by Vivian Wood
Pushing up the cups of her bra, Finn released her breasts, lifting one taut peak to his lips.
“Oh, god, Finn…” Nora cried, arching up into his mouth, offering herself up for more.
Finn teased her nipple with his lips, tongue, and teeth, groaning as Nora rocked harder and harder against him. He could actually smell the tang of her arousal in the air, and knew she was wet and ready for him. If it wasn’t their first time together, he’d just unzip and fuck her just like this, make her come all over his cock with all his clothes still on.
He released her breast, loving her little sigh of disappointment. He slid his hand into the hair at her nape, tugging her head back, exposing the pale column of her throat to his lips and teeth. He teased her earlobe, tracing the shell with his tongue before whispering to her.
“You need to come, don’t you darling? I heard you this morning, Nora.”
“Oh!” Nora breathed, squirming in his arms.
“Don’t be embarrassed. You’re my mate. I haven’t been doing my job, have I? But I’m going to do it now,” he promised, releasing her hair. He dropped his hands to her hips and pushed her leggings and panties down, marveling at her body. Her hair was neatly trimmed, and he could see the moisture coating the curls on her delicate pink petals.
“Finn!” Nora protested, but he shook his head and gave her a rebuking look.
“Do you want me, Nora?” he asked.
She paused, then nodded.
“Let me make you come first. I want to watch you,” he ordered.
When Nora bit her lip and nodded again, Finn licked his lips and trailed his fingertips down her stomach, exploring her silky, heated sex. He found her clit and brushed it in soft, teasing circles. Nora closed her eyes and leaned her head back.
“Keep your eyes open, darling. I want you to watch me,” he said as he touched her, made her shudder with pleasure. “I want you to know that I’m the one making you feel good.”
Nora opened her eyes, her violet gaze a caress on his face. Finn rewarded her by shifting her a little to give himself better access, then he slid his middle finger deep into her tight, wet channel.
“Oh!” Nora whispered, her body clenching around his finger.
Her breasts rose with each ragged inhale of breath, their pebbled peaks tormenting him. Finn worked her core with one finger, then added another, leaning forward to catch her nipple between his lips. He fucked her with his fingers, moaning with lust when her needy body soaked his fingers, then his palm. He sucked at her nipple, pleasuring her breast as his thumb found her sensitive clit.
Nora jerked and cried out, her fingers digging into his hair, her hips rolling against his hand. He knew she was close, she just needed something to push her over the edge. He abraded her nipple with his teeth, then gave it a soft nip, just hard enough to shock her. He looked up into her face, knowing what was about to happen, wanting to preserve this moment in his memory. He pressed his thumb into her clit, rubbing hard now, and Nora shattered around his fingers, coming with a shout. Her body tensed and shook, the sensitive muscles of her core clenching and releasing, her eyelids fluttering closed at last.
Finn withdrew as Nora leaned forward, sagging against him, her relief obvious. Finn pulled her close to rest against his body, ignoring his lust and savoring the feel of her in his arms, admiring how soft and small she was next him. He held her for long moments, listening to her breathing even out.
When at last she stirred once more, she leaned back a little, pulling up her panties and leggings even as she brushed a kiss over his lips. Finn’s heart lurched when their gazes connected once more, amethyst meeting aquamarine.
“Wow,” Nora said, turning herself to settle more comfortably in his lap. “My design plans must have been pretty impressive, huh?”
Finn laughed and nodded.
“Yeah… I was going to get a second opinion, but…” he joked.
The instant the words were out of his mouth, Nora’s expression went stormy, and Finn knew he’d somehow said the wrong thing.
“From who?” Nora asked, scrambling off his lap. “From Charlotte, maybe?”
Finn scowled.
“I knew Wyatt said something to you last night,” he grumbled.
“Wyatt has nothing to do with this conversation,” Nora snapped, stiffening.
“Doesn’t he?” Finn challenged.
