AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her eyes waver from mine. “Finn, It’s true. I need a job. Things aren’t what they… I don’t have… I didn’t want…” She shakes her head. “It’s complicated.” She’s not making any sense. A deep frown creases her forehead. Her shoulders droop on a heavy sigh. “I never wanted to hurt you. There’s so much you need to know. If I can just explain—”
I place a finger over her lips, stopping whatever lies were going to spew from her mouth. Because what else could there be? Our relationship was based on deceit. Whatever she has to say won’t change that.
Her lips tremble under my finger. Her eyes hold a puzzled look. Now’s the time to pull away. Tell her to get the hell out of my life because I never want to see her again. Any second now I will… For whatever sick reason, I just need a moment.
Instead of dropping my hand away and stepping back, I skim my finger along her full, bottom lip. Her mouth parts slightly, sucking in a startled breath. Standing with her in front of me, it’s like I’ve traveled back in time, and we’re two young lovers sneaking away from a family dinner to get some alone time. How many times did we do that? Too many to count.
My hand floats across her cheek and cups her jaw. Taking two steps closer, our heaving chests bump together. For a beat, our eyes lock. I lower my head, my lips ghosting over her mouth before I place a soft, feather-like kiss on her lips. She tastes of sweet alcohol and…Harper. A taste I could never forget and never find in other women.
Wrapping a hand around her waist, I draw her closer, the fingers of my other hand tunneling through her hair. This woman is a drug I thought I’d kicked out of my system a long time ago. But with one kiss, I’m desperate for another fix.
As I deepen the kiss, she hooks her arms around my neck, pressing her breasts against my chest. My hand travels up her waist to cup her left breast. She draws in a shuddery breath as my thumb glides over a peaked nipple. I shouldn’t want this. Yet I can’t step away.
The music and sounds of the club dim in the background, leaving Harper’s sighs of pleasure filling my mind—spurring me on. Pressing her against the wall, the kiss turns more frantic. I need to taste more of her. Rip the clothes from her body. Bury myself deep inside her. Do everything I’ve dreamed of since the day she left.
The wordsshe leftshoots through my brain, and like a splash of icy water is poured over my head, I propel away from her. Shocked and disgusted by what I have done.
“Finn?” Her glassy eyes stare at me with confusion.
No…no…no… Why am I doing this?Reality rears up and punches me in the chest, knocking the oxygen from my lungs. This can’t be happening. I should be telling her I never want to see her face again. Instead, two minutes in my arms and I was ready to fuck her up against the wall in a busy nightclub.
Fuck! Even after what she put me through, I want her.
Chapter Eight
HARPER
God,Ilongedforthe day I felt Finn’s hands on my body again. Felt his lips pressing on mine. Felt our hearts beating against each other’s chests. I’ve often dreamed of a moment like this—being wrapped in his arms with him loving me again. Dream Finn can’t hold a candle to Real Finn. I miss him so much it hurts. If he’s kissing me, does that mean he misses me too? A surge of hope bubbles in my chest.
When I take one look at the thunderous expression on his face, I know immediately it was too much to hope for. The bubble pops, leaving a heavy blanket of disappointment over me.
He points a finger at my face. “Stay away from me.”
Gasping, I hold a hand to my chest. “Me?”
“Yes, you!” He shoves his fingers through his hair.
“I was on my way to the bathroom, minding my own business, when you stopped me. You’re the one who approached me. You dragged me away into a dark corner totalk. Thenyoukissed me! This…” I flick a pointed finger between us. “…is on you. If you can’t control yourself, maybeyouneed to stay away from me!”
God, if I’d ever spoken to Derek that way, he’d have a fit. He would have yelled at me for being insolent and then given me a lecture on how women are expected to always treat their husband with respect. If I ever refused, he’d pull out his trump card—threats to my family and Finn. I eventually learned to keep my mouth shut. It was easier that way. Now, it felt liberating to finally be able to speak my mind with no repercussions.
“Fine. That won’t be a problem,” Finn says through gritted teeth.
“Good. Excellent!” Our chests rise and fall as we stare at each other. No one taking the first move to leave. When I don’t think he’ll step aside, I say, “Move away so I can pass. I don’t want to ‘accidentally’ touch you and have you get the wrong idea.”
For a second, he doesn’t move. He stares at me so intently while standing so close. When his gaze drops to my lips, I wonder if he’s going to kiss me again. My heart trips with anticipation. Would I let him even though I know he hates me? Probably. That’s how desperate I am to feel his touch again.
He finally steps aside, gesturing with his arm for me to leave. “Don’t bother coming into work tomorrow.”
My back stiffens at his command. “I will not let another man tell me what to do ever again. Iwillbe at work tomorrow. But don’t worry, I’ll stay away from you as much as possible.” With my head held high, I push past him and hurry into the restroom. Inside, I place my hands on the vanity counter and drop my head, trying to catch my breath.
Oh God. What just happened? I drag in deep breaths through my nose, trying to steady the nausea churning in my stomach. Snatching paper towels from a dispenser on the tile wall, I run them under water and press them against my flaming cheeks, forehead, and neck. I take a long look at myself in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed. My eyes are wide and glassy. If this is what being so close, touching Finn, does to me on the outside—I press a hand over my heart and bow my head—what it’s doing on the inside is tearing me apart.
The shock and surprise of the day is too much. I’m so overwhelmed with emotions, I can barely stand upright. I need to get out of the club. As far away from Finn as possible. Racing from the bathroom, I give a quick scan of my nearby surroundings. It’s clear of Finn, so I make my way back to Alyssa and Tamara.
“What took you so long? I was about to come and search for you,” Alyssa yells over the music.
Ignoring her question, I say in a rush, “I have to go.”
