Chapter 8
eight
EMMY
“Come in!” I shouted from the bathroom, after Finn knocked on my front door.
I heard him come inside, and the man was leaning against the doorframe a minute later.
“Sorry, I’m running late,” I apologized, my face nearly pressed against the mirror as I leaned over the countertop while applying my mascara.
“I’d say this never happens, but that would be a lie.
My friends usually tell me to be there like fifteen minutes before they actually want me there.
It’s a poorly-kept secret. At least both of my eyes are going to have makeup on them this time, so you won’t be creeped out. ”
“I was never creeped out.”
“You’re sweet, but you’re also a liar.”
Finn chuckled. “It wasn’t your best look, but I was too busy staring at your tits to care.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“Well, you look fucking incredible.” His gaze moved slowly over my figure. I could’ve sworn I felt it.
“You’ve only seen me from the side.”
“The slit on that dress alone is enough to warrant the compliment. Those legs…” he rumbled. I saw some movement off to my side, and was pretty sure he’d shaken his head.
“They’re not too bad.”
“Don’t insult yourself like that.”
I leaned away from the mirror, checking my mascara and eyeliner from a little further away. It was good for the moment, but it would undoubtedly be smeared by the time the performance was over. My eyes were makeup resistant or something.
I turned to face him. “I’m sure you look equally—” My lips parted, and the words died in my throat.
Finn was wearing a pair of jeans, nice sneakers, and a white button-down shirt. The long sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, and a few of the buttons were undone.
It was the perfect mix of dressy and casual. I was a fan. A big fan.
“Hot damn,” I finally said. “Maybe neutral-colored clothing isn’t always bad.”
Finn’s lips curved upward, just a little. “Maybe pink isn’t always bad.”
The dress I had on was dark, pink satin, with a high neckline, a low back, and a long, silky skirt. The slit went nearly to the top of my thigh, making the dress a little more interesting.
“I take serious offense to the suggestion that pink could ever be anything other than ideal,” I said, turning back to the mirror rather than stepping into his arms like I wanted to.
Would it be bad to ask him to fuck me in the bathroom a few hours after we decided to attempt dating?
I was thinking yes.
Maybe after the performance. If he was interested.
The mass amount of sex we’d had during the climax told me he was interested, but we had never screwed without the hormones pushing us to. Maybe his sex drive was low on a normal day. I wasn’t sure, and definitely hadn’t asked.
“This dress has started to convince me,” he said.
“I would’ve thought the thong could do that.”
“I never saw it on you, or it probably would’ve.”
This was my chance to get an answer about his sex drive on the sly.
“Maybe I’ll let it try its hand at swaying you after the play. If you’re interested.” I didn’t dare look his way.
“I am always open to being swayed by one of your thongs.”
So we were on the same page.
“Good to know,” I said.
Finn stayed where he was while I finished touching up my natural curls with an iron, in an attempt to make them all match a little more.
“It’s perfect, Em. Quit trying to fix it.”
I made a face at him in the mirror, and didn’t stop the touchups.
Finn stepped up behind me. My hands stopped moving.
He took the curling iron and set it down, then wrapped his fingers around my wrists. When he lowered my hands to the countertop, I held the ledge lightly.
His hands found my hips, and warmth bloomed in my lower belly as his erection met my ass.
His lips lowered toward my ear. “If we stay here much longer, we’re not going to make it out of this bathroom.”
“Is that a promise?”
He nipped my bare shoulder lightly. “Do you want it to be?”
“Yes. But we have dinner reservations,” I said breathlessly.
“You’re already known for being late.” His hand dragged slowly up my ribcage before brushing my breast. “It would be a shame to ruin your reputation.”
“Or my hair.”
“Maybe your hair wants to be ruined.” Finn squeezed my breast.
“Maybe it does.”
His lips met the crook of my neck, and he sucked lightly.
I rocked slowly against his cock, earning a low rumble of appreciation.
My phone started ringing before the fun could really start. I was going to ignore it, but Finn picked it up to see who was calling.
Jade.
Dammit.
I sighed. “If I don’t answer, she’ll keep calling while she drives over here.”
“Why?”
“She’s a real pain in the ass. It’s what makes her an amazing friend.”
“Wyatt might stop her.”
“Really?” I perked up a little.
“Actually, no. I can’t see him caring how much she pisses us off.”
He hit the answer button, followed by the speaker, and I said, “Hello?”
“Hey. Are you on your way yet?”
