Page 33 of Off-Limits Love
A muscle flexed in his jaw at her words, and maybe he took her statement to mean him and his inability to speak, but that was only part of it.
There was just so much hurt in the world. In them. Standing between them like a mountain she knew Finn wasn’t ready to climb.
Shock rolled through her as he lowered his head until his forehead met hers. Their gazes locked, and breaths were shared.
Maybe it was wishful thinking, but she thought he wanted to kiss her. And maybe she wanted him to kiss her, too, but he hesitated and held back.
And while she knew she might not be ready to risk her heart—or Emi’s—she’d be lying if she said she didn’t wonder what it would be like to kiss Finn. “Just once,” she breathed.
A low groan left him, and she glanced up— She’d been looking at his lips?
Had she said the words out loud?
She had. Oh, shehad, and now she saw the heat in Finn’s gaze grow to a slow burn.
He inched closer, and finally Finn lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers. She’d expected slow and easy, gentle, from him, but what she got was bold and searching and…a claiming in the most primal way.
He might not be able to speak clearly, but his kiss captured her senses and held her hostage. The way he cradled her head so gently and angled her just so, took every thought from her head as she held onto his muscled forearms and let him take control.
One kiss became three or four— Who was counting when all she could do was revel in the headiness?—until Finn abruptly ended the kiss and lowered his hands, stepping away from her to the other side of the short hallway leading to the bathrooms with a speed that left her stumbling and dazed.
Mak stared at him, lost and woozy and more than a bit confused.
“Mommy? There you are,” Emi said. “I’ve been lookingeverywhere for you.”
Finn had one arm crossed over his chest, the other resting atop it with his hand at his mouth, watching them in a way that left Mak floundering for words and focus.
That backward cap over his dark hair, worn jeans and tee did things to her equilibrium that shouldn’t be legal. What was it with men and those backward caps? It was a different look than his usual cowboy hat, but she liked it too. A lot. “You…you have?”
“What are you doing?” Emi asked in her sweet girlish voice. “Are you and Finn playing a game?”
Mak met Finn’s gaze and felt her cheeks warm at the heat and amusement in his eyes. He winked at her, and it brought back the intensity of his kiss all over again. “No, baby girl. We were just talking.”
“Are you done? Will you come play with me?”
Mak nodded, managed a smile—and used her shaky legs to walk away from the man who’d caused them while trying to come to terms with what had just happened.
She might have brought a cake and an apology to the party, but she was leaving with a whole lot of confusion and the realization that one kiss had left her addicted to a man she barely knew.
And curious to know more.
ChapterTen
The following Monday, Finn found himself behind a group of tourists on a beach ride. It was a last-minute booking, but thankfully Hud had been available to lead. Usually one rider from Blackwell Farm was enough to supervise, but given on the number of nonriders in this group, Finn felt compelled to go along.
Now they ambled along the sand at a slow pace, and Finn pulled up next to his kid brother. Hudson stared out at the water and let the others plod by toward the picturesque cove that gave Carolina Cove its name.
“What’s going on with you today?”
Hud had been pensive all morning, his usual, irrepressible smile replaced by a seriousness rarely seen.
“Nothing. Just thinking.”
“Is thinking hurting that brain of yours?”
Hudson smiled, but it was faint, and Finn’s concern increased. So much so he shoved his diatribe of thoughts regarding Mak and how he’d kissed her after hearing her whisperjust onceaside to focus on Hud. “Come on, you’re freaking me out. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing, just… I’ve been thinking about what I want to do.”
