by J. Bengtsson
“That was dumb of me. I’m so sorry. How about this: you can ask one question about Finn to ease your stress.”
It took a full thirty seconds for him to accept my offer, but once the lopsided smile formed on his face, I knew I’d been forgiven.
“Did you have sex with the wall-scaling, stuntman hitchhiker?”
“Jake,” I laughed, smacking him in the arm. “That’s personal.”
“Yeah, like my shit’s not? Besides, you said anything, and if you don’t come clean, then I won’t forgive you for ruining my day.”
“Okay, fine. Sort of.”
“Sort of?”
Our eyes met, and his widened in surprise.
“What? You asked.”
Jake and I ended our talk on good terms, although I didn’t get any more out of him than Casey had. As we headed back out, I saw that Dad and the guys were back from their excursion. I took a deep breath. Finn had to go now, before any more damage could be done. Dad was clearly getting too attached, and Mom was one step away from booking the church.
Inhaling deeply and drawing on a reserve of courage I wasn’t sure I had, I walked up to the group. Finn emerged from the middle of it, smiling widely, with the most pleased expression on his face. In his arms was the giant floppy-eared dog he’d failed to win last night. He held it out for me. Mom gasped, slapping her hand over her mouth, eyes starry with admiration for my curly-haired suitor.
And his sincere gesture hadn’t just impressed my mother. The butterflies that had broken loose in my belly fluttered to my throat, rendering me speechless. This wasn’t just a cheap stuffed animal he was offering me. No, this was Finn showcasing the type of earnest man I’d be getting if I were lucky enough to snag a guy like him; and, in turn, he was making it virtually impossible for me to crush him. I couldn’t beat this guy. He was just that good!
“For you,” he said, to the oohs and ahs of the females in our group. Kenzie even elbowed Kyle in the ribs, clearly indicating to my brother that he was lacking in grand romantic gestures.
“How?”
“Well, first I emptied my savings account, and second, I took your advice and aimed for the hole.” By the amusement dancing across his face, it was clear Finn was pleased with himself. And so he should have been. He’d given me something no man before him had been able to give me: hope.
“You are… I just don’t know what to say. You’re something special, Finn. Thank you for this.” I stepped up to him, wrapped a hand around the nape of his neck, and pulled him in for a kiss. Another excited yelp escaped through my mother’s self-muzzled mouth. Even her irksome reactions weren’t enough to sour my mood.
“You’re welcome. And just so you know, I checked and he’s got no extra sex organs.”
“That’s disappointing.” I said. “At least he has the whole constipated look going for him.”
“I know, I noticed that too.”
“I guess the only thing we have left to do is name him.”
“Oh,” Finn’s face fell. “Your dad already did… he insisted… said it was the tradition.”
“Great.” I nodded in resignation. “What is it?”
“Stan.”
“Yes, of course it is.”
Finn, Stan, and I broke off from the group. As much as I’d wanted to go our separate ways only minutes earlier, now I couldn’t bear to let him go.
“This dog is so uncomfortable to carry,” I said, struggling to keep it from dragging on the ground. “His legs are all splayed out in a weird way.”
“Sort of reminds me of you last night on the Ferris wheel.”
“Minus the pervy carnival guy.”
He nodded. “Maybe we should put the dog in your car.”
“My car’s at the hotel, and I seriously doubt an Uber will pick us up with this bad boy.” An idea struck me. “Follow me. I know what we can do with Stan the Spread-Eagled Doggie Man.”
The two of us, with Stan now riding on Finn’s shoulders, made our way into the back lot and, after a check by security, were allowed to enter the bus area. Jake’s was front and center, of course. Much to Finn’s shock, I opened the door.
“Is this Jake’s tour bus?” he asked, with stars in his eyes.
“It is,” I said, stepping in. “Come on.”
“Are you allowed in?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Yeah, I guess I’m still wrapping my brain around the idea that he’s your frickin’ brother, sorry.”
