Page 46 of Finn Rhodes Forever

“Buying the bar was supposed to be my backup plan.”

I made a noise of acknowledgement, remembering what Sadie told me at her wedding to Holden. “If you don’t find the flower.”

“Yeah.”

“But you will.”

“Maybe.” She ripped another piece of napkin off.

“You will.”

Her hair had been up in a ponytail all day but pieces in the front had come loose, waving around her face. Feeling bold and brave, I tucked a lock behind her ear before my arm dropped to her shoulder, fingers brushing the hem of her t-shirt sleeve, running across her skin. Her eyes shot to mine with a flicker of surprise, and under my arm, she shivered. Warm brown eyes locked on mine, lingering. Something new flared in my chest.

“You will,” I whispered, and her eyes dropped to my mouth.

“They’re worried about me.” Her eyes flickered with something vulnerable. “My mom thinks I’m stuck.”

My eyebrows pinched together. “Do I have anything to do with them being worried?”

She paused, frowning to herself. “My mom doesn’t think it’ll last.”

I narrowed my eyes, tapping my top lip with my tongue. Stubbornness formed like a rock in the middle of my chest. Once Jen saw how happy Liv was with me, she’d come around.

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” I quirked her a teasing a smile.

Her eyes widened for a split second before a smile curled on her pretty mouth. A mouth I wanted to kiss. “What makes you say that? I’mcrazyabout you.”

My chest shook with laughter. “You’ve always been a bad liar.” My finger brushed down her arm, stroking the soft skin. It was barely a graze, downrightpure, and yet her eyelids fell halfway and her breath hitched.

My cock woke up.

I stared at her mouth. I remembered how it felt to kiss Liv, to consume her mouth and for her to come right back at me with just as much desire and need.

When I dragged my gaze up to hers, she was looking atmymouth. Her eyes met mine with a start.

“Busted,” I whispered.

Her lips parted before she blinked. “Can you stop that with your hand? It’s distracting.”

I pulled my arm back up onto the top of the booth. Did she look a little disappointed?

“I think you like being distracted like that,” I said as the server dropped our plates off. I thanked her and slid the curly fries over to Liv.

Off her questioning look, I rolled my eyes. “Don’t even pretend you don’t like them. You used to devour them.”

She let out a laugh and I memorized the sweet sound. I slid her sandwich over in front of her, beside the fries.

“Eat,” I said.

She gave me a funny look before shoving a fry in her mouth. “You’re so bossy.”

I nodded. “I am. You’re going to need your strength this summer. I’m not going to wait around while you catch your breath.” My knee bounced under the table as energy buzzed inside me, waiting for her reaction.

Another laugh burst out of her. “While you’ve been doing bong rips with your bros, I’ve been hauling my ass all over these mountains looking for that stupid flower.”

I ate another fry. “My body is a temple.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure. Tell yourself that when you’re jerking off to pictures of yourself.”

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