Page 65 of It's Just You

“I’m just relieved, Kane. All this time… I’m glad there’s a reason for me feeling so shitty and that there might even be a cure. It was awful not knowing it, being a burden to everyone. Now I have a lot more hope, and it’s also freeing that I won’t have to hide from Sam anymore.” He paused. “What I meant to say, about him, was that he’ll come around. I guess he’s jealous because you’re together with Finn after they’ve just met up again after years. Plus he’s hurt because of what we were hiding from him, so he’s bound to be grumpy for a few days. Don’t let him destroy your mood, okay?” Dad paused, squeezing my thigh again. “I’ll try to talk some sense into him. If anyone deserves to have his bad mood directed at them, it’s me.”

“Dad, you don’t—”

Before I could go any further, he raised his hand. “No. No discussion about that. This is non-negotiable.” He got up, slowly. “I think that’s why he offered to help me to bed today, if I’m honest. Your mother will get her fair share of his wrath, and I will too.”

I couldn’t hide my grin. “That sounds like a shitty way to go to bed.”

“I guess I deserve it.”

“Deserving or not, you’ll probably have to suffer through it anyway. But in all seriousness, I’m really happy they found out what it is and might even have a cure. It’s the best news we’ve had in a long time.”

Dad turned around from where he’d made his way over to the door. “I’m happy, too.”

With that, he left me alone, staring at the TV, completely lost in my own thoughts.

It wasthe weekend before I even knew it.

Finn and I texted and talked regularly to pass the time, and I’d even managed to get the whole weekend off. I was all his from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening. I had an early shift Monday morning, but aside from that, I was completely off duty.

It still surprised me that Sam had practically thrown me out when I’d tried to talk to him. He hadn’t yelled at me, but he’d told me in pretty direct words that I needed to take the weekend off. He wasn’t back on speaking terms with me, but his anger didn’t seem to go as far as keeping me away from Finn.

Of course, he hadn’t spoken to Finn yet either, but that didn’t stop him from shoving me out the door Friday afternoon and telling me not to come back to care for Dad until Monday. It would’ve been sweet if we hadn’t both been so pissed at each other.

I could live with it as long as it meant Dad would be okay while I stayed with Finn for two whole nights, without any parents or siblings around. Part of me worried about leaving Dad in Sam’s care, but Mom was there too. She’d let me know if anything happened, and I was less than ten minutes away.

I pulled up into Finn’s driveway, killing the engine on my bike. My heart was pounding like crazy. Usually taking a drive settled my mind, but this short ride had only amped up my adrenaline. I got off the bike and wiped my hands on my jeans before making my way to the entrance.

Before I could ring the bell, Finn opened the door, smiling broadly at me.

Fuck.

He took my breath away.

He’d applied makeup, as per usual, but it was different. Sexier, maybe? Or it could’ve just been the fact that I would get to touch him and kiss him and maybe go even further than we had the last time.

“Hey.” He took me in, licking his lips.

Oh. My. God.

This was going to be humiliating. I was going to come just from him kissing me, if not touching me alone.

“Are you okay?” Finn looked concerned when I didn’t say anything.

I cleared my throat once, then cleared it again. I managed a smile, at least. After looking for my voice once more, I got out, “Yeah. Just… Wow.”

He smirked at me. “You’re not usually at a loss for words.”

I shook my head, trying to sort my thoughts out. “Inside?”

Finn nodded, taking my hand to lead me into his parents’ house. I stowed my keys away in my overnight bag then followed him.

I didn’t even get a chance to explain my sudden loss of words, because he kissed me like he’d dreamt about it for ages. I knew I’d done exactly that. It wasn’t exactly a get naked; let’s fuck kind of kiss, but it definitely got me wound up. I dropped my bag on the floor, pulling Finn into my arms as he wrapped his own around me.

Finally, I pulled back, slightly out of breath.

“Can you talk? Are you okay?” Finn asked, still looking at me.

I blushed, but I nodded. “Yeah. Sorry. I was just… I was speechless. You’re so…” I raised my hand, cupping his cheek. My thumb rested on his lower lip, which was painted in a dark, sensual violet that suited his features perfectly. “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered. “And knowing you want to spend all weekend with me, to be with me, it just left me speechless.”

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