Finn jumped the two steps, depositing himself beside me instantly.
I shook my head. Broken ribs, my ass!
Taking a quick look around the bus caused Finn to lose his shit. He started gushing like a little girl at a Bieber concert.
Before I could respond, Jake’s driver, Lassen, came out from his hibernation in the front of the bus, and Finn jumped, immediately trying to explain himself.
“Relax. He’s friendly… sort of. Lassen, this is Finn.”
“The superhero?”
“Uh, well, yes, I guess that would be me,” Finn said, stepping in to shake hands.
“Are you coming to the concert tonight?” I asked Lassen.
“Probably not,” he said in a gruff voice.
“Why not? You spend all your time in here. You didn’t even want a hotel room. Come on. The whole family’s here. We want your company. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, your presence at the concert was on Dad’s birthday list.”
“Oh, right. Uh-huh. I’ll think about it.”
“Do that.”
“So what are you two doing in here anyway?” Lassen asked.
“We have a little prank we want to play on Jake.”
Finn whipped his head around. “We do?”
“Just go with it,” I whispered.
Lassen glanced between us, no doubt deciding if he should allow such shenanigans, before grumpily retreating back to his den. “Do whatever you want, but leave me out of it.”
Feeling astonishingly light and playful, I saluted Lassen before turning my attention to my pet dog.
“All right, Stan,” I said, carrying him to the bathroom. “Let’s give Jake a night to remember.”
Pleased by our efforts, Finn and I collapsed on the sofa in the tour bus. Sitting comfortably against each other shoulder to shoulder, we both laughed together at the hilarity of our prank.
“You, Blondie, have an evil streak,” he complimented, comfortably tapping fingers on my thigh. “I like it.”
“Nothing makes me happier than messing with the boys. Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“What did you mean earlier about your mom not being legitimate?”
He grinned. “How did I know you’d remember that? Nothing escapes you, does it?”
“No. Unfortunately. It’s a curse.”
“I come from an unconventional family. My mother wasn’t around much for me growing up.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, covering my fingers over his and entwining them. Why I thought it was a perfectly normal way to comfort a virtual stranger, I can’t say, but I felt a level of comfort with Finn that had never been present with anyone else.
“I’m not complaining, Emma. My mom was young when she had me. She did the best she could.”
“You’re very forgiving. I wish I could be more like you.”
“You seem to have a great relationship with your mom.”
“It would seem that way, wouldn’t it?”
Surprised, Finn looked to me for clarification. Thankfully, Kyle came clomping through the bus at that very moment, saving me.
“What the…” He stopped abruptly. “What are you doing here?”
“Just setting a little trap for Jake.”
Kyle glanced at the two of us before breaking into a smile. “Nice. Where?”
“Bathroom.”
My brother went off to investigate, and Finn and I high-fived our handiwork. What he would find there, and Jake shortly thereafter, was a five-foot-tall st
uffed dog wrapped in a bath towel, a shower cap over his floppy ears, with a dollop of Casey’s blue facial mask slathered on his cheap fur. For presentation, we chose to have him peering out from inside the shower cabin with his beady-eyed plastic stare and elongated, panting tongue. The sheer size alone was enough to raise an unsuspecting recipient’s blood pressure.
“Jesus, that thing’s creepy,” Kyle said, rejoining us in the kitchen. “Jake will surely appreciate it.”
Having found a good home for Stan, we made our way back to the hotel to get ready for the concert. Finn had been all hands on deck with me in the back of the cab, so much so that the driver had adjusted his rearview mirror to get a better look at the action. And it was action. I was losing complete control of the situation. I knew what I needed to do – keep the relationship purely platonic – but my body was not agreeing. We’d barely made it into the hotel room before Finn had me pinned down on the sofa, kissing his way down my neck. The soft touch of his lips flittering on my skin sent a sensual vibration down my spine.