“Not unless he’s just a liar,” Nora said, crossing her arms and cocking a brow. “Tell me, can you look me in the eye and say that you have no history with Charlotte?”
Finn hesitated, and Nora didn’t miss a beat. She moved in for the kill.
“Look at me. Tell me you’ve never fucked her, and I’ll never ask again,” she demanded.
Finn blew out a breath, then slowly shook his head.
“I can’t say that, but—”
“I knew it!” Nora shouted. “I knew you two were too close. I’m such an idiot, sitting here letting you touch me, thinking we might…”
She cut herself off, tears glinting in her eyes.
“Nora—”
“Just… don’t. Do us both a favor, and don’t say anything,” she said, rising from the couch and storming off into the back hallway.
Finn actually cringed as he heard the bedroom door slam, the sound seeming very final somehow. Finn rubbed a hand over his face, feeling shell-shocked. Everything had been going so right…
So how had things ended up so wrong?
99
Fourteen
Lying in Finn’s bed, Nora was once more drowning in his scent. This time, though, it wasn’t a turn-on, wasn’t a comfort. Instead, his scent battered her senses, making anger rise in her chest, over and over. She lay awake for hours, long after she heard Finn’s office door close, feeling more miserable and alone than she had since that bewildering first night when Finn had left her at the door of her own hotel room.
Her heart hurt. Like actually, really, viscerally hurt. It was her fault, really. She’d allowed herself to hope, had let Finn get too close, without asking the question that had been a burning brand on her heart.
He’d fucked Charlotte. Nora had known, somehow. She’d suspected, after seeing how oddly comfortable they were together. Still, Finn had courted her a little, had made it seem as if he wanted to give their mateship a chance. So Nora had opened the door, played the fool.
And what had she got for it? Just pain. She’d lived this scenario over and over with her father, always hoping that they could start their relationship anew, forget the past, move forward together like a father and daughter should…
And every time, her father had slammed the door. This situation with Finn was no different. Nora just needed to wise up and accept reality. But to do that, she needed to get out of this house.
Grabbing her phone, Nora made a couple of calls to her friends in Seattle. Despite the fact that she’d all but dropped off the face of the planet six months ago, a couple of her close friends were overjoyed to hear from her. Nora had been quite close with a coworker, a sassy gay man named Jonathan, and he’d picked up her call right away.
After some teary apologies and frustrated explanations, Jonathan had insisted that she come to stay with him sometime next week, when he returned from his Florida Keys vacation. Nora thanked him and said she’d consider it, knowing it was her best option to get back on her feet. Maybe Jonathan could even get her old job back…
Talking to Jonathan made Nora feel a hundred times better. She could get things back on track, get her life back to the way it was before her father called her home. Still, it did nothing for her right now. She still needed a ride to get off the farm, and someplace to stay until Jonathan got back from vacation and could come scoop her up.
Scrolling through her contact list, Nora sighed. Reaching out to her clan was no use; they’d probably laugh in her face. All her close friends were busy living their lives…
That only left one person who happened to be close by and knew her situation. Only one pe
rson who she knew would pick up her call, and be glad for it…
Nora hit the dial button and held her breath, knowing she was making a deal with the devil.
100
Fifteen
Nora woke to pounding on the bedroom door, and Finn’s angry shout.
“What the fuck, Nora?” he howled, rattling the door knob. “You fucking called Wyatt?”
Nora sat straight up in bed, suddenly glad that she’d remembered to lock the door last night.
“Go away, Finn. We have nothing to talk about,” she shouted back, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
“The hell we don’t!” he said, his anger apparent even through the door. “Open up, damn it! I’m not letting Wyatt in the house until you talk to me.”
Nora climbed out of the bed and walked to the door, hesitating with her hand on the knob.
“You have to calm down,” she bargained. “If you promise to cool off, I’ll open the door.”
Silence. After a few seconds, Finn answered.
