Page 14 of The Valiant Knight (The Ravensmire Chronicles #2)

Ravensmire Castle

The Master’s Suite

Bathroom

Wednesday

O h, something was definitely going on, and he wasn’t quite sure what. When Graham came into the bathroom, he found them both clothed, and sitting on the floor of the shower as they were laughing their asses off.

They looked like a pair of drowned rats.

For sure.

Well, at least they were alive because that was the best-case scenario.

That could have ended badly.

To be one hundred percent honest, both Finn and Gabby had gotten damn lucky.

“Are you both okay?” he asked, crouching down to their level.

Only, they didn’t answer. Instead, they continued laughing like they almost didn’t bite the big one.

“Uh, is that a yes or a no?” he asked. “The doctor is on the way.”

Because they knew how silly they had to look, they both nodded through the uncontrollable fits of laughter. One would stop, and the other would make them laugh all over again.

“Do either of you need my help?” he asked, knowing an adrenaline crash when he saw one.

Finn did.

“In my truck, there’s a bag with multiple changes of clothes and shoes. Can you get them for me?” he asked. “And get my badge and gun from the shore?”

That he could do.

“Stay here and get warmed up,” Graham ordered.

Oh, well, that was the plan. Neither one of them could feel their whole body yet.

When he was gone, Gabby knew she owed him a huge thank you.

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

Well, she was sitting in his lap, and leaning on his body, so that was pretty much all the thanks he needed.

Plus, he did get to put his mouth on hers, so he was calling himself the winner for this round.

He was to the point.

“You don’t have to thank me. The pleasure was all mine,” he admitted, and it was.

Oh, it was scary, but they made it through.

She touched his cheek, and he stared into her eyes.

“You seem to be saving me a lot. I do want to say thank you. I’m going into the village tomorrow. Would you like to have breakfast with me?”

For a brief second, he couldn’t believe it.

What?

The?

Hell?

Finn wasn’t sure what miracle this was, but she was asking him out. He wasn’t even sure he heard her right.

She waited and when he didn’t say anything, she began her emotional retreat. So much for promising to open herself up.

“You don’t have to. Forget I asked,” she said, blushing.

Apparently, Graham had been wrong, or he didn’t want to deal with her. It wasn’t like she could blame him. He had to save her more times than he should have.

Finn realized she was panicking, and he stepped in before it ruined his chance to be near her on a date.

When she tried to get away from him in embarrassment, he said one word.

“Don’t.”

She paused, and she looked scared.

Gently, to show her he would never hurt her, Finn touched her face.

“I don’t know who put that fear in you, Lass, but I’m sorry he did. As for your offer, I’d love to go to breakfast and the village with you tomorrow. I was trying not to celebrate. That’s why it took a second.”

She lifted a brow.

“Celebrate?”

He explained.

“I was coming down to ask you out to dinner, and that’s when I saw you go into the lake. I was celebrating that you weren’t going to say no, since you asked.”

She understood now.

And she owed him an explanation.

“It was my ex-husband. He made me like this,” she said, being honest.

Her therapist said if she was honest, he couldn't hurt her anymore. On top of that, this cop saved her life. She owed him that.

A promise was a promise, and she made a vow to the universe.

Finn was surprised she said it to him, but he liked how she was owning it and not hiding from him because of the asshole that hurt her.

“Do you want me to find him and beat his ass until he cries for his mother?” he asked. “Because I absolutely will if you bail me out.”

At his words, her heart skipped.

This man was so protective, and she loved it.

She smiled at him.

“No, that would mean dealing with him, and I like being free from his tyranny. I’d prefer not letting the crazy back in.”

That he got.

“If you change your mind, Lass, I’m here.”

Yeah, she could see that.

Gabby was still flushed, and she figured it was from being in this man’s lap. So, she changed the subject.

“Do you want to meet me in the village tomorrow?” she asked. “For our date?”

Oh, he loved that word. It had been a while since he’d wanted to have one of those.

Only, they had an issue.

He was old-fashioned.

It was time to make sure she understood that he was NOT leaving her alone for a second. They’d had two too many brushes with death today.

“I’m staying here tonight. Maybe tomorrow, we can swing by my place and get me more clothes. Mine seem to be…wet.”

Oh, well, she could do that.

She was to the point.

“I must look like a drowned rat. You seem to save me a lot, and for that, I’m grateful.”

Oh, and he’d keep doing it.

Someone had to. This woman seemed to either have really bad luck, or what he thought he heard under the water was an ominous warning. He was going to keep her within arm’s length.

