by Kylie Scott
“Nice bumper sticker. Pity no one’s buying.” Finn snatched back the bottle, downing it fast and hard enough to make even Dan wince. “Maybe it should be easy if it’s meant to be.”
“Give me strength. What are you, twelve? You fucking show pony. She’s not a present your Mummy left for you under the Christmas tree. Not everything in life is given to you, Finn. Sometimes you’re actually required to put in a little effort.” Feeling more than a touch pissy, he grabbed the bottle before the kid could throw some more down his undeserving gullet. “Dickhead.”
“This thing with Erin … Al could have talked to me about it like a rational adult. Did you lecture her like this, you prick?”
Dan shook his head and the world spun some. “No, I don’t need to. She knows she messed up. But you intimidate her so it’s going to take a little time for her to work out how to deal with it. Then maybe a little more time to work up the courage to actually do it. Who knows, she’s awful fond of you. I’d be surprised if you’re left to rot here too long.”
“I intimidate her?” Finn scoffed, held his hand out and clicked his fingers for the bottle. “Stop hogging it. Why would I intimidate her? I’m not the oversized old man always on her ass trying to push her into things.”
Dan shrugged. “She has a very nice ass.”
“Trust me, I’m aware of that. Gimme the bottle.”
“I don’t push her into things. I make helpful suggestions regarding her future wellbeing is all.” Daniel gave up the liquor, feeling the effects of their speed drinking hitting him hard. “Shit. She’s gonna be so pissed we’re pissed.”
The kid shrugged and drank. “It’s all on you. I’m not going home.”
“Rebel, suit yourself. I’ll have her all to myself, half-asleep and cuddly as a kitten. My very own pretty pussy, I can’t wait. We had sex after you stormed out. She felt needy after that scene. I feel so … used. Dirty, almost.” He grinned wide and the kid gave him a face made of lemons, all puckered lips and squinty eyes. What a situation, mediating between his girlfriend and her other boyfriend.
Ridiculous.
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Finn, she didn’t want you to leave. She was giving you the choice. Come back with me.” Dan held up the last quarter of scotch and swirled it around in the bottle. “Come on, we’re running out anyway and that bed does not appear comfortable.”
The kid shrugged.
“Come on.”
“What did you learn from this messy-ass marriage?”
Dan sighed again, loud and proud, and rested his head back against the cool of the concrete wall. It felt nice. “Well, it’s important to say you’re sorry, even if you don’t mean it. Sometimes, especially if you don’t mean it.”
Finn choked on a laugh. “That’s terrible.”
“Terrible but true. Sometimes you need to make the peace and work it all out later. Being together is what’s important.”
“This is your version of wisdom? I think I’ll pass.” The kid leant back on his elbows, laughed again and shook his head.
“I better head back. Certain you’re not coming?”
“No.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Finn woke up alone just before dawn with a brain-splintering headache. A shave and wash in the police station bathroom did nothing to alleviate it.
People started dropping in shortly thereafter, small-town gossip having made the rounds. He greeted all comers, sunglasses firmly in place. The dark lenses were small protection against the glare of daylight bursting through the front windows, threatening to boil his eyeballs in their sockets.
It seemed like everyone in town had come calling. Everyone except for the person he wanted to see.
He ignored the pounding in his head, smiled and nodded and said nothing. Committee members stopped by, Sam included. He waddled in with his big belly leading the way. Plenty of people dropped by, smiling and making the right noises about his promotion to town cop.
Time would tell. Finn had wanted to wear the badge since about the age of five, but what it meant now, he didn’t know.
Two bored teen girls were practicing their wiles on him when Al wandered in midmorning. The sight of her did things to him that made life less simple. She was a punch to the chest. He could feel his heart flop over and offer up its belly.
The girls stopped and stared at him and Al. And then stared some more. Then they scurried out with much excited whispering.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hey,” he said back.
She wore a denim skirt and a t-shirt with her hair down. Morning light did beautiful things to her, while it had tried to annihilate him. How fucking unfair he’d only had her the one time. His fingers itched to touch her, to grab her and run.
Not being able to touch her would kill him. He would leave. Al would be safe here with Dan. Finn was unnecessary now. He couldn’t spend the next however many years watching her and wanting. Being kept at a polite distance would kill him, because this need he had for her wasn’t going anywhere.
“How’s your head?” Her fingers twitched at her side, her arms knife straight.
“It’s been better. Mind locking the door behind you? I’m done with visitors for a while.” Pain flashed across her face. He backpedaled fast. “No. Al, I meant with you on this side. Please.”
“Oh.” She turned her back and fiddled with the lock for a moment. Finn opened the internal door beside the counter, ushered her through to the back of the station. Out of sight of any spectators while they tied up loose ends seemed a good idea. Probably best not to have witnesses just in case he actually gave in to the temptation to beg and plead on his knees. Shit.
“Dan’s still sleeping it off,” she said. “I don’t know what time he got back.”
“He didn’t wake you?”
“No.”
Finn shook his head, surprised over being surprised. “Manipulative son of a bitch.”
