“So…so then you haven’t been burned before? Because you’re rich, and people just want to use you and spit you out?”
I think about my mom. I don’t honestly know if my dad is still in love with her and if he’s still holding out hope, which is why he hasn’t divorced her, or if it’s just easier for her to live her life spending family money—easier, and quite honestly, cheaper. The truth really sucks sometimes.
“I’ve been burned a few times, but just regular burns. In high school and college. It was mostly about the money, but you know, it wasn’t always about the money. There might have been once or twice where it wasn’t about that. Afterward, I just became too busy working for the company to even think about dating.”
“Me too. With the sanctuary. Maybe that’s because I’ve always been kind of awkward and shy. I’ve never really been comfortable. I have nothing for anyone to take, but I haven’t made the time because it seems impossible.”
“Maybe my grandfather wanted you to experience something different too. Like company, companionship, and someone who understands you.”
She laughs at my words and turns her face away. “Spicy tacos and guacamole, if that’s not the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“You think I couldn’t possibly understand?”
“I think you’re enamored with something you see and want, but once you have it, you’re going to find out it’s not nearly as good as you thought. Like…like coffee or something. It smells so dang good, but sometimes, it’s a big letdown. And sometimes it’s even nasty.”
“No. I mean, yes, you’re right. Sometimes, coffee is nasty, but you’re not coffee.”
“And you’re not a pumpkin.”
“I’m not. Reasons aside, repercussions aside, if you could just have this moment to test your theory, would you do it?”
Becki’s eyes widen, and damn, I think my balls just fell another inch. At this rate, it’s not going to be long before the inevitable bang happens. I hope the old floorboards hold up. I keep getting the mental image of cannonballs splintering them to bits and fragments, which would be dangerous. I wouldn’t like any of that piercing my cannonballs, thank you very much.
“I…”
“Would you want to?”
She looks like she’s going to turn and run straight out of the room and leave me with one heck of a case of blue balls and even more regrets and thoughts about how to apologize to her in the morning when she remerges, but all of a sudden, she changes her mind. She surprises me by reaching out and laying her palm over my chest. It doesn’t matter that there’s a t-shirt between us. I’m done. My skin burns like straight-up fire.
Her fingers curl into a fist, balling up the fabric, and I literally hold my breath and wait for the wood to splinter below us.
She sets her other hand on my cheek and jawline so fast that there’s a smack, and it’s not the floor splintering. I blink in shock as she turns cherry red.
“Oh my god. I’m sorry!”
Her fingers are rough at the pads, and I can feel the callouses on her palms. She smells sweet, like…like carrots with dirt, and she looks so adorably determined and uncertain, fearless and afraid all at once. I’m done. I’m lost, and the wood is going to splinter soon. Maybe my chest will as well, since all of a sudden, it’s aching there too.
“That’s alright.” I cover her hand before she can pull it away.
She stands on her tiptoes and still can’t reach halfway up my chest, but she closes her eyes, puckers her lips, and waits. She’s so adorable that I can’t move. Instead, I try to take a deep breath, but my lungs are locked up, and my stomach is also locked up. Even my balls are locked up, but thank goodness for the floors.
Becki’s eyes fly open. “See! I knew you were just joking. Now I feel totally humiliat—”
I lean in and cut the word off before she can utter it. Our mouths meet, and the sparks are instant, which is not good news for the floors—my blood roars, my body shudders, and my heart stutters as Becki whimpers against my mouth. Her hand tightens in my shirt, her fingers close around my jaw, and my hands tangle in the thick, damp strands of her hair. She melts against me while I melt in general. I lose myself in her sensual and super soft lips moving against mine. Thunder booms around us, or maybe it’s just the sound my brain makes when it realizes that nothing has or ever will feel this right.
CHAPTER 14
Becki
I guess it’s official. Miracles do happen. I would never have thought that being totally humiliated by what I said in the barn and by this whole lead up could end so well and in such total perfection. That’s what kissing Finn is—freaking fuzzy per-fec-tion. My hands are doing funny things—touchy things like roaming up Finn’s huge, muscled shoulders. I can feel every tendon and every hard bit of…well…hardness. There. There’s a lot of hardness there.