Finn found a cart and started in the fresh produce section. She watched as he grabbed tomatoes, Chile peppers and bell peppers, then walked toward the meats. He got a package of chicken breasts, and they moved on to a different aisle. Plenty of times they had to wait on people to move out of the way and Addie's patience wore thin. People were freaking everywhere and it seemed like it was their mission to get in everyone else's way.
"Finn! What are you doing here?"
Addie turned at the sound of the screeching voice and froze. What was the little whore that ruined Halle's life doing here? What the hell was she doing calling Finn's name? Addie looked back at him and saw his brows together and his lips turned down into a frown. She turned back to the blonde as she stopped in front of them. The girl barely spared a glance for Addie, instead threw her arms around Finn. Addie's brows rose as her temper did. Was he sleeping with her?
"Jenna, please let go." Finn pushed her arms down. "Don't act like you're happy to see me."
That peaked Addie's interest. Did she leave him? Was he only using Addie as a rebound? Addie's stomach churned and she hated that any of this mattered to her. This was why she didn't get involved with a man. Shit like this happened.
"Why would I be mad at you?" Jenna pouted. She tilted her head up at Finn.
Addie's fists balled at her sides and she slowly counted in her head. She couldn't attack this woman. It would mean Finn meant too much to her.
"We can talk about this later. As you can see, I'm with someone." Finn nodded his head at Addie.
"Oh, silly me. Hi." Jenna held out a hand. "I'm Finn's whore sister."
Addie's heart stopped. She didn't know what to say about that, but didn't reach her hand out. "I'm Addie, Halle's sister."
Jenna's smiled evaporated and she looked at the ground. "Oh. Um, I have to go."
Finn looked between them. "Your sister's ex is the one Jenna slept with?"
"That's one of the sisters that live here?" Addie countered.
Finn sighed, and pulled the cart off to a corner. Addie reluctantly followed him. She wasn't sure what this meant, although she couldn't deny that she was vastly relieved he hadn't been sleeping with her, but it raised a bigger question. If she and Finn ever got serious, how would she deal with the fact that Jenna was his sister?
"Look, I know that Jenna is tough to deal with--" He held a hand up when Addie tried to speak. "And that she broke up your sister's marriage. I don't want this to ruin anything that you and I have."
Addie shook her head. "This is a big deal. It might not seem like it, but damn it! She tore my sister apart. And while I know she wasn't the only one he slept with, she's the one that Halle saw fucking her husband in the office." Addie shut her eyes, trying to get the vision of Halle's devastated face out of her mind. Of how Halle was miserable still from what happened. What would Halle say when Addie told her?
"Let's get the rest of the supplies for dinner. You still want me to cook?" His eyes were solemn and she knew he was asking more than that.
She thought about not seeing him ever again. Her heart dropped, an emotion she never experienced before running through her. "Yes. I still want you to cook me dinner."
Relief and a little bit of hope shone in his eyes. "Okay, let's grab the rest of the stuff and get out of here. If you want to talk more about it, we can at your apartment."
Addie followed him around as he put the rest of the ingredients in the cart. Her eyes never left him as he moved, roaming over his face, his shoulders and arms, and his back as he reached for stuff. She wasn't sure, but she thought she was addicted to him. Would she be able to handle the withdrawal when the time came?
He paid for the stuff and she helped him carry it out to the truck. Neither one said a word on the way back to her apartment and the silence strained around them, ringing in her ears. Why did he have to be related to Jenna? Why did being with a guy have to be so damn complicated?
She offered to help carry the bags to her apartment but he shooed her to the stairs. Once inside Harlow meowed non-stop until Addie reached down and picked her up, nuzzling the sweet kitten. The kitten was growing fast and didn't fit in the palm of her hand anymore. She walked to Harlow's food bowl and refilled it and the water by the time Finn made it inside.
He stared at her for a minute but before she could ask why, he asked, "Where are all your cooking things?"
