Sophie licked her lips. And watched his eyes heat. “You’ve never kissed a woman you barely know before?”
His lazy smile made her heart beat faster, but when he ran his thumb over her bottom lip, her heart seemed to turn over in her chest.
“I’ve never auditioned for a play before,” he clarified.
She resisted the urge to let her tongue dart out and lick the tip of his thumb. She nodded. “Well, just so you know, typically you say words and act out a scene. On a stage. With other people watching.”
“We can move this onto the stage if you want,” he said agreeably. “And you just tell me the words you want to hear.”
A bunch of words came to mind. Sophie, you’re amazing. I could kiss you forever. Let’s take this into your office. Wow, that was asking for trouble.
She mentally shook her head. “Probably some of the words Tony would say.”
“The kissing seemed like a key part,” Finn said, finally dropping his hand from her face and stepping back.
She wished he hadn’t done that. She smiled, though. “There is a lot of kissing in this show.”
“So it’s important that the kissing is believable and good,” Finn said.
“True.”
“Well, I’m no theater expert,” he said. “But that kiss seemed pretty believable and really damned good. Almost as if we were two people kissing in real life, totally into it and having nothing to do with a play.”
Hearing her own thoughts out loud like that, Sophie took a deep breath. “No, it kind of felt like two people kissing in real life because one of them feels sorry for the other one and that one has a weakness for great biceps.” Except his biceps were symbolic of something far more complicated—he was the solid one and right now, when she was feeling out of control with Frank and the money and everything going on because of the fire and the repairs and the show, solid was very appealing.
But that was all it was. And if she, or anyone else, started thinking it was more, she was going to be in big trouble.
“I don’t feel sorry for you, Sophie,” he said. “I understand why you might think that,” he admitted. “But I don’t. You’re an independent, intelligent woman with a lot of people who love you. I don’t pity you.”
She smiled up at him. “Thanks.”
“But I do want to be around you more, and yes, I do have a tendency to get involved in things that I think I can fix. I don’t feel like that’s all that’s going on here, but I have to admit that could be part of it.”
Sophie nodded. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“So I think I have a solution.”
Solution. Another word that she really liked. “Okay.” She was open to ideas. Mostly the ones that involved more lip time with Finn. She wasn’t sure, but maybe that’s where this was going.
“I’ll take the part of Tony. And you take the part of Angel.”
“So we can keep kissing?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said with a grin. “Definitely. Huge perk of this plan.”
Well, she was on board so far.
“But,” he continued, “part of the concern is that I’m helping out just because I’m a do-gooder. And you don’t need a guy in your life and you don’t like the big-family thing and my mom’s afraid that she’ll lose a friend if we date and it doesn’t work out…so this plan solves all of that.”
“I’m intrigued.”
“If we do the lead roles, we can spend time together, but it’s very clear what it’s about. I can help the theater out, but I’m not butting into your life. I can get to know more about something that’s important to my mom. We can work on the scenes without my family around so you don’t have to deal with them. And everyone knows there’s an end point to all of it, so, when it comes, no one’s upset or disappointed.”
Sophie nodded again, though slower. This all made sense. He was offering her exactly what Angie had said was important to her—a way to have the connection she wanted but inside a plan in which she knew what to expect. And there was a scripted ending. She’d see it coming, and it wouldn’t hurt.
“And you get the part instead of Colin,” she said, with a smile to cover that she was already dreading the end of the show. That was stupid. She barely knew him. They hadn’t even started anything yet. How could she be upset about it ending?
But it felt like they had started something.
He grinned. “Icing on the cake.”
“I thought maybe the kissing was the icing.”
His eyes heated. “I think the kissing is the caramel drizzle.”
“There’s a caramel drizzle?” She was so on board with a caramel drizzle.
He nodded. “Something extra. Something sweet. Something that makes the whole thing even better.”
Caramel drizzle for the win. In fact, drizzling caramel seemed like a great…
Sophie mentally shook herself. They could kiss and do the play, but they couldn’t do more than that. Everything with Finn had to happen within the context of the play.
“I think it’s a great plan.”
“So I’ve got the part?” Finn asked.
He’d had the part the moment he’d walked into the theater thinking she was her grandmother, Sophie realized. Tony and Angel was the right play to do, this was the right time to do it, and Finn was the right guy to do it.
She smiled up at him. “You’ve got the part.”
“And you’re going to play Angel?” he clarified. “That’s the best way to make this work, don’t you think?”
Hell yeah, she was going to play Angel. Even before that kiss. She loved the play; she loved the part of Angel; she loved being in the midst of a new show with players who’d never been onstage before. But now? To play opposite Finn as he took on his first part, in his mother’s show? She wouldn’t miss that for anything.
They would say goodbye at the end of the show, but she was going to enjoy the next few weeks of helping Finn discover theater, seeing Finn and Angie understand each other better, and…kissing the pants off of Finn Kelly. Not literally, of course. Probably.
