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Chapter twenty-eight

Finn

“And you’re sure you have everything you need?” Daphne asks, so I pin her with a withering stare.

“Daphne, I look after Rosie four days a week. Her being asleep for the night is actually easier, so I think I’ve got it covered. Go. Have fun. Date. Make out in the car. Go be a young couple.”

Hudson wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her back into him. “Come on, princess. Listen to him; he’s right. We’ll miss the movie if we don’t leave now.”

I point in Hudson’s direction, glaring at my sister. “See? Leave.”

She turns, but spins around again to look at Rosie in my arms. I push her away before she starts crying or something. “Go.”

Just as Hudson opens the door, it reveals my man. Foxx freezes mid-step like he wasn’t expecting an audience, and to be fair, I wasn’t expecting him this early either. His hand’s still hovering in the air, mid-knock.

Hudson grins, eyes bouncing between the two of us. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Professor McSteamy.”

Foxx clears his throat, straightening ever-so-slightly, an awkward smile tipping up the corner of his mouth. “Oh, I hope that nickname doesn’t stick.”

Daphne’s clearly trying to smother a smile. “Hi! Uh, Professor… I mean, Foxx? Well, actually, is it weird if I call you that?”

“It’s only weird when you make it weird, Daph,” I say, then push them out the way and drag Foxx inside to be near me and Rosie. His scent clings to me instantly, and I inhale the comforting smell that I reluctantly washed off my hoodie today.

His shoulders relax as he looks at me. “Hi.”

“Hi,” I echo, leaning into the warmth his body brings. Rosie takes that moment to reach for him and slap his chest, and his eyes soften as he looks her over.

“Hey there, Rosie,” he coos, and the sweetness in his voice shouldn’t be as hot as it is. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

She makes a high-pitched noise and smiles at him, jumping up and down on my hip. That new little snaggle tooth of her pops out too.

His fingers brush over her blonde curls gently, and Rosie leans into him more, grabbing his wrist and trying to shove it in her mouth.

“I think she likes you,” Daphne says while still lingering at the door.

“She’s precious,” Foxx replies, letting her drool all over his hand like it’s no big deal.

I glance up at him, heart being all full and na?ve and say, “She’s got good taste.”

Daphne lets out a squeak that she immediately tries to cover with a cough.

Hudson rumbles a laugh and pulls her toward him again. “Come on, let’s leave these two alone, so we can also be alone. I really want to f—”

“Nope, there are babies around,” I cut in quickly, guiding them both back toward the hallway. “I don’t need to hear it. Be young and in love somewhere else.”

Hudson turns just before the door closes, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Behave,” he says, and then, after a pause, “Or don’t. You’re both adults.”

I roll my eyes. “Bye, Hudson. Bye, Daphne.”

He gives a lazy salute. “Later.”

I push the door closed behind them, the Christmas countdown sign rattling against the wall, a not-so-gentle reminder that there are only ten days left. It taunts me as I slump back against the door with a sigh.

Foxx watches me, his expression wavering between amused and gentle. “You okay?”

I nod, then step into his arms, which immediately wrap around me and Rosie. “Better now.” Rosie doesn’t hesitate either. The second he’s close enough, she lets out another happy squeal and lunges forward, trying to grab his glasses and climb up into him.

“Hey now,” I laugh, steadying her. “You’ve known him for five minutes.”

Foxx’s arms adjust to catch her easily, holding her and removing his glasses, placing them in his back pocket with a smile he can’t hide. “The feeling is mutual. I like her too.” It should be a crime that he handles babies so well.

Rosie beams up at him, rubbing a chubby little hand over his beard, then rests her head on his chest like she’s decided that’s her spot now. Sorry, Rosie girl, that spot is already mine.

When she lets out a big yawn and her little eyes start to owl blink, I lean in to brush a kiss to her temple. “Let’s get you to bed, little lady.”

Foxx nods, letting me take her from him.

I carry her down the hall and get her set up in her cot.

Daphne fed her before she left, and she’s been bathed, so when I lay her down, she doesn’t protest, just pops a thumb in her mouth and closes her eyes.

I know not all babies are like this, but she’s really a little dreamboat.

By the time I come back, Foxx is still standing where I left him, glasses back on and scrolling on his phone with a little frown.

When he hears me coming, his eyes lift, and he tracks me moving closer.

I don’t hesitate to press my lips to his once and give him a hug that envelops me in his spicy scent, melting into him.

