Page 17 of Lightness In My Dark

“Are you ready for the next step?” I looked at him, wondering if I missed something while caught up in my musings. His eyes shifted downward. “How about you sit on my lap?”

Eyes wide with fear, I breathed out of my mouth. The thought of his hard body and other hard things underneath me. My skin slick from perspiration.

What if I touch it? How do I get on his lap without fondling something I shouldn’t fondle?Then don’t! If you graze it, keep moving your hand. No fondling!

My eyes wandered around his body, figuring out how to do it with the least amount of embarrassment.

He puffed out air through his nose. “I’m waiting.”

The best way was to stand first and sit sideways. I slid my butt onto his lap, back cushioned in the corner, and my legs splayed over his and the couch. The cushions and Finn’s body swallowed my frame. His breath warmed my neck. We were so close. I didn’t even want to turn toward him. I gobbled air and used the top of my sweatshirt to wipe my shiny face.

His body was impressive.I made sure mine sat away from his to avoid his defined, massive bare chest.

Please don’t start getting wet. My God, how embarrassing would that be if I left a wet mark on his sweats.

“Not bad. That took about ten minutes.”

My head raised a bit with a weak snicker. “It did not.”

I saw him through my eyelashes, smiling down. “Now, kiss me.”

“What?” I jerked my head up, smashing into his nose.

“Aw, fuck.” His eyes teared while he scrunched his nose and shifted it from side to side.

“Oh my God, Finn. I’m so sorry.” I reached for it, but he caught my hand.

He placed it down, shook his head, and said, “Don’t think because you hit me in the face, you’re off the hook.”

“Okay, but are you all right?” He gave a quick nod.

Oh God, my lips touching his. Our eyes close, I could pass out. That’s it. I’ll pass out and he’ll feel bad about making me kiss him.I give him a quick glance. This is Finn we’re talking about; hot, luscious, has been with so many women. This is a walk in the park for him. He’s so experienced. Me? A Buddhist monk’s lips have more action than mine.

Level with his neck, his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed, one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen. My eyes closed to take a whiff of his patchouli scent. With closed eyes, I lifted my head, leaned forward, and pressed my lips to him. When they opened, I realized I was kissing his chin. I laughed as he shook away his amusement.

He turned serious. “Let’s try it again.”

“Why? I kissed you.”

Finn’s brows furrowed. “On the chin, not on the lips.”

“But you didn’t say—” Finn’s lips sealed the rest of that sentence, my eyes staring into his as I pushed away from him and touched my lips. I slugged down the accumulated saliva and gaped from his eyes to his lips.

“Now you try it.”

You can do this, Wren. It’s a quick kiss, like he gave you. Pretend he’s a puppy.

I looked downward, lifted my head, and pecked at his lips. My body slouched into the cushions before I attempted to get up.

Finn slid his arms around my waist and said, “Let’s sit this way for a while, watching TV.”

His left hand fell to my knees, while he still held onto my waist with the other. Instead of fighting him, my fingernails bit into the fleshy part of my palms. Tension seeped away in increments. Next thing I knew, I woke up in my bed. I sat up fast, raised the sheets, letting out the loudest sigh, and fell back when I saw I still had my clothes on.

Chapter 6 – Tough Crowd

FINN

Snow had capped the ground, a late October sign we were in for a tough winter. I had an hour to kill before leaving for the dinner party. I sat in my home office to finish last-minute tasks, massaging my knee, while Wren got ready. Even though she wanted to dress on her own, acidic dread burned my stomach. Her choice in clothing for the photographer and wedding planner didn’t bode well. The dinner was a make-or-break event. Our engagement, a must in believability, and Wren at the top of her game. Alessandro, the current CEO, board members, and my brother Carter were going to be there with their significant others. Even though Carter and his wife Lindsey knew about Wren’s and my arrangement, the others didn’t. Plus, it was the first time Carter and Lindsey were meeting Wren. A test regarding how well we pull off our fake love. By now, many had seen the engagement announcement.

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