Al smiled, the love she felt for the big man obvious in her face. His overly familiar answering pang of jealousy made him silently snarl. But she was here. She had come to him, and it had to mean something even if this was the big kiss off. That she cared enough to do it face to face was nice, though of course a phone call or an email was out of the question these days.
She wandered amongst the office desks out back, touching things here and there, looking awkward.
Smelling great. Soap and sex again. He never stood a chance.
“I have something to say,” she announced at last.
Finn sat on the nearest surface, a desk across from her. He nudged ancient piles of paperwork aside. “I’m listening.”
Her shoulders rose on a deep inhalation of breath that made the skin above her nose bunch up. “If I’m still what you want, then I need you to not grin at girls who stick their tits in your face.”
She paused for effect. He could only blink.
“I realize you’re an attractive guy, you’re going to get attention, that’s a given. I mean, you’re beautiful, I know this. But if you’re sleeping with me, then flirting like that is disrespectful. I’m a long way from being okay with it,” she said. “It hurts. I need you to understand that.”
He made to shrug and stopped. This was too important. “Alright.”
“There’s more,” Al warned, wearing her game face. Her serious eyes studied him, making him thankful the sunglasses still sat on his nose.
“Keep going.”
“If I’m not what you want then I still want to be your friend. I care about you a lot, Finn. That doesn’t change … whatever you decide.”
Rendered dumbstruck by her honesty, he took off his sunglasses and dumped them on the desk, giving himself a minute. It took guts to put herself on the line. Shit, he’d had no business flirting with any girl. He knew it. Had known it at the time.
Maybe he had been jealous. Spending the night with a woman and then handing her back to her boyfriend … Not knowing where he fit in with her did not sit wel
l. In truth, he’d never not come first with a woman. If only he had found her before Dan. But he hadn’t. This thing between them would always be more complicated than normal. Still, he’d gotten involved with her knowing that.
Ali shuffled about on her feet for a minute then ceased that too, her frown increasing. He realized she fully expected him to tell her they were done. Expected it and hated it. It left them both in the same fucked up place neither wished to be. What a revelation. His heart thundered and he stared at her, mute.
“That’s all,” she eventually prodded. Her gaze darted around the room, diligently avoiding him. “It’s what I should have said yesterday, as opposed to what came out. I’m sorry for that.”
He gave one cautious nod.
“Say something.”
Finn pushed off the desk and walked toward her, taking up her hands when they were toe-to-toe. Her fingers, warm and a little damp, slid through his own. Sweaty from the burgeoning heat of the day or nerves, he didn’t know. It didn’t matter. Everything was going to be okay. He’d promise her whatever the hell she needed him to so long as he could stay close to her. It was that simple. “I missed you last night.”
Air left her lungs on a sigh. “I missed you too. I guess I’m selfish. I want both of you with me, or I’m not happy.”
He brushed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip, loving how her eyes dilated. Loving her saying these things to him.
But he wasn’t interested in hashing out their issues right there and then. Maybe Dan was right, sometimes the being together was more important.
“I want you,” he told her. “Right now, Al.”
“Here?” She looked around, perplexed. “In a cop station?”
“Right here. Right now.”
Her answer was the hitch in her breathing and the hunger on her face. It was enough.
He held her hands a little tighter, taking them behind her back. Just far enough to arch her spine and press the soft mounds of her breasts against him. “You know how I held your hands down last time?”
Al’s throat worked. “I remember.”
“Yeah. I remember too.” Finn took her mouth, kissing her with all the pent-up frustration lingering from the night before. Kissing her till he couldn’t remember what had caused all the fuss in the first place. His jeans strangled his dick as his balls became hot and heavy. Getting her off and getting into her were the only things that mattered. But he had this mental image of exactly how it had to happen. God help him, it had to come true. “Trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Turn around, hands on the table.”
Gray eyes blinked open, dazed and confused. Her lips were swollen and wet. She watched his mouth move but he couldn’t be sure she got the message. And the message was all important.
“Turn around, Al.” He helped her turn, then helped himself to two handfuls of her curvy ass. “Put your hands on the table.”
“The table?”
“That’s right.” She took far too long to bend forward and place her palms flat, but finally they were there. “Good.” Finn pushed his boot between her sandals and pushed her left foot to the side, widening her stance. It was a simple enough matter to pull her denim skirt up to her waist and push her panties down to her knees. “Al, I wish you wouldn’t wear underwear.”
“That why you’re arresting me, officer?”
The spicy scent of her arousal filled the air, and he groaned aloud. He hadn’t actually thought he could get any harder. “I’ll cuff you later when I can find some. Damn, you smell good.”
Finn dropped to his knees behind her and swiped his tongue through the folds of her wet cunt. She tasted exactly as she should, familiar, hot and female. Never would he get enough of her. Al squirmed and he took the opportunity to use the flat of his hand on the curve of her ass. The slap of his palm on her soft, warm flesh was shockingly loud in the quiet of the station house.
Yes, just like that.
Al jumped beneath his hands and pale skin turned a nice shade of pink. “Finn! Shit. Warn me next time.”
