by Lyra Parish
"Nice outfit," he said raising an eyebrow. "Not what I would have chosen, but it suits you."
I scoffed. "Fuck off, Mr. Felton."
I stood frozen in his presence, and I needed to decide my next move as Mr. Sex-on-legs stalked toward me like a lion in the jungle claiming his next victim.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you, Miss Downs."
"No." I hesitated. "I wouldn't."
Finnley wrapped his arms around my waist, and I wanted to push him away, but my body responded instantly. I shuddered. Stupid body betrayed my commands again. Damn it.
"You're a horrible fucking liar, Miss Downs," he whispered over my lips. His breath lingered on my skin, causing my heart to race. The thought of his family in the next room caused my nerves to go haywire as his hand trailed up my leg, lifting my skirt just enough for him to feel the lace edges of the panties under my dress.
"Mmm." He slid his fingers under the little string that held them to my thighs and grabbed them in his fist. When he ripped the fabric from my body, a stinging sensation brought me back to reality. The electricity of his ferocity mingled with my want, my need, for him. I was weak as much as I wanted to be strong, and I felt my wall crumbling. He dangled the broken white lace in front of my face, smiled, then tucked it in his pocket. A gleam of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
"You bastard," I said.
"I've warned you about those names already. Think of something better, Miss Downs. Be fucking original." He grabbed my ass with a hard hand, and I moaned, but not so loud as to be overheard. His lips and teeth traced along my neckline and he pulled skin, causing small spikes of pain to course through me. I forced myself to pull away.
"Mr. Felton, dick hole, stop. You're being disrespectful, and I don't want this."
He laughed. "Dick hole? Wouldn't that be you, Miss Downs? I've found your smart-ass mouth continuously says one thing, but your body says another. So, which is it?"
He grabbed another handful of ass, and I moaned into his chest and squeezed my legs together. When I thought I might fuck him on the rug in his mother's living room while chatter drifted from the kitchen, Finnley moved away from me. He grabbed his wine from the table, moved to the piano, and sipped. I moved my skirt over my bare ass, crossed my arms, and pursed my lips. Sometimes he really was a bastard.
Then that sinister smile overtook his whole body. The one that made my insides tingle with delight. The one that said you're fucking mine and I know it. Finn enjoyed the way my body responded to his slaps, grabs, his dirty fucking words and snarky comments. Control. He had it, even though I tried to tell myself he didn't.
I looked at him and mouthed, 'Stop, or you'll be fucking sorry.'
He slowly shook his head and mouthed back, 'Not a chance.'
The impulse to touch him was too much, but somehow I resisted. I contemplated going to him and fucking him on the piano bench. It had been too long since I had felt Finnley Felton or had his bare skin press against mine. When I made the decision to play his mind fuck, that I would tease him and make him beg for me to stop, a clearing of a throat stopped me in my tracks. We both turned our heads, and Luke stood with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Dinner's ready, join us?" Luke winked at me. I shook my head at him and scowled. Of course, he smiled. I still couldn't believe he was in on this the whole time.
"Shall we?" Finnley said, and slapped my ass before we entered into the dining area. I turned and conjured the best go-to-hell-and-I-hope-I-am-going-with-you look that I could.
Smells of fresh herbs lingered. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I saw all the deliciousness that filled the table.
"Mum always cooks way too much," Luke said.
Finnley pulled a seat from the table for me to sit. Franklin and Emma smiled as Finn sat beside me. They were proud parents and had every right to be. They had raised two very fine men, although at this moment, I wanted to curse out both of them.
We passed around salad, roasted chicken, and vegetables.
"I didn't know you made my favorite," Luke said, as Emma brought out a plate of cookies.
"I know how you and Finnley completely rave over Grandmum’s recipe. Since I have you both home, I thought, why not?"
Finnley gave me a side-glance. I ignored him and cut into my chicken. The flavors filled my mouth, meaty and delicious, and not like anything I had ever tasted.
