Page 34 of Game Plan

“Yes. Darren. He just passed the bar exam.”

“Good for Darren.” Finn blows out a sigh of relief, and I can’t help but feel it in my chest. “What else are you doing today?”

“I don’t know. Want to come home with me?”

“So that you can have your wicked way with my body?”

“Absolutely.”

He chuckles. “I woke up this morning with all the blankets, the television off, and no hair in my mouth. And, I have to admit, it wasn’t a good way to wake up.”

“You love my hair.”

He leans forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead, letting his lips linger. “I fucking love your hair.”

The words are heavy, as if he means more than that, but I won’t allow myself to process that.

“If this were any other Saturday, we would’ve lain in bed for far too long until you decided that you’re starving and that we have to order food,” he says, searching my eyes. “Then we’d have taken a shower, and I would’ve washed this crazy hair of yours, and then we would’ve gone for a walk, or you would’ve catcalled me while I worked in the yard.”

I groan. “I love you shirtless and sweaty.”

He laughs, his voice lowering. “And we would’ve had sex. But that’s not all we would’ve done, Pop. It would’ve been the cherry on the pie, not the whole pie.”

Oh.

My smile fades as I catch a glimpse of our fingers laced together again. I don’t know how long they’ve been that way, or whose hand grabbed whose. I only know that it calms a part of my soul.

I take a breath as my heart races, thinking about our challenge. I thought this thing would be over by now and we would’ve been back to our normal routine. But I’m not sure if we’re closer to the end or further from it now.

The ache that bloomed in my chest when I listened to Joshua talk about Darren grows. It spreads, uncurling itself until it’s touched every part of me. And as it continues to cloud my brain and make me consider things I swore I never would, Finn kisses my forehead again.

I wish, Finn. For the first time, I wish with all of my heart that I could be the woman Finn seems to think that I am. If I could be her, I would in a second. But wanting something and doing it are two very different things. Unfortunately for us, I know myself well enough not to confuse the two.

I breathe him in one final time before pulling away. “I need to go.” I should leave it there and get up and walk out. But I’m so drawn to him that I can’t. Not without knowing when I’ll see him again. “Maybe we could get dinner tomorrow?”

His eyes light up. “Of course. I’ll pick you up around six?”

“Six?” I grin.

“If you’re giving me a chance to spend time with you, I’m taking every fucking minute that I can get, and I thought three was pushing it.”

I scoot out of the booth. “Pick me up at four.”

“Four it is,” he says, nodding. “See ya then.”

“Later.”

I walk out while I can.

CHAPTER

TEN

Exposé Top Story: Finn-ally Engaged?

Grab a stiff drink and a box of tissues, friends, because we have an exclusive bombshell for you.

Finn Miller, our favorite tight end, is off the market.