Page 12 of Fluttering Heart

I can’t help but smile at his reaction. It seems so genuine, I can’t help but lean in too. But then I’m reminded of our chaperone when he speaks.

“Wow,” Beau says, looking at us with wide, frightened eyes. “This is about to get super nerdy, isn’t it?” I can tell he’s teasing his brother.

“Shut up, meathead,” Finn grumbles good-naturedly.

“It’s okay. We can talk about CW at another time,” I say as I lean back. Finn’s eyebrows shoot up and his smile stretches slowly this time as he looks at me. I don’t know why until I run back what I just said.

Another time.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure there will be a second date. Or that we’ll have a few minutes to ourselves before I leave on Monday to talk about my work if Finn is really that interested.

I’m interested—beyond interested—in a second date. Because his reaction to my work? Better than I could ever have dreamed of.

“So, what do you do?” I make myself look aways from Finn’s gorgeous eyes and turn to see Beau.

“I’m a firefighter.”

“Oh, wow.” I wasn’t expecting that, but I’m not sure why. Maybe because it’s so insanely different from Finn’s profession.

“Yeah, but now I might never go back to work.”

“Why?” I demand.

Beau lets out a big sigh and takes a moment. My guess is to think whether he should say what he’s thinking or not. I feel something inside my chest justgive inwhen Finn stays silent too, but reaches over his brother’s shoulders and gives him a sympathetic half hug.

Eventually, Beau tells me the whole sordid story of his break-up, and his reluctance to ever go back to work—the fact that his ex-best friend works alongside him.

We focus more on him while we brunch, and strangely, I don’t mind one bit. I learn a lot about who Finn is while we both try to console Beau.

He’s compassionate, he loves his brother an insane amount—proved by the threats he makes against the ex-girlfriendandthe ex-best friend—but he’s also thoughtful. He gives Beau the best advice there is in my opinion, which is to let himself feel all his feelings and go back to work, then feel everything again, and that only then can he truly decide whether he wants to transfer to another firehouse in another town.

After that, we go wandering through all the attractions of the resort. We check out the pools—one full of drunk people, the other one full of kids. We go to the casino, where Beau decides he wants to play for a while, so Finn teaches me how to play blackjack while a very patient dealer lets us be without taking anything too seriously.

At one point, Finn tells Beau we’ll be back in half an hour, then takes my hand and drags me out of the casino. I’m still getting my breath back from how his hand fits so nicely against mine, how our fingers fit perfectly interlocked, when we finally stop walking and I see where we are.

The one attraction in Vegas that I wanted to see before I left—and I didn’t even tell Finn about it, so how he knew to bring me here, I’ll never know.

It’s the Bellagio fountains. They’re amazing, and the show starts only a minute after we get there.

Finn doesn’t let go of my hand as we stare at the spurts of water dancing magically. I don’t let go either, and in fact, I squeeze his hand once.

He turns to look at me and I can’t help but smile up at him—for the experience he’s giving me, for the company, for all the possibilities.

“Lou,” he murmurs as he shifts closer, so we’re almost chest to chest.

“Yeah?” I ask, already breathless.

He lifts his free hand and cups my cheek.

“I’m going to kiss you now unless you tell me not to.” The seriousness I see in his face, the earnest look that tells me he really won’t kiss me if I don’t allow it, and the barely contained want I see in the dark pool of his eyes all together make my heartbeat quicken, my palms dampen.

“I won’t stop you,” I whisper before I can think twice about it.

He leans down and seals his mouth to mine. Even the potent embarrassment I was starting to feel—because he can feel my sweaty palms—disappears as I close my eyes, and he commands the kiss, so I get lost in it.

My free hand lifts to his hip and that’s the right thing to do it seems, because he shifts his own hand to the back of my head, and steps closer until our bodies are completely flush against each other. My head tilts all the way back to accommodate the height difference, and I gasp when I feel a definite bulge against my belly.

Finn takes advantage, plunging his tongue into my mouth and stroking mine expertly.

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