Page 22 of Wood Riddance
His warm breath coasted over my skin, the scent of cedar sending a shiver rippling down my spine. He was so damn tall he had to lean down to talk to me. Most men were at eye level, if not shorter. I didn’t like feeling small and powerless, especially around someone like Finn, who exuded power and confidence.
All the rage I had spent the weekend tamping down reared up inside me. “Donotbring that up.” I took a step back and relished the cool air that filled the space between us. He-Man was at my feet, sensing danger. “If you value your life, don’t say another word about that night.”
He scratched his beard, still not understanding the gravity of this situation. “Your face right now? It looks like you’ve been possessed.”
Clearly, this man had a death wish.
“You joke, but I’d love to access some dark magic right now. Do you have any idea how satisfying it would be to curse you?”
He crossed his arms over his expansive chest as a slow smile spread across his face. “Don’t worry, your presence enough of a curse.”
“Then get the fuck out of my shop and go back to your lair,” I growled, irrationally annoyed by how tight his T-shirt was. “Don’t you have somewhere to be? Some kind of villain convention to attend so you can reminisce about the good old days when you could burn mouthy women at the stake?”
He moved so fast I didn’t have time to react. Before I knew what was happening, I was backed up against my desk and caged between his arms. “That’s where you’re wrong.” His voice dropped an octave, making goose bumps rise along every inch of my skin.
“I enjoy your mouth. Quite a bit.”
He was so close, and he was staring at my lips so intently they tingled. “I want to feel that mouth everywhere.”
Was he going to kiss me?I didn’t want to find out. So I did the first thing that came to mind. I punched him, as hard as I could, in the shoulder.
He stumbled back, clutching it. “Fuck, She-Ra.”
I took the opportunity to step behind my desk again. “You’re lucky I didn’t break your nose. Don’t ever talk to me like that.”
Still clutching his shoulder, he glared at me. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like it. Look how you’re squirming. Look at the way your nipples are poking through your bra.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I hid the evidence that backed up his argument.
“Nice one, by the way. No stretchy cotton for you. That’s clearly some expensive lace.”
The nerve of this asshole!
“If my brothers knew you were looking at my bra, they would kill you.”
He laughed again. Why was everything so funny to him?
“Oh, please. Like you’d pass up the opportunity to do the job yourself. You’d probably be angry if they didn’t include you in the fun of dismembering me.”
He was right. Dick. I couldn’t tell my brothers about any of this because they would be furious at Finnandat me. Then they’d have lots of questions and get all protective and shit. I had been beating those instincts out of them for decades, and this would be a major barrier to progress. No, Finn was right. I had to handle this myself. As usual.
He took another step back, as if preparing to leave, and a hint of relief flickered to life in me. Good. Get him out before more damage was done.
But then he paused and tilted his head to one side. Even in the terrible fluorescent lighting, this guy was as gorgeous as a model. Like one of those super-hot guys who posted wood-chopping thirst traps on TikTok.
“Last year,” he said, looking down at his hands, “after what happened with Remy…”
A chill ran through me. It was such a scary time.
“I was working up the courage to ask you out.” Lifting his head, he regarded me with those dark, intense eyes. “Would you have said yes?” In the blink of an eye, he had transformed from jovial Viking, hell-bent on driving me crazy, to vulnerable.
At the time, I was so filled with gratitude that I probably would have. Because nothing was more important to me than my family. And Finn had defied his own father to help mine. That version of him? I still held on to it, but I knew I had to let that go.
“I can’t believe it was only a year ago.”
He nodded, focus still locked on me. “So much has changed. So much has happened.”
An ache bloomed in my chest as I held his gaze. “I would have said yes,” I said softly. “I will always owe you for that. For Remy.”