“No. You’re worried I’m going to be late, aren’t you?” I teased.
“You’ll be late if you don’t leave right now, so yeah, I think that’s a valid concern.”
I gave Finn a playful look in the mirror. He tried not to, but couldn’t stop his lips from curving a little again.
He liked me, even if he didn’t want to.
“Alright, we’re leaving. Give me a break,” I said.
“We? I thought you were picking Zoe up on the way.”
“She got sick, so I convinced Finn to go with me.”
“I’m sure it took a lot of convincing to get a wolfman to go on a date with his mate. You probably even had to get naked to talk him into it,” Jade drawled.
“Yes, I fought valiantly. You should be proud.”
“So proud I’ve got a trophy in my cupholder with your name on it.”
“It better be pink.”
“Oh, it is. Why don’t I hear your car’s engine running?”
I laughed. “Fine, I’m leaving now. See you at the restaurant.”
“If you’re more than five minutes late, I’m giving your tickets away.”
“Don’t even think about it.”
“Get in your car!”
“Okay, okay. Bye.”
I hung up.
Finn’s eyes were brighter than I’d seen them before. He looked… amused. Happy, even.
I turned in his arms, and kissed him.
I might have caught him off guard with the kiss, but you never would’ve known it by the way he kissed me back. His fingers tangled in my hair, his other hand gripped my thigh, and our tongues found each other immediately.
It was hot, sure, but even more?
It just felt right.
“How late are they expecting you to be?” he asked against my lips.
“Fifteen minutes or so.”
“We can be faster than that.”
I laughed and unbuttoned his pants.
He dragged my dress up to my hips and pulled my thong to the side while I freed his cock. His gaze was molten as he filled me slowly with three of his fingers, stretching me as quickly as he could without hurting me.
My head tipped back, my lips parting shallowly as he teased my clit with his thumb and fucked me slowly with his fingers.
“I’ve imagined doing this again at least a dozen times since the climax ended,” he said in a low voice, his eyes locked with mine.
“Only a dozen?”
His lips curved the tiniest bit. “What are you at?”
“Two dozen.”
“Then I’m a solid three.”
“Have you jerked off?” I gasped, my hips arching and my fingers wrinkling his shirt as he brought me nearly to the edge, then slowed down.
Finn knew my body better than I did.
I had no idea how he did, but I was never going to complain about it.
“Yes. Have you touched yourself?”
“Twice,” I breathed.
“Only twice? I’m offended.”
I laughed. It morphed into a moan when he brought me back to the edge. “How many times are you at?”
“Five.”
“Five?”
“My whole house smells like you, and sex. It’s a miracle I managed to do anything else.” He dragged his knuckle over my g-spot, and my head tipped back further. I cried out as I almost shattered—but Finn’s knuckle stopped right when I needed it to keep going.
“Don’t torture me,” I panted.
“Just getting you ready.” Finn slid his fingers out of me and spread the slickness on them slowly over my clit with one hand. He lifted my dress higher with the other.
I lined his cock up with my entrance, and he thrust in slowly, giving me exactly what I needed. I came hard, crying out loudly and gripping his shirt for dear life.
His gaze was on the place our bodies connected while he drove into me roughly, dragging me into another orgasm before he snarled his pleasure as he came with me.
Jade called me again while we finished—and we ran out to Finn’s truck, him grinning and me laughing breathlessly a few minutes later. Our clothes were wrinkled, but I didn’t give one single fuck about it.
Dinner with our friends was fun, and the performance was incredible. Extra incredible because I got to spend it snuggled up with Finn. The cushioned auditorium chairs weren’t super comfortable, but we made it work.
We talked about the play the whole way home, and while I took off my makeup and put on a pair of pajamas. The conversation continued as I climbed in bed. And when I told Finn he could just stay the night if he wanted to, since he had decided he was my boyfriend.
It went on while he stripped down to his boxer-briefs and got beneath the blankets with me.
And when his hand slipped between my thighs, and mine over his cock.
It didn’t end until he ducked under the sheets to put his mouth on me until I was crying out in pleasure.
It was an absolutely perfect night.
The next day, we drove back to Moon Ridge (separately), and shifted together. Our wolves ran around wildly all day, and I went home alone that evening.
Finn had me call him when I got back because he was paranoid about my safety. We stayed on the phone until late that night, talking about everything. And nothing.
He came over with food after my last class the next day, going home late at night.
And the next day.
And the rest of them that week.
