and it’s the truest advertising ever.
The owners are the chef and hostess, and you get the stink eye the moment you walk in.
You can hear the pots and pans banging in the kitchen as your order is cooked.
The main waitress is their granddaughter, and she plops the plates down with an eye roll and goes back behind the counter to scroll on her phone.
But the food is incredible. They have cinnamon swirl pancakes that are to die for.
Big as the plate, and so rich even I can’t eat them all.
” He chuckles, and the way his eyes crinkle when he smiles makes my tummy flip again.
“You risk life and limb asking for a to-go box, but it’s worth it because only an idiot leaves those pancakes behind. ”
My stomach growls, but I don’t know if being out and about in public is worth it. Finn must read my expression because he rounds the foot of the bed and takes my hand.
“You’ll be fine there. It’s a locals-only sort of place, and the unspoken rule is what happens in The Fork, stays in The Fork. No one is going to risk their Fork privileges to snap pictures or post about seeing you. Especially if you’re with me.”
“What about you? What would being seen with me do to you? Do you want people in your business again?”
“It’ll be fine. They love me there. Bert and Fran are bird-watchers, so we run into each other at the refuge a lot.
They don’t try to run me over, and I mention if I see something uncommon.
They adopted Marsha’s mother, Carol, and only sneer at me a little bit when I drop off a new cat toy as a gift from Marsha to Carol on Mother’s Day. ”
My ovaries melt. If that’s how he treats his cat’s mother on Mother’s Day, how would he treat the mother of his own children? I imagine sweet dark-haired boys that love to run around and explore nature and maybe a shy little girl who is her daddy’s princess. I want that so much.
“Okay, let’s go then,” I say.
My concern isn’t for myself about being seen in public.
I can’t hide away forever. It’s not like I’m famous enough for most people to know who I am or care.
And even if I am recognized, I’m used to it.
But I don’t want to bring attention to Finn and have him thrust back into the spotlight.
After the show, there was a lot of chatter about him being rejected.
Everyone wanted to know if he’d find love again or what he was doing after the show.
Where Ivy milked the moment for all it was worth, Finn avoided the spotlight.
But if he’s okay dealing with the circus that my life is, let’s load up the clown car.