His eyes go wide. “Right now?”
“Yeah. I mean, she’d find out at some point, right? Let’s just tell her now and get it over with.”
I can sense the apprehension rolling off him, and I get it. Telling her that we’re together is going to be a lot harder for himthan for me. I don’t give a shit if she knows or if she’s pissed about it, but that’s his sister. I would imagine knowing he’s going to hurt her would be hard. If it were me and Hollis, would I forgive him? I’d like to think so, but regardless, this is a much bigger deal for Ash, and I want to be there for him. Make him feel better.
Unable to wait any longer to do this, I cover his lips with mine, swallowing his moan as my tongue licks into his mouth, rolling along his. We haven’t been able to do this all day, and fuck, how I’ve missed it. Ash’s hands fly up, gripping my sides as he tilts his head, letting me take the kiss deeper. With each brush of our tongues, I can feel the tension leave his body little by little, as if my touch alone wipes it all away.
And I love knowing that because it’s the same for me. Kissing Ash, being with him…it makes sense. Even if it was confusing at first, it feels right. Kissing him, tasting him, breathing him in, feels like something I’ve always been missing, but didn’t realize it until I found him. Until we found each other.
I want to tell him how I feel, want him to know that I’ve fallen in love with him, but I fight the urge because if I do it now, I’m afraid he’ll think I’m only saying it to make him feel better, and it’s so much more than that. My feelings for him are so much larger than both of us. Butgod,do I want to.
Soon. I have to tell him soon. I’m going to combust if I keep it in much longer.
I’m not sure how long we stand here, clinging to one another, but it’s long enough that the outside world fades away. In this moment, nobody else exists other than him and I. And maybe that’s how we miss it. Maybe it’s how we don’t hear the footsteps approaching until it’s too late.
“You have got to be fucking joking me.”
Violet’s shrill voice cuts through my mind, and I feel Ash freeze in my arms. He takes a step back, his eyes filled with panic.
Well, guess she’s finding out today, whether he likes it or not.
Chapter 33
Ash
My heart drops into my gut as I turn my head and find my sister standing there, her brows furrowed and a scowl on her face.
Shit.
I’ve accepted that she was going to find out, but I’d planned to tell her gently. There’s nothinggentleabout her catching me kissing her ex-boyfriend minutes after he rejected her. My chest is tight and constricting as my body stays frozen in place. I part my lips, meaning for words to come out, but I…don’t fucking know what to say.
I can feel the weight of Finn’s gaze on the side of my face. Not once has he looked over at Violet. I desperately want to look back at him, but I can’t. I’m stuck.
“Are either of you going to say something?” my sister snaps, planting her hand on her cocked hip. I know she’s been drinking tonight; I saw her throwing them back when we were all eating, a fact that’s probably not going to help the situation right now. Violet scoffs when neither of us responds. “Hello?”
“Violet…” I croak, my throat thick and my mouth dry. “This isn’t… I didn’t want you to find out like this.”
“Find out what?” she snaps, eyes narrowing into slits. “That you’re making out with my boyfriend behind my back?”
“I’mnotyour boyfriend,” Finn growls, finally shifting his gaze toward her, but she doesn’t listen.
“Is this the thanks I get for getting you this job?” she goes on. “What a shitty thing to do, Ash. No fucking wonder you’ve been distant. Feeling guilty much?”
Finn takes a step forward, positioning his body partially in front of mine like he’s trying to shield me. “Watch your fuckin’ mouth when you speak to him.”
Violet barks out a humorless laugh. “Oh, this is rich.” Crossing her arms over her chest, her gaze slices from me to him, and I can tell by the way she gives him a once-over, whatever she’s about to say isn’t going to be nice. “And since fucking when are you gay, Finn?”
Jesus Christ.
It’s not lost on me that this is the first time Finn’s having to face his sexuality in front of anybody besides me. His shoulders tense, and I wish I could see his face from where he’s standing so I can gauge how he’s handling it.
“Not that it’s any of your business, Violet,” he bites out, tone low and dangerous. “But bein’ with a man doesn’t automatically make me ‘gay.’I think the term you’re lookin’ for is bisexual. And my sexuality is none of your damn business.”
My sister’s eyes cut over to me. Oh, god. Bile rises in the back of my throat as my stomach twists painfully. “And exactly how fucking long has this been going on, Ash?”
“Violet, please…”
“Fuck you, Ash! Don’t ‘Violet, please,’ me. How long have you, mytwin brother,been stabbing me in the back?”
