Untold

by Shannon Richard

  Tripp looked back to her, a severe frown on his face. “He’s a nineteen-year-old boy, Beth. I know what nineteen-year-old boys want. I was one. They are not fine.”

  Finn looked over in the direction Tripp had just been looking to see a young couple in the corner. The boy’s arms were wrapped around the girl’s waist as he smiled down at her, twirling one of her curls around his finger.

  Finn grinned as he looked back and turned to Brie who was also looking in the direction of the couple. “So Hamilton, who you’ve met, is dating Nora, Beth’s eighteen-year-old niece. Tripp, who is in all respects Nora’s stepfather, likes to worry incessantly when it comes to her…or any of those kids.”

  “First off”—Tripp looked to Finn—“wait until you have kids and then you can mock me. Second, are you aware of who Emma came with?”

  “Who?” both Shep and Finn said in unison as they started looking around the room.

  Growing up, their cousin Meredith had always been more like a sister than anything else. So Meredith’s daughter Emma was more like their niece, who they were exceptionally protective of.

  It was Finn who spotted them first. Emma’s back was against the wall as she looked up into Dale Rigels’s face. He had one hand against the wall next to her shoulder, the other at her waist as he leaned down and kissed her.

  “No. Shit.” Shep muttered the words, next to Finn.

  “Nathanial and Finn Shepherd, if either of you go over there, I will hurt you both.”

  The two men turned to see Meredith on Reggie’s arm, both of them with drinks in their hands. As Nate senior and two other part-time bartenders were working that night, Reggie had been given the evening off, but neither Finn nor Shep had known he was bringing Meredith to the charity dinner.

  “OK, first I want to know about how and when that happened.” Finn gestured to Emma and Dale.

  “And second, we’re going to get to this.” Shep indicated Meredith and Reggie.

  “How and when that happened,” Meredith repeated, “was when Dale was at the farm all of last summer.”

  “That was eight months ago.”

  “Exactly.” Meredith nodded. “And you don’t get to ask questions on the second part.”

  Reggie bowed his head just slightly, smiling at the ground. Finn was going to have to question him later, when Meredith wasn’t around. If something was going on with the two of them, there was no way he wasn’t going to say something. Not with everything Meredith had gone through in the last year.

  He didn’t care how big of a hypocrite he was, either.

  “Hey, there’s someone I want you to meet,” Reggie said to Meredith as he looked to a group of people to their left.

  “We’ll be back.” Meredith smiled to the girls. “You two behave,” she added to Finn and Shep with a stern look before she let Reggie lead her away.

  And as two people left the group, two more joined it as Abby and Logan James walked up.

  That evening’s event had been specifically scheduled for a time that hockey players from the Jacksonville Stampede could attend. Logan wasn’t the only player from the team who had come; there were eleven guys there that night who’d wanted to show their support for Dale and the cause.

  Logan had his hand at Abby’s back as they walked up, leaning down and whispering something in her ear that had a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. Finn might think that Brie was the most beautiful woman in the room, but all of his other female friends were tying for second, and Abby was one of them.

  She was wearing a red beaded gown that in no way hid the baby bump at her belly. It was then that Finn had the brief image of Brie pregnant…pregnant with his child.

  “Hello,” Abby said as she looked around the group, her eyes landing on Brie, the only person she hadn’t met before.

  “Abby, Logan, this is Brie.” Finn introduced her.

  “Brie, this is Abby and Logan James.”

  “Oh, it’s so lovely to meet both of you,” Brie said as she shook both of their hands. “And I know you had a big hand in tonight’s event, Abby.” She gestured around the room. “It’s beautiful.”

  When Abby and Logan had met, she’d been doing PR for the hockey team. Now she was working for St. Ignatius, a major hospital in Jacksonville. As this particular event had involved Dale, she’d partnered with Atticus County Hospital to do as much PR for the event as she could. She’d been successful, too. There were over a thousand people there that night and more than three hundred and fifty thousand dollars had been raised before the evening had even started. There was a silent auction going on in the corner that would no doubt pull in some money.

  Then there was the evening’s main event that had created a massive draw from all over. Not only was Liam playing a live concert, but he was doing it with Isaac Hunter. The country duo was a Grammy–winning powerhouse with a massive fan base. People had shelled out a lot of money to see them that night.

  “Thank you. It’s been a good amount of work, but it’s a good cause.”

  “It’s an excellent cause,” Brie agreed. “I’ve also just recently become a hockey fan,” she said to Logan. “Finn has spent a lot of time explaining the game to me.”

  “Good. And your favorite team?”

  “The Stampede of course.”

  “Damn straight.” Logan grinned.

  “Have you guys seen Harper and Liam?” Abby asked, looking around the room.

  “Liam was getting drinks with Bennett and Jax.” Hannah nodded to the bar. “And Harper is checking out the silent auction with Adele, Mel, and Grace.”

  “We’re actually done checking out the silent auction,” Harper said as she and Adele James joined the group. “Mel and Grace went to track down some appetizers.”