“I’m going to be Angel,” she told him. “For sure.”
He grinned down at her and Sophie felt warm in her pants.
“When does rehearsal start?” he asked.
She thought his voice sounded a little husky. It might have just been the way her stupid imagination always added a little dramatic flair to everything.
“Right away, tomorrow. We don’t have much time,” she said.
“Okay.”
For a second Sophie thought maybe he was going to reach for her. And pull her in. And kiss her again. Maybe put a hand under her shirt. Maybe…
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, stepping back.
Dramatic flair 2, reality 1.
“Okay.” She gave him a smile that was only half-forced. “I’ll send out e-mails to everyone letting them know what parts they got. And who got the lead.”
“Oh, let me tell them,” Finn said. “At least Colin.”
She laughed. “You should be nicer to your brother.”
“Just hold off on the e-mail for an hour or so.”
She shook her head but agreed. “Fine. I’ll wait till later tonight.”
“Okay.” He paused but finally turned and headed for the door. His hand was on the handle before he turned back. “You coming?”
“What?”
“I’m walking you out to your car.”
She blinked at him. “You are?”
He chuckled. “Of course I am.”
She was not used to someone being so concerned. She didn’t need it. She also couldn’t get used to it. But for the moment she was going to enjoy it. “Let me grab my stuff.” She ducked into the office and gathered her purse and sweater and met him by the front door. He held it open for her, and she hesitated for a second, wondering if she should make a point of not touching him as she passed or take advantage of the opportunity to press close. Then again, if he was going to play
Tony to her Angel, there were going to be plenty of chances to get close. Very close.
Still, she let her arm brush against his stomach as she stepped into the night. It was right there, after all. She felt the heat and hardness and fought the urge to sigh. She wondered if he was reacting at all. She couldn’t really tell and didn’t want to risk looking up at him and letting him see that she was enjoying the contact a little too much.
“Sophie?”
His gruff voice did get her to glance up. His dark eyes were hot and intense.
“Yeah?”
“You okay?”
She wet her lips. “Yep.”
“You stopped.”
“I…stopped?”
“Walking.”
She had. She’d just stopped, right in the doorway, her arm against his middle. One second she’d been walking and the next she’d just…stopped.
“Oh.” How could she just lose her train of thought like that? And was an automatic action like walking even really a train of thought? “Sorry.” She managed to step the rest of the way through the doorway and out onto the sidewalk.
She thought she heard Finn clear his throat as he did the same and pulled the door shut behind him. He turned and held out his hand. “Keys?”
Keys. For the door. Right. Sophie fumbled in her purse.
She heard him sigh. “You need to have the key out when you leave and are ready to lock the door,” he said. “When you’re digging around in your purse, you aren’t paying attention to what’s going on around you. Someone could—”
Sophie pulled the key ring out of her bag and held it up. “Keys.”
He shook his head and took them from her and locked the door. She waited for him to hand them back, but suddenly he pivoted, grabbed her wrist, wrenched her arm behind her back, and pressed her up against the building beside the door.
He moved in behind her, his big, hard front against her much smaller back. He put his mouth right by her ear and said, “See? You need to be on your guard.”
He was making a point. She got that. She got the point. She did. But…“I’m not sure this is the best tactic for filling me with fear and regret,” she told him honestly.
Finn went still for a moment, and then he said gruffly, “No? You’re not feeling like you should have made another choice?”
“I’m feeling like I’m going to be fumbling in my purse a lot when you’re around.”
He took a big breath in through his nose, and she was pretty sure she felt his lips against her neck right below her ear. Her knees thought so, anyway, and they wobbled slightly.
“After-hours rehearsals,” he said. “We’ll need some of those, right? Just the two of us?”
“Lots of those,” she told him. “You’re a novice, after all. Playing a lead role. You’ll need lots of one-on-one time.”
“That’s excellent news.” This time she was sure she felt his lips against her neck. “Damn, you smell good.”
Then she couldn’t help it any longer and she wiggled her butt against him. She was short enough, or he was tall enough, that her butt was more against his thighs than the spot she most wanted to wiggle against, but it was all still hard and delicious, and when he sucked in a quick breath, Sophie felt warmth flood her system.
And then he was gone, suddenly dropping his hands and stepping back. “So you need to be more careful,” he told her.
She turned to ask what was going on and to ask him to get right back up against her—maybe front-to-front this time—when she realized some people were walking by across the street. Clearly the big cop didn’t think that the sight of him pinning her against the side of the building looked as okay to them as it had felt to Sophie.
“I’ll remember to only fumble in my purse when we’re inside,” she said with a smile.
He cleared his throat and then nodded. “Good idea.”
“We could go back in right now.”
He hesitated but then said, “I should probably walk you to your car.”
He’s the type of guy to keep a dachshund so she won’t be traumatized by another move. He’s the type of guy to get involved in the theater for his mom. He’s the rock of his crazy family. He’s a cop. He’s a good guy.
