Page 20 of Dirty Little Secret
“I’m assuming that means I’m not invited,” Finn jokes as he leans on the counter next to me.
“Considering you have a certain appendage, you would be correct. Lucky you. I can already hear the interrogation. I hope you’re not shy because Kendall doesn’t have a filter. She’s going to ask questions that will make me blush.”
Finn’s burst of laughter sends shots of need to my core I try to ignore. The deep rumble of his voice, the way he throws his head back, his throat elongated, dampening my panties. He’s so beautiful. But this morning it feels like I’m looking at him for the first time again. Noticing little details that I never have before.
Like how I fit perfectly against his body even though he’s almost a foot taller than me. Or how when he smiles, the dimple in his chin is more prominent, even with his five o’clock shadow trying to hide it.
“Keep looking at me like that and we’re never leaving this apartment again, LT. There are plenty of surfaces I haven’t taken you on yet.”
His damn dimple is smiling at me, and I can’t help but press onto my tiptoes and kiss it.
“Sorry,” I say, my voice lacking the apologetic tone it should hold. Because, let’s be honest, if I could tie him up and keep him here, I would. In fact, tying him up sounds like a whole lot of fun.
“Coffee,” he states, reading my mind. “You have to get on the road, and I need to make an appearance at my place. Max has already text me twice.”
“What did you tell him?”
I swear my heart stops beating while I wait for him to answer.
“I told him I’d be there shortly. He’s going to ask where I was, and I’m going to have to tell him something and I don’t want to lie.”
“Which means?”
“I won’t lie to him. I’m going to tell him I was here. That Kendall called last night and needed me to take me you to the ER.”
“Thirsty Thursday,” I state.
“Huh?”
“He knows we have Thirsty Thursdays every week. He’ll know we were drinking so Kendall couldn’t drive me to the hospital. He also knows she’d never call him because she thinks he hates her.”
“Is that why she texted me?” All I can do is nod because I honestly have no idea what K was thinking texting Finn last night. “If he’s suspicious I’ll show him the text.”
“And if he asks where you slept or why you stayed?”
“I’m not going to lie to him, LT. I don’t think he’ll ask, but if he does, it was late, and I crashed in your bed. He’s not going to ask if we had sex, I don’t think he’ll want to know the answer.”
“Okay,” I reply, the word coming out strangled as I attempt to control my breathing.
I can feel the beginning of a panic attack coming on at the thought of Max putting the pieces of the puzzle together before we have a chance to come clean with him. Black spots fill my vision the same way they did the night Max told me about dad. I sway on my feet, gripping the counter with my good hand to steady myself.
When Finn wraps me in a warm embrace, my body immediately relaxes. The panic subsides faster than it ever has before.