4. Rissa Gets Suspicious

FOUR

RISSA GETS SUSPICIOUS

I am cleaning chocolate off my sweater when the front door opens. Perfect timing. Because of course my husband shows up just when I look like I was attacked by Cookie Monster. That seems to sum up my life lately— me feeling gross and my husband looking more handsome by the day.

“Hey, what happened?” He looks down at the brown stain smeared across my stomach.

“Liam happened.” I smile up at him. “Your son shares your sweet tooth.”

“I have a sweet tooth? What makes you say that?”

I side-eye him. “How was your apple pie?”

He chuckles as he takes his coat off and lays it over the back of the closest kitchen stool. Today he’s wearing an impeccably fitted suit in dark gray with a gunmetal gray tie. The monochromatic look really works for him. Really works for him. I bite my lip.

When I look up, he’s watching me.

I spin back around to face the sink. "So, how were the boys?"

He shrugs. "You know, the usual. Tank’s plotting world domination one business deal at a time, and Gabe and Zack are trying to save it with charity work. They’re talking about building a free clinic in DC next year.”

“Wow. That sounds amazing. Your brothers are turning out to be real philanthropists.”

Finn laughs, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “Gabe just has a hero complex.”

“But you’re going to help anyway.”

“Of course I am.”

He doesn’t say anything else so I can’t help but prod a little further. "So, did you guys talk about Christmas?"

He leans back against the counter. "Christmas? I can’t really recall. You know, I think Tank might have mentioned it.”

I squint at him. “ Mentioned it . Okay, what’s the deal. You've been suspiciously agreeable about this simple Christmas idea."

He puts a hand over his heart. “What’s suspicious about giving you what you want? Is it so hard to believe that I might want a simple holiday myself?”

I poke his side. “Yes, it is."

Finn traps my hand and then uses it to pull me closer. "Okay, you got me. I just figured, why fight the inevitable? You and your plans always win out in the end. I'm just being strategically compliant."

"Strategically compliant? Uh huh.”

He must be able to tell that I’m not buying his suddenly easygoing approach. Finn is usually the type to push through to get what he wants. I was really expecting more resistance to our plan. Maybe a PowerPoint presentation on why it would be better not to stifle their freedom of expression or something equally over-the-top.

“So all the guys are on board?”

He wraps an arm around my waist. "Of course. Who knows? Maybe this simple Christmas will be the best one yet."

I lean into his embrace. "It will be. We’ll drink hot cocoa and snuggle before the fire. Maybe I’ll even buy us those corny matching Christmas pajamas.”

He leans back so I can see the look on his face. “Simple doesn’t mean torture.”

“It also doesn’t mean hiding gifts in the garage. So don’t even think about it Mister!”

He laughs, a rich sound that fills the room. "Nothing hidden, I promise. I just want to spend some time with you.”

Touched, I lean my head back against his shoulder. Ever since we reconnected, I’ve felt complete in a way that I haven’t since I left him the first time. Time together is exactly what I’m craving.

“I guess that means?—”

Whatever I was about to say gets lost when Finn’s nose brushes against my neck. Heat floods through me and I am instantly aware of his muscular frame tucked right behind me. The arm around my waist suddenly tightens as he inhales, a soft grumbling sound vibrating right next to my ear.

“ Why do you always smell so good? ” he growls.

My eyes fall shut as he takes the tip of my earlobe between his teeth.

“I could spend every second of the day just like this,” he whispers.

The feel of his breath against my skin makes me shiver. His other hand slides up and under my ponytail until he turns my face slowly towards his. Our eyes lock as he leans in and I swear I can feel his heart racing inside his chest.

The air around us is thick with electricity as our lips finally meet in a passionate kiss. My arms find their way around his neck, pulling him closer as we explore each other's mouths with our tongues and teeth. His grip tightens on my waist until he slides a hand down into my leggings. I know exactly where that hand is going and everything inside me clenches, waiting for the joy of riding those fingers until I forget about everything but us.

His fingers trace the outline of my inner thigh, making me shiver. Every graze of his fingertips ignites a fire that feels like it'll burn us both alive.

