Page 125 of Wonderstruck

The man I love.

The. Man. I. Love.

She loves me.

I’m pretty sure the stars could see my smile as itstretched across my mouth, as I slipped my hand into Rory’s and tugged it gently.

“After you.”

1.Oh my God.

2.You skate rather delicately for a hockey player

3.And you skate much more aggressively than a figure skater. The Lions could use you, come to think of it.

4.We should swap places for the week.

chapter thirty four

of course i had a praise kink

It was only when my back hit the wall of Finn’s bedroom door that I realised I’d never felt this free before.

He had a way of drawing out that girl that I’d never really had the chance to know. Never been brave enough to let out.But with his hands burrowed in my hair, his mouth crashed down onto mine, Ididn’t want to think about how long it had taken to get to this point.

I was here. With Finn. And that was all that mattered.

I shrugged off my coat, tossing it to the floor, not wasting a second beforebunching his shirt up, desperate to feel him.

He broke our kiss as he looked down at me,resting his forehead against mine as that easy laugh slipped out of him. “Easy, Bambi. One step at a time.”

I watched his eyes, darting between mine, and Ididn’t think before blurting, “Are you nervous?”

He shrugged with one shoulder, catching hisbreath. “A little.”

Oh God. I was rushing him.

I dipped my head to meet his eyes, lifting myhands to hold either side of his jaw, my mind blank. “Is this your first time?”

He shook his head. “No, I’ve been nervous plenty of times.”

God dammit.This man was going to make melaugh during every serious moment we were together, wasn’t he?

A giggle racked out of me, forcing my head backagainst the wall, letting me see the boyish grin that spread across his.

His thumb began to brush my warm cheek. “I’mnot nervous because I’ve never done this before, I’m nervous because I’ve never done this withyoubefore.” He kissed me quickly, before letting his forehead meet mine, his breaths almost not breaths at all. Like a two-second kiss from me was all it would take to ground him. “I don’t want to ruin this.”

I shook my head. “You won’t.” I let my hands fall back down to the hem of his shirt. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m ready for payback.” Bunching up some of the fabric of his shirt, I gripped it, tugging it down so our eyes were almost level. “Take. It. Off.”

I saw it again then, the fire that was in his eyeswhen he asked me to take off Ryan’s jersey. I wished they were always like that, always with green embers burning around his dilated pupils.With his hands on either side of me, he pushedaway from the door, stumbling back a few paces before looking me dead in the eyes and slowly, so annoyingly slowly, pulling his shirt over his head.

I traced every crease and crevice of his golden torso, and not one part of me felt guilty for enjoying every delicious moment. I’d known Finn was fit; he had to be to bolt up and down that rink every week. But I hadn’t imagined he’d be this ripped. This… God-like.

“You’re staring.”

“I know.” I sighed, still locked in a trance.

His lips quirked. “I’ve never stared at you like that.” My eyesdarted to his. “When is it gonna be my turn for some payback?”

---