He rounded the counter.He brushed the inside of her elbow with the pad of his thumb.Her skin was warm.One more step and he could have her body against his.
His cock pulsed to life.He gritted his teeth.The change in his body pained him.
"Finn?"she whispered.
He should pull away.Instead, he circled her bicep with his hand, running his fingers against her bare skin.How could he have forgotten what it felt like to touch a woman?
His balls ached.Sex used to be on his mind every fucking second.Had he even thought about it since coming to Everstill?
"Did you ever think about me?"she asked softly.
His chest locked up."There's nothing to tell."
She frowned."Finn—"
"I said there's nothing."He looked into her eyes."Nothing ever fucking changes here, except you coming to me."
The words came out harsher than he meant.She flinched, and guilt stabbed him.
"Are you saying no one has come through the rift, except me, in the last four years?"she whispered.
He exhaled."Yeah."
"Oh, Finn."She planted her hand on his chest."Help me understand."
He opened his mouth to make more sense when he gave up, leaned in, and kissed her.
His mouth found hers in the faintest touch, a hesitant brush that barely counted as a kiss.A jolt moved through him, and he held himself back.He was afraid of hurting her.
His shoulders tightened.Something deep within him responded to her taste, a memory of closeness he hadn't allowed himself to feel in years.
He drew back a fraction, eyes searching hers, the truth of who stood in front of him settling over him with unexpected weight.
This wasn't just anyone.
This was Kallie.The warmth of her mouth, the gentle pressure, the way she breathed his name grabbed him by the balls.
Heat surged through him.He lifted his hands and cupped her face, holding her close.
He hadn't been touched like this in...he didn't know how long.Years.Decades.Maybe longer.Everstill had stripped time from him, stripped feelings from him, stripped everything except survival.
This was too much.
He broke away, breath ragged, stumbling back to get away from her.If he continued, he'd hurt her.He didn't need his memories to know he was raging to fuck, and he would not be gentle.There was nothing soft about him.
"Kallie—" His voice cracked."We can't."
Her brows wrinkled.Hurt flickered across her face.
His chest felt too tight, his skin too hot, his thoughts too loud.He didn't know how to handle this.He didn't know how to handle her.He didn't know how to handle the way that kiss had lit him up from the inside out.
He turned away, gripping the edge of the counter until his knuckles went white.
He wanted her.
He wanted her so fucking bad.
Gentle hands landed on his back, burning his skin through his shirt.He swiveled and walked out of the room, leaving her behind.