“Finn.”
He leaned back, entangling his fingers in mine. “Do you want this?”
“Yes, but…”
“If you don’t want to, tell me and I’ll stop. Otherwise, turn your damn brain off and let’s get it on.”
His hands dipped between my legs as he made his impassioned plea, and I quivered at his touch.
“Don’t stop,” I said, panting. “It’s off. My brain. I turned it off.”
That was all Finn needed to hear, for as soon as my words were uttered, he pulled the shirt over my head and started kissing his way up. His lips danced along my neckline as his fingers continued to please. Shivers rattled through my body as his lips drifted down to my breast. Lingering there for a moment, perhaps waiting for my next move, Finn continued kissing his way around the soft flesh. I realized then that he’d been stalling as he hovered on the line between being a gentleman and tearing my clothes off, so I erased all doubt by unbuckling my bra and then groping him through his jeans. That was the last moment of indecision on Finn’s part. He dropped to his knees. My legs wobbled as he licked the inside of my thigh. Light strokes led the way, and I spread my legs to further welcome him in. Pressing my head against the cushioned sofa, I arched my back as his tongue dipped inside of my opening and tasted my desire. With a hunger, he expertly devoured me, sucking and lapping with an urgency only one committed to the cause could maintain. I moved my hips with him, grinding his mouth, giving in to the pleasure. Finn’s thumb joined with his tongue and the combined effort had me writhing under his expert touch. A few more seconds of the dual assault brought a shivering cry from my lips as a powerful orgasm ripped from my uterus rushed through my body, pouring out into his mouth.
Finn held my legs tight as they trembled and he continued licking the climax from me. My hips jerked and twitched, the climax taking control, until finally it had rushed through every inch of me. Panting on the sofa, I heard the rip of a condom wrapper, and then his warmth was back and his tongue was replaced by his bulging desire. He entered me fully with one solid thrust, and I cried out in ecstasy as my long legs wrapped around him, encouraging ever more powerful thrusts. We rocked together in rhythm as my fingers found his curly hair and I took hold. My god. How had I ever found those locks obnoxious? He was the hottest thing on two legs, and I wanted every bit of him.
Finn took my unbridled desire as further encouragement and dipped his hands onto my ass, pulling me up to meet each thrust. Clinging to him, my arms draped around his muscular back and my legs locked tighter around his hips. The strength of his body and his strong thighs hammering into me sent my body into another frenzied spasm.
“Yes. Yes.”
Finn, his chiseled face contorted with lust, was as wildly out of control as I was, and the two of us tottered dangerously close to the sofa’s edge, but when his fingers found my sex, I unexpectedly exploded around him, my legs shaking with ripples of satisfaction. That was all it took for Finn to let loose, grinding his way to an enthusiastic orgasm and, in turn, pumping us both to the floor in a heap of sweaty arms and legs.
A single drumbeat brought the crowd to their feet as their steady screams drowned out all conversation. Making our way from the shadows, my family filled in the space below center stage, with the roar of the appreciative audience to our backs. Chairs had been set up for those who wanted them, but only Mom, Dad, and Lassen actually took a seat. The rest of us waited with bated breath for the main attraction – my talented brother – to take the stage and start the show. The energy was electric, and Finn stared on in awe. If this was exciting for me, someone who had been in this position many times before, it had to be an indescribable thrill for a newbie like Finn to be this close to the action.
Kyle was sitting on the edge of the stairs, long legs dangling, diligently watching the crowd for jumpers. It was nice to see him taking his job so seriously. Despite our insult-flinging earlier, we were closer than we’d been in years. Much of the tension that existed between us in the past had stemmed from the guilt I carried. I should have done more to ease his suffering all those years ago. We all should have. Even though Kyle had spent his life holding the short end of the stick, he hadn’t let it destroy him, and I was proud of the changes he’d made to improve himself. Competing on the reality show and meeting Kenzie had been a game changer for him. He was calmer now, more at peace. Protecting Jake for real gave him a purpose and maturity that had not been there before.