“Fine. I promise.”
Nora opened the door, giving a surprised yelp when Finn pushed inside and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to the bed. Her heart lurched in her chest, but Finn just sat down on the bed and pulled her down to sit beside him. She yanked her wrist from his grasp, giving him a nasty glare.
“I thought you were going calm down,” she sniped.
“And I thought you might be decent enough not to go running to Wyatt, of all people,” Finn retorted, his gaze fixed on the wall, jaw tense.
Nora glanced at him, at his stiff posture and stony expression, and had to swallow to clear the lump that formed in her throat.
“I needed help. I can’t stay here, Finn.”
Finn looked at her, his expression agonized. His cyan gaze burned into her face, making her shift in her seat, uncomfortable.
“Don’t leave,” he said softly, close to pleading.
“I have to, Finn. I called Wyatt because I need somewhere to crash until I can figure out my next step,” Nora explained slowly.
“What next step? We’re mates. There’s no going back or changing it. We’re together for the rest of our lives,” he said, his brow furrowing.
“I can’t stay with you, Finn.”
“Why not? We’ve barely started to figure things out. I know I said something wrong last night… I know we haven’t quite figured things out…”
“You love someone else. There’s no figuring that out,” Nora told him.
Finn’s mouth opened, but nothing came out for a long moment.
“What?” he asked, looking baffled.
“Charlotte. You’re in love with your twin’s mate. How are we supposed to work through that?” Nora asked.
“In love… No no no,” Finn said, giving his head a vehement shake. “It’s not like that at all.”
“Really? You bring her up all the time. She’s around a lot. And you admitted that you’ve slept with her,” Nora said, crossing her arms.
“Oh, god. No wonder you’re so mad,” Finn said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m not in love with Charlotte, Nora. Not even a little bit.”
“Right.” Nora looked away.
“No, listen. Until Charlotte, I really had never been close with any women. Lots of casual dating and hookups, but I’d never had a woman as a friend,” he said.
“How is that possible?”
Finn shrugged.
“I was always with Noah. He’s a trouble magnet, and women are drawn to him. If I made a friend, they’d always sleep with him. Then when they looked at me, they saw Noah. Friendship over, just like that,” he said, snapping his fingers to punctuate the last word.
“I think you and Charlotte are more than just friends,” Nora insisted.
“I just… look, she’s just really supportive and caring. She doesn’t just think I’m Noah’s twin; she really sees me, who I am. I admit, when Noah first met her, we all sort of had a drunken night together. All three of us,” Finn said with a grimace. “It wasn’t my finest moment. And for a minute, I was jealous that she fell for Noah. But it wasn’t Charlotte herself that I wanted. I just… I needed someone to look at me like Charlotte looks at Noah.”
Nora narrowed her gaze, absorbing his words.
“You’re telling me that you have no feelings for her, other than as a friend,” she asked.
“She’s my sister now. My brother’s mate. I know her, I trust her judgment. I like her as a person. But Nora, I am not in love with Charlotte. Never have been,” he said, keeping his gaze connected with hers.
“Oh.” Nora couldn’t think of a better response.
“Further, I thought you of all people would understand how… complicated… my family can be,” he said, scrutinizing her.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“You’re hung up on Wyatt!” he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.
“I—” Nora paused, then surprised herself by bursting into laughter.
“I don’t find this funny,” Finn glowered.
“I— I just… Wyatt?” Nora asked, putting a hand to her lips, trying to stop the giggles that poured from her mouth. “God, no. I actually might hate your brother. No offense.”
Now it was Finn’s turn to look shocked.
“You… but…” he stopped himself, seeming to turn her words over in his mind. “Oh, god. We’re a pair, aren’t we? We both thought…”
Finn gave a dry laugh, his relief plain.
“How could I ever want Wyatt? He almost ruined my life,” Nora said, her shoulders shaking with laughter.
“Oh, god. We’ve been so stupid,” Finn lamented.