“No.” The next smack hit her other cheek, and there was a nice sense of balance to it. Pink handprints all in proportion. She made to move, trying to cover her rear with her hands. Protecting her rosy ass. Not. Happening. “Put them back on the table, Al.”
She growled and stomped a foot. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face, not that she could have seen it. Finn indulged it.
Her muscles tensing, she slowly returned her hands to the table. “Damn it, Finn.”
Actions speaking louder than words, he put his mouth on her, tonguing her sweet flesh. Her pussy was hot and wet and right there. It was perfect. A dying man’s last meal. He hadn’t been certain they would be like this again. The future had been bleak, empty. Gratitude swamped him.
And … and the moment she started moaning and her legs trembled he pulled back. Al was less than impressed. “You bastard, don’t you dare—”
The crack of his hand on her ass drew her litany to an abrupt halt. “You going to throw me out again?”
“I didn’t throw you out,” Al snapped, giving as good as she got. He fucking loved that about her. “You left, remember? Are you going to fall down the front of other women’s shirts again? Huh?”
“No,” he promised, and placed tender, sucking kisses on her labia, one on either side. “No, it won’t happen again. I’m sorry about that.” Took him a minute to realize the shudders racking her body weren’t tears or excitement but laughter. He didn’t even bother spanking her, it was so out of place. “What is your problem?”
“You’re apologizing to me with your face in my pussy.”
“It seemed prudent.” He bit the curve of her ass, pressing in with his teeth just enough to mark her. Because he needed to. Visual evidence was required. She was still with him. She was his. The noise she made brought forth all sorts of needs in him. All kinds of demands. “Do you accept my apology?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He scattered kisses over her hot ass cheeks, held those perfect curves in the palm of his hands. There came another sound from the back of her throat when his thumb stroked over her asshole. Soft and gentle, teasing and testing. “I’m going to want this.”
She looked back over her shoulder at him, eyes dark with passion and something else. A little wary maybe. Cautious. “Are you now?”
Finn rubbed his mouth over the fading pink marks on her flesh. “Talk to me, Al.”
“I tried it.” She shrugged with one shoulder, bit her lips. “It didn’t really work for me. But if you want…”
“You’ll give me that?”
She nodded.
“Thank you.” Finn took a minute, savoring her trust. A warm flush of feeling rose in his chest when she surrendered to him. He brushed his thumb over the tight, puckered hole again, and she shivered.
Probably not from pleasure.
Some idiot hadn’t respected this gift. He wouldn’t be making the same mistake. “Easy. We’ll just experiment a little. Okay?”
She nodded, but didn’t visibly relax until he got back to kissing and licking her gorgeous pussy. Hot, open-mouthed kisses that got them both steamed up. The taste of her infused him, filled his every sense and pore. He didn’t leave a cell unclaimed.
The need he had for her was bigger than he had imagined. He had known giving her up wouldn’t be easy. But it wasn’t until now he could truly admit that it wasn’t something he could see himself ever doing. Not a chance. He’d fight for her till his dying breath.
When he slipped his other hand between her legs, his fingers finding the hard nub of her clit she moaned. A loud, wake-the-neighbors sort of noise. His balls curled up against his body.
With her suitably distracted, he moved his attention back to her ass. She didn’t seem to notice what he was up to with his tongue, she was too busy pushing her pussy into his hand. The noise of her panting breath and another one of those moans filled his ears. He lavished her with attention, fron
t and back.
“Come for me, Al.”
“Yeah…”
And she did. Spectacularly. Her spine seized up and her whole body shook in his grip. The way she said his name licked over him like heat. His need to be inside her was paramount.
Finn gave her sex a parting kiss and lick. He rose to his feet and undid his belt buckle, got his jeans open and freed the hard length of his cock. Donning the condom tucked in his back pocket, he told her with all due sincerity, “You’re lucky I’m an optimist.”
“Maybe I’m just easy.” He could hear the smile in her voice, slow and sweet as honey as she struggled back to reality. “Oh, Finn…” Her back arched and her hair slid forward, covering her face, as his cock pushed into her pussy. “That’s so good.”
He could only agree.
“Be easy for me, Al. That’s all I want.” The air went out of him as he pushed home, filling her with his cock. The play of her muscles over him, her heat and humidity. He had to take a moment, get his bearings. Get his head in gear before he blew.
“That’s all?” she moaned as he pulled out, thrust back in. Nothing had ever felt this good. Nothing.
He grunted and she didn’t speak again as he got busy fucking her in earnest. Talk could happen later.
Finn bent over her, one hand beside hers on the desk, his other arm wrapping around her, holding her tight against him as she came on his cock with a surprised shout.
Saying his name.
No way could he hold out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
There were two people waiting for her back at the apartment. Daniel appeared pained and Erin looked perky. Perky but subdued.
Her boyfriend sat at a battered table opposite their visitor. He slouched down in a camping chair, a cup of coffee in hand. The slow smile he gave her lured her in, held her tight. Letting her know without words everything was alright. “Erin just arrived. She wants to talk to you, baby.”