Page 107 of Strictly Business

“Your parents sent him on the mission to get something for your birthday, and we were supposed to hang out. Your brother is good at many things, but picking out gifts is not one of them. I truly believe Elizabeth buys her own gifts and just says it’s from him.” His fingers light a fire on my skin. Securing the clasp, he gently rests the chain around my neck and presses a delicate kiss where the two meet. He turns me to meet his stare and continues, “I suggested jewelry. What girl wouldn’t love jewelry? Then when we got to the store, he kept picking out these weird pieces. Finally, I saw this one… And, it just seemed like you.”

“So, you picked out the locket that I’ve worn every day since I got it on my eighteenth birthday.”

“Sure did,” he nods with a proud smile.

“You never told me that.”

“Suppose I had, would you have kept it?”

“Point taken.” I laugh because I probably would’ve thrown it in the garbage had I known. Eighteen-year-old me wouldn’t want something that had Finnley Sheffield’s imprint on it.

I stand on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around his shoulders, but he leans in before I can and kisses me. The first one is quick, but after the third one, it changes tempo. Too many months of longing and wanting have led to this moment, and it feels like coming home.

A squeal escapes me when he lifts me over his shoulder carrying me into my bedroom like a caveman. This is the opposite of what one would expect from Finnley Sheffield — the man who always seems so refined and dignified. I love when he lets his guard down and sheds the years of Sheffield training. This side of him is something most people don’t have the pleasure of knowing, it’s reserved only for a few people, but it’s what made me fall in love with him.

I giggle when he tosses me on the bed shedding his suit jacket and shoes, climbing onto the bed. A blush creeps into my cheeks under his intense stare. “I missed you,” he whispers pushing a strand of hair from my face.

“You have no idea,” I say, leaning into the warm touch of his palm. His thumb and forefinger grip my chin bringing my lips to his. The kiss is gentle and inviting, his tongue prying open my mouth and moving in languid strides. It’s all-consuming and there’s a desperation in his touch that matches how I’ve felt since the night he left me in the garden.

“Baby.” Finn stops me when I begin to undo the buttons of his shirt. “You have no idea how badly I want this, but I don’t want to push anything. We just—” He grunts when I push him back onto the bed and straddle his hips — a genuine look of surprise on his face. “Careful, Shortcake, you’ll start something you have to finish.”

Holding his gaze, I undo the buttons of my shirt letting it fall down my shoulders, unhooking my bra, and tossing it aside. I cover his body with mine, and lean in close to whisper, “I’m just finishing what you started.”

“Fuck,” he groans and a shiver runs through him as my mouth skates across the tanned skin of his neck. The earthy scents of his cologne fill my nose when he shrugs out of his shirt. I move down his chest leaving open-mouthed kisses. “Michaela,” he stops me, lifting my chin, “as much as I’d love to see you on your knees while I fuck that pretty mouth of yours, I’m not in a waiting mood.” Finn undoes his belt and shoves his dress pants and underwear down his legs before I even get my jeans to my ankles.

“Someone’s eager,” I laugh kicking my clothes off the bed.

“You have no idea,” his breath is hot against my ear and I feel his hardness press against my ass. Damn, he’s already so hard. His mouth sucks the skin just beneath my ear and his right hand caresses the side of my abdomen. He squeezes my breast, kneading the doughy flesh before his fingers find my nipple — pinching at the same time he bites down on my neck and it sends a jolt straight to my core. He groans when I arch my backside into him. His fingers move at a slow, frustrating pace getting closer and closer to where I want him before he dips two fingers inside me. “Fuck, you’re already so wet for me.” His palm against my clit creates some of the friction I need, but it’s not enough. My hips move against his fingers, his palm, anything to ease the ache for release. I need more. I need him. Now.

“Finn,” I moan, “I need you inside of me.”

His fingers toy with my clit before he releases me and I ache from the loss. “Back on top, Shortcake,” he commands and a wave of hesitation hits me, but I push it aside straddling his hips. Finn wastes no time positioning himself beneath me and shoves himself in.

I gasp at the sudden fullness when he bottoms out inside me. His fingers dig into the flesh of my hips as my back curves and my head rolls back with a soft hum of pleasure. My hands grasp his thighs as my body adjusts to the newfound fullness. I’m not usually the one on top — David wouldn’t let me, and it wasn’t something I was ever comfortable doing with my other partners. But with Finn…he makes me feel confident and sexy. Except, now that I’m in this position, I’m not feeling as sexy. Noticing my hesitation, he persuades my hips to move, and the sounds he makes encourage me to continue on my own.

“That’s right, baby. Keep riding me.” His hands move from my hips to my breasts, his fingers gently pinch my nipples and it sends me into a spiral. He moans as I move my body in rhythm against his. “Fuck, just like that.”

I feel every inch of him as I lift and drop back down on his cock. Sweat begins to form on my hairline and my legs burn from the constant motion, but it’s worth the sore muscles I’m sure to have in the morning.

“You ride me so damn good,” he growls, breathlessly. His fingers reach between us to find my clit and my body shudders in response. Holy fuck. Without warning, he grasps the back of my neck and pulls me down to meet his lips. “You’re close, I can feel it,” he whispers and takes a fistful of my hair. He pumps into me, hard; each one pushes me closer and closer to the edge. “You want to come on my dick, Michaela?” I nod, but I know that’s not enough. He wants to hear me say it. Before he even has to ask, a soft yes flows from my lips. “Good girl. Show me how bad you want it.”

Instead of increasing my movements, I slow them down, letting my body move like a wave against his. Each stroke of his cock builds the pressure in my belly. I’m so full of him, it’s becoming too much. Right before I take the first step over the edge, he kisses me, swallowing my moans as my orgasm rocks through me. He thrusts his hips up a few more times before he spills himself, filling me up.

We stay like that for a while, trying to catch our breath. For how long? I’m not sure, but it’s not long enough when he starts to move, rolling me off him. He kisses my forehead, the tip of my nose, each cheek, and finally my lips. “That wasn’t part of the plan,” he chuckles, breathless.

“I’m not complaining.”

“I didn’t come here just for this, Michaela.” He pushes hair from my face and offers a small genuine smile. “I want you to know that. I love you, and as soon as I heard you left David, I didn’t want to go another moment without you.”

Pulling the sheet tighter against my skin, I pour fresh hot water into two mugs. Tonight feels surreal — Finn showing up in Italy was not on my bingo card for this year, and neither was his love confession, but I’ll take it.

Lavender fills my senses taking a sip of tea. I hate that I let myself take two steps backward when I first saw him tonight — before he showed up, I was ready and willing to talk about everything that happened. Accept that he didn’t have to tell me about his father’s challenge. Ultimately, it doesn’t impact me or Sheffield House. He still did the work, got the business up and running, and continued to lead the charge daily. After everything I’ve experienced the past two months, after all my healing, I hated that I was so quick to let the anger take over when he showed up. Seeing him reminded me of the hurt, but I had to remind myself it wasn’t his fault. It was David. It was Finn’s parents. It was me. None of it was because of him, not really. I only took it out on him because I wanted someone to blame other than myself.

Walking back to the bedroom, Finn stands with his back to me. I take a moment to admire him, the way his muscles pull taunt under his skin. When he turns, I see the phone up to his ear. Who in the hell is calling at this hour? Finn kisses my temple, handing me the phone, “Phone call.”

I look at the name and roll my eyes. “This better be good.”

Alex sighs, “What does it take to get you to answer the damn phone?”

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