Finn laid back on the bed with a huge sigh. Nora followed his lead, turning to lie on her side so that she could ogle Finn. He propped himself up on an elbow, shifting to watch her right back.
Their grins faded after a moment, tension blooming between them. Nora licked her lips as she admired Finn, the taut angles of his jaw, his brooding sky blue eyes beneath dark brows, the way his white t-shirt clung to his muscular body…
“You can’t look at me like that an not expect me to do something about it,” Finn said, his voice a low rumble in his chest.
“I can’t help it,” Nora said. “I just…”
She trailed off, moving closer until they were a hand’s breadth apart. Finn’s hand came up to brush a lock of hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He cradled her jaw in his big hand, tipping her chin up.
Nora’s breath hitched as Finn brought his lips to hers. This time, his kiss was not gentle or tentative. His lips parted hers, his tongue teasing her own. The kiss turned deep and demanding in the first moments, and Nora could do nothing but reach out and bury a hand in his hair, bringing her body flush against the hard planes of his thighs and stomach and chest.
101
Sixteen
Nora sighed into Finn's kiss as he ran a big hand over her hip, slipping under her shirt to trace his fingertips over her bare skin. She gasped when he broke the kiss and pulled her shirt up over her head, then stripped off her shorts, leaving her in nothing but her thin cotton panties. Her breasts and thighs were completely bare to him, and Finn wasted no time in taking possession of her body.
"My bear rises every time I touch you," Finn told her, cupping her breasts with his hands. He brushed his thumbs over her nipples, making her shudder with anticipation.
"I want you, too," Nora whispered, reaching for him.
Finn caught her hand and dragged it up over her head, pinning it in place.
"Patience," he warned. "I'm going to do this right. In every other aspect of our lives, you'll have your way. But in the bedroom, I'm in charge."
His words sent a shiver up her spine, made heat pool low in her body. Finn was so courteous and kind in everything he did; his sudden dominance surprised her, made her flush all over. He grabbed her other hand and pinned it as well, pressing her hands into the mattress.
"Don't move these until I say so,"
he told her, eyes dark.
"Yes, sir," Nora joked.
Quick as a flash, Finn leaned down and gave her sensitive nipple a sharp nip with his teeth. Nora cried out, more from surprise than real pain.
"You will call me sir, but you'd better cut the sarcasm," he said, arching an imperious brow.
"Or what?" Nora challenged.
"Or I'll spank you," he said simply. The hunger on his face made it clear that he would very much like her to test him, disobey so that he could punish her. She held her tongue, unsure whether or not she liked the idea of being spanked.
"Let's see..." Finn said, rising to kneel beside her outstretched form. His gaze raked over her body, lips pursing. He hooked his fingers in the band of her panties and tugged them down, pulling them off her legs and tossing them aside. "Much better. I didn't get to see you properly last time."
Nora lay still, knees up, thighs clenched. Finn smoothed his hands over the tops of her legs, from her shins to her knees, pressing her knees apart gently. Nora gave him a few inches before jerking her legs back together, unprepared to allow him such intimate access.
"Ah ah," Finn tsked.
He gave her a considering glance, then backed up and stood, stripping down to his navy boxer briefs. He sat on the edge of the bed, then crooked his fingers, beckoning Nora closer.
"Come sit on my lap," he ordered. Nora hesitated, staring at Finn's impressive body, her eyes traveling down and down... until she stared at the jaw-droppingly-large bulge in his briefs. He gave her a wicked grin and placed a hand over his massive erection, stroking himself through the thin cotton fabric.
Nora wanted nothing more to explore Finn's body, to feel him filling her, easing the ache between her thighs... She steeled herself. No risk, no reward, right? Biting her lip, she crept forward and slid onto Finn's lap, straddling his thighs. His impressive bulge was only inches from her aching sex, and she couldn't stop herself from reaching down to run her fingertips along the length of him.
