Purgatory, West Virginia
April 2
Finn and Charlotte sat cross-legged on the floor of Venable’s office. Well, Finn sat on the floor. A moment after he had seen Charlotte plunk down, he had run downstairs, retrieved a couch cushion from the living room, and repositioned her on it. She had gifted him with a grateful smile that soothed his heart.
Charlotte set the file she was going through aside and held up a narrow register receipt. “Annabeth bought a pregnancy test? How old was she?”
Finn bit into an apple and nodded. “Just shy of fifty. Forty-eight, I think. Venable made a note about it in his journal. His youngest daughter had a baby the following December, so he assumed Annabeth bought the test for her, and that’s why she was coming by the house that morning.”
Charlotte gave a suspicious nod. “But that’s only six months later.”
He looked up at the ceiling, confirming the math. “Is that weird?”
“I guess it’s possible.” She tilted her head from side to side. “I just never bought into this whole ‘I didn’t know I was pregnant’ thing. I mean, I’m sure it happens, but I would think if a woman had unprotected sex, pregnancy would be at the top of her list of concerns.”
“Was it at the top of yours?” he asked.
“Yes.” She pulled her braid over her shoulder and ran her hand down the length. “It’s going to sound crazy, but I knew.”
“That’s not crazy.” Finn shifted to hide his erection.
“No. That night. When you… when you…” She turned beet red.
“When I came inside you,” he said.
“Yes. At that exact moment, I felt this, I can’t describe it. This sensation of conception.”
Finn McIntyre had never had an ejaculatory mishap in his life, not even as a randy teen. But sitting here watching the love of his life explain the most intimate moment two humans can experience, he had to fight to keep himself in check.
“Finn, can I ask you something?” Charlotte fiddled with her braid.
He waited for her eyes to find his. “Anything.”
“Are you attracted to me?” she asked.
Finn nearly fell over sideways. “Are you kidding?”
“I don’t fool myself into thinking I’m anything like the other women you’ve been with.” Her face scrunched in pain.
Finn fell forward and crawled across the floor until he was inches from her face.
“Charlotte, you’re not a woman I’m attracted to. You’re the woman I’m attracted to. The others were outlets, seat-fillers, and they knew it. With you… Charlotte, christ, I’ve had a fucking hard-on since you got out of that car. You’re not just the one. You’re the only one. And that’s what you will always be.”
He sat back on his heels and observed her. She was still as a statue, mouth agape, eyes as wide as banjos.
He shot her a cocky grin. “Did that answer your question?”
“Yeah. Yes. Yep. Okay.” She fumbled for the file and resumed reading.
Picking up the red apple, Finn took another bite. He watched her as he chewed.
“Charlotte?”
“Hmm?” She lifted her brow without looking up.
“Are you attracted to me?” he asked.
She met his gaze then and wet her lips. “More than ever.”