Page 45 of A Violet Obsession

I lift my chin and fake a smile. “Okay. You’ll need this back. Thanks for the loan.” I reach down and pull his hoodie over my head.

“Fuck.”

I hear the rough, pained sound seconds before I feel the backs of his fingers brush my bare ribs as he tugs my T-shirt down from where it had ridden up with the hoodie. The contact sends a hot jolt of lust through me, causing me to suck in a breath loud enough that he hears it. My cheeks heat as I realize that when I pulled the hoodie over my head I must have flashed him.

With the hoodie bunched in my hands between us, Finn stares at me. His pupils are so dilated that the dark is almost completely obscuring the color in his irises; a dark flush covers his cheekbones. His eyes drop to the thin cotton of my shirt, and then snap back to my face with an intensity that makes my knees turn to jelly.

The air between us has changed. It’s thicker and charged with a tension I’ve never felt before.

Finn’s tongue skims his bottom lip briefly before biting down. “I need you to not do things like that when I’m trying to keep my head straight.”

Something warm and reckless blooms in my chest. We’re standing close enough that one step would erase the distance between us. Just as I’ve convinced myself I should, his eyes move over my face and a collection of emotions passes through his eyes. His hand comes up, and for one suspended second I think he’s going to touch my face. My whole body stills in anticipation of it.

His hand drops. “Get some sleep, Butterfly.”

The door clicks shut behind him.

I stand in the middle of the room for a long time after he’s gone. Finally, Hera chirps at me from my pillow, and I sink onto the edge of the mattress.

I pick up the hoodie from the foot of the bed and hold it to my nose, breathing in his scent, smiling when I think how ecstatic fourteen-year-old me would have been if Finn had given me his hoodie.

You’re a grown woman actively sniffing a man’s clothing.

I reach for my bag to find my phone to text Emma, but stop. Damn! No phone and no tablet, which means I have nothing to read.

Worse, it means I don’t have my meditations.

Which means there’s no hope of decent sleep.

Pulling back the blanket, I climb in and wait for Hera to get comfortable before staring up at the ceiling.

Finn is attracted to me… physically anyway. I don’t have much experience with men, but I know Finn is feeling the same pull I am.

Is it because I’m Emma’s friend that he keeps pulling back?

How about it’s because your life is a dumpster fire at the moment and he’s not interested in getting burned?

I pull Hera closer, and though she grumbles, she allows it. Closing my eyes, I know I won’t sleep, but I can at least rest. Let my body be still even if my brain refuses to cooperate.

15

FINN

I don’t make it far.

The door clicks shut behind me, and I keep walking, because stopping would mean admitting I’m already second-guessing the decision. My body feels tight from being in that room with her. From the way she looked at me when I told her I was leaving.

She wanted me to stay.

I wanted to stay.

That’s exactly why I need to go home.

Leo stands from a desk and meets me when I reach the main floor. “Rhodes called. Emma’s checked into a hotel, but she’s pissed and wants you to call her. Mark is parked outside that couple’s house, and their neighborhood security has been notified. He won’t make contact unless you say so.” He tips his chin toward the door. “You heading out?”

I nod.

He grins. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to your girl.”