Rhythm by Marie Lipscomb
Chapter Twenty-Five
Beth
Sadie and Finn chatter away about Vixen’s Wail as the three of them sit snugly in the back of a cab. Their burgeoning friendship makes Beth happy, but the question of what will happen once Sadie gets out at her home weighs heavy in the back of her mind.
They’ve held hands all night, laughed and talked and exchanged glances which ignited fire in the pit of her stomach, but there’s always the possibility he wants to take it slow. She wouldn’t mind, and without a doubt he’s worth the wait, but if that’s the case, she’s going to have to figure out how to get an industrial sized shipment of batteries.
The cab’s brakes squeak as it comes to a stop outside Sadie’s house. “It was awesome to meet you, Finn.” She grins as she collects her purse and opens the door. “Be good to her, okay?”
“Of course,” Finn smiles and waves as she closes the door.
The meaning behind Sadie’s smirk isn’t subtle at all. She turns on her heel and heads up her driveway.
Finn releases a heavy breath as the cab pulls away, and his grip on Beth’s hand tightens. “That was terrifying.”
Beth chuckles. “Sadie?”
“Yeah.” He turns toward the window, his throat flexing as he swallows.
“You did good. She likes you.” He turns to face her, and knocks the air from her lungs. She’ll never get used to how handsome he is. Her eyes drift down to his lower lip, soft and unfairly suckable. God, she misses it. “Not as much as I like you.”
“Good to know.”
He holds her gaze and the air in the cab grows thick.
Just ask him. The worst he can say is no.
“Do you…” Her stomach tenses as his thumb strokes her finger. Her pulse beats in her throat, her vision darkens, and her mouth dries as she summons the courage to ask. “My place?”
His lips part a little as his breath stalls. He gives a barely-perceptible nod. “Sounds good.”
The rest of the ride home passes agonizingly slow. Anticipation blurs the time, spreading seconds into minutes into eternities. The whole time she can’t stop thinking about him, his body, his touch, his lips. By the time they pull up outside her apartment, she’s so turned on she can barely think straight.
She pays the driver, because Finn has already spent too much, and leads him into the building, her body aching as they wait for the elevator.
“It takes forever,” she chuckles to fill the silence.
“It’s worth the wait.”
Her body burns as he takes her hand and raises it to his lips. The bristles of his beard tickle her knuckles as he kisses the back of her hand. His lips linger, and when his warm, brown eyes meet hers, she can hardly breathe. The warmth and softness of his mouth brings back memories of that night, and if the elevator doesn’t get there soon, she’ll pick him up and damn well carry him up the stairs to her apartment.
The elevator’s cheerful ding makes her jump. The doors slide open and they step inside. It takes her a moment to remember which floor she’s lived on for the past seven years.
By the time they get upstairs she doubts she’ll even remember her own name. At least, she hopes not.
Finn
They step into the elevator, and he can’t help but look at them both in the mirrored wall. He takes it as a sign that they both wore nearly the same shade of blue, that they look so darn sweet together.
She takes his breath away in her dress, but then, she looks incredible in pajamas when she’s just woken up, or wrapped up in a coat, telling him to be quiet.
Her hesitation before pressing the button to her floor sows a seed of doubt in the back of her mind. Maybe she doesn’t want this after all.
He clears his throat, and tries not to sound disappointed. “Are you okay?”
She gives a breathless chuckle. “Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
Her thumb jabs the button for the fifth floor.
As the doors close, she steps beside him, the heat from her body pulsing against him. His knees nearly buckle as she smooths the lapel of his jacket. Her fingers are trembling. She turns back to the mirror and smiles. “You’re so handsome.”
Her words wind him. For the first time that night, he lets go of her hand, and steps behind her, maintaining eye contact through their reflections. She leans back, her ass pressing against his hips, and the proverbial ropes binding him, holding him back from bending her over and fucking her right there in the elevator, are frayed to nothing but threads.
He bows his head, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her. He wants to kiss every curve, and every inch of her soft, warm body. There’s over a month of time to make up for, so many nights of wishing and hoping, and he intends to show her how sorry he is for each and every one.
“You’re the most beautiful woman in the world,” he whispers, her neck agonizingly close to his lips.
Her eyes close and lips part as his fingers glide to her waist, pulling her close to him, teasing them both. His breath staggers as she raises her arms, giving him full access to her body. It takes all his willpower not to grasp at her, to fill his hands with her soft, beautiful breasts. His cock is rock solid against her ass.
The elevator jolts as they reach her floor, and as the doors slide open, every atom in his body is burning for her.