Page 27 of Say I'm Yours, Firecracker

I caved and that’s how I found myself sitting in his big truck, arms tucked into my body. I didn’twantto want Finn, but my body sure did. Every time he was around, my body got hot and my mind couldn’t concentrate on anything other than him.

The tattoos that ran up and down his arms were my catnip, and even though he’d been wearing long sleeves I still remembered them. The harsh lines of black ink and swirls of color mixing together to create the beautiful art on his body. With his messy hair and dark beard that lined his jaw, I couldn’t keep my eyes away from him.

Ever since I told Finn I couldn’t be intimate with him again it’s like my body was trying to revolt. In my head I knew why I set that boundary, but my libido apparently didn’t get that memo.

I sighed, leaning my head on the cool glass.

“That was a heavy sigh.”

Damn it.

“Just nervous.” I lied.

The side of his mouth tipped up in a smirk that I’d become so used to seeing, and my stupid vagina started to tingle. He shouldn’t be able to be this attractive. It should be outlawed.

He adjusted his grip on the steering wheel, the rose there flexed, and the numbers on his knuckles disappeared. He placed a gentle hand on my thigh to keep my leg from bouncing.

I almost purred like a cat in heaven, because it had been a while. Too long without physical affection from a living breathing person. Not that my battery operated boyfriend wasn’t getting the job done…it was just different.

We pulled into the doula’s office parking lot and I eyed Finn. I didn’t recall telling him where the appointment was.

His cheeks reddened slightly, “I looked it up after Aaron let it slip.”

I nodded, because what else could I do? We ran in the same circles now, and it was sometimes…nice. He unlocked the doors and we climbed out. He was already striding around the cab when my foot landed on the pavement.

His hand navigated the small of my back, pushing me slightly so he could shut the door. The heat from his palm was warm and comforting. I took a few deep breaths as we headed for the front door.

Regina looked up from whatever she had been busy doing and gave me a big smile that I returned. Getting to know these two had been the best experience. Her eyes widened slightly when Finn walked through the door, then immediately narrowed, and I started to worry.

“This him?” She nodded to indicate Finn lurking behind me, and if I didn’t love her already, I would when she followed it up with, “About damn time you showed up.”

She didn’t shout, and Finn just stood there, his hand still on my lower back. “I guess you’ve heard of me.”

“Oh boy, have I?” She laughed, but there wasn’t any humor behind it. I shifted so I could watch her give him absolute shit for dodging me. “This angel here has had to do everything alone, and now you want to show up?”

“Ma’am…” He started but Regina was not having it. She rounded her desk and stepped up to Finn like my own personal avenging angel.

“Don’t ‘ma’am’ me! Veronica is one of the strongest people I know, and I’ve watched a woman push out a ten pound baby with no drugs.” Her finger punctuated every word as she jabbed it into his chest. “Now, if it were me, and thank your lucky stars it’s not, I would have cut your manhood straight off your body and fed it to the koi in our next door neighbor’s office.”

I saw him gulp and decided to save him, for now.

“Regina,” I giggled, “I think he gets it.”

She turned and flounced back to the desk and I had the distinct feeling that her and Bellamy would be fast friends provided the chance.

“You’re all set Veronica.” She said as she typed furiously on her keyboard. “And please do let me know if you need any assistance, anything at all.”

I couldn’t help the explosive laugh that burst from my chest when Finn quickly followed me to the room Regina told me to go to.

The room Ronnie closed us into was impressive. A television sat on the far wall in front of the chair beside the table she was climbing onto. Everything was painted in neutral colors and pictures lined the walls.

I sat in the chair against the wall, slowly taking everything in. Ronnie started to lift her dress up and I immediately jumped up to cover her with my body. Even though there was no one in here there could be cameras. Right?

“Uh, Finn.” She said, clutching her dress and staring at me like I’d lost my damn mind. “What are you doing?” I mumbled, trying to readjust her dress, not so subtly looking around for onlookers.

She laughed and my thoughts jumbled. “The doctor has to put the machine over my uterus to see our baby.”

The way she said our baby made my stomach flip. There wasn’t any animosity, nothing to suggest she was upset, and she didn’t seem resigned or regretful. I could almost imagine she seemed genuinely…happy.

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