"So, Jennifer. Won't you tell us a bit about yourself?"
I wiped my mouth with the napkin and made sure not to put my elbows on the table. I felt like I was back in the training room, and I was being asked The Elite questions that I had memorized.
"Oh, sure. I was born in Texas. Graduated from the University of Houston and recently moved to Vegas."
She continued to smile. "And how did you meet my sons?"
Finnley grabbed my leg, and I paused, but then continued.
"Actually, I met Finnley at the Bellagio when I came into town."
"Really? That's interesting. Almost like fate or something."
She had no idea.
"Yeah, sorta. After my parents passed away, I… well, I wanted change."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Emma said.
Then Franklin spoke. "I think all of us here have lost someone we've loved at one point in our life. It seems you met Finnley at the right time."
"So, Texas… is it true what they say? Is everything bigger there?" Emma asked.
I laughed, and everyone else laughed as well.
"If you only knew," I said. "Actually, you should visit one day. There is a beautiful bed and breakfast in my hometown. It's by the Neches River. I lived really close to Louisiana. You should experience the Cajun-French food, and Texas delicacies like gumbo, chicken and dumplins, bacon covered donuts."
I gave Luke a glance, remembering the time we shared. Then Emma looked over at Franklin, and they shared a smile. They were so in love with one another, it was sweet. It kind of reminded me of the way my parents acted.
Luke favored his dad: dark hair, blue eyes, and a strong jaw. They even had the same laugh. Emma loved Franklin tons. I knew once Luke found a partner, their love wouldn't be any different from his parents. Some men are easy to love.
"Thanks so much for dinner. Seriously, it was the best I've ever had," I said to Emma. Everyone stood, and she began clearing the plates from the table.
"Thanks, Lovely. Finn, you better keep her around. I like her," Emma said, as I grabbed the plates from the table and followed her to the kitchen.
"I plan on it," Finnley said.
Of course the bastard did.
"You can set it there," she said. I placed the dishes in the sink, and before I walked out Emma stopped me.
"Jennifer."
"Yes ma'am?"
"I've not seen Finnley act this way in a long while. I know how he can be hard sometimes. But he really is a brilliant man. Take care of him," she said then reached over and gave me a big hug.
Take care of him? His mother should be saying a silent prayer for me, because her son was an animal. Finnley, and taking care of, didn't go together.
I walked back to the dining room, and Luke helped grab more dishes.
"Finn fired Jesse," Luke whispered.
My movements slowed.
"What? For what?" I tilted my head and looked at him.
"For sexual harassment."
"Toward who?"
"Finnley."
I burst into laughter, but swallowed it back when Luke put his finger over his mouth. What were the damn odds of her being fired for sexually harassing Finnley? Fucking hilarious.
"So it really was just incredibly horrible timing?"
"I'd say so. Apparently he was furious beyond belief."
A smile crept across my face. Oh, how I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when he fired her. I imagined the hard look in his eyes and the harsh words he spoke. When it came to business, Finnley was nothing but serious, ruthless, professional, and cold. But Jesse deserved to see that side of him. I would
n't be surprised if she planned the whole thing, and made sure the timing was perfect in hopes of sabotaging me. When I left that building, jealousy reared its ugly head, accompanied by self-doubt. I trusted Finnley, didn't I? He was faithful to me, wasn't he?
I stifled a laugh. I bet it chapped her ass to know that we had one thing in common: being fired from The Elite. Unfortunately for her, I got the last laugh. Momma always said not to rub things in people’s faces or say 'I told you so' because it wasn't very polite, but at that moment, I wanted to.
Finnley leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed as Luke and I finished clearing the table. I made eye contact with him as he watched me hungrily. After the dishes were cleared and washed, Franklin made coffee for everyone, and we took our conversations to the living room.
Twenty-two
Emma brought a tray of biscuits, or cookies as I call them, to the sitting area where Finnley sat relaxed, reading a magazine, and Luke spoke with his father about his upcoming project. We were each given a saucer with a biscuit, and when I took a bite, I couldn't hold back a smile. I had tasted them before.
