Page 58 of The Neighborly Thing To Do
She nuzzles into me when I pull her into my arms, laying propped up on my side for the sake of my wings. And when I drape one over her, she gently grips the edge, using it like a blanket.
I didn’t think I could become any more of an obsessed mess tonight, but evidently I can. I melt around her, kissing the top of her head. “How’re you doing, baby?”
“Tired.”
I chuckle. She didn’t even open her eyes to say it, and she’s still holding onto my wing like a security blanket. “Not too sore, right?”
“I have never been that full in my life.”
It’s wrong to preen at that, I remind myself. Or at least, visibly preen. What I do inside my head is no one else’s business.
“You were so fucking perfect,” I tell her, pressing another kiss to the top of her head. “So beautiful, baby. Thank you for letting me make you feel good.”
“I should thank you.”
“No,” I tell her firmly. “You don’t thank me for that. I’m the lucky one.”
She scoffs, but I’m dead serious about this one. Even if she doesn’t get it right now, I’ll help her to see it. No matter how long it takes.
Chapter 29
Cassidy
Finn spends the entire next day acting like he can distract me from what’s going to happen this evening.
After coaxing me into the bathroom to shower, changing out all the bedding without complaint, and letting me fall asleep cuddled under his wing, Finn lets me sleep in until a ridiculous hour, then has breakfast ready in a sparkling clean house.
I eat my pancakes morosely. I feel bad—Finn clearly thought orgasms until I couldn’t remember my own name and plenty of sleep and sugary breakfast food would fix me. And it does help, I won’t lie. But nothing is going to erase knowing what’s coming tonight entirely from my brain.
The town meeting will take place in the school cafeteria at exactly six p.m. I’ve been to plenty of these before, so I know how they go. But this one is different. This one is a looming nightmare I can’t escape.
Caroline was kind to me last night, and said she thought I belonged here. The twins were kind to me a few days ago. People like me, I remind myself over and over. This isn’t hopeless.
But it’s a long-shot. They can like me and still think that humans don’t belong here.
“I have work in a bit,” I murmur, checking the clock as he watches me push around the last few bites of pancake.
“Call out.” I’m already shaking my head, but Finn continues, cajoling. “Everyone would understand you taking today of all days off. Call out. Let me help you relax.”
“Work will keep me distracted,” I say, although to tell the truth, that’s probably not true. Busy days with customers consistently coming through keep me somewhat distracted. I suppose today might be like that, considering the way people love to gawk at the center of gossip. But most days, there’s plenty of room for me to be alone with my thoughts while at work.
“Ican keep you distracted,“ he huffs.
I raise an eyebrow. “I genuinely enjoy having sex with you, Finn, but I amsore. You will not be keeping me distracted.”
Soreis an understatement. I feel fucked open still. I woke up and found his come on my thighs because it had trickled out of me during the night, even though he made me take a shower. I’ve never felt so used and cherished at the same time.
“I know ways to distract you besides with my dick,” he grumbles, then pauses, tilting his head. “Are you in pain?”
“Not pain. But I need a break,” I tell him, trying to reassure him. I don’t want him to think I don’t want sex anymore.
“The second bathroom has a bath, right?” he asks out of nowhere.
I blink. It does have one of those shower/tub combos. “Why?”
“Because I think you’ll feel better if you take a bath. A long one. I’ll bring you snacks. I can sit in there with you if you want. We can watch one of your rom-coms. Show me what’s next on the great list of movies I need to see.”
He’s teasing me, but he’s also being earnest. “You cleaned the whole house, made me breakfast, let me sleep in—not to mention made me come my brains out—and now you want to sit next to me on the hard floor while I take a bath and watch movies that I know full well you don’t enjoy as much as I do? Why?”
