Page 114 of Stick It
I go to tell him it’s not what he thinks, mostly just to piss Finn off, but the asshole beats me to it. “She gets off on keeping us a secret,” he says, tilting his head my way. “Likes it when I catch her flirting with other guys, then drag her into a back room and remind her how good I can make her feel.”
I choke on nothing but air, my cheeks flaming from embarrassment.What the fuck?!
“Oh.” The guy looks completely speechless, and who can blame him? I’m going to have to hide from him in class now. “Well, I should just—” He doesn’t even hang around long enough to finish his sentence.
The second we’re alone, I whirl on Finn. Thankfully, it dislodges his arm from my waist, and I blatantly ignore the cold that seeps in, in its wake. “What the hell was that?” I demand.
“What was what?” he questions, playing innocent.
“Don’twhatme!” I’m so angry, I can feel steam coming out of my ears. Not wanting to get into this in front of a bar full of strangers who are most likely eavesdropping and looking for juicy gossip, I grab Finn’s arm and drag him toward the back corridor, where the bathrooms are.
The moment we’re out of view of the rest of the bar, I let go and shove him. Hard.
He barely stumbles, just tilts his head, lips curling into a smirk that pisses me off even more.
“I’m not the one flirting it up with some guy while you’ve got three others drooling over you.” His smirk turns into a sneer.
I blink, stunned for a moment before scoffing, “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I needed your fucking permission to talk to someone.”
“I didn’t realize you neededmorewhen you’ve got the whole team wrapped around your finger.”
I shove him again. “Fuck you, Finn. Go back to Selena and stay out of my life.”
His eyes darken, amusement flickering there now. “Jealous, Carter?”
I laugh sharply, shaking my head. “If anyone’s jealous, it’s you. I mean, what else could that ridiculous posturing have been?” I throw my hand out in the direction of the bar.
Finn moves before I can process it—a step forward, crowding into my space, forcing me back against the wall. His hands cage me in, palms braced on either side of my head.
My pulse hammers, my breath short, and I get the strongest sense of déjà vu.
The air between us crackles, just like the last time he had me pressed against the wall in this exact same spot. Anger and something else, something even more volatile, hisses and spits between us.
His gaze drops to my mouth, then back up. “You have no idea how much it fucking kills me.”
My throat tightens.
His jaw clenches, his voice a low rasp. “That I can’t flirt with you in a bar. That I can’t touch you.”
His fingers brush my arm as he says it, a slow, deliberate caress. My skin prickles, heat curling in my stomach. I don’t think. I lift my chin, defiant, daring. “What’s stopping you?”
It’s the final fucking straw.
Finn surges forward, his lips crashing onto mine, swallowing my gasp. It’s fire and fury, all-consuming, devastating.
And just like every other time, it wrecks me.
But it’s over too quickly.
He jerks back like he touched a live wire, cursing under his breath. His jaw is tight, chest rising and falling hard. He won’t look at me.
“Finn,” I start, but he shakes his head, already turning to storm off.
Oh no. Not this time. I’ve had enough of him kissing the sense out of me and then walking away.
I push off the wall and march after him, shoving at his shoulder. “Seriously?” I snarl. “What thefuckis your problem?”
He whirls on me, his face a mask of frustration andsomething deeper, rawer. “My problem?” He lets out a bitter laugh. “Youare my problem, Dylan.”
