Page 57 of Off-Limits Love
She was right about all the reasons they had stacked against them—between them—but something pushed him to push her anyway. Compelled him to try. To prove to her that she was worth the effort. Worth the fight it would require of them both.
“Finn…”
He closed the distance between them and brushed his lips over hers, keeping the caress light and easy when he wanted to show her exactly how he felt about her and this thing that was between them.
She smelled wonderful, like vanilla and honey and sweetness. Her scent drew him in, tangled his thoughts up in knots, as heady and more addictive than any drug.
Her hair felt like silk against his wrist and hand, and he felt the fluttering of her pulse beneath his thumb. Heard the hitch of her breath, a sound she couldn’t hide from him, that made him ache to hear more.
He felt her shift, press against his chest for balance, but she didn’t push him away. No, her fingers clenched and Mak leaned into him, giving herself over to his kiss like she was as helpless to the pull as he was when it came to her.
Still, he kept things easy, teasing. Getting to know her, coaxing her and himself with kisses meant to prove they were very much more than friends.
Hearing her deny their relationship to her ex had angered him, but right now, they were very much together, and he didn’t want to hear her deny it again.
Even if it meant finding a way to force himself out of his comfort zone and deal with idiots like her ex. Maybe if he did—could—it would bring them a step closer to whatever this was?
But it meant opening himself up to a woman who could walk away like all the others if he failed. And he knew instinctively it would hurt way worse.
After long moments and drugging, achingly sweet kisses, she tore her mouth away and leaned heavily against him.
“Finn…”
He brushed his lips over her cheek, up to her forehead, pressing them there while her breath hit his neck in soft pants. “Kissing f-friends.”
Her low huff of laughter curled his lips as he pressed them to the top of her head next.
“It’snota good idea.”
So stubborn, this one.Even if she was probably right. When he thought of all the things that could go wrong—probably would go wrong—he saw the risks as clearly as she did.
But he angled her head back and kissed her again, until she made a low sound and sighed against him, and he felt her give herself over to him once more.
Only then did he pull away.
“I can handle your ex.” The words emerged low and husky, thick on the consonants.
“Maybe you can. But I have to think of Emi, too. Of Brad’s threats to take her from me. And— I wouldn’t want Emi to get her heart broken if things didn’t— And Sam will need more and more care and attention. They come first— Theyhaveto come first.”
He was a man, not a child. He knew how things like that worked, and he was good with that. Especially since it forced them to take things slow in order to accommodate the others and their very specific needs. “Understood.”
“No, Finn,” she said, sounding a bit breathless and exasperated. “There’s also…Brad and your history.”
He tensed, and Mak lifted her gaze to meet his.
“He’s Emi’s father, like it or not. And you know he will use every chance he can to try to get under your skin. To threaten me and make things as difficult as he possibly can because you’reyou.”
He smoothed his hands over her hair and gripped it again at her nape.
Mak’s expression softened at whatever she saw on his face, and she wrapped her small hands around his wrists, her fingers unable to meet.
“It’ll be worse than it was in high school. You know it will, and—I’m not sure I’m up for that. To hear him talk to you that way. To see him treat you that way.”
He frowned at her choice of words, at the fact she’d just confirmed everything he already knew. That no woman wanted a weak man unable to defend himself. “You’re sc-scared.”
“Of course I am. Life is too much right now and this—us? It’s a bad idea. Especially when you— When you haven’t come to terms with the reason behind your stutter.”
He was going to kill Hudson. Because that?
