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Trembling, she reached for his hand, the despair and loneliness she’d suffered in the last months calling to her—reaching out for his, to share it. To comfort and be comforted. A craving she’d stifled for months.
All the torment. The guilt suffocating her. Suffocating him. When she’d thought he didn’t care she’d wanted to punish him endlessly. Yet he’d buried it just as she had. And where was it getting them? Fate had dealt them a cruel card and unless they moved on all she could see lining the road ahead was endless misery.
Let it go...
Her fingers met his skin and as if she’d zapped him with three thousand volts he jolted backwards.
‘I’ve already warned you once tonight, Serena,’ he said roughly. ‘You touch me right now and I’ll lose it. Won’t be able to stop myself from wanting more.’
The memory of him crouched before her, his hot gaze locked on her lower abdomen, his warm breath teasing over her flesh, sprang up in her mind’s eye and heat drenched her body like a deluge of tropical rain.
‘I...I don’t understand you. Are you still trying to distract me or something? Because you’re wasting your time, Finn, I’m not going anywhere.’
He rubbed at his temple as if she was giving him a migraine. ‘I’m beginning to realise that.’
‘Good. But I still can’t fathom why you want more from me. I’m not—’
His turbulent gaze crashed into her. ‘Not beautiful? Yes, you are. Sexy? More than anyone I’ve ever met.’
Yeah, right. ‘I meant I’m not a woman. Not feminine—stuff like that.’
‘Of course you are—’
‘Er...hello? Slippers?’ While he looked wicked and gorgeous in his devilish tux.
‘In your own unique way.’
‘No. I’m not.’ Was she? ‘Nor do I want to be.’ Unveiling that secret part of her would only bring more vulnerabilities. Weakness.
Finn shook his head, his mouth shaping for speech. Then he seemed to think better of it. ‘Listen; while the best place for you is far away from me, we have to work together, boss-lady. At least until the end of the season.’
Was he saying he wasn’t staying with the team? He must know her dad would want him to.
‘I know that.’ The strike of her conscience made her wince. ‘About the boss thing...’
The ghost of a smile softened his sinful mouth. ‘A slight exaggeration on your part, Miss Scott?’
‘Could’ve been,’ she posed lightly.
‘You’ve got balls, Serena, I’ll give you that.’
Their eyes locked once more and she held her breath. Wishing she could read him better. Hating her lack of experience. By the time he tore his eyes free she felt dizzy from the lack of oxygen.
‘Regardless, we’ll still be seeing a lot of each other, so I suggest we endeavour not to end up alone. Unless...’
‘Unless?’
He shifted on his glossy feet. ‘Unless you ever need...a friend.’ He scrubbed his nape with the palm of his hand. A bit uneasy. A whole lot handsome. ‘That’s what you said, wasn’t it? That you’d lost a friend too? So if you ever need one I’ll be there.’
Oh, great. Now he was being all thoughtful. A little bit wonderful. The last thing she needed.
Friendship was a terrible idea. They clashed like titans. But she wasn’t about to throw his offer in his face. She didn’t have the heart. ‘Okay. It’s a deal.’
With a brief nod he turned to walk away.
‘Finn?’
‘Yeah?’
Am I truly beautiful to you? Did you mean it?
‘Don’t forget,’ she said. ‘You owe me a wish.’
* * *
Finn stripped his jacket from his body, yanked the black tie from his collar and slung them across the caliginous suite. Then he flopped atop the bed, face down, his insides raw and aching from being clawed to shreds.
Withholding the truth hammered at his conscience, making his temples pound until his vision blurred and he prayed for peaceful slumber. Not that he deserved it. The past was catching up with him, slowly but surely.
He’d been so close to telling her everything. Battling with a promise made, an investigation that could blow wide any day, and an insight that she’d been through her own version of hell.
What had happened to his brave little tigress? She’d cleverly derailed him and he’d never met anyone who’d managed that feat. Were they talking emotional or physical hurt, here? Though in reality maybe it was best he didn’t know.
The imagery taunting his mind made him want to snarl and lash out—vicious, savage with the need for revenge. It made his guts ache with a peculiar primal need to take her in his arms and hold her to him, protect her. Kiss her tenderly, passionately, over and over—make her feel like a real woman.