I moan softly into his mouth, as our kiss deepens. His hand slides lower until he slips beneath the edge of my panties. My hips involuntarily buck against his touch, craving more.

He backs away slightly, his eyes dark with hunger. He watches my face as he slips one finger inside me, his other hand going to the back of my neck.

“Finn, please.”

My nails dig into his forearms as he pushes a second finger deep. His fingers dance over my slick folds, driving me to the edge of insanity. My eyes fall closed as I ride the waves of pleasure crashing through me.

“Look at me,” Finn mutters.

My eyes pop open to find him watching me greedily.

“That’s it. I want to see you.”

Heat rushes to my face as I imagine how I must look, with wild hair and my leggings shoved down. But somehow the thought of that only pushes me higher, the idea that he couldn’t even wait to get me to the bedroom. That I could drive him so crazy that he’ll bend me right over the kitchen counter.

“Oh my god,” I cry out as he brushes over a sensitive spot inside that makes me feel like I’ve gone completely liquid.

Everything fades until the only sound is his rough breathing in my ear and the only thing I see is his eyes as he watches me fall apart. I explode with a soft cry that he swallows with his kiss. He holds me close, as I shake in his arms.

"I have to get inside you," he murmurs.

"Yes. I want that."

But then he pushes my sweater up, exposing my stomach. The moment the air hits my skin, I freeze in place.

"The kids. They're napping. They could wake up," I whisper.

His hands pause on my skin and I take the opportunity to pull my sweater back down, covering my stomach.

“Of course,” he mutters. “I didn’t realize.”

“I should go change my sweater.”

As I walk down the hallway to our room, I listen to see if his footsteps follow. Whenever I’m about to change clothes lately, he’s there. Guilt makes my stomach drop as I think of how many times I’ve rushed into the bathroom or closet to avoid his eyes.

Just a little longer . If I stick to my diet, then I’ll have lost this last ten pounds and maybe the idea of him looking at me naked won’t feel so terrifying.

I ignore the mean little voice in the back of my brain that says the weight loss won’t fix the pesky stretch marks crisscrossing my stomach, hips, and thighs.

After yanking the chocolate-smeared sweater off, I grab the first thing my hand lands on hanging up in the closet. It’s not like it really matters what I wear since it’ll have food, play dough or finger paint on it before long, anyway.

When I get back to the living room, Finn is lounging on the couch typing on his phone. There is a fire crackling in the grate and the TV is tuned to a news channel but it’s clear he’s not actually watching it. Once he realizes he’s no longer alone, he hurriedly drops his phone in his lap.

I pause. Why did he just throw his phone down like that?

That was weird.

I raise my voice so he can hear me. "I'm going to have some wine. You want some?”

He nods. "Sure."

Padding to the kitchen, I select a bottle of my favorite Malbec from the rack on the wall. When I look over at Finn, he’s typing rapidly into his phone again. I slip my phone from my pocket.

Rissa

Has Gabe been acting odd since he got back home?

Three bouncing dots appear immediately. Sasha is usually quick to respond and just as suspicious of our husbands’ shenanigans as I am. If there is anything going on, she’ll know.

Sasha

The man wakes up with gel in his hair. I don’t think he could be weird even if he was trying. Why?

Rissa

Finn's a little too happy about our low-key Christmas plan.

Sasha

That’s good. Isn’t it?

Rissa

I've known Finn since his teen angst phase. He thinks he’s so stealthy but I can read him like an open book. He's up to something.

Sasha

Maybe he's just happy to have a stress-free holiday

Rissa

I have a feeling the guys talked about more than business today. They’re hiding something. Keep an eye on Gabe.

Sasha

Always do. Let me know if you figure out what’s up.

Shaking my head, I take the glasses and head over to Finn. Just like before, as soon as he sees me coming he buries the phone in his lap. When I offer him his glass, he takes it carefully. I sit and curl my feet under me.

I raise my glass in the air. “To a simple Christmas.”

Finn freezes but finally raises his glass. “To an amazing Christmas with the love of my life.”

Although the toast makes me smile, I watch him carefully over the rim of my glass as I take a sip. The fact that he didn’t repeat my toast only confirms my suspicions. He’s up to something for sure, and I'm going to figure it out.

One way or another.