AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The kitchen door creaked open and a woman slipped out. Finn stood frozen, watching Jewel as she stared at him with a shocked expression.
She wore a simple blue T-shirt over form-fitting jeans. Her hair was up in a bun and a light glimmer of gloss brought his attention to her plump lips.
“Finn?” she breathed.
“Hey.”
To his surprise, Jewel skidded around the counter and galloped toward him. When she threw her arms around his waist, he naturally tucked her closer to him. The enthusiastic welcome was one he’d been hoping for but hadn’t expected.
She smelled like brownies and he pressed his nose to the top of her hair, taking a deep whiff. Jewel stepped back then, lifting her gorgeous face to the light. He softly ran a hand down her cheek, his heart thudding erratically.
“I can’t believe you’re in front of me,” she said with a wide smile that left Finn breathless. “When did you get here?”
“Just now.”
“Are you hungry? I’ve got a few leftover brownies.”
“Sure.”
Jewel scampered off. Still reeling from Jewel’s shift as a shy, scared girl when they’d first met to the confident woman who stared him in the eyes and hugged him without trembling.
A few moments later, she reappeared holding a dish of brownies and a glass of milk. He noticed the drink and grinned. “You remembered.”
“Only because you were so hurt when I made fun of you for having the palate of a child.”
“I don’t remember you apologizing for that.”
She smirked. “Really? I’m sure I did. There must have been phone static that day.”
“Phone static?”
Jewel rolled her eyes. “So what are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood,” he said casually.
Jewel paused, a smirk on her lips. “Really. You just randomly walked into an airport, caught a flight and flew all the way to another country while wandering around your city?”
“Since when were you so direct?” He laughed.
“Since my therapist threatened to hike her prices if I didn’t stop wasting her time.”
“What?”
“Hey, she was counseling me for free so it was a fair demand. It was the kick in the pants I needed to stop hiding from the world and embrace it instead.”
“That’s a good philosophy. You look,” he ran his gaze over her face, down to her slender hands and long legs, “amazing.”
“I know.” She preened.
Finn grinned. He’d heard the subtle changes over the phone, but seeing her this lively… it was incredible.
She noticed him watching her and arched an eyebrow. “Answer my question.”
“What question?” Finn asked, struggling to follow along with her words when all he wanted to do was hold her again.
Jewel scooted to the edge of her seat, gaze locked on his, a twinkle in her eye. “Why are you here?”
“Because you owe me.”
