Page 10 of Something Unforgettable

Xavier grinned, rueful. “That thing was probably a terrible idea. But I don’t regret it.”

Finn couldn’t help the quick smile he gave in return before trapping his lip between his teeth to control it. “I heard that I—I, um…” His throat dried up and he swallowed hard.Just spit it out, Finn.He couldn’t, though. He pointed to his mouth instead, then to Xavier’s, then back to his own.

Xavier’s brow furrowed as he tracked Finn’s terrible pantomime.

“You know…” Finn tried again, his gaze drawn to Xavier’s lips, unable to look away. Maybe Ev had been wrong. Maybe Finn hadn’t actually—

“Kissed me?” Xavier questioned.

Finn groaned and hid his face in his hands, then settled for nodding when Xavier didn’t continue. Maybe if he didn’t look, none of this would be real. He could hear the laughter in Xavier’s voice and he scowled into the protection of his palms.

“Finn, would you look at me, please?”

He really, really didn’t want to, but he dragged his hands down anyway and wrapped his arms around himself, his gaze landing somewhere around Xavier’s collarbone. That was the best Xavier was going to get. Eye contact should be illegal in situations like this.

“It was on the cheek,” Xavier said. “You were thanking me for catching you when we fell off the bull.”

Oh. Finn’s gaze slid to the side and he bit the inside of his cheek. That was good, right? He’d been ready to shrivel up and die from mortification before. So why was his stomach twisting with disappointment now?

“Hey,” Xavier said. Fingers caught Finn’s jaw and tilted his face up until their eyes finally met. “I would be thrilled to get a kiss from you. But I’d prefer it to be one we both remember. Wouldn’t you?”

Was it better to have your stomach twisting or filled with butterflies? Both made Finn feel like he was going to throw up. Was it possible to want to throw up in a good way? He was distracted enough by the thought that his mouth got the best of him.

“I don’t kiss people I’m not dating,” he heard himself announce. It wasn’t even true. He and Ev had shared that innocent kiss years ago, but that had been practice because Ev found out Finn had never kissed anyone before, and Ev was persistent.

“Are you dating anyone right now?” Xavier asked.

Finn shook his head.

“Then what would you say to dinner tonight?” Xavier’s thumb caressed his cheek and Finn wanted to melt.

He also wanted to run. “I, um. I have to work until eight.” It was their one late night of the week.

“Tomorrow, then?” Xavier asked. His thumb dipped to the corner of Finn’s mouth and paused there before he slowly took it away. Finn felt the loss.

This was a bad idea, but his stupid crush was overriding his common sense. Xavier didn’t even live here. Finn couldn’t go and get attached to someone who was temporary. He didn’t have it in him. But Xavier was just too tempting for Finn’s own good.

Fuck. Finnwanted,but he needed to be so careful about this.

“Maybe lunch?” he suggested finally. Lunch was more casual, right? Dinner came with nice clothes, serious conversation, and expectations. Finn wasn’t good at any of those things.

Luckily, Xavier agreed. They planned to meet in front of the store the next day and walk to a nearby café. That gave Finn almost twenty-four hours to overthink every moment of this conversation. Wonderful.

“Oh,” Xavier said. “I almost forgot why I came in.” He picked a gift bag up off the ground and set it in front of Finn. “I wasn’t sure how you’d be feeling after all the fun last night.”

Finn glanced inside and was surprised to find a drink in a mason jar and a plastic container of soup that was still warm. Both looked homemade.

“Miss Crystal at my B and B made it,” Xavier told him. “She says the drink is an excellent hangover remedy.”

“Thank you,” Finn said. He felt warm down to his toes, and for once it wasn’t from embarrassment. “You didn’t need to do that.”

Xavier smiled back and it made Finn’s heart flutter. “Have a good day, sweetheart.” He pulled a small card from his pocket and set it on the counter next to Finn’s hand.

He was long gone when Finn dragged his eyes from the door. It was a business card. The paper felt expensive, and the only thing printed on it wasXavier DeCainin plain block letters. Finn ran his thumb over them, feeling the way they were pressed into the surface, then flipped it over and found a handwritten number scrawled on the back. There was a note below it.

My cell. Call or text anytime. I’d love to hear from you. —X

Finn had a date.

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