Page 74 of Burn It Down
“I love you, Gigi. I have loved you half my life, and I fucking intend to love you the rest of it. You are the best thing I have ever known. I’m absolutely not worthy of being yours, but that is all I ever wanted to be.” The tears were flowing fast now, and I nodded up at him.
“Me too, Finn. I love you too. I came here tonight to do exactly what you just did. You’re so much better at it. I love you, Finn.” Finn’s eyes were bright blue and full of tears.
“Yeah? You shouldn’t. But, fuck, I’m glad you do. Fuck, I love you, Sweet Girl.” I was lifted off my feet, up into the air, squealing as I went.
The smattering of amusement our kiss had brought was crickets in comparison to the roar that tore through that pub. Even the badge bunnies were in approval of our little declarations.
I was dangling in the air for a second, Finn’s huge arms lifting me up Dirty Dancing style. A whistle from behind reminded us both of my dress and he growled, shooting someone an evil glare.
Giggling, I crossed my legs as he brought me back against him. This kiss was full of everything. Of the hurt and damage we had caused. All the yearning from the years spent waiting and wanting.
Relief that we had finally started to figure this out.
Heat took it over, but I could feel Cage and Charli beside us so we broke apart. Our eyes never left each other’s, even as I heard them talking.
“Abso-fucking-lutely amazing! I love you two. I love you two in love. I love it.” That was Charli, of course, watching like we were one of the chick flicks she loved so much.
“Pretty brave, bro-seph. Pret-ty brave.” Cage winked as we twisted towards him, dragging out the last comment with a dimpled smirk.
“Because the badge bunnies might want to eat me alive?” I giggled, letting Finn hook me under his arm.
“Nah, because our entire squad is over there, so he won’t live this Chick Flick moment down. Like, ever.” I twisted towards the corner Cage had nodded to.
“Oh, shit. Worth it. Totally worth it.” Finn winced though, hugging me closer and touching his lips to my temple, “Felt like the right time. I should have said it the first time I knew I felt it.” I sighed, dreamy and drunk without having a single drop of liquor yet.
“Probably. Let’s have that last drink, yeah?” Cage clapped him on the shoulder and something passed between them.
I knew Cage was okay with this now. Supported it, even. That look told me so much more. Cage was happy about it. For us both, but mostly for Finn. Because he knew better than anyone the struggle Finn had endured to let this happen. I squeezed him tighter and peered up at him.
“I loved this. It was perfect. Messy and fucked up and perfect.”
“Everything we always were. Always will be, Sweet Girl. Look at me,” Cage and Charli had headed towards a table so we hesitated, “I love you so fucking much. I always have. Tonight, this was perfect, Gigi. I know what…I know what you need later. It will fucking shred me to tell you, but I know you need it. I need it too. I just…I love you; remember that. I loved you even then. Too much some times and really never enough. I have plans for you, Gigi Cooper. For us both.” I smiled and let him kiss me, his lips whispering over the tear tracks his sweet display had caused.
“Whatever your plans are, I’m always going to be part of them, now. I love you too. So much, Finn. Maybe it wasn’t enough because it wasn’t time yet. Now it is. It’s our time, and we’re fucking taking it.”
We had more than one drink, but they hardly seemed to affect the buzz our little moment had given us. An hour later, we were pawing at each other as he carried me into his place.
Finn laid me in his huge bed, and just as he began to climb over me, he stopped. Then he started talking. It hurt, but it also healed me. Healed Finn too. Allowed us both to let go. To let it burn up and fade to ash because it didn’t change us. It couldn’t.
Finn watched me with love in his eyes, on his lips, as he made love to me.
We were fucking golden.
