Page 46 of Riptide

Hazelnut,I add, because five things are better than four.

I don’t close the photo. I don’t look away. I just breathe. I let the ache settle instead of fighting it. And eventually, when the worst has passed, I swipe away with a deep breath.

I press the heel of my hand against my forehead, a headache forming behind my eyes, when my phone buzzes again.

Foxx

I’m almost positive you weren’t listening in class.

My panic ebbs away, not because of the accusation, since he’s right, I probably wasn’t. But because it’s the first thing in the last ten minutes that doesn’t make me feel like I’m back there, reliving that day. I’m grateful for his timing.

I sit up, shucking off the remaining weight pressing against my ribs. I shouldn’t be relieved to hear from him. I shouldn’t be looking at his message like it’s a tether, grounding me. But I am and he is.

The smart thing would be to take a second to pull myself together before I respond, but my fingers are already movingacross the keyboard. It’s been a week of us trying to figure out how to work all of this between us. Combined with him working late and me having Rosie extra, we’ve resorted to texts since the office incident.

Finn

It was difficult to concentrate when you rolled your shirt sleeves up. Such slutty forearms, they should be illegal.

I hit send, shifting against the pillows, my phone resting on my chest as I wait. The seconds stretch out, long enough that I start to wonder if he’ll even respond, long enough for that familiar gnawing feeling of restlessness to start creeping in.

Foxx

Slutty forearms? That’s a first.

The tension in my chest lifts.

I smirk, fingers tapping against the screen.

Finn

Totally slutty.

Foxx

I’m still not sure that’s a compliment.

I roll onto my side, dragging my hand through my hair. The typing bubble appears, disappears, reappears.

Foxx

You planning on showing up at my office again tomorrow?

Finn

You want me to?

Foxx

You’d like that, wouldn’t you?

Finn

Yeah. I would.

I don’t even think about it. It’s the only thing that makes sense. Despite his warning, that moment has been on repeat in my mind as I fuck my hand every single night.

Foxx