Page 102 of Cross the Line
CHAPTER 28
FINLEY
Today is big. It evenfeelsbig. Since I opened my eyes this morning, nerves have churned nonstop. I thought cooking brunch for Jayden and Elijah would quiet the chaos, but the simple routine only spotlights how massive life is right now.
I’ve got a job, friends, two incredible men… and tonight Elijah, Jayden, and I are going to our first real event together. Not just hiking, shopping, or grabbing dinner. After tonight, people will know about us, and the certainty of fallout ties me in knots.
Dragging a breath, I hunt the source of the bitter smell…
“Shit! Shit…” I yank the bacon skillet off the heat. “Get your head together, Finley James.”
“Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness,” Elijah’s voice croons from behind me.
His light, playful tone squeezes my chest.
He’s perched on the counter in only his underwear, a soft smile hushing the noise in my head.
We made it, I remind myself. And if we’ve made it this far, we can go any distance.
“That poor bacon,” he chuckles, peering past me.
“It’s seen better days,” I say, moving the pan to the sink and running cold water over it. “Thank God for the decent extractor.”
Elijah chuckles, crooking his finger at me. “Come here, Beautiful.”
He calls, I go. It’s that simple.
When I stand between his spread legs, he leans in, brushing my hair from my face before pulling me into his chest. There’s a sudden stutter inhis pulse when my ear rests over his heart, and as I circle my arms around his waist, it quickens.
“You smell all bacony and smoky,” he says, threading his fingers through my hair.
“Does that mean you don’t want to kiss me?”
He laughs at my grumble. When I lift my face, the tenderness in his eyes arrests me.
“Angel…” He leans in. “I always want to kiss you.”
Oh my God.
I giggle when he smooches me—soft, playful, our noses nuzzling as we laugh.
Thisis worth all the fallout. It doesn’t matter what happens and what doesn’t, so long as we never lose this.
“Okay, put me to work,” he croons, nipping my lips as he slides off the counter. “How can I help?”
My jaw drops at the faint bite mark around his nipple. Heat rushes my cheeks—last night’s sounds from the bathroom flood back. I’m still torn with myself over watching them and giving them their moment.
It was a hard decision to stay in bed and listen when the mere sight of them kissing sets me on fire.
“Fin?” He dips to catch my eyes. “How can I help?”
“Ahm… I really need you to teach me to drive,” I blurt. “I know it’s been kind of crazy the last few weeks, but I really need to do this.”
“Okay.” His eyes narrow. “Why the sudden urgency?”
Shoot, I don’t want to poop on his happiness with the fact that I never want to run into Ryker again like I did yesterday.
“It’s not sudden. We spoke about it, remember?” Elijah nods.
