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“Holy fuck. Pretty sure you just drained my life force through my dick.”

Finn’s laugh reverberates through me as he cleans up my cock, lapping at it like he can’t get enough, even though I just nearly drowned him with my cum.

“C’mere,” I say, wanting to take care of him.

“No need.”

My eyebrows arch in confusion but as he sits up, his cum is splattered on his abdomen, dick, and the sheets between my knees.

“Not even embarrassed by it. That was the hottest fucking thing ever and I want a repeat as soon as you’ll let me. You enjoyed it?”

Now that the post-orgasm clarity has arrived, I wait for the shame, embarrassment, or panic to wash over me, but they don’t come. My heart is still going crazy behind my ribs as Finn looks down at me, but I won’t lie to him. Not after what he just did. Not after I fucking loved every minute of what he did to me.

“Yeah, I enjoyed it.”

His face lights up with a satisfied smile that makes my insides feel warm, emotion that I’ve never felt before and can’t quite place, overwhelming me. When did this turn into something other than whoring each other out for our own selfish gain? It doesn’t feel like just bargaining anymore, it feels like a whole helluva lot more. That scares the shit out of me.

“Going for a run. Wanna join me?” I ask, even though I don’t feel any stress weighing me down today. It’s like I can suddenly breathe after being held underwater. I came here with one goal, even if I was just clinging to it because I couldn’t face the real reason. I knew coming here would change everything, and it has. I think I’m falling for Finn. I barely recognize the feelings because I’ve never felt this way before. This morning, I walked in on him pouring coffee and making omelets for both of us, and even though it was such a simple thing to do for someone else, the breath was nearly knocked from my lungs.

Nothing has come easy to me; I’ve never found my place in anything that I do—except for fucking my way through partners—but with Finn? It feels right. It feelswhole.

Finn stands up from his place on the couch, typing away on his laptop. “Let me get my shoes, I’ll go with you.”

Ten minutes later, we’re both shirtless and hitting the pavement. Emberleigh is a quaint, tiny town that reminds me of home, but with coastal vibes. Whereas Aspen Ridge has more mountains, Emberleigh is a coastal paradise.

We find a steady pace that matches each other, and I follow Finn up the sidewalk a few blocks until he takes us through a parking lot, and then a sharp right turn onto a gravel path marked with a sign that readsTide’s Edge.

The trail winds around the coast with gorgeous scenic views that take my breath away. I haven’t done a ton of traveling and I’ve never been to Maine until now, but it makes me want to do more. It’s gorgeous.

The cloudless sky gives the brutal sun no filter as it beats down on my bare skin. It isn’t overly harsh and the ocean breeze offers just enough relief from the heat to keep me moving, but I’m going to feel the effects of it later. The gravel crunches under our feet as we keep a pace with each other, finding a rhythm that works for both of us, like we’ve been running together our entire lives.

The vast Atlantic Ocean stretches out in front of us as we weave along the narrow path. The waves roll gently, white caps breaking on the shore, seals basking on rocks and soaking in the warmth the sun provides. Finn’s breath matches my own—steady, deep, and calm—as if he gets just as much freedom from running as I do.

With every stride, any lingering tension starts to unravel. The noise of the world fades into the background, leaving just the two of us. If life was only this easy. I try not to let myself imagine what it would be like to run my normal route with Finn by my side in Aspen Ridge. What it would be like to have a partner that shared a hobby that was just as therapeutic for you as it is for them.

Instead, I focus on the trail in front of me, Finn’s steady breathing to my right, the endless ocean and rocky coastline to my left.

“So how’d you find this place?” I ask him.

“Tide’s Edge?”

“This hidden gem in middle-of-nowhere, Maine.”

“Ahh. My grandmother. She has a little cottage in the cove, and we used to vacation here when I was little. I’ll show it to you if you want. We can grab some lunch down there if you’re up for it.”

My heart stutters in my chest, not realizing that someone here does know him despite what he told me. A hard smack hits my stomach and I involuntarily hunch forward.

“We don’t have to go. She’s the sweetest old biddy you’ll ever meet though.”

“Thought no one knew us here, Nash? That another lie?”

“Don’t do that, Carter. Yeah, my elderly grandmother lives a few miles down the road. But she hardly leaves her cottage, and she doesn’t have a relationship with my parents. It’s not like it would get out. But you don’t have to come when I go see her. It’s fine.”

I look over at Finn, his face pink from exertion, sweat beading along his forehead and over his shoulders. His eyes are focused, but I don’t miss the flash of disappointment in them. I wonder if he’s ever taken someone home before to meet her. I get the impression she’s important to him and suddenly feel like an asshole.

“Have you ever been in a relationship before?” I ask out of nowhere.

“Twice. It didn’t work out, obviously.”