  Finn had only met Adele a handful of times, and every time she was dressed to fit into a different era. Tonight she was in a dress that looked like it belonged in the sixties with dark blue lace over white satin. Her brown hair was pinned up in a style fitting the time, the bright red streaks showcased accordingly. But as Adele was head costume designer for a hit period drama, it was no wonder she was a master at fashion in any time period.

  “Brie, this is Adele, Liam and Logan’s little sister.” Finn made the introductions. “Adele, this is Brie.”

  “Oh, lovely to meet you.” They both shook hands.

  “Speaking of drinks”—Logan looked down at his wife—“Red, what do you want?” he asked, using the nickname he’d given her due to her red hair.

  “Ginger ale and cranberry.”

  “Hey, that’s my drink,” Beth said to Abby.

  “Well, then make that two,” Abby told her husband.

  “I’ll go help.” Tripp kissed Beth on the head before he pulled away.

  “You want white wine?” Finn looked down at Brie.

  “Please.” She nodded.

  “Oh, me too.” Hannah said to Shep.

  “We’ll be back.” Finn flexed his hand on Brie’s hip before he let go and went with the guys to the bar.

  * * *

  Brie watched Finn walk through the crowd, looking at the back of him in that tux. It was almost as nice as the front of him. She turned back to the group of girls, now consisting of Hannah, Harper, Adele, Abby, Paige, and Beth. As was the usual whenever Brie and Finn were around his family or friends, they were all silently observing.

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” Hannah said as everyone else shook their heads. “You two are just fascinating to watch, that’s all.”

  Paige looked between Abby and Adele. “Brie here has tamed Finn.”

  “I have not tamed Finn.” Brie shook her head.

  “Oh, yes she has,” Harper immediately disagreed.

  “Really now?” One of Adele’s dark eyebrows shot high. “Do tell. I could use some pointers.”

  “Who are you trying to tame?” Paige asked.

  “No one in particular. It’s just good to know these things. So what tricks can you impart to the only single
girl in this circle.”

  “Oh, Finn and I aren’t together. I mean, that is to say, we are together here. Just not together permanently.”

  “I don’t exactly know what that means.” Abby looked confused.

  Heat infused Brie’s cheeks. Yeah, that wasn’t the best explanation; it was just an odd thing to explain. “I’m not from Mirabelle. I’m only in town for a couple of months to deal with an estate that I was left.”

  “So you and Finn are only together for as long as you’re in town?” Adele asked for clarification.

  “Yes.”

  “You know,” Adele started to say, her entire focus on Brie, “you can tell me to shut up if this is going too far for the first five minutes of meeting you, but Brie? That man did not look at you like he was only in this for a couple of months.”

  “Oh, good, even outside observers see it,” Beth said.

  “I…I mean…I care about him.”

  Care? Really? Was that it? Or was it well past that point? Was she in love with him? It was the first time she’d asked herself that question. Actually, it was the first time she’d allowed herself to ask that question.

  “But I’m not staying here.” Brie wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince with that statement anymore.

  She couldn’t stay in Mirabelle…could she? Did Finn even want her to stay? Was it possible that he loved her? When they’d started this whole thing there’d been an expiration date attached to it. The promise of no strings…but now things were stringy.

  Oh, who was she kidding? They’d been stringy for a while now.

  And don’t get her wrong. She knew she felt something for this man that she’d never felt for anyone in her life before. She wasn’t impulsive, and she never really led with her heart. She’d always led with her mind. Well, before him that was the case.

  It was different. Everything was different with him. And what exactly was it that she felt for him? She wasn’t quite ready to fling herself off that cliff…yet.

  “Ladies,” Shep announced as all of the men, along with Mel and Grace, joined the group again. The sudden onslaught of new people effectively shut down the conversation they’d been having.

  Not that Brie would’ve been voicing any of the thoughts that were now rolling around in her head. Finn slid into place next to her again, handing her a glass of white wine before his free hand moved to wrap around her lower back.

  “Thank you.” She looked up at him, still trying to process.

  His eyes narrowed on her face. “You OK?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.” She nodded slowly.

  “A toast,” Logan said, drawing everyone’s attention.

  Finn’s focus lingered on Brie’s face for a moment longer before they both turned to look at Logan, too.

  “To getting kids the medical help they need, and to everyone who put this event together.”

  “Cheers!” Everyone clicked their glasses together before they all took sips of their drinks. But Brie had to stop herself from downing her wine in one go.

  Was she in love with Finn? Was she really and truly in love with a man for the first time in her life? The kind of love where she’d give up everything to be with him? The kind of love to build a life on? The kind of love to last a lifetime?

  * * *

  Something was up with Brie, Finn knew it. He didn’t think it was bad, just that she was in her head for most of the dinner, doing way more listening than talking. He wanted to know what was in her head. Wanted to know what she was thinking about.

  But he always wanted to know what she was thinking about.

  Once they were done with dinner, her hand moved to his knee, her fingers moving back and forth and driving him out of his ever-loving mind. Which was entirely typical whenever she had her hands on him.

  He was pretty sure she was OK, but he wanted a moment alone with her, a moment where they could talk.

  He leaned over, his mouth moving to her ear. “You want to dance with me?”

