Page 120 of A Hard Fit

“Quel connard!” Dimitri exclaimed when Rory finished. “You need some more wine,” he said to Finn, topping up Finn’s glass to the brim. “Although I do wonder…perhaps, on some level, Jackson is jealous of Rory’s attention being drawn away from him, the big brother Rory always looked up to.” He squeezed Rory’s shoulder.

“You think so?” Rory asked.

Dimitri shrugged. “Peut-être.Or perhaps he’s simply a snob! Now…let me see if your hors d’oeuvres are ready.” He patted Luka’s shoulder and vanished through the drapes.

Finn crunched through the crust of another perfect roll as he thought.Jackson…jealous? Of me?Then he banished the idea. He wouldn’t waste any energy on that man today.

The appetizers were scrumptious, and Dimitri was an excellent server, warm and friendly, and always appeared before they even thought to look for him. For dinner, they each sampled two main courses—lemon poussinand braised lamb shoulder. Finn would normally have eaten until he could barely move, but he was too busy watching Rory enjoy the meal. He might have even fed Rory a few bites of food, like those besotted fools in the movies.

“So, are you moving into Finn’s place?” Luka asked Rory as they ate.

Finn hadn’t even considered this step. But yes, of course. Of course Rory had to officially, fully move in now. He’d throw out every last painting to make room for the rest of their stuff if he had to.

Rory furrowed their brow. “I’m trying to remember the last time I actually slept in my apartment. I don’t even think I’ve been there in weeks. But yes.” They leaned over to press another soft kiss on Finn’s lips. “I’ll be giving my notice tomorrow.”

Finn blinked back a few tears and thought about creating a new space in the house that would be for both of them.

“Will you go on a honeymoon?” Thomas asked, swirling the wine around his glass.

A honeymoon. Another thing he hadn’t thought about in the whirlwind of the last few days. And what a thing it was—time away with Rory, just the two of them. “Hmm, we haven’t talked about that. What do you think, love?” Finn asked.

“Yes, please.” Rory propped their chin on a hand and stared at Finn with a dreamy expression. “Can we find a cabin somewhere without cell service, and hike and sit around a campfire and read and…just be together, only the two of us? For at least a week!”

Cuddled up next to a crackling fire, sparks spiraling up into a sky smeared with the stars hidden by the city… “That sounds perfect.” An invisible force drew Finn forward to kiss them again. Then, mesmerized by Rory’s beautiful, elegant face, he tucked a piece of hair behind their ear.

Thomas smiled. “I hope you get to go soon.”

“Maybe in a couple months when it’s a little warmer in the mountains?” Finn said. “Up by Bell Lake?”

“I love it.” Rory lifted a bite of lamb to Finn’s lips. “Try this.”

There was something so sensual about closing his mouth around Rory’s fork. Finn’s thoughts started to drift to their wedding night.

The meal was winding down, their plates almost empty, when Dimitri arrived to ask about dessert. Finn scooted his chair even closer to Rory’s and used the distraction as an opportunity to slide the last bite of his risotto into Rory’s mouth, while murmuring into their ear. “Thinking about what I’m going to do to you when we get home.”

Rory swallowed the bite, then licked their lips and gave Finn a mischievous grin. “Oh? Do tell.”

“Hmm…” Finn took Rory’s hand and dragged his nose along their forearm, then planted a kiss on their palm. “No, I think I’ll let it be a surprise this time.”

Rory’s cheeks, already flushed from the wine, turned a darker shade of pink. “Oh my…”

“Oh, yoursomething, that’s for sure.” Finn nibbled at the soft skin of Rory’s inner wrist.

“Finn…” Rory said with a hitch in their breath.

Finn grinned and shifted in his chair, wondering how fast they could eat their dessert.

Not that fast, it turned out. Dimitri had them sample everything—crème brûlée, chocolate mousse, raspberry tart—plus the specialty coffees. It was approaching midnight when Dimitri cleared the last of their dishes.

“Mes amis, the first bottle of wine was a wedding gift from me, and, as I have said, the desserts were on the house. And the rest of your bill has been taken care of.”

Finn blinked, confused. “What?”

“By whom?” Rory wondered, looking around the table.

Thomas avoided their gaze.

“Thomas! You didn’t!” Rory cried.

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