He caught me staring, and furrowed his brow as if he thought I was judging him. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Feeling such love and admiration for Kyle in the moment, I waved. Surprised, he looked around and then pointed to himself. I nodded, put my hand to my lips, and blew him a kiss. Kyle lifted his arm and caught it before bringing it down to his heart, grinning from ear to ear. He then went back to scanning the audience, but that smile remained.
To thunderous applause, Jake entered the stage and broke out into his first song.
“This is crazy,” Finn said, screaming the words into my ear. “Total insanity. I can’t imagine what it feels like for him up there.”
I pulled his arm tighter around me. After this afternoon, I could feel myself falling for him, and in this moment of excitement, I welcomed everything he had to offer. Noise and lights exploded from every inch of the outdoor arena, and as Jake crossed the stage and belted out a soaring number, I tingled with pride. The excitement was electric, and tonight, with Finn by my side, I was seeing the show in an entirely different light. I’d never fully appreciated the magnitude of Jake’s influence on his fans… or theirs on him.
About an hour into the performance, Jake took a break from the action to talk to the thunderous crowd. Thankfully, he’d cleared his head after our discussion earlier, yet I knew even if he hadn’t, Jake would have faked it. He was nothing if not a consummate professional.
“I just wanted to send a shout out to my father, who’s in the audience tonight. It’s his fifty-fifth birthday today.”
The crowd cheered.
“That’s right. It’s a big accomplishment to live this long, and I was thinking we could really make his day by singing to him. What do you say?”
More riotous chants.
“Come on up, Dad.”
We all turned to my father, who was staying firmly planted in his chair. It was clear he had no intention of willingly making his way up on stage. For all his blustery bravado, my dad hated the spotlight, and walking up there in front of tens of thousands of people was not his idea of a good time. Of course, that’s what made it funny, and why Jake had volunteered him for the pleasure.
“Let’s go, old man,” Jake prompted from the stage, but Dad shook his head, refusing. “No? Okay, no problem. We’ll wait.”
More chants exploded from the arena, growing in intensity.
“Any day now, Pops. I’ve got a concert to finish up here. You’re making all these good people wait.”
Out of option
s, my father begrudgingly climbed the stairs to the riotous approval of the masses.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Scott McKallister.”
Dad took his bow in front of the adoring hordes.
“Can someone get this man a chair? He’s old.”
Clearly Jake was having fun at Dad’s expense, and I thought it was hysterical – until my father, given a chance to address the audience, dragged us all down with him.
“Since it’s my birthday week,” he said, “I’d like to request my loving children, their significant others, and my lovely wife to come up and sing to me too.”
And we did. All of us swarmed the stage. Finn had been reluctant to join the rest of us, but when my mother hooked her arm in his and led him up, he obediently followed. Together we serenaded my father in the loudest, most off-key song a crowd of thousands could muster. In the end, my dad had been thoroughly thrilled and had decided that a big arena serenade would make his list yearly from here on out.
Just as Finn and I were exiting the stage, Jake grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear, “We’ll be discussing Stan later.”
“Don’t get too attached. I’ll be expecting him back.”
“Oh, you’ll be getting him back, I promise.”
The wicked smile on his face told me Stan would be making a later appearance in the most unwelcome of ways.
As the concert wound down, Finn hugged his arm around my waist. The lights crisscrossed the stage and the pounding beat could be felt in every curve of my body. Finn’s embrace was the final touch to an incredible day. He squeezed me tight as he nuzzled my neck.
“Are you thinking again?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“You worry me when you do that.”
“Sorry. It’s a nasty habit of mine.”
“Promise you won’t get all freaky on me tonight. This whole day has been perfection, Emma. Let’s keep the streak going.”
“Okay, I promise.”
16
Emma, 2004: Night Terrors