He holds me close, his breath hot on my ear. I shiver, and he pulls back slightly to look at me.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispers.
I feel my cheeks heat up, and I look down, feeling suddenly self-conscious. But Finn takes my chin in his hand and lifts my face back up to meet his gaze. His pupils are blown wide, dark pools of hunger and heat. I swear I can feel the weight of his gaze pressing against me, testing, waiting.
I should think.
I should slow this down, ask questions, make this make sense.
Instead, I lean in and then he’s pulling me closer and kissing me deeply.
His lips are soft yet firm, and he tastes like whiskey and desire. Something instinctual stirs, a warmth unfurling low in my stomach, something in me urging me to get closer, to take in more of him.
I groan into his mouth as he deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring every inch of my mouth. A purr rumbles in his chest, deep and satisfied, and I feel the sound more than hear it. Something in melovesit though.
When we finally break apart, we’re both gasping for breath. His eyes flicker to my throat for half a second before he looks away, like he just can’t help himself. It’s a dominance thing, I’m sure.
Wordlessly, Finn leads me away from the makeshift dance floor and along the beach away from the party.
We walk in silence for a while, with only the sounds of the crashing waves and our own breathing for company, as the party fades right into the background.
I steal a glance at him, and he catches me looking. A relaxed grin spreads across his face, and I can’t help but smile back. Something about him makes my body hum, like my instincts recognise something before my brain can catch up.
He stops walking and turns to face me, his eyes intense.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, and I hesitate for a second.
Do I?
I just met him. We’ve not exchanged more than ten words with one another, and yet I’ve kissed him and wandered off from the party with him. My heart is racing, my skin tingling from more than just the sea breeze. His scent clings to me now, mixing with mine, a subtle reminder that he’s still close, still watching.
Maybe I’m an idiot and I’ll end up on the news tomorrow – missing or dead – but I can’t deny that there’s something about Finn that calms and excites me. So I nod, not sure what he has in mind, just hoping that my intuition doesn’t fail me and I don’t end up as shark bait.
Without another word, he leads me towards the water. The waves are languid, and the cool, wet sand shifts beneath my bare feet. Finn stops where the water is just lapping at the shore and turns to face me again.
“Hold on tight,” he says with a devious grin, and then he’s pulling me into the water with him.
“Fuck!” I shriek, shivering as the shock of the cold water takes my breath away.
But his hand is firm in mine. He’s got me. His grip is strong, steady. Protective.
I know I’m safe as he tugs me towards him, wrapping his arms around my waist. I let him guide me through the shallow water and then push me back against the rocks, my back resting against the solid wall of stone. He kisses me again, his hands running up and down my waist. His scent surrounds me, heat meeting coolness, sparking something molten in my veins.
Where the water has soaked my clothes, my dress sticks to me like a second skin and the heat of Finn’s hands burns me through the icy material.
The desire boiling up inside me is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. My body responds to his without thought, instincts overriding logic. I should be questioning this, but I don’t. I can’t.
His erection presses against my thigh and I grind against him, needing him, needing more, as we kiss like our lives depend on it.
I’m no prude, but I’ve never hooked up with a stranger within a few minutes of meeting him before. Yet it doesn’t feel like a mistake. It feels inevitable.
That should scare me.
It doesn’t.
Finn pulls back, resting his forehead against mine. He’s got beautifully long, dark lashes, and his eyes are dark with desire. The scent of him – ocean rain, smoked green tea, and burnt caramel – wraps around me, sinking deep into my bones. It’s warm, rich, and grounding, and I shiver as it seeps into my skin. He pulls my dress up and starts trailing soft kisses down my throat as his hands roam all over my exposed skin.
I slide my hands under his wet shirt, feeling his hot skin and the hard ridges of his abdomen. Even in the dark I can make out how ripped he is. The sheer strength and power of his muscles makes me keen in delight, recognising the dominance he holds in every fibre of his being. But I’m not afraid of him.