“Brought my finals with me to grade,” he says into my hair, his voice low. “In case you fall asleep on me later.”

I groan. “You’re not grading while I’m around.”

He chuckles. “You say that now, but I’ve got a stack of essays about differential equations that say otherwise.”

“I really need to pay more attention in your classes.” I chuckle leaning back.

“Do you pay attention in your other classes?”

“Oh yeah, Dr. Crane is always telling me what a good student I am,” I tease and watch his eyes flare with something akin to possession.

“Dr. Crane, huh? He’s more your type? Or is it the fact he’s even older than me that gets you going?”

“Hmm,” I say, tapping my lip, pretending to think it over. “I think it’s the fact that as soon as I mentioned his name, you got a little jealous.”

Foxx scoffs twice, and both times, it’s the most unconvincing sound. “Was not.”

“Sure.” I try to smother my grin.

He reaches out to hook a finger in my belt loop and tugs me close enough that our thighs touch. “Fine, maybe there was a little sting of jealousy.”

I lean in, my lips a featherlight touch against his. “Hmm…” I continue to evade a real kiss from him, liking how he’s searching for my lips still. “Dr. Crane doesn’t fuck me like you do.”

He makes a tortured noise in his throat.

Before I can say more, his hand moves from my waist to the back of my neck, guiding me closer until there’s no space between us.

His kiss is demanding and possessive and so fucking hot.

When he pulls away, I can’t stop my body from following his. “You drive me fucking crazy.”

I lick my lips, tasting him. “I’ll take you crazy if you kiss me like that again.”

I feel his laugh huff against my heated skin. “Later. I’ve ordered pizza,” he says without letting me go. “I hope you like pineapple.”

I pull back to see his face. “That’s the cruelest thing you could do.”

The smile that spreads over his lips is nothing short of beautiful, and then he dips down to kiss me.

His mouth is warm and soft against mine and, suddenly, I think maybe I could forgive him for putting fruit on something that absolutely shouldn’t have fruit.

No, nope. “Don’t think that kissing me gets you out of ruining dinner. ”

He pecks the side of my mouth again. “There’s no pineapple, promise. I’m not that evil.”

I narrow my eyes at him, still half-suspicious. “You sure?”

He raises two fingers, scout-style. “Swear. Classic pepperoni.” He glances at his watch. “Should be here in twenty minutes.”

“Good,” I say, already tugging him toward the couch, flicking on the baby monitor as I pass. “We’ve got time to make out some more.”

I push him down and straddle my legs around his hips. My hands immediately find the back of his neck, threading my fingers into his silky strands there. He hums into my mouth and opens for me, pulling me down closer to him. Every touch courses through my veins and lights me up from the inside.

A shiver snakes through me, heady and sweet, as his mouth moves against mine, kissing me like we’ve been doing this forever.

I shift, angling my hips to grind against the hard line of him beneath me, and he groans, a sound that rips through me and lands straight in my balls.

My fingers curl tighter into his hair as he bucks up into me, chasing friction, his hands now fully beneath my shirt, palms dragging over bare skin like he wants to memorize every inch.

“Fuck,” he mutters against my mouth. “I’ve missed this.”

His words loop in my mind as I sink deeper into him.

He’s missed this, the heat, the wildness, the way we crash into each other like it’s second nature.

And God, I feel the same thing, that pull, that need rising fast in my chest. It’s hardly been any time, but it feels like longer.

Like I never stopped wanting this. Wanting him.

It hits me then, how easy this is. How easy he is to want.

Not just because he’s hot as hell, though yeah, he is, but because something about being with him makes me feel like I can turn my brain off for a second.

Like I don’t have to keep carrying every broken piece of the past on my back.

He doesn’t try to fix me. He just lets me be .

And I didn’t know how much I needed that until right now, with his lips swollen from kissing me and his hands holding me like I’m something worth holding on to.

My brain is clearly linked with my ability to get a fucking erection, and I need to chill.

I don’t say any of that out loud. I wouldn’t even know how, and it’s not something I’m willing to blurt out in my lust-filled state. But it’s there, heavy in my chest, pulsing under my skin, threatening to unravel me.

“Fuck,” I whisper, dipping down to kiss him again, and then the door buzzes and I groan. “Double fuck.”

He grumbles a light laugh. “I got it.” Then he taps my legs, and I move off him, watching as he readjusts himself and goes to get our dinner.

Thirty minutes later, we’re both stuffed with pizza and garlic bread.