She nodded. “You’re not a sex-on-the-first-date guy.”
“I’m not,” he admitted. “I typically go pretty slow.”
“Got it.” She respected that, and it did seem to fit him. Finn Kelly, with his life full of people who really mattered to him and who he really mattered to, wouldn’t sleep with a woman he didn’t know and like and respect.
“But we’re not dating,” he reminded her. Or himself.
“No, we’re not. We’re just doing a play together,” she said with a nod.
They stood simply looking at each other for a long moment. Then he held out his hand. She took it, and he pulled her up beside him as they started down the block.
“Where’s your car?” he asked.
She pointed up the block. He looked around. And sighed. “I really hate the idea of you leaving late and coming out here alone in the dark.”
“I’m fine. I’ve never had a problem. And I really do pull my keys out before I leave the building. And I do pay attention to my surroundings. I was a little distracted tonight, but I promise you, no other guy would ever get me up against the building like you did.”
She swallowed hard after that, feeling her cheeks flush even just talking about the way he’d pinned her against the side of the theater. It should have felt aggressive. It should have been a great warning about what could happen if she wasn’t paying attention. It should have been the lesson he’d intended it to be.
But it hadn’t been any of those things. It had been hot. Period.
They stopped beside her car, and it felt like they were both hesitating.
“Are you going to unlock it?” Finn finally asked.
She pushed the unlock button on her fob. He smiled. “I like keyless. Much safer.” He reached past her and pulled the door open.
She smiled back at him. “I do appreciate your concern.”
“I’m overreacting. I’m aware of that. Just so you know.”
“You’re a protective guy. A cop. It makes sense.”
He shook his head and stepped in closer. “It doesn’t make sense. That’s the problem.”
“It doesn’t?”
“I never feel protective of women like this. Other than my mother. I want people to be safe, and I’ll do what I can to make that happen. But typically I trust that intelligent, adult women who have been living in this city for a while know what they’re doing and will ask for help if they need or want it.”
Sophie couldn’t describe the look on his face. It seemed as if he was perplexed by the things she was making him feel. Well, that made two of them.
“So what’s different about your mom and me?” she asked.
“I probably shouldn’t answer that.”
Sophie laughed. “Well, now you have to.”
“Okay, my mom is…a dreamer. She believes the best about people. She thinks everything will work out if you have good intentions.”
“And you think I’m like your mom.”
“Aren’t you?”
“I am a dreamer,” Sophie confessed. “But I know not everything works out just because of good intentions.”
Finn frowned and moved in closer. “You do?”
Wow, suddenly he seemed…concerned. “I do,” she said. “You know that too.”
He frowned harder and then shook his head. “Yeah. I do. Of course I do. I just…don’t like that you feel that way.”
She laughed softly. “That doesn’t make any sense. That’s what makes you roll your eyes about your mother. But you want me to feel the way she does? Hopeful and starry-eyed and eternally optimistic?”
Finn lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. “Yeah.”
Sophie caught her breath. “Yeah it doesn’t make any sense, or yeah you want me to feel that way?”
&
nbsp; He shook his head as if he was completely confused. “Both.” He ran his thumb over her cheek and then dropped his hand. “It makes no sense, but yeah, I want to think that you’re blissfully ignorant of the fact that shit happens even when you do everything right.”
His words seemed to slam into her, and it was a few seconds before she could respond. Because yeah, she definitely knew that shit happened even when she did everything right. “Well, I’m not as sweet and naive as that,” she said, trying to sound normal.
“That’s probably good,” he said. “I mean, naive is not a great thing to be. But…” He cleared his throat. “Never mind. I’m glad you’re not a pushover. My mom has some trouble with that.”
“Your mother is the sweetest person I know, and I wouldn’t change one thing about her,” Sophie said gently but firmly. “And if you and I are going to get along, you’re going to have to not say negative things about my very dear friend.”
He gave her an almost-smile. “I really like it when you get all prickly on my mother’s behalf. It’s my fourth-favorite thing about you.”
“Fourth? What are the first three?” Sophie wanted to hear this list more than she wanted the leftover brownie she had waiting for her at home.
“One, that you swear like a sailor and kickbox even though you seem sweet and easygoing on the outside. Two, that you didn’t cast my brother as Tony in the play in spite of him being…him.”
Sophie felt her heart swell a little. She knew that Finn gave the spotlight to his brother more often than not because Finn knew Colin needed the attention.
“What’s number three?” she asked.
He leaned in, his lips almost on hers. “The way you smell.” Then he moved his nose to her neck and took a deep breath. “I love that, actually.”
Sophie’s entire body erupted in goose bumps. Him sniffing her made her all hot and jittery? She could hardly imagine what would happen if he touched her…really touched her. But she did have a fantastic imagination, after all. And she knew that she’d be imagining it later. Tonight. In bed.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, straightening and giving her a smile.
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