"What do you need? Mom stocked the place when I moved in, probably in hopes that I would use the stuff. You may know as much as I do where they are."
"You're so domestic, Addie." Finn winked at her, then searched through cabinets and drawers for what he needed. He started a pot of water to boil and put the chicken in there. "So, do we need to talk about this?"
Addie lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "What really is there to talk about? She's your sister, it's not like you can change the fact. Or what happened."
"I know, but I could tell you were shocked and a little angry by it." He started chopping the peppers and chilies while he talked.
"I was. Not at you, once I found out she was your sister."
He threw his head back and laughed.
Addie narrowed her eyes at him. "Hey, I had no idea she was your damn sister."
"My other sister, Kelsey, is much sweeter. I promise," he said when he finally finished laughing. "You don't have to hang out with Jenna, but I would like you to meet Kelsey."
"I don't know." Her mind had changed a bit once she saw Jenna. "You really want me to meet her?"
He looked at her over the bar, searing her with the intensity of the look. "Yes."
Addie sighed. "Fine, I will. But only Kelsey. I don't want to see Jenna right now. I'm not sure I could handle that." She had to text Victoria, Gemma, and Autumn to see what they thought about this situation.
"I can live with that." Finn nodded toward the fridge. "Why don’t you get us some beers and we can talk about something else. I don't really want to talk about Jenna either. She's a pain in my ass. In everyone's ass, it seems."
After getting the beers, Addie slid onto a stool at the bar and once again caught herself watching him move. She didn’t know if it was his time in the Marines or on the fire department, but he moved with confidence and grace she lacked. Confidence had never really been a big problem for her, but moving without running into something or dropping stuff--not her thing. She thanked God if she made it through a day without adding another bruise to her body. He was focused on his task, but any time she asked a question he answered it. It was weird to have a guy pay that much attention to her, one who really cared what she had to say. Her aversion to relationships slid down a notch.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Finn
He tried not to let on that her watching him made him hot. He knew it wasn't just the heat from cooking, it was the heat in her stares. She didn’t hide the fact that she wanted him and it was refreshing. The fact that they saw his sister in the store had to give her some pause, he knew that she was upset about it. To him it didn’t feel like a hurdle they couldn’t get over, but he could understand her reticence.
Every time he glanced up from cooking she was watching him, eyes hooded and full of desire. For the first time he was reluctant to just throw her in bed. He wanted to get to know her. What she liked and didn’t like. The type of music she listened to, what made her laugh and what made her cry. God, he didn’t ever want to make her cry. Female tears undid him, especially if he was the one to cause them.
“Tell me more about your family.” Addie propped her chin on her fist and stared at him.
“You know I have four sisters. Kelsey and Jenna are the youngest. Sara and Laura are the oldest. I come in at the middle. My mom is a nurse and my dad is retired military. Marines, like me.” Finn started. “We moved around a lot, finally settling in Chicago whenever he got out. Sara and Laura are both married, and I have one niece and nephew, both from Laura. Sara isn’t sure she wants kids yet.”
“That’s a big family. I bet it was noi
sy during Christmas time.”
“It was. Jenna and Kelsey moved here a year ago, and when I was honorably discharged I moved to be with them.” He paused, wondering if he could get the rest out. “Kelsey and Isaac were engaged and when he didn’t come home, I wasn’t the only one devastated. Kelsey needed me, so I hired on with the SBFD as quick as I could.”
“You’re one sweet big brother.” Addie’s smile got brighter and warmed some of the coldness inside of him at the memory of Isaac’s death. “I’m sure Kelsey appreciates you being here.”
“She paints. Beautiful pictures. I think it’s how she works through her grief.”
Addie’s look softened. “She sounds like someone I would like very much.”
Something in Finn nearly broke when Addie said that. He knew how much she couldn’t stand Jenna, but wanting to meet his other sister--his favorite sister--made him want to scoop her up and take her to the room. Show his appreciation for her in a lot of ways.
