Page 55 of Dirty Little Secret
Finn
I smellher before I see her, a smile lighting up my face I’m unable to hide. Thankfully, my back is to Max when he notices Willow.
“Hey!” I hear him say as he drops something heavy on the floor, close enough that I feel the thump beneath my shoes. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Turning, I watch as he embraces his sister while my little tree stares at me over his shoulder, her eyes slowly taking me in from head to toe and back again. When they reach mine, I can see the fire blazing in them
“You said you needed a woman’s opinion so here I am. How can I help?” Stepping out of Max’s arms, she averts her eyes but not before shooting me a wink that sends a shot of adrenaline straight to my dick.
Why did I think this would be a good idea again?
Nothing good will come from painting with a hard-on.
It should have been done last week but we had to rip the carpet out first. That was a challenge in and of itself. Beneath the stains were old hardwood floors Max wanted to try and buff back to life. We spent two days trying to refinish them before giving up. They looked worse than when we started. There was too much damage.
“First, what do you think of the color?”
Motioning around the room, his arms spread, Max is smiling from ear to ear. When he catches sight of me, as if remembering I’m still here, his smile falls.
What the hell was that?
“Hey, Willow,” I say, attempting to act casual.
“Finn,” she states, her voice lacking emotion just like mine. “I like it, Maxy. The gray is soothing … not too light, not too dark.”
“That’s what I was going for. Tensions tend to run high when we’re in here. Meetings can get out of control quick. I’m hoping this makes for a calmer environment.”
“Anything is better than the navy blue that was on the walls before,” LT notes, glancing around to take in all the improvements we’ve done to the space. “Show me what else you two have been up to around here.”
Leading her out of the room, I can hear Max listing all the things we’ve checked off his to-do list, his voice growing quieter as they ascend the stairs leading back up to the main level of the house. Adjusting myself in my pants to alleviate the strain on the zipper of my jeans, I dip the paint roller in the tray, soaking it, and returning my focus to the wall in front of me.
It’s the last wall, thank God. I feel like I’ve spent most of my time in this one room the last nine days. I’m ready to clean up and lock the door behind me.
Colton and Kane are out picking up the new furniture in Colton’s van. When they get back, we’ll unload it into the den and that room will be finished as well. After that, Max’s list will be complete for the most part. Little things here and there, things he doesn’t need me for.
After applying the final coat of paint, I stand back to admire my work and check to make sure the coverage is even. The lighting in here is shit, so I’m hoping the second coat will make it look better than it did when I started this morning.
“Looks good.” Her voice is like music to my ears. I might see her every night—dream about her even when she’s in my arms—but that doesn’t mean I don’t crave her presence. And I’ve been craving her more today than most since I didn’t get to see her last night.
“Thanks,” I say, glancing over my shoulder to see her leaning against the door frame. “So do you.”
“Careful, hot shot. Max is on his way back down any second. Colt called, something about a table, and Max sounded angry. I walked away to give him some privacy.”
“They’re picking up furniture. I told them to rent a truck, but he insisted they could fit everything in his van. I’m assuming he was wrong.”
“You assume correct,” Max says, stepping past Willow, a look of frustration on his face. “Can you call Declan and see if he can go meet them?”
Nodding, I put the roller down, wipe my hands, and pull my phone out of my pocket. To my surprise, I have a text message waiting for me.
LT: You got a little paint on your ass. You should take your jeans off.
A fire blazes inside of me as I quickly shoot off a text to Declan. He responds right away, asking for an address. Max rattles off the name of the store and where it’s located. Once I’ve sent the information to my brother, I quickly reply to LT’s message, so it doesn’t look suspicious that I’m still typing.
ME: You first.
I hear her phone buzz in her purse, but she doesn’t reach for it right away. Smart girl. Max is talking to her about the Memorial Day party, causing my ears to perk up. It’s going to be a hell of a party. One I’m sure no one will forget. At least I know I won’t. I just hope Max doesn’t try and drown me in the pool.
Last night that’s what I dreamt. He was holding me under water, laughing manically. I could see Willow standing by the edge of the pool, tears streaming down her face. And next to her, my brother holding Kendall’s hand. They all watched but no one tried to stop Max.