Page 66 of The Moment Promised

“You really like it here.”

“Iloveit here,” I admit, feeling a crack begin to form in my heart. Knowing one day this place, and these people will be a distant memory. A week here flew by in the blink of an eye.

“We have at least three more weeks, love. Depending on if your mom stays longer. Besides, we can come back to visit.” He kisses my temple, then slowly peels the covers off my body. My skin pebbles against the cold but not for long because Finnshimmies his way on top of me and pulls the fabric over us. His breath is warm against my face, I can’t see him beneath the comforter, but I know his lips are close. So very close.

The smooth pad of his thumb brushes over my bottom lip then along my jaw. My eyes flutter closed when his finger trickles down my pulse.Lower. I want to plead. His lips brush mine softly. He kisses me slow, his touch is tentative along my sternum, down my ribs, but he doesn’t touch the areas that ache for him.

I need more. He swallows my frustrated groan, walks his fingers up my chest, squeezes my breast over the fabric of my shirt.

Yes.

His lips leave mine but only to move down my neck. Something hot builds in my core, and then he places a kiss to the area right below my breast. My heart picks up faster, like my body is subtly cluing me in on the fact that I’m falling in love every moment we spend like this.

I’ve always loved him. We’re best friends, how could I not? But now I’m sinking into a never ending pit I don’t think I’ll ever be free from.I’m words on a page falling so deeply in love.

His rough, calloused hand lifts the hem of my shirt, scraping against my stomach as he moves up, grabs my breast, then stops.

He sighs, pulls my shirt down. He places a gentle kiss to my forehead. He leaves his place from on top of me.

I stare at the ceiling blankly, trying to catch my breath. Finn turns off the lamp and gathers me in his arms. There’s an obvious bulge pressing against my back, but for some reason he doesn’t do anything about it. He doesn’t let his own desires control him; he’s the same gentleman he’s always been.

My skin is hot from the ghost of his touch. I love him so much that I want all of him. He’s the only person I trust to be so vulnerable and intimate with, and I’m ready, I just wish he’dmake that next move. I would if I knew what to do or what to say, but instead I just starve in his arms.

Mom dreams are the worst.

I gasp for air, waking up in a layer of sweat from the horrifying nightmare.

My mother, lifeless in Finn’s arms, cold to the touch, purple lips. Her chest unmoving—Dead.

“It’s okay, love,” Finn says, eyes still closed and half asleep as he sits up and holds me. I don’t think he even realizes he’s doing this.

I melt, already feeling the stress roll off my shoulders.

“I love you,” he mumbles, then collapses and snores again like nothing happened.

But something did happen.

He told me he loved me.

He was sleep talking. He could’ve been dreaming about someone else…like his mom. This doesn’t mean anything, you fool.

I close my eyes, trying to urge myself into sleep, but my mind doesn’t shut off.

“You ready?” Chloe’s sunshine comes into the guest room.

“Yeah, let me just put on some lip gloss,” I say, dragging the cherry flavored makeup over my lips. I start to walk through the door, but Chloe stops me in my tracks.

“Wait!” She places a palm in the air, signaling me to stay put. She comes back only a second later with blush and a makeup brush in her hands.

I raise an eyebrow, but she just starts applying some to the apples of my cheeks. She packs even more on the brush and goes in for a second layer, but I stop her. “Hey, hey now. Let’s not go ham on the blush.”

“Fine.” She playfully rolls her eyes. “Here, keep it. It doesn’t show on my skin, and it goes great with your complexion.”

Smiling, I put the blush in my makeup bag. She wasn’t wrong, the coral shade on my cheeks makes me look more alive. It’s pretty.

I follow Chloe out into the living room, and the magnetic pull tugs my heart toward Finn. He folds me into his arms without a second thought. It’s starting to feel so natural. I’m worried I won’t be able to go back to a time where I couldn’t walk right up to him and touch him however my heart wants.

“Took you ladies long enough,” Charlie says, taking the final sip of coffee. “I was worried Finn was going to wear a hole in the rug with all the pacing he was doing.”

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