She noticed the look on his face and put a hand up. “Oh no. I’m hungry and that food smells delicious. You can wait until after I eat.”
He laughed, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. How she did that to him, he didn’t know. One touch, or kiss, or smile, and the darkness inside him receded just a little more each time. She was becoming a life line. He wasn’t sure how dangerous that was at the moment, but decided he’d deal with it later. There was too much going on right now. He wasn’t going to think about Isaac’s death or the arson murders tonight. He wanted to focus on Addie.
They ate at the bar, side by side, talking about their day. He explained to her about his conversations with his Sergeant-Major and some of his old contacts from the military. She listened and asked a few questions of her own. Her insight was valuable and he made a note to present them to the Chief and his Sergeant-Major. After dinner, she helped with the dishes, laughing about how her mom would freak if she knew she was. They decided to watch some TV, cuddled on the couch, with Harlow on her lap.
He didn’t really focus on what was on the screen, instead he focused on the feel of Addie. She had such a warm and caring personality, wrapped in a shell of who-the-hell-cares. He couldn’t believe that he’d ever thought she was like Mia. They were worlds apart. While Mia never cared about anything but herself, he’d seen Addie put other people first constantly. It was admirable.
“Let’s go to the room.” Addie stood, pulling on his arm. “I can’t wait any more. Sitting next to you, not doing anything, it’s killing me.”
He grinned. “You don’t have to wait.”
They barely made it past her doorway before she was unbuttoning his jeans. He tripped over the leg of his pants, but managed to keep himself upright. His hands traveled from her waist, up to her breasts and he groaned at the feel of them. They were swollen and warm, and he wanted a taste.
She pushed him onto the edge of the bed and yanked his jeans off. “Take off your boxers.”
He did as she commanded, not caring that she was still clothed and he was naked. He took his shirt off, too, and tossed it aside. Before he knew it, she was on her knees in front of him, licking her lips. His cock jerked as her warm breath brushed over it and he saw her smile in amusement.
She wrapped a hand around the base and his breathing hitched. Her hands were soft but held him firmly. Her dark mass of hair was down, brushing his thighs, and his balls tightened. He wasn’t sure he was going to survive this.
She glanced up at him, not looking away, as she leaned in and took him into her mouth. His fists tightened in the covers as he fought himself from digging them in her hair and taking control. He didn’t think she’d like that. Her tongue swirled around the tip before she took him in again.
“Jesus Christ, Addie.” Finn choked out.
Her other hand cradled his balls. She rolled them around in the palm of her hand, increasing the pressure on the base of his cock.
Liquid desire shot through him and he had to remind himself to breathe. That it was necessary for him to do that. She alternated using her hand and her mouth, the different sensations had him bucking. Her hands left his cock and balls and pushed on his thighs to keep in him place, which made him want to explode.
Before he couldn’t take it anymore, he wrapped his hands in her hair, pulling her off of him.
“I need you. Right now.” Finn shoved her shorts and panties down, didn’t even worry about her shirt and bra. She straddled him, immediately sinking down. He clenched his teeth to keep from coming right there. She had to explode, too. His teeth and lips nibbled at her neck as he made sure and slow strokes inside of her.
Her walls clenched around him and he cursed into her neck. She laughed softly, leaning back to create a deeper angle.
His control snapped. Moving quick and hard, he drove his hips into hers. She gripped his shoulders, her eyes wide. Each thrust seemed to pull more and more of his soul out of the darkness. The light was almost blinding as she came around him, whispering his name softly, like she couldn’t live without him.
He finally let go, thrusting against her until he couldn’t move. His breath rasped inside his chest and his heart raced. He felt so alive, so peaceful that he didn’t want to move yet.
