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)
She covers her mouth, eyes scrunched up. “I think you’re staring at me right now like you want to ravish me, and I’m fully dressed.”
“Maybe you’re projecting.” Although she’s totally right.
“Doubt it. Look, before we go to the judge, promise you’re not going to jump my bones the second we get back.”
“Jump… your bones?” I shake my head, blowing out a breath. “That is the least sexy phrase I’ve ever heard.”
“Right, sorry. Promise you won’t try to mosey on down to bang town. How’s that?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You’re really killing the vibe.”
“There is no vibe. That’s the whole point.”
“Denial is a river in Africa.”
“What?” She waves that away. “Stop it, okay? I’m being serious. I won’t deny there’s an attraction between us—”
“A very strong attraction,” I snarl at her, smirking like mad. “One you very much feel.”
“I never denied it.” She glares at me now. “But until everything between us is settled, we’re not acting on it. Okay? And even if we do act on it, this is a business partnership, and the business is raising our baby. Understood?”
“What you’re saying is once my family has gotten over everything, I get to fuck you as often as I want? I get to drag my tongue alone your pussy until—”
“Nope,” she says, waving her arms. “Don’t you dare start talking dirty to me.”
“What? Me, talk dirty?” I grin, looking innocent. “I’m just describing how you’ll sit on my face, moving your hips in circles as my mouth and lips suck and lick your lovely pussy, my fingers grabbing your ass—”
“Finley!” She snaps my real name at me like a whip. “Cut it out, you jackass.”
I grind my teeth together. “Where’d you hear that name?”
She tilts her chin up. “I googled you.”
“You… googled me.”
“Yes, dickhead. I’m about to marry you, for fuck’s sake, so I typed your name into freaking google. There’s some really interesting stuff out there about your family.”
“The internet is a cesspool.” I glance away, working my jaw. “At least it got my name right.”
“Don’t worry about the internet. I don’t believe any of it.” She comes toward me again and puts a hand on my arm. “Look, can you just behave? No more dirty talk. No more flirting. Just—think of me like you think of Genna.”
“Genna’s into women, she doesn’t make eye contact with me while she sucks my—”
“Finn,” she says, pinching my arm.
“Fine, fuck, I’ll stop.” Even though that’s going to take all my goddamn willpower. “But we need to go. I told the judge we’d be there at five.”
She hesitates, glancing at the clock. It’s four-forty, giving us plenty of time to make the ten-minute drive and navigate the courthouse.
Her face pales slightly. She looks down at her ring, drifting away from me toward the island. I know what she’s thinking—this is a huge step.
It’s a huge step for me, too.
Except there’s no hesitation, no second-guessing, no worries. We’re about to blow up my life spectacularly, but for some reason, the thought of being Dara’s husband doesn’t scare me the way it fucking freaked me out when I pictured Robin at my side.
There was no spark with Robin. No banter, no joy. Just a cold, emotionless, business-like acceptance.
With Dara, it’s all heat and excitement.
A heat that might get us strangled in our beds, but still.
“Are you ready?” I ask, softening my tone.
She squares her shoulders, nodding once. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Don’t sound too excited.” I offer her my arm. “Right this way, my fiancée.”
She laughs quietly, accepting. “I guess I am your fiancée, aren’t I? What a short engagement.”
“How will your parents react to the news?”
“I don’t think they’ll care. I mean, we’re not very close anymore.” She looks away and seems like she wants to say more, but shrugs. “You don’t have to worry about it.”
There’s clearly more going on, but I don’t push. No need to dredge up bad shit right before we get married.
I lead her from the house, down to the waiting car, and open the back door for her. She climbs inside and I hesitate, looking back at my house.
My last moments as a single man.
Well, fuck it, being single was always overrated. “The courthouse,” I tell the driver.
Chapter 20
Finn
When the driver drops us off, Carson comes walking out from the shadows beside the courthouse entrance.
“What the fuck?” I ask softly, moving toward him. Dara comes with me, but I hold a hand out. “Stay here. I’ll deal with this.”
“Are you sure?” she sounds worried. “He doesn’t look happy.”
“He shouldn’t be here at all, but it’s fine, just wait until I wave you over.”
I leave her behind. Carson’s standing on the steps, glaring at me like he wants to drive a dagger through my eye. Not that I can blame him—I’m about to make a lot of waves, and he’s going to have to deal with Dad’s shit mood.