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He didn’t understand this protectiveness that filled him now as he looked at Beth, that also had an element of possessiveness to it that was alien to him.
He didn’t like it. Possessiveness assumed that she was his or that he had a claim on her and neither of those things were true. They’d slept together once, then had decided to be friends, and they’d both been happy with that—or at least, he was happy with that.
You think you can just be friends with her now that she’s expecting your child?
The feeling coiled tighter, making him aware that if he didn’t like it, he liked the thought of Beth being “just a friend” even less. Though he really didn’t have any idea of what else she could be, or not right now at least.
One thing was clear though: they were going to have to talk it through and figure out where they were going to go from here, and they were going to have to do this together.
Responding to an impulse so deep he didn’t question it, Finn put a hand out and touched her hair. It felt silky against his fingers, just the way he remembered. Her hands had felt good in his too.
Sensing his presence, she sighed, her lashes fluttering and then lifting, the deep, shadowed green of her eyes meeting his.
“There’s soup here for you, honey,” he said, the endearment slipping out before he could stop it. “And then you and I need to talk.”
Chapter 8
Beth felt groggy and sick, and she wanted to tell Finn that she wasn’t his honey, not in any way, yet the endearment got under her skin before she could stop it, making her feel warm inside.
He’d called her that before, when she’d been in his arms, and she’d liked it then too because it had been a long time since anyone had called her anything other than just Beth.
In fact,hemade her feel warm inside, which she hadn’t expected given the hard, intense look in his eyes when he’d asked her if she was pregnant.
Shesohadn’t wanted to tell him, yet he was far too perceptive and far more interested in her well-being that she’d ever thought he’d be, and she hadn’t been able to hide it from him. All she had left was to admit it and bear the consequences.
She hadn’t realized she’d been bracing herself for his anger and displeasure until it hadn’t come. Because that was usually the reaction her family had to any announcement she made. Her emotionally unstable mother would always react negatively, which would then feed into her father’s constant anger at his family and life in general.
He wasn’t violent, never lashed out at anyone, but the constant aura of rage was difficult to live with, making her feel as if she were living in a glass house, afraid one wrong move would bring the whole thing crashing down.
It had been a relief to move out and live with Troy, who at least wasn’t angry all the time. But he had his own issues. He hadn’t been able to deal with hard emotions, and when things were fraught, he’d simply leave.
She hadn’t known what she’d get with Finn, but his warm, strong fingers threading through hers and his deep, calm voice telling her they needed to talk wasn’t it.
He hadn’t been angry, hadn’t shouted, and he hadn’t left either. He’d been calm and measured, dealing with it very matter-of-factly, his certainty and strength soothing her ragged nerves, so she didn’t even want to protest as he’d led her inside and tucked her up on the sofa, telling her to get some rest.
She hadn’t thought she would, since she hadn’t been able to before, yet for some reason, now that Finn was in the house, filling it up with the strength of his steady presence, she could relax and let her exhausted brain sleep.
It’s good to know you don’t have to do this by yourself, right?
No, she couldn’t start thinking stuff like that. She’d thought Troy would be a great support since he was as unlike her family as it was possible to get, yet when she’d needed him most, he’d left. After she’d lost the baby, he’d withdrawn, and then when she’d fallen into depression, he’d just…gone.
Most everyone did, either physically or emotionally. The only person she’d ever been able to count on was herself, and she couldn’t go blindly trusting that Finn Kelly would stick around to help. Some things youdidhave to do all on your own.
Slowly, Beth sat up, drawing the blanket more firmly around her as Finn went over to the coffee table and picked up the bowl and spoon sitting on top of it.
The room was full of the delicate, savory scent of chicken soup, and her stomach cramped, deciding it was hungry and that chicken soup was the perfect meal.
“First, you need to eat.” Finn came over to her holding out the bowl and spoon. “Then we’ll talk about where we go from here.”
Beth considered protesting, then decided she didn’t have the energy, taking the bowl and spoon from him without argument. “You’re just like Chase,” she grumbled. “So bossy.” Finn didn’t say anything to that, so she added, for good measure, “Stupid Kellys.” Then she eyed the soup warily, because although she did feel hungry, her stomach was still unsettled.
“It’s chicken soup,” Finn said, going into classic dude pose with his thumbs hooked into his belt loops. “It’s good for upset stomachs.”
Beth glanced at him in surprise, since she hadn’t picked Finn as a man who even knew what chicken soup was, let alone how to cook it.
Are you kidding? If any of those guys knows how to cook chicken soup, it’s Finn.
“You made this?” she asked, just to be sure.