"These are delicious," I said, and shifted my eyes toward Finnley.
"It's a secret recipe passed down from my great-great grandmum," Emma said. Luke bit into one, sipped his coffee, and continued to talk with his father.
"I've had them before," I said.
"I don't think so. It's an extremely secret recipe," Emma insisted.
"She's had them," Finnley said and sipped.
Emma set the cup down, interlocked her fingers together, and glared at Finn, almost as if she couldn't believe it.
"Jennifer, they tasted exactly like this?"
I nodded my head. They had, I couldn't lie.
"I thought you said you couldn't get the recipe right," she said to Finn.
"I practiced until they were perfect. Just like yours and grandmum’s."
"Did you find the ingredient you were missing?"
"I did," Finnley replied and set his cup down as well.
"I was over-mixing, trying to stay within the lines, and following the recipe exactly. But I realized that I couldn't do it precisely like the directions. I had to give a little here and there, and mix it until I thought it was done, not a specific time limit or number of mixes. Once I did that… they were perfect." He laughed and smiled with his mother. He loved her so much.
"Very good, Finn. I'm so proud of you and impressed. All it takes is a little love to get it right," Emma said and lifted an eyebrow at me.
My heart pounded in my chest. Seeing Finnley like this, relaxed, talking about recipes and reading magazines, was different. No smart-ass mouth, no dirty words or fancy clothes. Finnley wasn't being uptight, but rather normal. Every piece of my body wanted to run to him and kiss him. He wasn't being Finnley fucking Felton, the most fuckable CEO, but rather his mother and father's son, a brother, and most of all, a man that any woman could fall in love with.
We finished, and before Finn sat down his cup, he looked over at me with a blazing fire in his eyes.
"I've got something to show you," he whispered.
I shot him a confused look.
"My old bedroom. Hasn't changed since the day I left home twelve years ago."
All eyes were on me and I blushed. I had to play the part: the girl he brought home to meet the parents. He stood, and I followed. We climbed the stairs, and he barely waited for me.
When we rounded the corner, he opened the door to the room at the end. Inside were posters of soccer players on the wall and a keyboard in the corner. Finnley sucked in a deep breath and turned on me.
"The way you looked at me downstairs," he said. Then his lips were on mine and he was backing me up against the wall. Every sense and emotion heightened. He threaded his fingers through my hair and kissed me so hard my lips hurt. Want, need, desire, they all overtook me.
I kissed him greedily as I unbuttoned his pants. Every inch of him was excited and wanted me. He tugged my hair toward him, pulled me closer, and forced me to look into his eyes. I was like air, and he couldn't breathe me in fast enough. He pulled my dress up to my waist. Luckily, he'd already removed my panties, or rather put them in his pocket as a good luck charm.
When he inserted himself into me, I gasped. All of him, every inch of him, filled me, and he moaned in my ear as he pushed deeper into me. We couldn't have enough of each other. I needed him so much. We moved with one another, and he became more animalistic and rough with me, and I wanted it. Oh God, I needed it. I swallowed down moans, as my emotions rose and collapsed on themselves like waves at sea.
I ran my fingers through his hair and pulled him closer. Hot breath danced on my skin. I needed more of him as my orgasm teetered on edge, and he whispered dirty things in my ear.
"You're so fucking beautiful," he said over my mouth. I smiled at his words.
"I've been thinking about this moment for days," he said.
"I've missed you. I've wanted you so bad since the last time I saw you. I couldn't stop thinking about you," I whispered in his ear.
"Oh God. You fucking drive me crazy. I… need more of you. What are you doing to me?"
I grabbed his hair in my fists. As I came, I released a loud moan. Finnley covered my mouth with his hand and gave me a tender kiss. I thought I might melt into him. Then he came too and leaned his head into the softness of my neck.
"I can never have enough of you," he whispered in my ear.
"Satisfaction guaranteed," I said.
