“But growing on you.”
She looks up, her smile fading. “Yeah, you’re growing on me.”
I can’t look away from her deep brown eyes. She is quite simply the loveliest woman I’ve ever seen. I suddenly remember where I am and look away. “This is all happening so quickly.”
“Do you need us to go slower?” Erin whispers. “Shall I ask Alma for permission to take you to the movies? Do you have a curfew?”
I smile as a group of people plunge into the river again, churning up the water.
“I need you to not do anything different,” I say at last.
Erin leans her head on me and sighs. “You got it, Finn.”
I put an arm around her and kiss her head. My heart pounds in the moments after, and I wonder if I should have asked permission. I’m being reckless and wild. I’m going to take this chance and see what happens.
I turn my head and see Alma’s husband blinking at me in shock. His eyes take in Erin, Locke, Shane, and finally stay on Bray. He looks back at me, and our eyes clash.
Guilt and shame wash through me, but I don’t let Erin go.
He turns quickly and spreads the word. I watch more and more people turn to look at us. Their eyes are like needles pricking my skin.
And I desperately try to pretend that they aren’t there.
I sit in thesame booth we were in the other day and rest my head back. Locke slides in beside me and puts a hand on my thigh. I jolt in surprise, but when he makes a move to remove it, I put my hand over his and keep it there.
“Hey, Maya,” I say when the girl comes over. She’s nineteen and has a kid at home that her mama is helping her raise. Maya is smart and glows with health, which is a vast change from the day she came out here to beg for a job. “Can I get five specials? Five beers and garlic bread.”
“Sure, Finn.” Her moss green eyes are full of frosty disapproval when she looks at me again, making me flinch. Her hair is cut in a bob, and it just makes her thin lips in their straight, angry line stand out more. I know what I’ve done wrong. But it’s rich for her to be judging me right now.
It’s Bray, I think wearily. He is the reason everyone is looking at me. I can have anyone. Do anything, but Bray is bad people. And a town needs a scapegoat.
The golden boy and the town’s bad boy. We’re never meant to be together. The town’s been pitting us against each other since the day we were born. Me born to the town's favoured pack, and Brayson to his drunk of a mother.
Why have I never questioned it before Erin and Locke walked into my life? Why did I just accept this was how life was?
I smile gratefully as she leaves just as Shane walks in and slides into his seat, Erin sits beside him, and Bray takes the final seat, stretching an arm out behind Erin and casually touching Shane’s shoulder.
I expect him to blow up, but he just ignores it like nothing is happening. I consider Shane for a long moment and then decide not to worry about it.
Erin’s there. She can handle it if they explode.
“So,” Locke says with a wicked gleam. “Who’s going to do me first?”
Erin smiles and covers her mouth with her hand. “I volunteer.”
“Me first!” Bray says with a saucy wink.
I sigh. “Children!”
Three heads whip towards me and smirk. I cover my eyes with my hand and groan.
“Walked into that.”
“You really did, Daddy,” Locke teases.
I hate that my reaction to that word is all heat. My cock stiffens, and I have to reach down and adjust myself. Locke brushes his knuckles over my jean-covered cock, and I almost moan.
“So.”