Chapter Twenty-Nine #3
“I don’t think you need a cover story. Didn’t you notice that I screwed up in there and reached for your hand?”
Finn shakes his head.
“Your dad saw it, and from the way your mom looked at me just now, I’m sure she knows what’s going on too. Or suspects.”
Finn nods with determination.
“Like Will,” he mumbles and bites his lip. “That’s it, I’m telling them the truth.”
“Are you sure this is the right time?”
“I need to tell them now more than ever.”
“Do you want me to stay?”
“No, but thanks for offering. I want to come out to them on my own. I gotta do this for me. It’s my choice.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Finn’s hand is steady on my arm.
“You sound confident.”
“I am confident. Once I told Will, some of the pressure eased. I’m ready.”
“And I’ll be waiting, in case things go—”
“They won’t.”
I’m not sure that’s a promise Finn can make.
Four hours later, I’m lying in my hotel bed, staring at my phone, wondering when Finn will arrive but knowing there’s a chance he won’t. What if his parents reacted badly? If so, why didn’t he call me right away?
I’m about to put my phone aside when it vibrates.
Finn: On my way up.
Adrenaline and relief flood my veins. I hop out of bed, head for the living area, and pace back and forth until I hear a soft knock at the door.
When I open it and Finn steps inside, his eyes are bloodshot and swollen, and there are tracks of dried tears on his cheeks. I slam the door and step towards him.
“Sweetheart?”
He throws himself full force into my arms and I nearly fall to the floor.
“Tell me what happened,” I whisper.
Instead of responding, he burrows his face into my neck.
“Finn?” I grip him tighter. “Oh, fuck, I should’ve stayed with you.”
“No. It’s not that. I told you, I had to do this myself.
I’m fine, or I will be. I’m overwhelmed,” he admits.
“My parents weren’t totally surprised to find out that I’m bi.
They already know I’m demi and they could tell what was going on between us from how I looked at you.
Well, how we looked at each other. It’s the ‘falling for my teammate in the NHL’ that has them wondering if I know what the hell I’m doing. Or what we’re doing.”
I lean back and cup his face in my palms.
“Are you okay?”
He offers a sigh and a slow smile. “I’m more than okay now that I’m with you.”
I pull him to me, claiming his lips softly.
“Bed,” I insist.
“Fuck yes.”
I rub my thumb over the circles under his beautiful eyes.
“For sleep.”
“But I want to—”
Finn slides one hand down to cup my ass. I’m more than tempted, but I shake my head.
“Not tonight. You need to talk, decompress, and I need to listen and hold you.”
“Does dirty talk count?” Finn quips.
“Nice try.”
I lead him over to the bedroom, and once he’s stripped down to his briefs, he crawls into bed and collapses. Only, he’s grabbed the side I’ve been lying on.
“Mmm, warm sheets that smell like you,” he mumbles into the pillow. “Fuck, I’ve missed this.”
“Finn,” I warn.
He rolls onto his back and offers an innocent smile, one that contradicts the flirty gleam in his eyes.
“I’ll be a good boy. I promise.”
“That’s not helping.”
Ignoring the rush of my blood heading south, I slide under the sheets, and when Finn rolls to his side, I spoon him tightly.
His responding moan tells me he needs this hug as much as I do.
I nuzzle my face into his neck, breathe in his scent, and kiss his freckles, doing my best to ignore my hard-on.
“Doesn’t feel like you want to go to sleep,” Finn murmurs, pushing his ass back.
I cup his hip to still his movements.
“Behave.”
“Fine. But only for now.”
Finn reaches down to place his hand over mine, and I give his left shoulder a tender kiss.
“Tell me more about what happened.”
“Like I said, they didn’t freak out, but they’re questioning things.” Finn sighs. “On the one hand, they can tell how we feel about each other. On the other, they’re worried about what happens next.”
“Are you going to tell the rest of your family?”
“Yes. Before I head back to New York.”
“You sound remarkably calm about it,” I offer.
“I’m exhausted as fuck. I’m sure once that wears off, once I tell everyone the truth and I’m on the plane ride back, it’ll hit me.”
The insecure part of me is waiting for Finn to say, “This is too much, I can’t do it.”
“So, you are planning to come back to New York?” I ask.
“Of course. Where do you think I’d be going? Once I know that my mom’s well enough to be released, I’m heading back to work.”
“Good plan,” I whisper, relief filling me as I kiss his temple.
Finn lets out a huge yawn and snuggles in closer, resting his cheek on my bicep.
“Also, I want to give Hugo the heads up about us.”
My body stills and Finn looks over his shoulder.
“And yes, I’m sure, Sel,” he adds, staring at me. “It’s time.”
I’m about to lean in and kiss him when he lets out another yawn.
“Sorry,” he chuckles.
“On that note, close your eyes and go to sleep.”
“You won’t let go?”
Instead of replying, I throw one leg over his hip so he can’t move.
“Yes,” he whispers. “That’s more like it.”