by Isla Drake
“Hannah.” Finn’s voice is a ragged whisper.
His mouth follows the curve of my neck to my collar bone. My breaths come in heaving gasps that sound far too loud. I give him another firm stroke, feeling him quiver as I do. I love having this power over him. Finn’s mouth closes on my nipple and a small cry escapes me before I can stifle it. I feel myself growing slick with need. My body is restless, and my hips move toward Finn without conscious thought. As though understanding what I need, Finn reaches down and slides his fingers through my folds. He teases my clit before he slides a long, thick finger inside me. I suck in a shaky breath as he works his finger in and out. It feels incredible, but it’s not enough and he knows it. I squeeze his cock and move my hand in time with his fingers pumping inside me. Finn allows this for only a few seconds before he grabs my wrist, stopping me.
“I want to be inside you when I come,” he whispers. He’s breathless, on the edge.
“I need you inside me,” I say, panting. “Now.”
His fingers slip out of me leaving me feeling empty. He searches in the dark for his pants to find a condom. When he comes back to me, I kiss him once before turning in his arms. I can feel him, hot and hard and insistent against my ass. It sends a fresh wave of need through me.
“Hannah?”
Instead of answering him, I bend over and rest my elbows on the bed. I turn and look at him over my shoulder.
“What are you waiting for?”
Finn doesn’t need any further invitation. He grips my hips and moves up behind me. I expect him to push into me hard and fast. It’s what I want, what we both need. Instead, he moves slowly, deliberately. He slides his cock back and forth between my legs, coating it in my juices, teasing us both. I can feel him brush against my clit with every slick thrust, making me suck in a breath each time. I rock my hips back against him, silently begging for him to fill me. Every slippery contact he makes with my clit just heightens my arousal until I’m close to begging him for his dick.
“Finn.”
“I know,” he growls.
I feel him tease against my entrance. Finally. It’s the only warning I get before he slams into me. I suck in a breath at the shock of him suddenly filling me. He holds himself still inside me, buried to the hilt and stretching me. His fingers dig into my hips, grinding against me. After a few seconds, he begins to move, pumping in and out. His pace is slow at first, building up speed until he’s slamming into me hard and fast. Finn reaches up to grip my shoulder, giving him better leverage. His other hand snakes around to find my clit, circling it as he pounds into me. I can feel myself spiraling closer to the edge, the delicious tension building inside me.
When my orgasm hits, I have just enough brain power to remember to clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound of my moans. My arms give out and I bury my face in the blanket, my ass high in the air. Finn doesn’t let up, relentlessly pounding into me as wave after wave of pleasure surges over me. His hands go back to my hips and grip tightly, pulling me back as he thrusts forward, impaling me again and again. The change in the angle has him hitting some new spot deep inside me. I feel a new tension building in me. When I come this time, it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. My entire body stiffens and I shove a fistful of blankets into my mouth just before I scream. Every nerve ending feels electric, wave after wave of pleasure coursing through me as Finn pounds into me from behind. I feel a fresh rush of moisture come from me and I can hear the wet sounds our bodies make. My orgasm seems to last forever. I feel myself spasming against Finn’s cock, gripping him tightly as he slams into me over and over. I hear a deep, shuddering groan and feel him stiffen behind me. He pushes deep into me and I can feel his cock spasm inside me as he empties his load. He leans over me, kissing my neck and shoulder, his breath coming in short gasps.
Finn pulls out of me slowly and I collapse onto the bed, feeling absolutely boneless. It’s several seconds before I find the energy to roll over. My hair covers my face and I reach up to brush it away, surprised to find my hands are shaking. I let out a breathless laugh.
“What?” Finn asks, returning from the bathroom. He lies down beside me.
“I was just thinking,” I say, turning toward him. “I’m going to need to go to the gym more if we keep this up.”
Finn smiles and pulls me against him. “If we keep this up, we won’t need a gym. Sex with you is a workout.”
