by Marie Force
“Blaine!”
“Shh. They’re watching Dora. It’s fine.”
“Close the door.”
He wanted to fist-bump the air when he realized she was on board. Ashleigh wouldn’t let anything happen to Addie in the two minutes this was going to take. He was so primed, he’d be surprised if it took that long.
Tiffany tugged at the button to his uniform pants, growling with frustration when it didn’t come loose.
“Easy, baby. I got it.” He freed himself from his pants, wrapped an arm around her waist, lifted her and pushed into her heat, his head falling back as he tried not to lose control too quickly. Every damned time was like the first time all over again. “God, I love you.”
She tightened her arms around his neck. “I love you, too.”
After that, there were no more words, just the desperate pleasure he’d found only with her. Deacon could have his variety. Blaine wanted her—and only her—for the rest of his life.
“Blaine,” she said, gasping.
He knew that sound. It meant she was close. Reaching between them, he pressed his fingers to her clit and pushed her over the edge into an orgasm that took him with her. Holy fuck.
She laughed as she kissed him. “You’re crazy.”
“About you, baby.”
“Mommy! Addie is poopy!”
“Duty calls. Let me go.”
“Only because I have to.” He lifted her off him and set her gently on her feet.
Tiffany opened the door an inch. “I’ll be right there.”
They cleaned up quickly and got dressed.
“This reminds me of the early days,” she said. “Remember that time against the wall in the store?”
“I remember everything.” He gave her a lingering kiss. “Every single thing. And in case I forget to tell you, thanks for putting up with my asshole brother for the summer.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
“I wish I could be so sure.” Blaine had a feeling that having Deacon around for the summer was going to be anything but smooth sailing.
Chapter 16
When he got home, Finn did some laundry and packing and ended up on the sofa watching an early-season Red Sox game. He had two hours before he needed to shower and get dressed for the benefit and was thinking about cutting the grass when his phone rang with a call from his cousin Adam.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“What’s this I hear about you leaving?”
“It’s time, and my lease is up at the end of the month.”
“Who says it’s time, and did you ask about extending?”
In the background, Finn could hear Adam’s son, Liam, crying.
“Hang on a sec.” Adam was gone for a minute before he came back. “Liam says hi.”
“Hi, Liam. How’s he doing?”
“He’s phenomenal. Smartest baby I’ve ever known.”
Finn laughed. “Doesn’t every new dad say that?”
“Maybe so, but in my case, it’s true. My son is wise beyond his years. But that’s not why I called. You can’t leave us, Finny. It won’t be the same around here without you. You’ll miss Liam growing up.”
“Whoa. Way to lay down a guilt trip.”
“Well, it’s true. It’s so great having everyone here, and you’re also going to miss all the fun with the Wayfarer.”
“I’ve had plenty of fun at the Wayfarer.”
“I mean the good fun—beaches, bars, bikinis.”
“Um, hello, you’re married.”
“I’m talking about you, dipshit. Not me.”
A week ago, a summer like the one Adam described would’ve appealed to him. Now? Nothing did.
“What’re you doing?” Adam asked.
“Right now? Nothing.”
“Come over. I’m hanging with Liam while Abby does some work at the store.”
“Let me grab a shower, and I’ll come by before the food bank benefit tonight.”
“I used to go to benefits. Now I’m a dad who barely leaves his house because he doesn’t want to miss anything his incredibly bright son does.”
“You’re a mess. You know that, don’t you?”
“I’m a very happy mess. See you soon?”
“I’ll be there.”
As Finn showered, shaved and changed into khakis and a button-down shirt that he had to iron, he thought about Adam and his wife, Abby, who had adopted their baby boy last winter and had been happier than two pigs in shit ever since Liam arrived. They had been open about their struggles to conceive a child of their own, and now it was like those struggles had never happened. They’d all breathed a huge sigh of relief when Adam and Abby passed the point in which the biological parents could no longer change their minds about the adoption, which would be final any time now.
Funny how one little bundle of joy could fix everything that had been wrong before he arrived.
He drove over to Adam’s, gave a quick knock on the mudroom door and let himself in, staying quiet in case Liam had fallen asleep.
“In here, Finn!” Adam was in the family room, stretched out on the floor with the baby who was playing with something above his head.
“We’re hanging in the baby gym.”
“That looks like fun.”
Adam gazed at his son. “Most fun I’ve ever had in my entire life.”
The baby really was adorable, with dark hair like both his parents as well as alert gray eyes. When he started to fuss, Adam picked him up and handed him over to Finn. “Go see your cousin Finny and tell him he can’t leave right when things are getting interesting around here.”
Finn held the baby carefully, awestruck by the responsibility. “Your daddy is very good at guilt-tripping me, buddy. Don’t let him pull that crap with you.”
“Don’t say crap in front of the baby.”
Finn gave his cousin a withering look. “Seriously?”
“Abby says it’s never too soon to start behaving ourselves around him.”
“Let’s see how long that lasts in this family. He’ll be playing Naked Boy-Naked Girl with his cousins in no time.”
