Letting out a heavy sigh, I considered driving down to my buddy West’s bar for a drink, maybe picking up a woman to bring home and keep me company for the night. Filling my bedroom with the sounds of flesh slapping against flesh and feminine cries of pleasure would be better than sitting here, so deep in silence that the hum of the refrigerator almost deafened me.
But of course, whoever I picked up wouldn’t be the one I really wanted. Finley … with her sweet curves, and green eyes, and sassy attitude that made me work for every inch of ground I gained with her.
Fuck.
Why was I sitting here thinking about Finley like that? She was my buddy’s widow. End of fucking story. If there was one thing that flowed through my veins, it was honor. Poaching her after his death would be unforgiveable. Truly putting the final nail in his coffin.
But I hadn’t even thought about anyone else in the days since I’d first run into her. Hell, I’d jacked myself raw every night to the memory of her up on that stage. Eyes closed – grinding her hips – blonde hair flowing like a halo. Her body was built for sin, but there was something angelic about her, too. Maybe it was because I knew she was a sweet mother to a little girl. Or it could have been the pure white lace delicately covering up all the parts of her I wanted to taste. Those rosy pink nipples, the soft folds between her creamy thighs …
I cursed under my breath and rose from the couch. I needed to stop this line of thinking right now. Even if a future was possible with Finley, she’d never think of me that way. Not after how Marcus had died. That much was obvious from how things had gone down at our last dinner. The best I could do now would be to stay out of her way and offer up subtle help with her little girl in a way she couldn’t refuse.
I owed it to everyone involved—myself, Marcus, Finley, and Maple—to at least try. Grabbing my cell phone, I hit the contact number for my boss, Jerry.
“Everything okay?” he answered. He knew today’s assignment had been a shitstorm, but that wasn’t what was occupying the space in my brain.
“Yeah. It’s fine. I was actually calling about something else. Something … personal.”
He was quiet for several seconds. He and I didn’t do the personal sharing thing. “O-kay?” He drew out the word, obviously at a loss as to what the fuck I was going to spring on him.
“I wanted to let you know that I won’t be in tomorrow.”
“What’s going on? Are you sure everything’s alright?”
I’d never missed a day of work. Not even when I had the stomach flu last year. But after relying on the trash can under my desk as a sick-basin, my team had kicked me out of the office. Rightly so. That had been my one and only absence while working for Redstone.
“It will be. It’s Finley Sutton, Marcus’s widow.” I cleared my throat, feeling strangely choked up. “She needs some help.”
“I see. Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. I’ve got it covered.” I could have asked him for just about anything, and he would have helped in an instant. But this duty was mine to fulfill.
“Of course. Take all the time you need,” Jerry said before we ended the call. He knew my history with Marcus, and therefore the level of responsibility I felt toward his widow. I knew he wouldn’t argue with me, but still it felt good to get it out in the open.
Jerry had a streak of loyalty that ran even deeper than mine. And several months ago, when his daughter Lacey had been kidnapped, I had been every bit as committed to her rescue as Nolan had. Jerry would just have to do without me for one day.
*
The next afternoon, Finley stared at me through the crack in the doorway. I could only see one green eye watching me through the small space, but it still sent a small jolt through me.
“Hey,” I offered. Obviously we weren’t on friendly terms, despite my efforts lately.
“Hey,” she returned, voice cold and emotionless.
“Can I … come in?”
She let out a deep, exasperated sigh. “Did you need something?”
“Just to talk.” I held up both palms in a show of innocence.
She shut the door abruptly, and I heard the chain slide free from the lock before she pulled it open again. “Talk, Greyson.” Now that I had a full view, I saw that Finley was dressed in an oversized sweatshirt that fell off one shoulder, exposing a black bra strap, and a pair of well-fitted jeans that clung to her rounded hips and ass. I didn’t want to notice things like this about her—fuck, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be here on her doorstep, but something bigger than me was at work here. I was compelled. And so here I was.
When I finally tore my gaze away from her, I could see Maple playing on the living room floor. She looked up at me and smiled. “Ay-son,” she said in that sweet little voice that could melt a man faster than the Texas sun.
“Hi, angel.”
“So …” Finley prompted.
I resisted the urge to tilt my head to the side and pop my neck, despite the headache I could feel building. Focus, Grey. She might not like me, but her daughter did. I had to use every angle to my advantage.