Page 50 of A Little Secret

I want to take it all away. I want to bring back the confident, sassy, sarcastic-as-shit Finley. The one I know is hiding, thanks to Drew’s comments from earlier.

“Our families have dealt with surprise pregnancies before, Fin,” I remind her.

“You mean when my parents got pregnant with Ev?” She chuckles, but there isn’t any humor in it. “Not sure the situation’s the same. Especially not anymore. My mom had my dad’s support, and?—”

“And you have your family’s. And your friends’. And mine.”

“You.” She touches the side of my face again, dragging her fingertips from my forehead, along my temple, down my jaw, then brushes them against the edge of my lip. It’s like a feather. Light. Almost non-existent. But I can feel it everywhere. Every. Fucking. Inch of me is like a livewire. And I’m living, eating, breathing for her to do it again. To touch me again. To keep looking at me like this. Like she’scurious. Like she could want me the same way I’ve always wanted her.

“Am I…am I wrong for wanting to keep the baby?” she whispers. “Even though Drew wants nothing to do with it?”

Drew.

I fight the urge to curse his name, forcing my body to relax.

“Drew’s a jackass,” I remind her.

“Drew’s looking at the big picture.”

“Fuck the big picture,” I argue. “Do you want to have this baby?”

Her bottom lip quivers, but her head bobs against the pillow, confirming what I’ve known all along. “Yes. Yes, I want to have this baby.”

“Then you’re gonna have this baby,” I promise. “And they’re gonna be spoiled by everyone around them. Everyone.” My mouth lifts. “Trust me. You might think you’re alone in this, but you aren’t, Fin. You’re not alone.” My gaze falls to her lips. “I’m here.”

“You are.” She wets her lips. “You’re here.”

“I’m here,” I repeat. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Slowly, she lifts her chin and presses her mouth to mine, surprising the shit out of me. Salt clings to her lips. It muddies the moment I’ve dreamed about for years while only making me crave her more. I could’ve anticipated a thousand scenarios for how tonight would play out, and none of them would’ve included me in bed with Fin. Not like this. It isn’t a soft kiss. It’s doused with need. And desperation. And—fuck. What the hell is going on? I never thought I’d kiss Fin. Not like this. Not without the excuse of a bet or a dare or a game. But this? My muscles flood with restraint as she keeps her mouth pressed to mine,taking what she wants without promising anything in return, and fuck me if I don’t want to let her take it all.

But not yet. Not now. Not when I don’t know if her demons are chasing her or if she’s thinking of Drew. So, even though it kills me, I slow the kiss, pumping the brakes and cupping her cheek as I force myself to pull away.

Confusion swirls in her red-rimmed eyes as she stares at me, her cheeks glistening from fallen tears. “Griff?—”

“Get some sleep,” I rasp. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Griff…”

“Get some sleep,” I repeat. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I force her closer to me, praying she doesn’t misconstrue my actions for rejection. Because that isn’t it. Not in the slightest. But she has to understand where I’m coming from and what this would mean, doesn’t she? She’s sad and heartbroken and overwhelmed, and I can’t take advantage of her. Not tonight. Not after the shit day she’s had.

It doesn’t take long until she gives in, proving I was right to end the kiss because the Finley I know? She would’ve never stopped there if she really wanted more. Her eyelids flutter, and she snuggles into my side, her warm breath seeping into my T-shirt until slowly, finally, she falls asleep.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

FINLEY

Incessant buzzing rouses me from sleep. Peeling my eyelids open, I search the dark room, feeling like I’m being pinned to the mattress by a dead body. Nope. It’s only Griffin’s arm.

Holy shit, it’s Griffin’s arm. I’m in bed with Griffin.

Flashes from earlier tonight—er, last night?—rise to the surface. I can’t believe I kissed Griff. I can’t believe he rejected me. I can’t believe I slept beside him after he rejected me.

Shit.

The buzzing continues while I try to piece together the here and now instead of drowning in the hazy memory of last night. My phone’s on the nightstand. Its screen glows in the pitch black room, blinding me. Slipping out from beneath him, I reach for it, silence the call, and tiptoe into the bathroom to answer it.

“Hello?” I whisper.

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