Chasing the Wild Sparks (13 page)

He bites the inside of his cheek and looks around us. He then takes a deep breath. “You’re all I thought about, Becks.” I tuck my fingers into his jeans’ waistband, like his towel this morning, feeling his firm stomach muscles against the tops of my fingers. Finn moves his hand over mine, stopping me from digging my fingers in deeper. Oops. I glance up to his face and to a raised dark eyebrow, but he continues, “Of course I was going to call you. I wanted to ask you out the first time I called, but I didn’t want you to think that was the only reason why I was calling you.”

I avoid his eyes when he looks at me. “I honestly didn’t think you were going to ask me out. I did love talking to you, though, so I didn’t want that to stop.”

In spite of my insecurities about myself and the constant questioning why he’d want to waste his time on me, we talked and laughed for hours each time he called. Finn had me revealing things that I never had to anyone before. His calls, at times, felt like interviews. He wanted to know every single thing about me, as I did him, too; however, he has such a gift for putting people at ease and to relax that I think I even told him my bra size. He really enjoyed asking me hard-hitting questions, as well as the mundane ones. Anything to keep me talking, I think. I could definitely see why he got into journalism, and I could clearly see how excellent of a reporter and interviewer he is, since he made me feel like we were old friends and had talked to each other regularly. During the second phone call, we even ate leftovers for dinner together and watched two TV dramas. Strangely, when Finn phoned me the third time and after talking for almost two hours, he became unusually quiet. I was convinced he was finally tired of me until he unexpectedly asked me to the Fairfax Chocolate Lover’s Festival. Dazed, I asked him if he was asking me out on a date. He hesitated before saying yes. Did he already regret asking me? Right then, I didn’t care. I couldn’t tell him yes fast enough. I had to have sounded beyond desperate, and like such a Finnatic. I was grinning excitedly and hopping around my living room.

I precipitously glance up at Finn and his upper lip pulls up at one corner. He says, “I also had to work up the nerve to ask you out. I was so worried that you would say no. I felt like I was inside out, baby. I couldn’t even focus at work.” He did seem somewhere else that first week after we met when I started watching his broadcast regularly. I was wondering if I had any kind of effect on him. Did he just admit that I did?

“You thought about me at work?”

“And every second since meeting you in the ER, and I haven’t stopped yet.”

I get on my toes and kiss him until I hear his breathing begin to pick up. “Let’s go, stud.” He beams down at me as we start walking; tightening his fingers around mine.

We round the corner and see Morgan sitting on the Pound Puppies blanket, tapping into her phone. Ivan is leaning up against the thick oak tree behind our blanket, talking on his and Rod is playing with his iPod.

“Really, Ass Rod. I’m a little disappointed that you didn’t bring your My Little Pony blanket.”

“Shut the hell up, Morganism. Sophie had that one.”

Rod sees us approaching. The scowl drops from his face and he starts clapping. Morgan looks over to him and then to where he’s looking. She announces, “Well, if it isn’t the happy couple finally gracing us with their presence.” Her usually sleek hair is curled and looks inches shorter. She’s wearing a black blouse that crisscrosses over her upper back and frilly cap sleeves that float at her shoulders. She also has on white capris and her sandals are strappy and black. Her lips are flaming red. She looks very crisp. “And I do have to say, Finn, you are looking well…rested, and not at all like the other night when you were ready to fuck your woman on camera as the weekly dare for your Wild Side segment.”

“Morgan Yates!” I shriek.

“How eloquent,” Finn mutters.

“I told you!” Rod shouts, glancing up from his iPod in his lap, while retying his headscarf. He shakes his head at us and returns his attention to his music selection. Ivan steps away from us as he finishes his call. I don’t blame him. I’d run.

“Well, it’s the truth.” She shrugs, but then excitedly points at me. “Look at this dress! You finally took my advice and sexed it up!”

I self-consciously play with the teal, chiffon material with one hand while the other holds onto Finn’s. “This dress is church friendly, Morgan.”

Morgan shifts so she can address Finn. “What do you think of it, Finn? Would you want her to wear this to church, sitting close to you in a pew, crossing her legs?” She looks me up and down and cheekily smirks.

