Page 47 of Your Two Lips
“Yay!”Shouts and a few claps rang out as we entered The Boathouse and made our way to the table of friends and bikers. Finn’s palm was firm and warm on my lower back, giving me goosebumps.
“I’ve got you, Em.” His breath caressed my ear.
Jake brought a round of drinks on the house, and we toasted Alex and Angela’s win.
Carrie leaned in. “You’re glowing. A special celebration planned?”
“Maybe.”
“The light in Finn’s eyes tells me that’s a hard yes.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.
“Oh my God, Carrie,” I whispered.
“I’m a romantic who has met my forever love. I’m falling in love again vicariously through everyone else.”
Carrie. She was energetic and loud, motherly and kind, and about a million other things.
Finn’s arm rested on the back of my chair, so I inched a little closer. Occasionally, his thumb brushed my shoulder, making me shiver, or his hand grazed my thigh as he reached in his lap for his napkin. He stayed calm. I was anything but.
My time at home had given my nerves a reprieve, but Finn’s hands were lighting me up again. I barely tasted my dinner of strawberry and baby greens salad, grilled cedar plank salmon, and mashed Yukon potatoes.
“Emily, third place. Congratulations,” ReeAnn said from across the table.
“Thank you. It’s a bonus. The race was the real fun.”
I felt Finn’s gaze and turned to see his sexy smile. He whispered close. “You didn’t tell people about the guys back in Whistler and wanting to prove yourself?”
“No.”
He glanced at my lips. “Thanks for telling me.”
“Dan, I’m getting tired. How about dessert to go?” Carrie said with a gleam in her eyes as she announced her suggestion to our side of the table.
“I should get my love home. I’ll leave some cash,” Dan said.
“Dessert to go sounds good,” I whispered to Finn. Carrie knew exactly what she was doing, and Finn gestured for the waiter.
We walked out of the bar, his hand again resting deliciously low on my back. Why did that feel so good? I carried the box with two chilled lava cakes to be heated at home. We didn’t talk. The anticipation threatened to steal my breath.
His thumb on my shoulder at the table, his hand on my thigh during dinner, and his hand on my lower back now all seemed like he was claiming me, and I couldn’t think of anything hotter. I wanted to be his, even if it was only for a while. I wanted to be surrounded by him, held, enough.
“Can we go to your place?” All I could picture was being in his arms in his bed with his scent filling the room.
He stopped short, his eyes blazing, and I again fell into a trance.
His thumb stroked my jaw. “Absolutely.”
He gave me the dimples as he opened the door of the truck and I imagined kissing them as I slid onto the comfy seat. I bobbled the box, but Finn caught it and placed it in my lap. His fingers lingered on my hip. “Careful with that. I plan to eat it later.” His eyes locked with mine, and I swallowed with a gulp.
The air vibrated as we drove through the fading evening light. My fears hung on the edges, and I took a deep breath to push the doubt back. I wasn’t sick anymore. I could do this.
Finn looked across at me.
“Finn, I …” Why was I so nervous? I rode his hand to a fantastic orgasm in this very truck less than twenty-four hours ago. A first for me. Usually, I chased my orgasms, if I even had them at all. It was luxurious to have it hit me like that. I wanted more with this talented man but worried my response last night had been a fluke.
“Talk to me, Em.” He reached for my hand, his thumb rubbing my palm while he drove. “Nothing happens tonight that you don’t want to happen. I’m happy to be with you, to hold your hand. I have a nice bottle of wine. There’s still some pink in the sky. You decide if anything else happens.”
I took a deep breath, looking straight ahead at the headlights on the road. “Finn, I … it’s been a long time, and I want it to be good for you.”