I joined him and his pack for dinner Friday night, too.
I was supposed to go home afterward, but ended up in Finn’s house, curled up on the couch with him while a movie played on the TV in front of us.
His fingers were buried in my hair, like they usually were.
Mine were splayed over his chest, like they usually were.
“Why do you need to go home again?” he asked, his lips brushing my ear and his forehead against my temple. I was pretty sure he was inhaling my scent like he was addicted to it. Which he always did. So maybe he was addicted to it.
“I’m supposed to meet with my boss and sign my contract for next semester in the morning,” I murmured back. They wanted me to sign for a few more years, but I’d told them I was only interested in agreeing to one semester at a time.
“I thought you weren’t sure about it.”
“I’m not.”
“But you’re going to sign it anyway?”
“I’m hoping I’ll have an epiphany about whether or not it’s the right thing to do when I pick up the pen.”
“Does that usually happen?”
“No. Tomorrow’s going to be a first.”
Finn didn’t say anything.
I was pretty sure he was thinking that sounded crazy.
It did sound crazy. I was well aware of that.
But what was the alternative? Quit a job I liked well enough without another one in sight? I still had a trust fund collecting dust—or cash, I suppose—so I didn’t technically need the money. What was I going to do with even more free time if I quit, though?
Yeah, sure, I liked having hobbies. I loved my not-wedding cakes, and doing Pilates once a week or so. I liked decorating, and thrift shopping, and painting walls fun colors.
I couldn’t do all that stuff full-time, though. I’d get bored, and I liked feeling like I was making a difference.
I had felt that way the most when I was teaching elementary school. I didn’t as much, now.
Finn didn’t say anything for a few minutes.
I tried to focus on the movie and failed.
He paused it, after a little while.
I was pretty sure I knew why, but I was going to let him come out with it.
“Do you… want to talk about it? Why you’re not sure if you want to sign?” He was obviously uncomfortable asking me the question, but he asked it anyway.
My chest squeezed.
I was already catching feelings, and I needed to tell him that. I just didn’t want to ruin what we had going on.
“Do you?” I asked. “It’s a pretty big decision. Are you sure you’re comfortable being involved, even just as far as a discussion?”
Finn hesitated.
With most guys, that would’ve answered the question for me. With him, I knew he was legitimately thinking about it.
“I’m sure,” he finally said.
I nodded, biting my bottom lip as I considered how to phrase my problem.
My lip popped free as I released it. “I miss working with kids. I felt like I mattered, when I did. I’m not saying I don’t value myself.
I do. But I want to contribute to the world too, you know?
To people. When I taught kindergarten, I was making a difference in some small way.
It was exhausting, and I was burnt-out beyond belief when I quit, but I knew I made an impact. ”
“Your professor job doesn’t feel like that?”
“Not really. It’s not awful, and I know it’s important, but I don’t feel like it is when I’m there. That sounds bad, doesn’t it?”
“No. You can’t control your feelings.”
“I guess that’s true.”
“If you know you don’t want to keep the job, why are you considering signing?” Finn asked.
“It’s not that simple. If I quit, I have to move somewhere else to find another teaching job, which would mean moving away from Zoe.
I don’t want to do that. The elementary schools in the university’s town are letting teachers go every year because there just aren’t enough kids to fill the classes, so I have zero chance of working there.
If I wanted to stay after quitting, I would have to find another job in a new field. Or just stay jobless.”
Finn frowned. “I could see if Moon Ridge Elementary is hiring. Wyatt got Jade a job with the research team, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for you.”
I gave him a small smile. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m not ready to move to Moon Ridge right now. I love my house, and I do want to live near Zoe. Plus, you and I just started dating. We’re not ready to move in together, so I wouldn’t have anywhere to live.”
“We could figure it out.”
“We could. But we don’t need to, and I think we should keep taking things slow.”
Finn wasn’t mentally prepared to make anything between us any more official than it already was. I was okay with that, too. I understood.
“People live with the person they’re dating all the time,” he pointed out.
“Werewolves don’t.”
He didn’t disagree.
We both knew he couldn’t.
I patted his thigh lightly. “I’m not angry with you. I’m just trying to decide what to do with my life for the next few months.”
“I want to fix that for you.”
“I want you to, too. But you can’t. Not right now.”
He let out a long breath.
I wanted to stay at his place longer, to turn on the movie and hide in his arms for a few more hours.
Instead, I kissed him.
And got off the couch while thanking him for the fun day.
And drove home.