Adam laughed. “We’re all hoping that game was a one-time thing.”
None of them would ever forget five-year-old Thomas and Ashleigh running through the McCarthy family Christmas Day festivities naked as jaybirds, playing the game they called Naked Boy-Naked Girl.
“I’m sure the next wave of McCarthy cousins will get up to all kinds of no-good, the same way we did,” Finn said.
“My son will have nothing to do with his cousins.”
Finn snorted with laughter. “Right… You’re delusional. They’ll be his best friends, the same way ours were and are.”
“You hear what you just said? You really want to leave your best friends?”
“Not as much as I did a week ago.”
“How come?”
“I met someone.”
Adam’s blue eyes, so similar to his, Riley’s and Mac’s, nearly popped out of his head. “Who?”
“Chloe.”
“As in Curl Up and Dye Chloe?”
“Yeah.” Finn kept his focus on Liam but could feel Adam staring at him.
“When did this happen?”
“Last week when I went in for a haircut. It was the craziest thing. I just took one look at her and… It was… I don’t even know how to describe it. Like someone had electrified the air or something, and I’m well aware of how stupid that sounds.”
“Not stupid at all. I know that feeling. I remember the first time I saw Abby in a whole new light. She’d been my brother’s girlfriend for ten years and completely off-limits to me. I never thought of her as anything other than a friend. And then there she was, half-drunk and spouting off on the ferry about how she was done with men, and it was like I was seeing her for the very first time.”
“Was it weird with Grant when you started seeing his ex?” Finn had always wondered but had never asked.
“He and Abby had been over
for years by then, and he was happy with Steph, so we talked about it and agreed not to make it into something when everyone was happy.”
“That’s very evolved of you.”
“The last thing either of us wanted was trouble with each other. We’ve always been close, and we still are. It’s all good. He knows I wasn’t lusting after his girlfriend when they were together. That would’ve been a totally different ballgame.”
“True.” Finn stood Liam up and let him bounce on rubbery legs. “Could I ask you something?”
“Anything you want.”
“Do you believe there’s only one person for everyone?”
“No. I don’t believe that. But I do believe that when you find someone who really does it for you, who gets you on every level and who you can’t imagine living without, that you should do everything you can to keep that person in your life.”
“What if that’s not what she wants?”
Adam blew out a deep breath. “That’s a tough one.”
“Yeah, it really is, especially because I can tell the attraction is entirely mutual. But she says she can’t get involved.”
“And she didn’t say why?”
“No, just that she has her reasons.”
Adam thought about that for a minute. “Maybe you could ask her to tell you about the things that are keeping you guys from being together.”
“I’ve tried. She’s not talking about it. Not to me anyway.”
“I’m sorry, Finn.”
“It really sucks. I’ve never felt anything like what happens to me when she’s around. I even told her I would stay on Gansett if she’d just give me a chance. But she said it’s not the right time for her.” Finn sighed. “If it wasn’t for Shane’s wedding, I’d be out of here now. I keep running into her around town. It’s torture.”
“Damn, that does suck. I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but if she’s not into it, there’s not much you can do.”
“I know. I’m working on accepting that.”
Liam spit up a little, and Finn, being a coward when it came to spit-up, handed him over to his dad. Adam cleaned him up like an expert and settled the baby into the crook of his arm, where Liam seemed right at home.
“I’ve never really wanted the wife and kids and picket fence, but after meeting Chloe, I can see why you guys would chuck it all for that life if it meant you got to be with her every day.”
“I can’t imagine life without Abby. When we found out she might not be able to have kids, she wanted to set me free, so I could find someone else who could have babies.”
Finn had never heard that. “Really? What’d you say to that?”
“I said I’d rather be childless with her than have six kids with someone else. I wanted her, not just anyone.”
“I’m so glad it worked out for you guys.”
“I am, too, and it’ll work out for you, Finn. Maybe not with Chloe, but you’ll find your Abby.”
A loud crash startled them. Abby ran into the house, her big brown eyes wide and her face pale. She made a mad dash for the bathroom off the kitchen. The sound of retching echoed through the big house.
“Yikes,” Finn said.
Adam handed the baby over to Finn and got up to check on her.
* * *
Adam knocked on the bathroom door. “Babe? Are you okay?”
“Don’t come in here.”
“I’ve seen you puke before.”
“I mean it, Adam. Do not come in here.”
He went in anyway and found her sprawled on the floor in a pool of vomit. Dear God… “What happened, honey?”
“I was driving home and started to feel sick, and the next thing I knew…” She broke down into sobs. “I told you not to come in here! And where is Liam?”
“With Finn. He’s fine. Let’s get you up and into the shower.”
“I can’t move.”
“I’ll do everything.”
“Please.” The single word was barely more than a whimper. “Just leave me alone. I’ll be fine.”
“Not going to happen, so we can either work together to get you cleaned up or hang out in here until Liam poops himself and Finn freaks out.”
“Adam.”
“I’m right here, sweetheart. What can I do?”
“I’m gonna be sick again.”
He grabbed the trash can and got it to her in the nick of time.
