Page 57 of Finn Rhodes Forever

“Mhm.” I nodded, holding her gaze.

She turned back to the screen, the corner of her mouth turning up a little. “I guess that’s a little cute.”

Fireworks burst in my chest. Liv said I wascute.

She shifted again, and a second later, her hand settled on the blanket in between us. I glanced between her hand and her face with a question in my eyes.

She rolled hers. “It’s not a big deal. Don’t get a boner over it.”

My grin broadened and I settled my hand over hers. “No promises.”

She snorted and turned back to the movie, a smile playing at her lips as my thumb stroked over hers. At one point, she shifted, stretching her back, and I patted my chest.

“Lean back,” I said.

She arched an eyebrow at me.

“I should have brought chairs. Lean back on me so I don’t feel guilty.”

To my total fucking surprise, she didn’t put up a fight. She just turned around, scooched between my legs, and settled back into my chest. My arms wrapped across her front and my head rested on top of hers as we watched the rest of the movie.

Like this, Liv and I didn’t feel like best friends… we felt like more. Like partners. We belonged together. My heart expanded in my chest, squeezing out any doubt or worry that she wouldn’t come around.

She alreadywascoming around. Maybe it was this stupid shirt or all the time we were spending together. I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. I wanted more ofthis. More cuddling in the park, more hand holding, more talking about hikes.

My chest swelled with affection for her, wrapped in my arms, her back warm against my chest, looking fucking delectable in my jacket. It was huge on her.

Liv was it for me, and I was going to be as patient as she needed. I’d play this dumb game with her pretending to be my girlfriend and trying to get me to dump her, because moments like this were worth it.

22

Olivia

A few daysafter Finn organized that horrifying banner in the sky, we set out to search for the flower again. Our search area was further into the mountains now that we had covered so much ground together, and we had agreed on a multi-day trip while Finn had time off from the fire hall.

After dinner, we sat against a log from a fallen tree, watching the fire we had built in a small campsite. In my head, I replayed moments from the day, working in silence with Finn a hundred feet away, listening to the birds chirping in the forest while the sun shone down on us. Hauling my heavy pack had made my legs and back burn with fatigue, but after a day in the forest, calm satisfaction eased through me.

Finn stood and took my empty bowl from dinner. A little smile quirked on his mouth. “I brought you a little treat.”

“You did?”

“Mhm.” He reached into his pack and pulled out a bag of Cheezies. My face lit up and he laughed.

He tossed it to me and I caught the bag and tore it open. “You’re a god.”

His eyes flashed with heat. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

Warmth tugged between my legs and my brain stumbled. My mind flashed with images of Finn and me on grad night, him on top of me, being careful not to hurt me. Eyes clouded with lust.

That night had been the first time for both of us. We had no clue what we were doing, although I suspected Finn had bugged his brothers for some pointers because some of the stuff he did… a virgin shouldn’t know how to use his tongue like that.

I shivered.

Finn’s eyes crinkled. “You okay, there?”

“Um. Yep.” I stood. “I brought you something, too.”

His grin hitched, surprised. “You did?”

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