  Brie turned to look at him. “No one is even on the floor yet.” That was because everyone was waiting for the dessert course; not only that, but none of the evening’s musicians were on stage yet. The song currently playing through the speakers was a female musician talking about someone never letting her go. It sounded pretty perfect to Finn.

  “I know. Doesn’t mean we can’t go out there.”

  “You’re right, it doesn’t.”

  Finn stood, and Brie gave him her hand as he pulled her up beside him and led her out to the empty dance floor. Eyes followed them as they moved through the room, but the second he had her in his arms, everyone else disappeared. In a room of over a thousand people, it was just the two of them.

  “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asked her.

  “You have, indeed.”

  “Just checking.” He spun her around in a slow circle before he pulled her back in close. “You having a good time?”

  “I am.”

  “You’ve been quiet. What are you thinking about?”

  She didn’t hesitate before she said, “You.”

  “What about me?”

  “I’m glad I met you.” She reached up, her hand on his jaw, thumb rasping against the scruff of his beard. “I’m glad I walked into that bar and you were there.”

  “I’m glad I was there, too.”

  “I was also thinking that I like the way we dance.”

  It was then that the song ended, and Brie stretched up, pressing her mouth to his. Before their kiss had ended, the sound of a piano playing filled the air, chords that Finn recognized immediately.

  When he and Brie pulled apart it was to see Liam onstage, and he started to sing Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

  Neither of them said another word as they started to dance again. People began to get up from their seats and file onto the floor. But like before, everyone else disappeared, and it was just Finn and Brie moving together, alone in a room filled with a thousand people.

  * * *

  It was close to midnight when they got back to the house. They stood on the porch while Frankie walked around the yard, sniffing everything in sight. Brie’s hands were on the railing while Finn had his arms wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder.

  There was a spell over them. A spell that had been over them since they’d started dancing. A spell that hadn’t broken in the last few hours.

  Brie had decided she wasn’t going to contemplate any life-changing questions. She’d made that decision when Finn had asked her to dance. Instead she let herself just be in the moment with him, be in the moment and not worry about a thing.

  Choosing not to overthink something like if she was in love with him wasn’t the easiest thing she’d ever done. But as per usual, Finn had the ability to make her forget about everything except him, even when she didn’t ask him to do it.

  Frankie was heading back up the stairs not five minutes later, her big paws hitting the boards and echoing through the cool spring air.

  “Come on.” Finn grabbed Brie’s hand and led her back into the house, locking up before he pulled her upstairs.

  She hadn’t known it was possible to be completely and totally comfortable anywhere in Mirabelle, but she was in Finn’s house. She could breathe easy there, could just be.

  When they got to his bedroom they took their time undressing each other. Finn was down to his black pants, Brie running her hands across his chest and over his arms, before he reached behind her and pulled down the zipper of the skirt of her dress. It fell down her thighs and legs, puddling on the floor at her feet. He let his eyes move over her body once, lingering on her black lace thong for a moment, before he moved his hands up to the snaps at the back of her top. Once those were all undone and the material pulled away, he grabbed her hips and took a step forward, pressing his bare chest to hers.

  “I’ve never wanted a woman the way I want you. Sometimes it’s so much I can barely control it. T
his constant need for you is something I’ve never known.”

  “Finn.” She whispered his name as she stretched up and pressed her lips to his. “I’ve never experienced anything like it, either.” It was in that moment that she was almost certain she never would again. Not to this extent. “Make love to me.”

  The rest of their clothes hit the floor in quick succession and Finn lay Brie down on the bed, covering her with his solid body. He kissed his way down her throat, over her chest, and across her belly before he pulled her legs apart and covered her with his mouth.

  It took him absolutely no time at all to get her writhing and moaning, gasping for air, and then screaming his name as she came…twice. She could barely breathe when he was done, kissing his way back up her body.

  He made a move to reach for the nightstand but she caught his hand.

  “No. I don’t want anything between us. I…I’m on birth control.”

  His eyes widened at her words, his nostrils flaring as he took a deep breath through his nose. “Brie, baby.” His forehead came down, resting against hers. “Are you sure?”

  She’d never been more sure of anything in her life. She’d also never had sex without her partner wearing a condom before, but she wanted to now, with him. Wanted him to be the first man she’d ever been with without barriers.

  “I want to feel you inside of me, Finn. I’m clean.”

  “I’m clean, too.” He pulled up to look down into her face, the look he gave her one of complete adoration.

  “I trust you,” she whispered, reaching down and wrapping her hand around his bare cock and lining him up with her entrance. “I trust you, Finn.” She repeated the words before he thrust into her.

  Brie almost sobbed at the sensation, whereas Finn let out a long low groan.

  “You’re perfection.” He closed his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers again, breathing deep as he tried to steady himself.

  It was a moment before he started to move with deep, slow strokes. The pleasure he built inside of her was mind numbing, otherworldly. Her hands gripped his biceps, nails digging into his muscles. Her legs were wrapped around his waist, feet at the small of his back. Each time he pulled in and out of her, he rocked her body. The speed built, intensity ratcheting up, the pleasure building.