I laugh and turn my face into his chest. My breathing is nearly back to normal, but I’m not sure I can move right now. Good thing I’m exactly where I want to be.
Chapter Twenty
Finn
It’s so hard for me to leave Hannah’s bed when my alarm wakes me just before dawn. It’s not the early hour that bothers me. It’s that I don’t want to leave her. I want to stay tangled up in her sheets for a week. I think of the last several hours and all the different ways I made her come apart in my arms. After that first frenzied session, we spent the rest of the night leisurely exploring one another. We spent hours touching, tasting, and taking each other’s bodies until we’d eventually passed out. At the memory, my dick twitches to life, eager to go again. I ignore it. Instead, I lean over and kiss the curve of Hannah’s shoulder where it peeks tantalizingly out from under the blanket. She makes a sleepy little noise of appreciation.
“I gotta go,” I whisper against her skin.
She makes a small disappointed grumble that makes me smile. At least I know I’m not alone. She doesn’t want me to leave either. It’s so tempting to shed my clothes and crawl back into her warm bed. I know I should be tired after the night we’ve had, and I am. But when I look at the curve of Hannah’s neck and the messy tumble of her hair, I think I could have another round in me if she made the slightest move. Then I remember my promise that I’d leave before Liam wakes. I pull the blanket up over her shoulder and brush her hair off her face. She turns toward my hand and brushes my palm with her lips in a soft kiss. I spend another moment gazing at her before forcing myself to leave. I’m careful to move as silently as possible through the house to the front door. The last thing I need is for Liam to wake up and ask me what I’m doing there in the middle of the night. That’s not a conversation anyone is ready to have.
I make sure to lock the front door behind me as I leave. Once I make it home, I crawl into my own bed and pass out immediately. When I wake up a few hours later, the exhaustion I should have felt earlier has found me. I think I could sleep until it’s time to go to work tomorrow if it weren’t for Sunday family dinner. Every Sunday night for the past several years, I’ve had dinner with my siblings. No matter what’s going on in our lives, we all make it a point to show up for Sunday dinner. It had originally been my idea, but I don’t think I imagined all of us sticking with it for so long. It’s become a weekly tradition that I think we all enjoy more than we let on.
I spend the hours before it’s time to head over to Mack’s washing laundry and making a trip to the grocery store. I definitely do not spend it obsessively checking my phone to see if Hannah has texted. She hasn’t. I tell myself that I’m going to see her at work tomorrow. I don’t need to call her. Besides, she’s probably enjoying her Sunday with Liam. It would be rude to interrupt that just so I can hear her voice. When I walk into Mack’s at 5, I’m on edge and still tired from my lack of sleep. I wave a greeting at Wyatt and Van as I enter before heading straight to the kitchen for a glass of tea. Claire is standing near one of the counters, pouring herself a glass. When she sees me, she pours one for me too and hands it over.
“You look tired,” Claire says with a knowing look over the rim of her glass. “Late night?”
I narrow my eyes at her slightly. “Nope. Must just be getting old.”
She smiles. “Well, that’s true enough, old man.” She nudges me with her elbow. “You get a senior citizens discount yet?”
I laugh. “Not quite.”
I look around and notice that Ronan isn’t here yet and the twins are out of earshot behind
the bar. I lean a little closer to Claire.
“Listen,” I say. “About Hannah.”
She raises a hand and gives a little shake of her head. “Say no more,” she says. “Not my secret to tell.”
I bump her shoulder with mine. “Thanks.”
We lapse into silence for a few seconds before Claire speaks again. “It won’t stay a secret for long, you know. Not with the way you two look at each other. A blind person can see that chemistry.”
I can’t argue Claire’s point. Hannah does something to me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love to see the hot desire in her eyes when she looks at me. I look down at my glass in an attempt to hide my grin.
“I know,” I say. “But she’s not ready to go public yet.”