I can hear Finn swallow hard before answering, “No.”

I turn to him, letting go of his hand. “You wouldn’t take me to Mass if I were wearing this? It’s a charming dress, not inappropriate for church.”

He doesn’t look at me as he replies, “No, I wouldn’t take you.”

“Why?”

“You know why,” he asserts with a burning look that could start a forest fire.

Morgan states audaciously, “Hmm. I see someone couldn’t keep it in his pants this morning.”

“No way!” Rod shouts, his head whipping up. “You were screwing when I called then? I thought you said Finn was in the shower?” I look away from Morgan’s and Rod’s intrusive scrutiny. Finn clears his throat. I look up at him and he’s failing horribly to hide a shameless grin. Jerk.

Morgan rolls her eyes and laughs. “Oh, a shower. So, Finn, you didn’t even have to take it out of your pants after all. You already had it ready to deliver.” Finn sucks on his smiling, bottom lip, which only makes him look all the guiltier.

Rod huffs, “Hey! So that’s why you were late! Morning sex! Thanks a lot, Hadders!”

Finn puts his arms around me and picks me up. I ensnare him, burying my face into his neck, smelling his deliciousness. I can feel his sensual voice vibrating through his throat and over my lips pressed against him. “I warned her about the dress.”

“See. I told you if you wear a dress for Finn, he would love it. You look totally fuckable now!” Morgan laughs.

I raise my head from Finn’s shoulder and peer over his face at her. “Thanks,” I mutter sarcastically. I look down at his face, my eyes getting lost in his deep, dark depths. “Wasn’t I before?” I mean to ask teasingly, but it comes off distractedly.

Finn unwittingly licks his lips. “You don’t need to wear a dress to turn me on, baby,” he whispers up at me, his eyes drifting from mine down to my lips.

“We could tell yesterday after the race,” Rod says with disgust in his voice. I look down to Finn’s mouth as my face hovers above his. I lower my head down to kiss his inviting lips and Rod starts gagging loudly.

Before we can become lost in our kiss, Finn steals his lips away from mine. “We’ll find you…someone.” he says to Rod, his big, brown eyes shining with humor.

“A woman, Wilder. I’m not gay!”

Morgan twists around on the blanket so she can see Rod behind her. “That’s not what the wall in the men’s restroom at the gym says.”

Rod gapes at her. “How in the fuck would you know what the men’s room wall says?”

Morgan shrugs and checks out her pink nails. “I’m dating a personal trainer who likes to be daring in his own way.” She glances at Finn and laughs.

Finn perceptively smirks at Morgan. “That’s my favorite way to be daring.” I can’t take it anymore. I dip my head down and run my tongue through his stubble, away from everyone’s view, making him close his eyes. I feel a low humming noise through his chest. I’m so close to taking him to his car and making use out of his backseat.

Finn’s eyes flutter open and he slowly puts me down. “What the hell goes on at the gym you three go to? Maybe I should join yours instead of working out at the station.”

I straighten out my dress as Finn watches me like a hawk. I sneer, “Wow, Morgan. I’m also sorry that I know that.” I scowl at her and she laughs.

Rod looks both sickened and panicked. “Fuck! I take my showers in there!”

Morgan rolls her eyes. “How much you guys want to bet that Rod lost his virginity on this blanket?”

Rod’s mouth immediately hits the ground. “Hey, Morgasm! That’s not even funny!”

“You’re right, Rod. I’m sorry. I meant how much you guys want to bet that Rod is still a virgin?”

“I’m 27 years-old! I lost it when I was 17!”

She raises an incredulous, perfectly plucked eyebrow. “To a girl?”

“Yes, a girl!”

“Was her name Blow-Up Betty?”

He grumbles, “No. It was Jenna. Shut up.”

Morgan hops up and walks over to Finn. “I want to get a closer look at this hickey that Rod has been carrying on about.” He promptly angles his head so she can see it. Grinning, she moves back and smacks my arm. “Nice one!”

Finn beams immodestly. “Isn’t it? My girl just can’t help herself.” He stoops and playfully bites my neck; making me squeal.

