Page 41 of Finn

“I’m going to punch you if you don’t come out with it right now,” Jaz warns.

“Let’s just say he knows how to play theclitar,” I tease, pretending to strum a guitar in my hands.

“You crazy bitch. Aclitar?”

“Shhh!” I whisper-yell. “They’ll hear you.”

She laughs, the deep throaty laugh that’s quintessentially my best friend’s. “Who in their right mind would know what we’re talking about?” I forgot what it was like to be around another girl with all the masculine energy spanning the last few days. She fans her face then shakes her head. “Okay. That’s it? That’s as far as you got? I was sure he’d be eating off the buffet by now.”

I press my lips together to keep from laughing. “You’re forgetting that I’m not supposed to do anything with him.” I turn, searching the gym and finding the two brothers. “Cole could really screw this up for them.”

“Leenie,” Jaz says, her serious voice on. “You can’t let your brother run your life. You and sexy MMA trainer have real fucking chemistry. I saw it from the first moment. You practically bounded over the second-floor barrier and landed in a crouch right next to him to stake your claim.”

I smile at that visual. I definitely bee-lined my way toward him, but we all know what would’ve happened if I did fling myself over the railing. I’d be a pancake by now. “Which is why,” I inform her. “…we shouldn’t be doing anything to upset what he has.”

Jaz shakes her head. “Girl, you need to have a serious talk with your brother, explaining that you’re not just jumping on Finn’s dick because it’s a nice dick but because you like the whole dick package. Cole cares for you. He’s not going to do anything to put that in jeopardy.”

I hear what she’s saying, but I’m also not sure she’s right. In theory, Cole would let me do what I want, but in reality, he’s put my safety above everything else, even my own wants.

“Anyway, life’s too fucking short,” Jaz concludes, staring in the same direction I am.

And we both know that in the Heights, sometimes it’s shorter than most.

17

Ispend the next week and half pining over Finn, avoiding Jax, and working on the store like it’s my pet project. So far, I’ve increased their total sales by twenty five percent, and I aim to make it fifty to one hundred percent in the next two weeks. My bank training is coming in handy, and even though Jax only thinks people are buying because a hot girl is running the counter, I couldn’t care less.

Also, I took that compliment with an alarming amount of satisfaction, then glanced at Finn for his reaction. I got none whatsoever. I’m not exactly getting the cold shoulder, but nothing has progressed as far as it did that one day. During the week, they work so much that I had to fall into their routine. The following weekend was more fights, me with Finn at the side of the ring. That Sunday, Finn was the one to go into the gym, so there was no chance of repeating our secret tryst—unfortunately.

Still, Maxie brings me messages every now and then, and I bite my lip like a schoolgirl while reading the cute, short notes.

Jared has shown up at the gym a couple of times without Jaz, but I still get my nightly talks with my bestie on the phone where her first question is always, “Did we progress to the love tunnel yet?”

We’re now just amusing each other by finding different names to call our pussies. I plan on using hoo-ha tomorrow.

Cole and I message every other day or so, but his messages are succinct and to the point. Whatever his business is, he must be right in the thick of it, so I only text him when I want to make sure he’s still alive and kicking.

“What are you doing?” a gruff voice sounds from behind me. I stop, pausing to look down at Jax from my position on top of the counter, leaning toward the wall where I’m trying to apply the black vinyl “Store” graphic I purchased and had delivered.

“Putting up a sign.”

“You’re going to hurt yourself.”

I shrug. The heavy thwacks of fists against pads in the background serve as music to my war march. This damn sign has been pissing me off for about ten minutes.

“Whoa, whoa,” Finn calls out. From the corner of my eye, I see him jog over, concern etching his features. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“That’s what I just told her,” Jax grunts.

“If I could just—” I slap the vinyl as it starts to peel away again.

“Let me get the ladder...” Finn suggests.

I stare down at them. “I can get the ladder. You guys are busy.” I start to teeter, and immediately pull back, crouching on the top of the counter until I’m eye level with both of them, my fingertips gripping the beveled edge. I grimace and their answering looks of disapproval make me smile. “A ladder actually sounds like a great idea. Just point me in the right direction.”

“I’ll show you,” Finn says as Jax helps me off the counter with a firm hand on my forearm.

The older brother immediately walks away to return to his client, but I watch him go with a dubious look. He actually seemed like he cared.

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