He laughed. Short and husky. God, she had missed that sound.
Finn circled his arm around her. With her nape in the crook of his arm, he pulled her in for a kiss.
“I looked around. You paint a lot. Except for the exhibition, what else is going?”
“I sell paintings on Etsy.”
“What is Etsy?”
She explained, and he chuckled.
“That’s what Max said when I asked.” He then signaled with his chin toward the living room. “I saw the painting.”
“Which one?”
“The one with the ocean view and the bed.”
“Oh.”
“You know that I went back to Eddie’s sometime after you left, after I knew you were in Cincinnati, and asked about this one? He said he shipped all three paintings to you. I know it sounds strange, but it felt like I lost another piece of you. Like you left nothing behind. This painting especially. I always wondered if somehow this was us.”
“I didn’t know it when I painted it.” She set her empty plate down.
He circled her in his arms and, with one hand, caressed her nape.
She placed her palms on his chest. “Speaking of,” she said, “you bought the Swimmer?”
He smirked. “What makes you think that?”
“Freddie Wentworth?”
“Oh, that.” He threw his head back with a chuckle.
“You knew I’d find out.”
“Actually, no. He asked for a name, and … it just came out. I didn’t know he’d give you the name. It was a private joke I played on myself.”
“Why?”
“You know I’m not big on books. A biography here or there, but not the classics. But I read Persuasion years ago, because of Anne. I wanted to know the story and where your middle name came from. And then it hit me. Frederick, it starts with an F, like my name. We’re both in a line of work that involves water—he’s a sea captain, and I’m always in the pool. He and Anne loved each other for years, and he almost married her relative.”
“I never thought about it.” If he was trying to make her fall for him even more, it was working.
He leaned his forehead against hers. “I learned from the best. Of course, the main difference was that no one got pregnant there, and Frederick didn’t marry anyone else.” His voice had timbered low, as if he hadn’t wanted to utter the last part.
She didn’t want to think about it. “Five hundred dollars, Finn? If you asked, I’d have given it to you for free.”
“I’d pay a thousand if he asked for it. It’s hanging in my bedroom.”
“I need more of you.”
“You do?” He smirked.
“I meant more buyers like you.”
“That’s it?” He tightened his hold around her and pressed her to him. She felt him hardening against her.
“I need more of you,” she whispered, rising to her toes and drawing his bottom lip between hers.