“Gross,” Rod complains. He sets his iPod in his portable amplifier and picks a song. “Let’s eat.”

Finished with his phone call, Ivan walks over and we greet him. We all take a seat on the blanket. I dig into my bag and pull out everyone’s sandwiches, handing them to each person. I hand Morgan a sandwich, but she shakes her head at me.

“What the fuck is this?” Rod asks, holding his wrapped sandwich up for me to see.

“What do you mean?” I ask innocently, struggling to not burst out laughing.

“A poison sticker? What the hell did you do to my sandwich, Hadders? Are you trying to kill me?”

Morgan scoffs, “If she were really trying to kill you, do you think she’d actually put a warning sticker on it before you ate it, Nimrod?”

“I don’t know. Some people do crazy shit. It also says, In case of emergency, please call: Morgan Yates.” Rod pushes up on his bandana and gives a hardened glare to Morgan. “Shit. I’d be dead if someone called you.”

She asks, “What the hell do you have on, by the way? You look like a reject from Karate Kid 10: Daniel’s Downward Spiral: The Musical.”

“Shut your pie hole, Morgasm.”

“And what is this shit that we’re listening to? It’s worse than that time you made a screeching noise when you were being ‘chased’ by a honey bee.”

Rod’s mouth sags and he stares incredulously at Morgan. “That fucking thing was chasing me! I swear to everything holy! That bee was on drugs! It chased me two blocks! I think it even had a pitch fork. You probably cast a spell on it.”

Finn laughs. “Maybe it was the women’s perfume you like to wear.”

“It’s not women’s! It’s unisex, Wilder! Fuck me!”

Finn’s face pinches into a sour look. “No, thanks.  I’ll pass.”

“It seems like you do have a crush on our resident hottie here, Dick Rod,” Morgan observes, nodding her head over to Finn. Dick Rod. Oh, yes. One time Morgan, Rod and I had lunch at the park near our building. Morgan asked what Rod’s middle name was, but he wouldn’t tell her. So, she actually wrestled him to the ground and took his wallet to see his driver’s license. His middle name is Richard. Gregory Richard Rodwell, thus the Dick Rod. I refuse to call him that, so Morgan is the only one that does. Poor Rod. It’s bad enough nobody calls him by his rightful name.

“I do not have a crush on Wilder!” Rod turns to Finn, almost pleading with him. “I promise you that I do not harbor any kind of sexual feelings toward you!”

Finn grimaces before he takes a bite of his food. “That’s good to know.”

“You’re taken anyway!” Rod argues and then his entire face freezes. Finn stops mid-chew. Rod drops his sandwich down onto his wrapper. “That did not come out right!”

“Sure,” I say before biting into my sandwich. “Do I have to worry about you stealing my man?”

“Shut up, Hadders!”

“Hell no!” Finn growls at the same time.

“I think they have support groups for confused people such as yourself,” Ivan says, grinning at Rod.

“Okay, Mr. Muscles! You can stay out of it, too! I already have Wilder riding me!”

Finn protests, “I am not riding you. Don’t even joke about that.” He shifts closer to me on the blanket, his hand now propped on the other side of my body, next to my hip, as he leans against me. His scent is forcing me to want to unbuckle his belt.

“Ahhh!” Rod yells down at his abandoned sandwich.

“I’ll eat your sandwich, Rod,” I say and hold out my hand.

“That sounds naughty, Hadders. I don’t think Finn wants you taking a bite of my sandwich.”

“You got that right,” Finn states, his humor gone.

“Don’t eat too much,” Morgan imparts. “You know how Shane is already going to be kicking your ass tomorrow.”

I sigh. “I know. Especially since Mondays he’s even more sadistic with an extra helping of relentless bitchiness.”

“Shane?” Finn asks.

“Shane is my personal trainer. I told you about him.”

He shakes his head and the skin around his eyes crinkle. “I just hadn’t heard you mention his name before.”

I nod over to Ivan and wince. “He and Ivan are best friends.”

Ivan laughs. “He’s not that bad.” His blue eyes dance as he runs a hand through his spiky, blonde hair.

“Oh, yes he is! He hates me!” I sound like a grade school girl complaining about a mean boy in her class.