“<span>Willyou please hurry up?”


    IfeelFinn’slight breathy chuckle against my neck.Myshirt is off and tossed aside.I’mshivering, but it has nothing to do with the temperature in the closet.<i ss="calibre2">WhydidIagree to this?</i><i ss="calibre2">WhatwasIthinking?</i>Themirror is taunting me with every loose, wobbly part of my torso.Iwant to run and hide—butIcan’t.Finn’rge body is behind me, steadying me, locking me in ce.There’sno retreat.


    “WhatdidItell you about talking?” he grumbles from behind me.


    “Butyou’re moving at a snail’s pace<i ss="calibre2">.</i>”Iwish he’d just undress me already.Ripit off, like aBand-Aid.Maybeit’ll be less painful that way.


    “Yeah,Avery.That’swhat you do when you’re savoring something…”Heblows on my naked shoulder, causing a sea of goose bumps to pebble my skin. “<i ss="calibre2">You…go…slow</i>,” he whispers into my ear.


    Inthis moment,Iunderstand three very important things.


    One,Finnis very good at this.He’soverwhelmingly sensual.He’staking my literal worst nightmare and somehow making it sexy.Enjoyable, even.


    Two,Finnknows exactly what he’s doing to me.EverytimeIshudder and flinch, he smiles.Justmoments ago, when his fingers grazed across my belly and chest as he pulled off myT-shirt,Inearly lostposure.Whenhe rubbed the back of my bare arms to warm me up in an already sweltering room,Iwanted to scream.


    Three, and probably the most shocking revtion is…


    Finnlikes this.


    Thisman must be desperate, blind, or high as a kite, because he’s looking at me likeI’mthe first woman he’s everid eyes on.LikeI’ma prize he’s won.


    Mygulp is audible as he pulls my left bra strap down over my shoulder.


    “Breathe,” he instructs, “and keep your eyes on the mirror.”Hepulls down the right. “Letme exin whatIsee.”


    I’mfear frozen.Mylimbs no longer answer the rmingmands from my brain.


    Igive myself major credit for at least giving this a try.I’mnot the girl who wants to beg her cheating ex to take her back.I’malso not the girl who knows how to throw my ex the bird and seduce the hottest guy in the bar for rebound sex.I’msomething in-between.<i ss="calibre2">This.</i>Finntouching me and talking me through this seems<i ss="calibre2">in-between</i>.


    Heunsps my bra and it falls to the floor.Myheavy breasts drop an inch.Mymind whirls andIimmediately attack myself mentally with criticisms.Mybreasts aren’t perky enough, my waist isn’t slim enough, my skin isn’t taut and tight, and my hips are too wide.Thesilver lines against my skin from puberty where my body grew too fast mock me.You’remarked.


    Maurais wless.Ibet her skin has never overstretched a day in her life.


    <i ss="calibre2">Iam marked.Iam—</i>


    “Goddamn,”Finnsays, interrupting my silently spoken assault.Watchinghis eyes through the mirror,Isee they’re bouncing between my breasts. “Yourtits are unbelievable.”


    “You’rejust—”


    “Ah, ah.<i ss="calibre2">Hush</i>.”Hesps hisrge hands around my shoulders. “Yourbreasts are perfection.Theyare full in all the right ces and your nipples are my favorite shade of brown.<i ss="calibre2">Sosexy.</i>ThankGodyou’re not a client,Avery.Thesetits would make me act unprofessional in the studio.Wewouldn’t want that, would we?”


    Imeet his eyes in the mirror. “Finn, did you just ask me another questionI’mnot allowed to answer?”


    “Smart-ass.”Hesmirks.


    “Ireally like your smile,”Isay.Thewords fall out beforeIcan stop them.Hesmiles wider, his perfect teeth and deep dimples on disy in the mirror.Thenerves begin to settle andIsuddenly have the urge to reach behind me and feel his stubble.It’sclearFinnshaved this morning, but by nine at night, his five o’clock shadow is tempting.Ibet it feels like ultra-fine sandpaper.Notenough to scratch me, but just enough to agitate my skin until it’s sensitive.It’dheighten my senses and make my skin so tender to his touch.Iwonder how his cheek would feel against my thigh.


    Iwonder ifFinndoes<i ss="calibre2">that</i>.Maybehe likes whatMasonhates.He’scertainly looking at me in a wayMasonnever did.


    “I<i ss="calibre2">really</i>like your<i ss="calibre2"></i>smile too,” he replies.Hewinks into the mirror. “Andyour tits.”Reachingaround my body again,Finntrails his thumbnail between my breasts and down my stomach before he sinks his thumb into my belly button.Myknees buckle, butIdon’t fall because he immediately wraps his other arm around my ribs, securing me. “Whoops, you’re really ticklish.Sorry.Couldn’thelp myself.I’ma sucker for innies.”


