Page 53 of The Moment He Couldn’t Walk Away

“You need to come for me, Nina. Now.” He thrust into her hard, rolling one of her nipples between his fingers. He felt the tension build inside both of them until it was unbearable, and then she tightened around him and let go.

He joined her, pumping hard into her and riding out his own pleasure. Finch then slumped down on top of Nina.

His heart was thudding hard and his breath rasping out of his mouth. He tried to ease sideways because he was crushing her, but her arms tightened around him, holding him in place.

“I’ll squash you, Nina.”

“Don’t care,” she whispered.

He rolled, taking her with him until she was lying along his body. He thought about what to say as Nina grabbed the covers and pulled them up over them both and then rested her head on his chest, and came up with no words. Instead, he lay there listening to her breathing as it slowed, and minutes later, he knew she was sleeping.

Why that made him smile into the dark, he had no idea, but it did. His body felt relaxed, and sleep began to pull at him too, but he couldn’t allow that to happen.

He knew that, like him, Nina had shit going on in her life, and tonight she’d reached for him to comfort her. That had turned into something more, but neither of them were ready for more.

He lay there for a while longer until he felt her body slump and knew she was in a deep sleep. Then he rolled her gently off him and onto the mattress. She murmured but didn’t open her eyes. Finch pulled the blankets over her body and then stood there with light from the hallway at his back, looking at her.

He’d always known she was beautiful, but tonight she looked like an angel lying there, her blond hair mussed and lips swollen from his kisses. A vulnerable Nina was a dangerous thing for Finch.

She could be trouble for me—or once could have been, he corrected.

He gathered his clothes, then left the room and found Mabel in the living area, eyeing him.

“She’s sleeping. I didn’t murder her,” he muttered, pulling on his clothes. “Go check if you don’t believe me.”

She started cleaning herself, clearly bored with him and the conversation.

Finch left, closing the front door softly behind him. After pulling on his boots outside, he headed for his pickup.

“All good there, Finch?”

“Jesus, Red. You nearly stopped my heart,” Finch said. “What the hell are you doing out here, prowling at this time of night?”

The man was on the sidewalk, thankfully alone.

“It’s 9:30 p.m., bud. Not sure what time you go to bed, but I got a few hours yet. I’m walking, just FYI. Dee likes me to exercise, and I like doing it at this hour. No one’s about wanting a conversation.”

“Okay—good,” Finch said when nothing else came to mind. “Exercise is important.”

“Nina doing all right? Big day for her, and mighty kind of you to bring her home.” Red’s eyes were on Nina’s bedroom window. Thankfully the curtains were closed.

“She’s exhausted,” Finch said.

“I bet. So about you doing bar at girls’ night…?” Red said.

Finch had a feeling that Red knew exactly what he’d gotten up to in Nina’s bed, and this was the price of his silence. “Fine.”

Red smiled. A big wide one. “Dee will be pleased. I’ll tell her to get you a shirt organized.”

“Yay,” Finch muttered and then rolled his eyes as Red put his fingers in the shape of a square. Lyntacks did that instead of hearts like normal people. “And don’t blame me if I pour the drinks too big or lose you money.”

“You don’t fool me, man. You army types can handle most things. See you, Finch, and thanks for looking after our girl.”

He meant it, Finch realized as he walked away. Nina was one of the town’s people, so Red was pleased he’d taken care of her.

“One more thing, bud,” Red added. “Maybe do up your zipper and lace up your boots before you get home.”

Red waved and headed off down the sidewalk. That the man suspected what he’d been up to with Nina was clear, but he wouldn’t tell anyone. Shaking his head, Finch looked at his zipper, which was up, but his boots were unlaced. He got into his pickup and backed out of the driveway.