"Isn't that my line, Miss Downs?"
Back to the Miss and Mr.
I lowered my dress, as pure satisfaction washed over me. The lust I craved had temporarily been met. Keyword being temporarily. Our desires had been so strong that neither one of us could resist. Sometimes Finnley said the things I wanted to hear, and they caught me off guard. It really was about the chase, wasn't it?
I couldn't find the words to respond, so I just kissed him. His hands tugged at my waist. He poured out his emotions through his touch. It was magical and overpowering. The feeling was almost suffocating, to know that he really did want me. The man that could have any woman in the world wanted me. Truth was, he had me from hello or rather from 'get the fuck out'.
I moved from the wall and studied the room where young Finn learned to be the man that he was today. My hands glided across the trophies and medals. Finn stood in the corner and watched my every move.
"Am I the first girl you've ever had in your room, Mr. Felton?"
"Oddly enough, yes. You're the first girl I've ever fucked in my parents' house."
I turned around and looked at his wild fuckable hair. Eyes that read my shock like an open book. Finnley wrapped his arms around me and softly murmured, "And it won't be the last."
He pulled away, searched my face, and trailed his lips across my mouth. Sweet breath inebriated me. When I closed my eyes to lean into his kiss, the door creaked open.
"Finnley, what have I told you about leaving the door open with girls in your room?" his mother asked.
He looked at me with unspoken words and then laughed. The thrill of what we had just done encapsulated me.
We broke apart from one another. Finn's hands trailed down my arm, and he interlocked his fingers with mine.
"Sorry." He said it with a sweet innocent smile on his face, knowing that he had fucked me on the wall right next to where his mother stood.
"I've been missing saying that to you. Carry on lovebirds, but not too long. The next train leaves within the hour, and Luke must return tonight."
"Alright, we're coming."
Once his mother left the room I added, "Again?"
"Soon."
We walked down the stairs. Franklin's face was red, and laughter completely overtook his body, so much so that I laughed because he was. Finnley looped his pinky with mine, just a little reminder that he was there. When Luke looked over at us, Finn glazed over and forced back all emotions.
Their burning love for o
ne another made me wish I had a brother or sister. Someone to share my life with: family. Being with his made me miss mine that much more. Sometimes I felt like a ship lost at sea, adrift at night, with no one to rescue me. Though I knew that was ridiculous.
Luke once told me that family was nothing more than the company we kept, and the people we loved, with love being the key word.
Twenty-three
Luketon and Finnley took turns hugging Emma and Franklin, who then hugged me.
"It was so nice to meet y'all," I said.
"You're so cute, Jennifer. You're welcome back at any time," Emma said.
"Take care of her, son. And don't be too much of a bloody arsehole," Franklin said.
Finnley hugged his dad, and Franklin squeezed his shoulders. "I'm serious. If I catch wind of you being you, we will both be on a plane to the states to knock some sense into you. Luketon, make sure of it."
"Alright, alright. Love you, dad, mum," Finn said.
"I'll be back this weekend," Luke said and grabbed his coat, then hugged his mother and father goodbye. We said our final goodbyes and the three of us walked to the car that awaited us. I had the pleasure of sitting in the middle of the two in the backseat. Talk about awkward.
Luke finally spoke. "Told you she wouldn't bite."
"But she could have," I responded, and turned my body slightly toward him and whispered, "and why didn't you warn me that he would be there?"
"Because he told me not to," Luke said.
"Do you always listen to what he says?" I asked.
There was no response, so I continued, "Not warning me was wrong."
Finnley cleared his throat, and when I turned to look at him, I saw his reflection in the window. He smiled. That bastard. I smiled, too.
I crossed my arms and leaned back in the seat.
"You both suck."
Finnley whispered in my ear, "Out of the three of us, I'm positive you're the only one that sucks anything."
He wrapped his arm around me and snuggled in close. I breathed in his smell and soaked in his warmth.
"You're such an asshole for that," I said to him.