Free Talk to Me by Clare James Page B

Just like he was. After spending so much time at the studio with the overly made-up talking heads, it was a nice change of pace to be around someone so unapologetically masculine.
    He drove up to one of the trailheads on the cliff that overlooked the St. Croix. We didn’t have snow yet, but we could see our breath. I pulled on my gloves and hat.
    Finn flipped on his pack — one that looked too full for a short afternoon of light hiking. It had me worried.
    “Just how long do you plan on keeping me out here?” I asked him.
    “Oh, this?” He jiggled the pack. “Didn’t I tell you we’re camping for the night?”
    “No,” I snapped.
    “Too much for a first date?”
    “Way too much.”
    “How about a picnic then?”
    “Better.”
    “Mmm,” he groaned. “Easy for you to say, now that you got me all worked up again.”
    He stalked toward me and I quickly put my hands up to stop him.
    “Don’t worry, Case.” He said my name so easily, it had me dropping my hands instantly. He was not a person to be pushing away. He was a person to be reeling in.
    “I’ll be good.”

    ***

    Finn was good. There was a little touching as he helped me navigate the trails, a slight brush of hands while we ate our picnic lunch, but the caves?
    All talk.
    When the sun began to dip low in the sky, Finn brought me home and I was happy to see he was back to his old grabby self.
    “It’s the end of the date,” he said. “End of date kisses are appropriate, yeah?”
    “Yes,” I whispered.
    That’s all he needed. He leaned over in the seat and lifted me onto his lap. His strong hands grasping my hips. I was surrounded in the bubble that was Finn. Strong, unyielding. All consuming.
    He brushed his nose along mine and it was almost sweet.
    No, it was sweet.
    Until his hands slid down to my bottom, cupping me. Grinding me closer.
    His lips captured mine and attacked my mouth. First long and deep. Then he toyed with me, taking little bites.
    I shifted my bottom so his erection pushed where I needed it the most. He growled into my mouth and I thought this was it. But in the very next breath, he said goodnight.
    It would be a while before I’d get that much action again.

Chapter 18

    Finn

    Anchor/Kiki Stuart: I’m intrigued. How did she go about gaining your trust?
    Finn: Slowly.
    Anchor/Kiki Stuart: Doesn’t sound like the Finn Daley we know.
    Finn: See, that’s the trouble. Nobody really knew the real Finn Daley. Until she came along.

    Holding my shit together during that kiss, well, I should’ve been awarded a medal.
    I’m fairly sure Casey was designed to fit into my arms. She was toned, but still soft. Brilliant, but still innocent. Sweet, but spunky as hell. She was made up of the most perfect contradictions.
    I had been waking up with a spring in my step, as they say. And I hadn’t even gotten into the girl’s pants. Or gotten into them again. I wasn’t sure how long I could keep it up.
    After our first date, and our little tryst in the truck, we went out two more times. An impromptu street hockey game in my driveway when she came over for pizza, and bowling, of all things.
    I had to keep it physical. I had to keep us moving, because whenever there was a lull, whenever it was just the two of us, all I wanted to do was touch her. Taste her. I think Casey was getting frustrated too.
    When I brought her home after bowling, I think she wanted a repeat of our make out session in the truck. And the fact that I was twenty five years old and using the term make out was ridiculous.
    Casey had been following my lead. My very slow lead. When I dropped her off, she usually reached for the door of my truck immediately. I was always forced to jump out and run to her side to grab it for her. There was something possessive in me when it came to this woman. I wanted to open her doors … and help her with bags, and push her out of the way from moving cars, and twist off all the caps to the jars of pickles she liked so much. I was a