Page 72 of Off-Limits Love
“Mak.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” she said with a rush. “Despite us k-kissing, we’ve already agreed on our relationship. Business associates. Neighbors. We’ve agreed it’s best if we keep it at that and nothing more.”
She blinked up at him and fought back the surge of anxiety overtaking her. The bombardment of past and present. Of fights and bruises. Being love bombed and cajoled and desired—and then being nothing. Something—someone—to be used and discarded, belittled and scorned and shown her worth.
The parallels were there, and she wasn’t sure where the line was separating them.
Suddenly it was all just too much. Life was too much. She felt overwhelmed and unsure and locked in a place from which she couldn’t break free.
She released a frustrated sound, and Finn’s expression softened. He inhaled a ragged breath and used his hold to tug her against him, cuddling her close with a gentleness that crushed her defenses faster than she could shore them up.
For a man of such few words, he seemed to have an ability to see her. To sense her emotions and know when to push her—and when to retreat.
But was it sincere—or manipulative?
His lips brushed her temple in a comforting caress, and one of his big hands gently rubbed up and down her back in soothing strokes. She fought back the sting of tears, refusing to give into them. To him.
“Let’s g-go h-home.”
Finn held the horses’ reins as they slowly fell into step beside one another.
She felt angry and unsure but told herself she couldn’t be upset when she’d asked a question and Finn had been honest. It’s what she wanted, wasn’t it?
Maybe her anger stemmed from trying so hard to deny her attraction to Finn? Or—more likely—because Brad had been right?
She had to be smart. Had to stay focused. Had to put her future, Emi’s future, first.
She couldn’t afford to let her guard down. To risk heartbreak. Not when the months ahead of her required her to be strong for Sam and her daughter and—herself. For the inevitable loss and chaos to follow as they made their next steps. Whatever those would be.
A boat came barreling down the waterway, the motor loud as it echoed off the water and waves rippled to the edge of the shore.
Finn lifted his hand to wave back at the boat captain, but Mak ignored the man and kept walking, her mind too full of questions to fake friendliness.
“D-don’t b-be sc-scared.”
She lifted her head from where she stared down at the sand and turned to look at Finn. “What?”
A muscle spasmed in his jawline.
“You’re s-safe with m-me. Always.”
Mak felt her heart shatter. Finn might not know everything there was to know about her life with Brad, but he obviously sensed enough.
“I sc-scared y-you b-back there. M-my anger.”
She supposed he had scared her. But only for a moment. And only because she’d thought of Brad. Not because of anything Finn had actually done. “It wasn’t you. Not really. I just— Communication is important.”
His features tightened even more, and she cringed at her words. “I mean when I asked and you kept riding, ignored me— It reminded me of the past…and Brad.”
Yeah, there’s something every man wants to hear. Friend or lover alike.
“Like I said, it’s none of my business what you and Sam decide, but thank you for being honest with me.”
She didn’t want to be in the middle. To find herself struggling more than she already was. She knew what would happen if she allowed herself to lean on the shoulder Finn had offered, even for a moment. “Sam thinks the world of you, you know. I hope whatever is decided, you’ll do right by him.”
“And y-you?”
Her steps faltered, and she stopped walking. A breeze pulled strands of hair from her braid and blew them over her cheek, but before she could react, Finn’s long fingers were there, oh-so gently brushing them back and tucking them behind her ear.