    Iwouldugh at his yfulness, but at the moment nothing is funny.Bysome miracle,Iam standing in just my underwear in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror.Thelighting is wildly unttering.Theman behind me may be the best-looking human being on the and somehow…


    I’mokay.


    <i ss="calibre2">Morethan okay.</i>


    <i ss="calibre2">Iam so turned on.</i>


    Isuck in a deep breath, watching my chest expand and rise.Ifind my courage and say as firmly asIcan, “Finn—”


    “Hush,Avery.”Hiseyes snap to mine as he raises one brow.


    “Thisis thest thingI’llsay,Ipromise.”


    “Fine.”


    “I’mnervous but don’t let me stop.Undressme all the way.Ican handle it.”


    Ashe slowly wets his lips,I’mcertain my body catches on fire. “Iwas going to leave your underwear on.Yourperiod and all.”


    Iallow my cheeks to flush crimson red.<i ss="calibre2">Ah, who the fuck cares?</i>We’vemade it this far. “You’rejust looking, not touching.Doesit bother you?”


    “Notat all.Ijust didn’t want you to be too ufortable.”


    Iscowl at him.<i ss="calibre2">Ufortable?</i>We’reso far past ufortable.We’reat throw caution to the wind and let’s see what the hell happens.


    Iblow out a shaky breath, feeling bolder by the second.Iride the wave of my bravery before it’s toote. “Takeoff my underwear.Tellme what else you see that you like.”<i ss="calibre2">Lieif you have to.</i>


    Finnnods and squeezes my hip bone.Hisfingers tease the waistline of my ck cotton panties.Hehas a sexyMidastouch apparently.There’snothing impressive about this pair of in bikini-style underwear.Butnow that he’s touching it, it’s the sexiest article of clothingIown.


    Finntraces my panty line back and forth, teasing me as he talks directly into my ear. “Avery, listen to me.You’rebeautiful.You’reworthy.Don’tyou dare let any man treat you like garbage.Don’tlet any man tell you you’recking.Ifhe doesn’t see you as sexy, he’s not using his eyes.”Hehooks his finger around my chin and guides my view soI’mlooking into my own eyes. “Butconfidence starts with you.Aman is going to treat you how you treat yourself.<i ss="calibre2">Soplease, for the love ofGod, act like a fucking queen.</i>”


    Everythingis wet.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    I’mturned on.I’mteary-eyed.Thisis the most intimateI’vebeen with another human being in my life.<i ss="calibre2">Iwant him</i>.Stupidfucking period…ruining everything.Maybehe doesn’t mind—


    “Ihave to stop here.”Hedrops his hand, leaving my panties securely around my hips, and steps backward.Suddenly, my wall of support is gone andI’mholding my own weight.


    Ispin around in a huff to face him. “<i ss="calibre2">What</i>?”Mywide eyes must look using because he raises his hands in surrender like he’s trying to calm a wild animal he provoked.


    “It’sbeen way more than five minutes, andIcan’t go any further without getting carried away.So…Ishould go.”


    He’snot technically rejecting me.Ididn’t offer.Butshame rears its ugly head anyway, and the confident woman from two minutes before exits the stage.We’reback to the same ol’Avery.Unsure…embarrassed…scared.


    “Okay,Iunderstand,”Isay, crossing my arms over my bare chest, covering my nakedness as best asIcan. “Goodnight then.”


    Hetakes a few steps toward the closet entry.Hestops, then spins around. “Hey,Ihave a long run nned for tomorrow morning.Eightmiles at least.”


    “Uh, okay,”Isass.Thisman is fucking crazy if he’s inviting me to run eight miles with him. “Havea good run.”


    Hisshoulders shake as heughs, understanding my sentiment. “WhatImean isI’llprobably need the hot tub after.Sayaround eight?”Hepoints to me. “Thisis either your warning to avoid me or your invitation to join me.Whateveryou choose.Goodnight,Avery.”


    Withthat, he’s gone.


    Heleaves me with a clear choice.


    DidIlike what just happened?Oris this man who is way out of my league and much too tempting, a dangerous choice in my life right now?Finnhas unrequited love written all over him, andI’dbe an idiot to let myself go there.Butthen again…


    Theway he was just looking at me in the mirror…


    Theway he made me feel about myself…


    IthinkI’mstanding at least an inch taller at the moment.I’venever met a man in my life who treats a woman that way.Finnhas the answers to a lot of questions on my mind.QuestionsIonly have one summer to answer before reality punches back.


    Soit’s easy to make my choice.


    <i ss="calibre2">Ineed to buy a swimsuit.</i>