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His lips graze mine lightly at first, a barely there brush that nonetheless melts me on the spot. He kisses one corner of my mouth, then the other, before he settles in fully, adding a touch more pressure. He moves against me with care. Appreciation. His lips are soft, yet strong, and taste minty fresh. Someone brushed their teeth this morning and for a moment I panic, worried I have terrible breath, but if that’s the case, Finn gives no indication it’s bothering him.
He must sense my momentary worry because his hand moves up to cup my cheek, to keep us securely connected. My eyes flutter closed as I fall under his possessive and unrushed spell. I’ve never been kissed with such care, like I’m a precious piece of art and he’s my master. His confidence glides through me. The kiss remaining chaste yet so hot my skin prickles with excitement.
I hum against his mouth, ready to break the seam and slide my tongue alongside his. He makes a low guttural sound that turns my nipples into hard, aching points. He’s ready, too.
“Ruff!”
Our foreheads bump as Sammy barks her way into our private heaven and jumps up onto the bed. Finn draws back on a groan, his eyes shining with desire.
As much as I didn’t want the kiss to end, it’s for the best. My brain on Finn is completely scrambled. I fall back onto my haunches.
Sammy cuddles right into Finn’s lap like she did not just interrupt the start of something good.
“To be continued,” Finn says.
“To be determined,” I’m quick to say back in an attempt to keep the upper hand. From the cocky look on Finn’s face, I’m not sure he buys it. “So, about my dress?”
“It will be good as new later today or tomorrow.”
“Really?” I’m so happy I could kiss him.You just did.Yeah, and now that I know what it feels like I’m in major danger of not-so-accidentally falling face first onto his mouth. “But how?”
“Trust me to take care of it, okay?”
“Okay.” I hop off the bed, careful to keep my butt covered with Finn’s shirt, not that I need to worry since it hangs to the middle of my thighs. “Thank you.” I pad over to the fireplace, the embers barely glowing now. “Thanks for everything.”
Finn comes to stand beside me, his arm skimming mine as we watch the dying fire. “So, Operation and breakfast?”
I inwardly smile. “If breakfast is brownie banana splits, then yes.”
Chapter Twelve
#ExtraInnings
Finn
Ican’t rememberthe last time I took a day for pure fun and nothing else. Granted, every day I’m on the baseball field is fun. But it’s pressure-filled enjoyment. I’m in the zone to perform at the highest level possible. Letting my teammates and the fans down is unacceptable, and so while I love every second of it, I’m also constantly held accountable.
Today, I’ve broken every rule in my off-season handbook and it feels better than I thought it would. I didn’t work out, not that I’m up to speed there, but I’d planned to do some form of exercise daily since getting the okay. I didn’t drink my smoothie. I didn’t put protein and healthy fats into my body.
Instead, Chloe is running my Saturday with carefree precision. After having the necessary ingredients for brownie banana splits delivered, we made the sundaes and then ate them while I kicked her ass in Operation. She’s a good sport, and laughed at herself more than complained. I think she needs this day as much as I do after the spill on her gown, and I admire her seemingly effortless ability to relax and enjoy herself.
She is most definitely a distraction at the highest level, but right now I don’t give a shit because she also affects me in ways that can only be measured by the pounding of my heart and the spring in my step. After the kiss we shared this morning, where sparks singed the skin on the back of my neck, I’m more determined than ever to win her over. She isn’t cursed. Is there some bad luck involved in her situation? Sure. But there are equally staggering coincidences out there. For example, Giancarlo has this weird knack for meeting girls named Lexi. He didn’t think much of it at first, bringing them home or to his hotel room for his usual one-night-only thing, until he pieced together that after being with “Lexi” he fell into an inexplicable slump that lasted until he “broke the curse” by hooking up with someone else. Now, if there’s even a Lexi in the same room as him he hightails it out of there.
“She caught it! Did you see that?” Chloe says, throwing her hand up for a high five.
I smile and slap her palm, my hand so much bigger than hers. My skin rougher. She’s soft edges and warm curves and if I’m not careful, she’ll find me with my tongue hanging out like Sammy’s so often does around her.
We’re at a park near her house, tossing a ball in the air for Sammy to catch. I drove Chloe home to change clothes (not that I would have minded seeing her in nothing but my T-shirt all day, but there are kids around), and then we headed here. That she suggested we hang out rather than have me drop her off took half a second for me to agree to. Being with her is more interesting than spending time alone, and oddly more comforting. I steal a moment to enjoy being in the present and nowhere else. The sun is shining, the temperature comfortable, and the smell of dirt and grass hits me with welcome familiarity.
Sammy runs back to us with the ball in her mouth and drops it at Chloe’s feet. Chloe rewards her with a tiny treat. “Good girl,” she says, kneeling to take Sammy’s face in her hands. “You are the best puppy.” Chloe looks up at me. “Want to hike up the trail now?”
“Sure.” She could ask me to hike through quicksand and I’d say yes.
I put Sammy’s leash back on her and we walk toward the trail opening. We’re halfway across the open field when a NERF football hits me on the side of the head. The foam toy bounces off my temple.
“Joshua!” a boy, maybe nine or ten shouts to a younger version of himself. “Watch where you’re throwing. Sorry, mister.” His eyes go wide as he takes me in.
Joshua jogs over. “Sorry,” he says to the ground. I think the apology is for me and not the grass blades, but I get it. I was a shy kid, too. “Can I pet your dog?”