Just.

In.

Case.

“You don’t look like a drowned rat. In fact, Gabby, you look beautiful.”

She stared into his eyes, and she saw his intent. Maybe she needed to warn him.

“Finn, I’m a bad bet.”

Her honesty was refreshing, but he would be the one who decided what he was willing to bet, and not willing to bet.

On her, he’d go all in.

Now, he was curious.

“Would you ever steal my cat, take my toaster, and leave without saying goodbye?” he asked.

She stared at him.

Was he okay?

That was a weird question.

“Uh, no? Why would I steal your cat and toaster? Who does that?”

Oh, she’d be surprised.

HIS.

EX.

That’s who.

“Well, then, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to being a bad bet. Trust me. I barely survived a truly nightmarish relationship.”

She was curious.

Oh, and she was about to ask when they heard Graham coming back.

When he got to the shower, he saw they were still fully clothed and sitting in there. Dropping his bag, he knew it was time to make himself scarce.

“If you’ve got this, Finn, I’ll go tell Tony there was an incident. I’m sure he’ll want to know.”

Neither of them even looked at him.

That said it all.

Well, so much for being wrong. It looked like Graham had been right when it came to these two. Now, he’d let nature take its course.

Stepping out, the two of them sat there.

“I should let you get undressed,” he said, hating that he was going to have to leave her side.

Finn was so damn comfortable with her. It was like they’d known each other for a very long time—not hours.

Gabby didn’t want him to leave.

She felt…something.

There were feelings rising up, and it had been a long time since she wanted a man to be near her. Now, she feared letting him walk away.

Yeah, she was in one hundred percent. This was an interesting turn of events, and she wasn’t running from it. She was running toward it.

In the back of her mind, she heard all the doubts.

You have to leave soon.

You don’t know this man.

What if he’s like your ex?

Only, she pushed them down. There was no way this man was anything like him.

So, she took a chance to feel him out.

“You can get undressed in the bathroom too. I’ll stay inside of the shower. My robe is on the back of the door. If you’ll hand it to me…”

Oh, well, he liked that idea immensely. If she wanted company, he was willing to give her that.

Lifting her off of his lap because that mere suggestion got him hard, he prayed for patience.

And control.

By some freaking miracle it appeared that she was going to give him a chance.

That was the power of prayer right there.

A chance was all that he wanted. Finn would work for the rest.

Going into this, he knew that the odds were against him, and that it was likely going to go to shit, since she was going to leave, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he could ever be enough.

Getting up, he grabbed her robe, and handed it to her. Then, they both began getting undressed in separate parts of the bathroom, divided by a shower wall.

Truth be told, Finn would have dropped his pants in front of her, but he was being a gentleman. What he felt for her already scared him.

If he didn’t shoot his shot, he knew he’d regret it forever. So, it was time to turn on the charm.

And hope for the best.

So he moved around the shower wall so she couldn’t see him.

Oh, but he could see her.

In the mirror.

“So, what would you like to see in the village?” he asked, tossing his wet, sopping clothes into the bathroom sink with a PLOP.

Gabby considered what he was asking as she was tossing her clothes out with his.

When she tossed her panties, and they landed on his pants, Finn wanted to beg for mercy.

They were black and so tiny.

Immediately, he began praying.

‘Dear God, if you give me this chance, I promise I’ll be a good detective. I’ll go to church with my mother, and I’ll stop calling my sisters annoying. Just give me a shot with the pretty American. Amen’

Honestly, he wasn’t sure that God would answer his prayer, considering it was about sex, but he was willing to try.

That’s how desperate he was.

When her bra landed next, and she moved further into his line of sight, he got a fantastic view of her body.

Of tits and ass.

Oh, holy shit!

Now, his dick was more than erect.

It.

Was.

Hard.

Finn knew he should avert his eye, but he simply couldn’t. She was perfect from the curve of her hip, to the gentle slope of the underside of her breasts.

Damn.

Sue him, but she was gorgeous, and he was desperate to see more of her. He thought he saw ink, but he’d been a little busy checking out her profile.

“I have a tradition for when I’m traveling,” she admitted.

He was curious.

“What is it, Lass?” he asked, checking out her ass when she turned under the water to shampoo the muck from the lake out of her hair.

Gabby shared.

“I get a tattoo whenever I’m in a new place. There wouldn’t happen to be a tattoo place in the village, would there be?”

Yeah, he’d been right.

She had ink.