She heaved violently, until there was nothing left but dry heaves.
“You’re kind of freaking me out, Abs. How long have you felt lousy?”
“Twenty minutes. Came on out of nowhere when I was leaving the shop.”
“Let’s get you into the shower.”
“Go check on Liam first.” Her voice was barely a whisper, her face so pale, it scared him. What the hell was this? Adam opened the bathroom door. “You okay, Finn?”
“We’re good.”
Adam returned his attention to Abby. “They’re fine. Come on. Let me help you up.”
She was like a rag doll, but he was able to get her into the shower, where he got completely soaked washing the vomit out of her hair while also holding her up. He left her wet clothes in the bottom of the shower and wrapped her in a towel so he could carry her up to bed.
“Adam… Put me down. You’ll break your back.”
“Hush. I’ve got you. Hold on to me.” He went up the stairs and set her down on their bed. She closed her eyes and was asleep before he finished covering her. Just to be safe, he got the trash can from the master bathroom and put it on the bedside table before going back down to rescue Finn.
“Is she okay?”
“Seems to be for the moment, but you’d better get out of here in case it’s contagious.”
Finn handed the baby back to Adam.
“Thanks for the assist.”
“Happy to help. I hope she’s okay.”
“I hope so, too.” She had to be okay. Adam would make sure of it.
Chapter 17
Finn left Adam and Abby’s, hoping that Adam and the baby wouldn’t get whatever Abby had—and that he wouldn’t either. That’d be just what he needed as he prepared to move home. For a minute, he thought about skipping the fundraiser, but the opportunity to see Chloe had him pointing his truck toward the Sand & Surf Hotel, home to Stephanie’s Bistro.
He was nothing if not a glutton for punishment.
Soon enough, he wouldn’t have to see her anymore. In the meantime, he was hungry for whatever he could get of her. As he pulled into the parking lot at the Sand & Surf, Riley was helping Nikki out of his truck. They waited for Finn to park and walked in with him as he donned the navy blue blazer he’d brought.
“Looking dapper, Finnbar.”
“Thank you, Nicholas. You two clean up rather nicely.”
“We actually made an effort.” She laughed as she glanced up at Riley. “I told him we don’t go out very often and we ought to at least try to be presentable.”
“That’s what happens when you spend an entire winter renovating a house,” Riley said.
“Not sure what we’ll do for entertainment when we finish it.”
Riley barked out a dirty laugh. “I have a few ideas.”
Nikki elbowed him in the gut, drawing an oomph from her beloved.
Riley rubbed his belly. “That wasn’t nice.”
“Hey, I was just at Adam’s, and Abby is really sick. Puking her guts up.”
“Aww, poor thing,” Nikki said. “I was at the clinic today, and Katie said they’ve had a few people in with whatever’s going around.”
“I hope the baby doesn’t get it,” Finn said.
“That would truly suck,” Riley said.
“Yeah.” A pang of fear struck Finn. If anything ever happened to that baby… No. Just no. He couldn’t even bear to think about it. Absorbed in his thoughts of Adam’s family, he almost missed his first glimpse of Chloe, who was surrounded by a group of people. But she was the only one he saw. Resplendent in a black dre
ss with huge red flowers on it, her hair up and her makeup flawless, she looked like she’d just stepped off the pages of Vogue.
“Our Finnbar is gobsmacked,” Nikki said, breaking the spell.
Finn tore his gaze off Chloe to look at Nikki. “What’d you say?”
“I said you’re gobsmacked.”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s British slang for astounded.”
He couldn’t deny that and found himself looking at her again, unable to look away, afraid that if he did, she might disappear. With a sudden, painful urgency, he realized that if she disappeared, if he didn’t see her again, he’d never forget her.
Nikki wrapped her hands around his arm. “You want me to talk to her, Finn?”
“No.” The single word came out more harshly than he’d intended. He knew she meant well, so he softened his tone. “Please don’t.”
“I hate this for you,” she said in the same soft tone.
“I’ll be okay.”
“You should ask her to dance later.”
“Why? So I can make everything worse?”
“Maybe it will make everything better somehow.”
Finn gave her a one-armed hug. “Thanks for caring.”
“I do care. I’ve never had a brother until I had you.”
He kissed her forehead. “You’re incredibly sweet, and I’m thrilled to have a sister to look out for me.”
Riley came over bearing drinks for all of them. Finn had been so focused on Chloe that he hadn’t seen him walk away. “Get your filthy paws off my woman.”
Nikki grasped Finn’s arm. “Ask her to dance. I promise you won’t regret it.”
“Leave him alone, Nik,” Riley said, putting his arm around her.
Finn winked at her. “She’s helping me.”
“No one can help you.”
Leave it to his brother to sum things up. No one had ever amused or aggravated him—sometimes in the same second—the way Riley did.
Their dad and Chelsea joined them a few minutes later. “My sons are looking rather handsome tonight, aren’t they, Chels?”
Chelsea indulged him, as she always did. “Very much so.”
“We’re not twelve anymore, Dad,” Riley said disdainfully.