Chapter 4: The Little Finnley that Could
What am I doing? I asked myself as I rounded the trunk of our cab and opened the door for a woman, I’d only just met this morning. People will see us. People will assume. The cold air brushed against the newly growing flush across my cheeks as I took in the sight of her, extending my hand to help her out of the cab. She looked up at me with undeniably sad doe-like golden brown eyes, the color of honey, rimmed by a stunning row of long dark eyelashes. My own stuck on the light freckles that dusted across her nose and the blush of her cheeks. People be damned.
“Thank you,” she said glancing briefly at my mouth before looking at the restaurant behind us. “So, this is the place that has the best calamari?”
I blew out a breath, and shut the cab door, ushering her gently to the front of the busy building. “Just trust me.”
The door opened only to engulf us with a mix of the evening Jazz from down the street and a wall of warmth from a nearby fireplace. We stood for a moment as I did a once over the area for any open tables in the very full, very alive, accommodation. Though my mind could think of nothing but the electric energy buzzing between her arm and mine. I felt my body beginning to lean closer to her, just as I spotted an all too familiar face from a table across the way.
Marco, Keirra, Maala, and Urie greeted us from their large wooden table, ushering us over. Shit. Of all the nights to run into this crew, of course it had to be tonight. The moment we approached their table Lennon pulled away, leaving my arm floating in the air between us. Right, well… Marco swallowed me into a hug before I could protest. We hated each other. Everyone at the table knew as well as I did, the mask that Ventura wore when he knew people were watching.
“Ahhh, looks like you’ve been holding out us, who’s this pretty little thing?” Marco practically undressed Lennon with his eyes right there, and I could feel her stiffening beside me. Not entirely sure what had come over me, I found myself unfolding an arm to pull her into my side with a light squeeze.
I could feel Keira’s eyes locked on me as I plastered on a smile and glided into an explanation of why I was back in Brighton earlier than anticipated, when Lennon interrupted.
"I’m Lennon Bartolini,” She bit the corner of her bottom lip briefly before adding, “We’re newly acquainted.”
Yikes. I mean she was right, but I’d just saved her from drowning this morning. Things between us felt… I couldn’t put an exact word to it, but all I knew was that I was drawn to her. And even now as I’d let my thoughts get the best of me, watching as Marco kissed her hand, lit a fire in the pit of my stomach that had me clenching my fists. Keira made sure to show me that she saw just how white my knuckles went, as she raised a brow and went back to her glass of wine.
“Why not join our table? We were just about to order another round of drinks. We’d love to hear more about you, Lennon.” Keira smiled as she spun her little silky web to no doubt trap Lennon into giving her more information on whether we were sleeping together or not. She could smile all she wanted, but there was nothing beautiful about her to me anymore. The year and a half we spent together was full of her little webs and shiny traps to use me and get what she wanted. I was just a career ladder, and she would’ve just kept stepping all over me if I'd allowed it. Jealousy kindled in her eyes as she watched me take a seat next to Lennon at the table. I scooched even closer just to brush my leg against hers.
#
“You didn’t call me when you got back. You said you’d call,” Keira approached me and gave my jacket collar a big tug.
“I saw what I needed to see from you… We’re done. I’ve told you this already.” I leaned away from her, detaching her navy-blue claws.
“You liked that juicy little photo though, didn’t you?” She smirked as she dug through her bag and lit up a smoke. I refused to give her the satisfaction of acknowledging it.
“Did you really have to plie her with that many drinks, Keira?” I spoke low enough so Lennon couldn’t hear us from where she stood with my friends a few feet away. Keira looked at me sideways as she took a drag from her cigarette. Another thing I hated about her.
She chuckled under her breath, as puffs of smoke left her lips. “Oh, fuck off Finn. She’s having fun.” Taking another drag, she nodded her chin in Lennon’s direction. Lennon swayed lightly in place, as Marco and Urie spoke expressively in the group around her.
“Where did you find this girl anyway? She looks like a bloody teenager. I’m embarrassed for you, Finnley. Truly.”
“Embarrassed for me? What are you still doing hanging out with Marco anyway? He’s a fucking junkie.” I peered over at them again, just to make sure Lennon hadn’t passed out. Marco was leaning in close to talk to her. Maala and Urie now no longer near them. Damn it.
Keira shook her head as she put out her cigarette in a nearby plant, smoke pouring from her nostrils. “Nothing wrong with a little cocaine, Finn. Speaking of Marco though, looks like he has his sights set on taking your little plaything with him.”
I turned to see Marco with his hand wrapped around Lennon’s waist and a gloss over his eyes that I’d seen one too many times. My body reacted before my brain fully processed what I was doing, and I found myself placing my hand on Lennon’s shoulder.
“You ready to go? Cab is here.”
Marco grazed the side of her body right over the thigh were he had been stung by a poisonous jellyfish not even eight hours ago. She winced in pain and that was all it took for me to shove Marco back.
