Page 21 of What About Us
“One of these days, Iwillkick your ass.” She cocks a brow at me. “And you’ll be knocked right off that high horse you’re riding around on.”
I’m still laughing when I take the dishes into the kitchen, loading the bowls and her glass into the dishwasher. “I’ll be patiently waiting for the day hell freezes over.”
I watch her as she stands up and stretches, and I’m rewarded with a view of her tight, little ass as she reaches her arms above her head. I drag my eyes back to the dishwasher, and since it’s full of dinner dishes, I continue to avert my eyes by adding detergent before starting it.
“I’m heading up. Leave this board out. I want a rematch tomorrow night.”
“Sure.” I chuckle.
She gathers her Kindle and slips her feet into her purple, fuzzy slippers, before coming around the couch and into the kitchen to stand next to me.
“Night, cheater,” she says and wraps an arm around me from the side.
Against my better judgment, I lean down and press a kiss to the top of her head. I try not to be too obvious when I inhale the sweet scent of her hair.
“Night, whiner,” I tease, and she smacks me in the stomach.
“Thanks for dinner,” she says around a yawn and heads back through the living room.
She’s a little wobbly when she hits the third step on her way upstairs. “You all right?” I call after her.
“Yeah, just a little dizzy. Probably the wine.” She waves my concern off and continues up the stairs.
Crossing back to the couch, I grab the remote and switch it over to ESPN. While watching highlights, I fold up the blanket Paige used earlier and stack a few of her coloring books up and drop a handful of crayons into the bucket.
I’ll need to talk to her in the morning about putting her stuff away. She’s only six, but she knows how to clean up after herself. It’s probably because her nails were wet, but I want her to have respect for other people’s spaces. Even if Finn wouldn’t mind a mess or two.
Fifteen minutes later, my eyes are starting to get heavy from the two beers I had during our game. I shut off the TV and put the remote back into the drawer of the coffee table. Moving around the space, I double-check the front door is locked, put water into the coffee pot, and set it brew at 4 a.m., when I know Finn will get up and get ready for the day. I shut off all the lights and climb the stairs barefoot.
Finn’s door is closed, and I peek in on Paige before stepping back into the hall, leaving the door cracked. I’m halfway through the door to the guest room when I hear a low whine.
I freeze and back out into the hallway, my brows furrowing. I’m sure the sound came from Paige’s room. She hasn’t had a nightmare in months, but the move could be triggering something for her. I seriously hope not. I hate it when my little girl is hurting and I feel powerless to help.
I peek through the crack of her door, and I hear it again. This time, I can hear something else, too, and it isn’t coming from Paige’s room, but from Finn’s across the hall.
I take two steps in that direction and hear a muffled moan and the light sound of…buzzing.
Fuckinghell.
I swallow hard, and I try—I swear to God, I try—to turn back and keep my feet from moving in the opposite direction. But I’ve already established I’m weak as fuck, and the thought of Finn masturbating literal feet from my room is something I cannot ignore. I stand completely frozen, just feet from her closed door, telling myself I am most definitely just making sure that she is ok after her dizzy spell on the stairs. And, without a doubt, simultaneously sealing my fate to hell.
I should go back to my room, leave her to it, and pretend I don’t know what is happening behind that door. But I don’t.
Ican’t.
Instead, I stay put and wait with bated breath, hoping she can’t hear my footsteps on the floor outside her door.
She moans softly again, and the buzzing intensifies before she lets out another long, sexy as hell whimper. I jerk back from the door as if I’ve been burned. The buzzing stops and I realize I’ve just listened to my best friend getting off. If my cock wasn’t hard before—spoiler alert, it was—it definitely is now.
It’s quiet as I make my way back across the hall and gently close the door behind me. I scrub my hands down my face and flop down on the bed.
I stare up at the ceiling, willing my cock to listen to my brain and go the fuck down. Listening to her just now, it hits me. This could be construed as really fucking creepy if she finds out. If this is going to work long-term, I’ve got to set some clear boundaries with myself.
I sit up and my eyes land on the shower again. I yank off my T-shirt and kick off my sweats and underwear. Crossing to the shower, I turn it on as cold as it will go, then step under the spray and vow to put a stop to these feelings once and for all.
Chapter 8
Finnley