Claire shrugs. “Suit yourselves,” she says. “But just know that I’m happy for you. Both of you. It’s nice to see my serious big brother smile more.”
“Hey. I smile.” My response is automatic and defensive, but it’s only partly true. I’m not unhappy, but I know my sister thinks I’m uptight and need to loosen up. I think about Hannah’s words at dinner last night. How she’d said she wanted to make me laugh more. Am I too serious? Maybe. But it’s only because I’ve had to be. I’ve been taking care of this family for so long that maybe I’ve forgotten how to be carefree. Letting myself be with Hannah is the first truly selfish thing I’ve done in years and it feels amazing.
“I’m just saying,” Claire says, breaking me out of my thoughts. “I like that she makes you happy. You deserve it.”
Her voice is more serious than usual, and I bring my eyes up to study her expression. Her smile looks hopeful with just a touch of sadness around the edges and I wonder what it means. Has she been worried about me? I put an arm around her shoulders and pull her to me in a sideways hug.
“I’m happy. You don’t have to worry about me, Claire-bear.” She doesn’t pull away or protest my use of the nickname she hates. Instead she squeezes me back, just for a second.
“Someone needs to.”
It’s an odd feeling. Having someone worry about me instead of the other way around. I’m not surprised it’s Claire instead of one of our brothers. She was still young when Mom and Dad died, and Ronan left for the Marines. Van and Wyatt had moved out not long after that, headed off to college. That had left the two of us alone in that big house and we’d grown closer by necessity. I’d had to be her big brother and both parents. I’d like to think I did a good job raising her, but there are times when I doubt whether I was enough for her. Right now, I think maybe I didn’t do such a bad job.
“Thanks,” I say before letting her go.
I spend the next two hours eating, drinking and laughing with my siblings. It’s the most carefree I’ve felt in a long time and I wonder if Hannah is the cause. Whatever is to blame, I decide I like the feeling. Maybe Hannah and Claire are right. Maybe I need to laugh and smile more.
Chapter Twenty-one
Hannah
I wake up later than normal. Bright sunlight streams through the window as I roll over in my bed. Every muscle in my body is sore and I smile when I remember why. Finn. I vaguely remember him leaving in the early morning hours. My stomach flutters when I remember everything that came before he left. I burrow under my blankets for a few more minutes, indulging myself in the memories of all the different ways he’d used my body last night. I’d used his as well, taking as well as giving. I feel a broad grin stretch across my face and I cover it with both hands even though there’s no one around to see it.
I think of Liam and I know I need to wake him up soon. He’s always been a big fan of sleep. I sometimes think he’d sleep until the afternoon if I let him. I force myself out of bed and into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the soreness in my muscles. When I emerge, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, damp hair hanging down my back, Liam is coming out of the hallway bathroom. He looks like he just woke up. He’s still in pajamas and sleepy-eyed. I smile and ruffle his hair as I pass him.
“Hey, bud. You hungry?”
He nods sleepily and follows me to the kitchen. He silently pours himself a bowl of cereal while I get the coffee pot going. I wait until I have a cup of coffee in my hand before I sit next to him at the table.
“Liam, I need to talk to you.”
He gives me a quick glance before turning his attention back to his bowl. I know he’s listening, but food is probably more interesting to him right now. I take a sip from my mug and try again.
“You know Mr. Finn?”
He nods, spoon in mouth. “Mm hmm.”
“Well, you know Mr. Finn and I are friends, right?”
He nods.
“And we work together.”
Another nod. So far, so good.
“Well,” I say. “Mr. Finn and I like each other a lot.”
“I like Mr. Finn too,” he says around a mouthful of cereal. “He’s nice.”
I smile. “Yes, he is. He’s really nice.”
I watch Liam eat a few more bites of cereal, stalling. “Liam, Finn and I like each other as more than just friends,” I finally say.