“Watch yourself, Marco— she’s injured,” I growled. Every muscle in my body wanted to grind him into the pavement. Lennon stumbled, mumbling that she was fine, but I’d seen and heard enough. Marco’s track record for taking things a little too far with younger women when he was drunk was long, and I’d be damned if I let him hurt someone else under my watch.
I grabbed Lennon’s arm and pulled her into out cab. “C’mon… let’s get you home.”
#
I held Lennon a little tighter as I felt her shiver in her sleep, her head laying across my chest. My anger quickly drained from my body the moment I saw the tears well up in her eyes. She must think I’m insane. Her breath quickened in a small spasm from her earlier tears, but I knew that she’d probably been crying for the last few weeks. She’d just lost her grandfather. Her grandfather. Henry was gone and this little woman was all I had left of the man. The man who helped me take just about every important step in forward in my life. He was gone. What I wanted from her; I wasn’t quite sure… But I knew then, as I looked down at her face, that I was not ready to let her just walk back out of my life.
#
“Lenny, where are your keys?” We stood in front of her doorway as she swayed drunkenly forward and into the wall, whilst rummaging through her purse. How was she even more intoxicated after napping!?
“Screw thissss, I can’t see an—yhing. Let’s just go to your hhoussse. This place creeps me out at night anyways,” she slurred chucking her purse behind a bush next to the door.
“Lennon!” I tried desperately to catch it before the foliage swallowed the bag whole.
“Betcha’ I can beat you to your houssse! Big White one, five houses down? One, threeee, two— Go!” She kicked off her sandals and started to sprint down our street.
“No—
I reached out to snatch her by the arm, but her body was disappearing surprisingly fast. I knew from the moment she took off barefoot that this night was going to end in some type of disaster. After picking up her shoes, I decided to hell with it and chased after her.
#
“Shit… I am so sorry, Finnley. I never drink. I— I don’t do this type of thing, literally like— ever. I’m so sorry.” She buried her face in her hands. Taking in the sad sight, her hair tangled, strands covered in reddish pink vomit, along with her dress, and dark black smudges around her eyes. I peeled her hands from her face and moved her hair away from her cheeks.
“It’s fine, really… But I draw the line at letting a vomit covered person sleep in my bed. I’ll turn around, but you are getting in this shower.”
Stepping away to turn on its faucet, the glass shower walls steamed up immediately. When I turned back around, she was already undressed only covered by her bunched up dirty dress held to her chest.
“Oh— I’m sorry.” I quickly looked away and headed toward the door.
“Don’t leave…” Her voice was soft, almost broken sounding. I turned to face her once more, only to be greeted by her bare backside as she stepped into the steamy shower.
“Please.”
“If that’s what you want.” I turned away once more and busied myself by rinsing my face with water in the sink, my eyes looking into the mirror only to catch the reflection of Lennon’s silhouette behind the steam. The water slid down her body, caressing her heavy breasts, and dripping off their peak as she reached up to rinse the soap from her hair. She turned running a bar of white soap over the tan skin of her neck and shoulder, her long hair falling to one side as she rinsed off the suds.
I turned off the water and dried my face with a nearby towel. Her image reappearing in the mirror’s reflection, she faced my reflection fully and turned off the shower.
“Can you bring me a towel, Finn?” Her voice was intimate and soft.
My mouth had gone completely dry.
“Y— yes.”
I reached into the shower, towel hanging from my hand. Taking it, she stepped onto the bath rug right in front of me. She dabbed the towel lightly over her skin, holding my gaze the entire time. I didn’t move. Her eyes still slightly smudged with mascara, water droplets clung to her lashes, as she blinked at me slowly looking at my lips. She dropped the towel completely and took a step closer.
“Lennon, I don’t think—
Her lips were on mine before I could finish speaking. She grabbed my arms and wrapped them around her waist, then her hands found their way into my curls. The taste of her nearly drove me over the edge and I kissed her back hard. My hands roamed over her back and down her generous backside. A low moan escaped her mouth as grabbed a handful of her ass, then gently scooped her up to set her on the counter. I pulled away from her mouth to kiss down the side of her beautiful neck. Her breathing quickened as she wrapped her legs around me, feeling the hardness there between us.
I moaned as she ground her hips on me, her hands grasping the shirt over my shoulders.
“Lennon—”
She kissed me once more, swallowing my words.
“Take me to bed, Finnley... please,” she said, running her thumb over my bottom lip.
I stopped. My arms still around her body, I paused to look her in the eyes, the sadness still heavy there. What had I just allowed to happen?
I grazed my lips over hers once more before pulling away and handing her the T-shirt I’d set aside for her. My gut twisted in disbelief and dejection as I realized who I'd almost reminded myself of in that moment.
“We can't... Not like this.” I could feel her gaze following me out the door as I left her there on the bathroom counter.
When I finally remerged with a glass of water and two Tylenol, she was already tangled up in my comforter fast asleep. I set the glass down on the bedside table, grabbing a throw blanket from a nearby chair and flipped the light switch as I left her to be alone with her dreams sprawled out in my bed.
**TUNE IN NEXT SUNDAY TO READ CHAPTER 5!!!**
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