Addie touched her forehead to his, breathing just as heavily. There was something different in her gaze, but he wasn’t sure if he was just seeing what he wanted to. If he was putting emotions in her expressions that weren’t there. Damn, he needed to figure out what he wanted from her. He was sliding deeper and didn’t know if she felt the same way.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Addie
She needed to talk to her sisters about everything that was going on with Finn, and tell Halle about Jenna, but she wanted to talk to Victoria first. So she met Victoria at her office after school was out, the girls having been picked up by their grandmother. Victoria’s sleek and elegant office suited her perfectly. It was also across from the boardwalk and the beach, so it was in a prime location.
Ella greeted her as Addie walked in, waving from behind her desk. She was Victoria’s assistant and loved her job, had a sweet demeanor, and helped Victoria out a lot. Her brown hair was pulled into an elegant bun and she wore a yellow dress and pumps that suited her.
“Hey, Addie.” Ella came around the desk. “She’s with a client but the meeting should be over in a few minutes. How're you doing?”
“Good, school’s back in, so it’s chaotic during the day. My wine consumption has doubled.” Addie laughed.
“I’d drink a lot, too, if I dealt with kids all day.” Ella took a seat behind the desk. “I’m an only child, so kids freak me out.”
“They can freak me out sometimes, too. Kids have special ways of doing that. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to have parent conferences for the weirdest stuff."
Ella wrinkled her nose. “I can only imagine.”
Victoria walked out of her office, dressed in a slim white dress and heels, something she only wore when she had client appointments. She escorted the lady out the door, assuring her that she’d begin work on the lady’s home soon. When the lady was gone, Victoria turned to Addie. “What’s going on?”
Addie blew out a breath. “I need to talk to you.”
“It’s time for my break anyway. I’ll go hit some of the shops on the boardwalk.” Ella smiled at the sisters. “Just text me when you’re done, Victoria, and I’ll head back.”
“Come on.” Victoria led the way to her office.
Addie settled into a chair, Victoria taking the one across from her, instead of sitting behind the desk. She wondered if she should tell her about the Lucia stuff, too. “Okay, so things with Finn have slowly been getting more serious.”
Victoria’s eyes widened. She remained silent, but watched her sister closely.
“He stayed the night last night and cooked me dinner. We got ready for work this morning--together--and left at the same time. We ate breakfast and drank coffee. Again--together.” Addie suddenly felt like som
ething extremely heavy was sitting on her chest. She stood and paced the room.
“Sweetie, it sounds like you really like him.” Victoria followed her movements.
“I might. But there’s something else. His freaking sister is the whore who slept with Trevor. The one that Halle walked in on.” Addie threw her hands up in the air. “What the fuck am I supposed to do with that? What will Halle say? It’s bound to hurt her and I don’t want to reopen those wounds.”
“Sit down, you’re giving me anxiety.” Victoria waited on her to sit before she continued, “First of all, Halle is a big girl. She’s going to recognize how you feel about Finn. At first it may be awkward, but she won’t let that get in the way of you being happy. Second, Trevor is the one that hurt her, not Finn. She isn’t going to hold it against him.”
Addie balked when Victoria mentioned feelings for Finn. She didn’t have emotional feelings for him, right? It was all physical. Shit, who was she kidding? “What do I do with this?” Her eyes beseeched Victoria to give her some advice.
“With the girl or with your feelings for Finn?” Victoria smiled softly at Addie’s panicked expression. “We’ll talk to Halle about the girl. What do you want to do about your feelings? I can give you advice, but ultimately what you do with them is up to you. I know it scares the hell out of you, but it’s the first time you’ve ever felt this way. I think it’s good for you.”
“How is this good for me?” Addie shot Victoria a dark look. “I’m terrified of what I’m feeling. I feel like I’m on uneven ground that could open up at any minute and swallow me whole. Not to mention the fact that I wait on him to call, or text, or show up. I’ve never done that before.”
“That’s why it’s good for you. He’s opened up those walls and is causing you to actually feel something, and that’s what scares you. You’re going to have to take a leap of faith. I remember how hard it was for me when I met Nick, especially after what Roger did. It was so hard to open back up, but for the right person, it’s worth it.”
Taking the Heat Page 12
