"I thought it was just you and your Dad?" I looked up at him as my heart fluttered in my chest.

"I have a grandfather and uncles, silly girl." He shook his head and snorted.

"Then you're cooking. I've been cooking since I got here. My brother was living on Cheez-Its and gummy worms."

"That actually sounds delicious." He released me as we got back to his place.

"Boys," I mumbled and walked in as I started to pull off my coat, gloves and scarf.

"Men, actually. I'm not a boy anymore. My father calls me a grown-ass man." Finn moved to the fireplace and worked to start a fire as he continued to talk. "I'm not just a common man, but I get the designation of being a grown-ass man."

I plopped down on the couch and leaned back. "You and I are one in the same then. My Dad tells me that I'm a groan-ass woman too."

He glanced over his shoulder and stole my heart. "I knew we were supposed to be together."

His brown hair was disheveled and curled on the edges from being a little long. The warmth in his golden brown eyes spoke volumes of the man underneath and the sexy curve of his lips left me wanting to taste them again. How easy it would be to stretch out on his couch and offer him all of me, but it would be all.

To spend a night with him wouldn't just be an offering of my body, but my heart would be involved too. It scared me to think it might already be.

Finn got up and walked to the kitchen as he tugged his jacket over his head. It pulled at his shirt and I turned to watch him with the hopes of seeing some of his tanned skin.

"So let's talk as I cook dinner. Wanna?" He glanced over at me and lifted his eyebrow. "You should be cooking and I should be laying on the couch watching you like a sex-starved man."

"Do I look sex-starved?" I moved to get my shoes off and decided not to tell him just how close to the truth his descriptor was.

"If I say yes, can I be the one to help you change your status?"

"You're relentless." I popped the first boot off and groaned before starting to work on the next one.

"Only when I want something I feel like I can't live without." He turned back to the stove.

I needed to get us away from the topic of us, and especially with sex being part of the discussion. I was too close to giving into the desire to get sweaty with the handsome devil.

"Tell me your most embarrassing date." I worked on my other boot and ignored the stare I received over his shoulder.

"Right. You sure you want to hear this?"

I got up and walked to stand behind him, sliding my hands up his back and pressing my fingers into the tension in his shoulders. "Yeah. I do."

"Her name was baby, but you knew that."

I snorted and laughed loudly, pinching him and whispering, "Terrible."

"Anyway, I was probably nineteen and she was way out of my league, but I met her at one of the ice cream shops in town. Why we have ice cream in Aspen is beyond me."

"Tell the story." I pinched again and he groaned, the sound of it starting a fire deep inside of me.

"Right. So she sits down at the table in Brian's seat and tells me I'm cute."

"You are."

"Are you going to let me tell the story?" He laughed as I slid my hands down his sides and squeezed tightly.

I wrapped him in a hug and pressed my cheek to his back, unable to help myself. I wanted warmth, but only from him all of a sudden. I was grateful he didn't call me out for it. Every move that was made during the day was me doing it. He was intentionally not coming on to me, which was great and frustrating all at the same time. It was my fault either way.

"So she licks at her ice cream in front of me and promises me a good time if I come back to her place with her. I ditch Brian..."

I cut him off, rubbing my hands over his chest. "Poor Brian."

"Hush, woman. Jeez." He laughed and turned toward me, lifting an eyebrow. "Stop rubbing all over me, or I'm returning the favor."

I rubbed my hands on his chest in a frantic fashion and he rolled his eyes. "Women, I swear. So anyway, I got over there and this was in my skinny jeans phase."

"No you weren't wearing skinny jeans." I laughed and moved back to the couch.

He joined me and pulled my legs into his lap, starting to massage my feet as I melted into the side of the couch.

"I did, but you'll never find evidence of them. We burned all of those fuckers."

"As you should." I moved the other foot in his way, wanting a turn for it.

"So she attacks me the minute we get in the door, and to make a long story short, I can't get the fucking pants off without her help. The zipper catching my crotch hair, and yanks a patch of it out, which causes me to lose my erection, because I'm now bleeding everywhere and... Yeah."

I was laughing so hard that I'd pulled my legs from him and was curled up on my side in pain.

He swatted my butt and got up, walking back to the stove.

My phone buzzed and I pulled it out as I wiped tears from my eyes. It was my brother and he was tired of being alone. Dad wasn't there and he was starving.

I looked over at Finn and sighed. "That's my little brother. I need to go."

"Sure. No problem. This is almost done. Let me just package some of it up for you guys and I'll drop you off."

"I hate for you to get out. Just let me take your truck and I'll pick you up for work in the morning."

"What? No. I want to take you home. Get your shoes on and we'll get going."

I did just as he said and walked languidly to the door. "It's a good thing he called right?"

 Finn smiled wickedly as he handed me the soup and leaned over, kissing me softly. "Would you want to spend the night with me? To let me fuck you? Are you ready for that?"

I leaned in and pressed a long, hot kiss against his perfect mouth. "Yes. That's part of the problem."

"Well, when it stops being a problem you let me know and we'll make it happen."

Chapter 16

Finn

My sleep was filled with dreams of what would have happened if Chloe hadn't left. After our day together I drove her back to the shop to get her SUV in a comfortable silence and let her go without another kiss. I wanted one, but I figured she'd given more than enough of herself for the day.

I worked my ass off, trying to push through my jobs as quickly as possible so I would be available by the early afternoon. She wanted to take her brother snowboarding and there was a new hill that had opened the previous weekend on the east side of the city. I was dying to get over there and knew that if I could impress her brother that maybe I could wiggle my way into her heart a little deeper. I was running out of time with her and I'd just met her.

My phoned buzzed several times during the day, but after checking it and seeing it was Brian I figured I hit him up later on my way home to shower and change. I wrapped up my last job and stopped by the shop only to have my Dad pull me in his office for a few minutes.

"What's up?" I dropped down in the chair in front of his desk.

"That girl from yesterday...you need to be careful with her."

"Chloe? Why?" I pulled off my knit cap and scratched my hair frantically.

My Dad's lip curled in a snarl as if I cared what he thought of my hygiene. I'd worked hard and sweated like an ape all day. I needed a shower and clean clothes badly.