There’s a moment where Liam’s spoon pauses. It’s just for a second, but I see it. Then it continues its journey to the bowl. He doesn’t look at me when he speaks again.
“Like a boyfriend?”
I take a breath. “What do you know about boyfriends and girlfriends?”
“Brianna asked me to be her boyfriend,” he says, shocking me.
“Oh, really? And what did you say?”
He shrugs. “I don’t want to kiss her.”
I hide a smile. “Well, being a boyfriend is about more than just kissing,” I say. “Besides, you don’t have to kiss someone just because you’re their boyfriend.”
“Do you and Mr. Finn kiss?”
Shit.
“Um.” I cough into my hand to hide my strangled laughter. I take a breath and meet Liam’s gaze. I need to be honest.
“Yeah, buddy. We do. Is that okay?”
He makes a face as if he can’t believe anyone would want to do such a thing. “I guess,” he says skeptically. “But I don’t want to kiss Brianna.”
I smile. “You don’t have to kiss anyone. You’re too young for that, anyway.”
He sighs, clearly relieved by this. “Good.”
He finishes his cereal and drinks the milk from the bowl. When he’s done, he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He looks thoughtful for a moment before he speaks again.
“Does Mr. Finn make you laugh, Momma?”
I’m not sure why he asks the question, but I smile when I answer. “He does. Why?”
“Cause that’s how it is in the movies,” he says, walking over to the sink with his bowl. “The man makes the woman laugh and they kiss and then they live happily ever after.”
I nod. It all sounds pretty simple when he says it.
“Yes,” I say. “We make each other laugh.”
“Good,” he says.
“Are you okay with Finn hanging around us more?” I ask. This is the first time I’ve ever broached the subject of me dating with Liam. It’s the only time I’ve ever felt the need. I’m oddly nervous as I wait for his answer.
“Can we still play baseball?”
I smile. “I don’t see why not. We can definitely ask him.”
“Cool.” Then he turns and walks out of the kitchen. A few seconds later, I hear the television in the living room.
Huh. That was easier than I expected. It helps that Liam knows Finn and likes him. It helps that Finn is incredibly easy to like. I sip my coffee in the silent kitchen and smile to myself. I finish my coffee and put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. I start a load of laundry before joining Liam in the living room. We spend most of the day watching TV on the couch. It’s a typical lazy Sunday for the two of us and it’s just what we need.
Chapter Twenty-two
Hannah
I’m nervous the next morning when I pull into the lot at the
Jester and see Finn’s truck parked in its usual spot. We haven’t talked since he left my bed early Sunday morning. I thought about texting him yesterday, but I didn’t know what to say. Everything felt awkward or forced. I hope that’s not an indication of how things are going to go at work too. I take a deep breath and climb out of my car. We said we could separate work and personal, so today will be the test for that. There’s only one way to find out. I straighten my shoulders and do my best to look unconcerned as I walk into the building.
I make it to my office without seeing Finn. He’s probably in his own office. I tell myself I’m not avoiding him. I leave my office door open as I always do and park myself behind my desk. I’m determined to behave as though it’s a typical Monday morning. With that in mind, I pull up my email and catch up on everything I missed over the weekend. It’s more than an hour before I come up for air and I realize I’m starving.
I make my way to the dining room to pick over the breakfast leftovers. I find a muffin and a cup of coffee and carry it out to the porch. I sit in one of the rocking chairs and eat, taking in the view of the grounds. It’s late spring in North Carolina. Everything is either green or blooming. Fat bees buzz around the hanging baskets of bright red flowers. The heat of summer hasn’t kicked in yet, for which I’m grateful. It’s the perfect weather for sitting on the porch and lazing the day away with a good book. I think—not for the first time—how lucky I am that I get to work here. I may not be able to laze the day away on the porch, but at least I can take a few minutes to enjoy the view. With a sigh, I make my way around the porch to a side door that enters closer to my office.
