Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“Uh, thank you.”
“I do,” Nolan says, looking as though he wants to charge me like a bull.
Finn stands beside me protectively. “If you two came here to start shit, I’ll throw you both out.”
“Like to see you try,” Nolan snaps, glaring. “You did something stupid as fuck together, Finn. How could you do this? Seriously?”
“Enough,” Carson says, holding up a hand to calm his brother down.
The mood in the room shifts. Genna’s standing stiffly, glaring at the brothers. Finn looks like he wants to stab them both in the throat. Kathryn seems uncomfortable, a little afraid, though she’s staring at them with a thirsty look. Freaking Kathryn.
I’m afraid. I can’t pretend like I’m not. But this is what I signed up for. I knew my relationship with Finn—whatever that relationship actually is—would cause a lot of problems for his family. I knew there’d be confrontation.
I just didn’t know it would happen on my wedding night.
“I’m going to ask you both to leave now,” Finn says, moving forward.
“That’s fine.” Carson puts a hand on Nolan’s arm, drawing him back. “We only came to say congratulations. And to warn you.”
“Warn me?” Finn cocks his head. “You about to make a threat?”
“No, you stubborn asshole,” Nolan snaps. “Dad’s going to find out sooner or later. There are already fucking rumors.”
With that, Finn’s demeanor changes.
His aggression leaks away. He stares at his brothers, hands working, opening and closing into fists. I glance at Genna, and she’s pale like she’s even more terrified than he is.
I’m not sure how I feel. I figured it would happen sooner or later, and since I don’t know Finn’s Dad at all, I’m not sure how bad this is supposed to be. He’s going to hear it sooner or later.
“We’ll go see him tomorrow,” Finn says after a silence. “I’ll get it straightened out. I’ll tell him before someone else does.”
“That’s a good idea,” Carson says. “You’ve been warned. We’ll leave you all to celebrate. Nolan, come on.”
Nolan hesitates, staring hate at Finn, before shaking his head and following Carson out the door.
Once they’re gone, Finn deflates. “How the fuck are people talking already?”
“Want me to find out?” Genna touches his arm. I feel a sudden pang of jealousy, but why the hell would I be jealous? They’re close friends, and besides, Genna’s not into guys.
It isn’t a romantic jealousy. It’s more about their intimacy, their friendship. I’ll never have a history like that with Finn, or at least I won’t for a long time. We’re husband and wife, but really, I don’t know anything about the guy, and he doesn’t know me.
In some ways, that’s exciting. It’s a blank slate.
But it’s also terrifying, and I’m jealous that Genna has it with him.
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll deal with it.”
She nods, lets him go, and comes over to give me a hug. “Night’s over,” she murmurs. “Good meeting you.”
“I should go too then.” Kathryn hugs me tightly. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. I’ll text you.” I hold onto her longer than I normally would, and when she breaks apart, I feel extremely alone.
She smiles at me before following Genna outside.
Leaving me with Finn.
He’s staring out at the back door, not really seeing anything. I want to go to him, comfort him, do something to ease this tension. But the moment I move, his eyes snap to me, and narrow in a strange, intense glare.
“It’s late and you’re pregnant. You need rest.”
“Finn, if you need to talk—”
“Let’s go to bed.” He turns away, toward the steps.
I hesitate. I don’t know if he means bed in separate rooms or bed together, or what, but the tension of his shoulders suggests he doesn’t want to be alone tonight.
And I don’t either.
Weirdly, those stories Genna told made me want to know him more.
“All right, let’s go,” I say, slipping my hand through his arm.
There’s a moment of surprise, but then his knowing smile drive me absolutely fucking crazy. I bat him away, jaw working, and he laughs.
“Did you just swat at me like an unruly puppy?”
“Only because you were humping my leg like one.”
He barks another laugh, but this time, he grabs my hand, pulling me into him. I let out a soft yelp, staring up into his face.
“You’ll know it when I’m coming on to you, love,” he says, and a shiver runs down my spine at that word.
We’re much closer than I’d like, but at least he seems calmer now. “No sex, remember?”
“Maybe,” he murmurs. “But I think you should sleep with me tonight. We’re husband and wife now, aren’t we? Might as well try to get used to each other.”
“Can you keep your hands to yourself?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Finn.”
“Yes, love, I’ll keep my hands to myself, at least until you beg me not to.”
I groan, rolling my eyes, but I let him pull me upstairs and toward his room.