Finn's Christmas Dilemma (Holiday Hunks Book 3) Read online

  Years when she was out chasing fame and fortune and living a jet set lifestyle in the fast lane. Ironically, they had reversed positions. Finn now had fame and fortune, while she had burnt out, fried to a crisp, and now wanted only a simple, peaceful life.

  But he wore it well. Being a dancer, he kept his body healthy and clean inside and out. And as to his mind, well, Finn was Finn, and he had never been the type to let other people decide who he was or should be.

  “I’ll head to the shower while you check in with Caroline,” he said, ambling out of the bedroom, the sultry, the image of his perfect back and butt a magnificent thing to watch as he left.

  “Trinity. How did it go?” Caroline asked.

  She lowered her voice. “Better than I could have wished.”

  “Told you so.”

  “Are you okay? No sign of Griffith or anything?”

  “Nope. My guess is he would call it even between you, since his bodyguard gave Finn a beating worse than the quick knockout Griffith got.”

  “Let’s hope so.”

  After a beat of silence, Caroline asked, “Was it good?”

  “Better than good. I’ll share more when I get home in a few.”

  “If you’re coming back because of me—”

  “I’m not letting you stay there alone tonight.”

  “Griffith won’t be back. I can read those kind of men. I was married to one.”

  “Forget it. I’m coming home. Besides, it’s probably not a good idea to push it too fast with Finn.”

  Caroline cackled a laugh. “Of course not. After all, it’s only taken you a decade to get it together.”

  * * *

  Luckily the bruise near his eye did not blossom in to a full-blown black eye, although that and the split lip that he said he’d gotten from slipping on the ice garnered plenty of teasing about being a clumsy dancer.

  After his own rehearsals were finished for the day, Finn stood watching the wheelchair ballroom dancers rehearsing with their director, Tanya, who was a ballroom pro with an impressive list of trophies. The dance they would be performing in Casey’s holiday show featured a group of twelve, but highlighted duets with some complicated lifts that amazed Finn. He kept bursting into cheers along with the others who had gathered to see it.

  Casey spotted Finn and grasped his elbow, pulling him into another area. “You’re not in a hurry to get anywhere, I hope.”

  “I was going to have dinner with a friend.”

  She checked her watch. “Well, it’s only six. I have an impromptu request. Can you give me an hour? I need some publicity shots of your duet with Maya. My early press material had individual photos of each of you, but I need shots of you together—now that we have the gorgeous duet you let me choreograph for you.”

  “Hey, it was fun to be on the other end. I haven’t been there in a long time.” Usually Finn was the one directing choreography for contestants on the show as well as for the specialty dances he performed with other judges and former winners and guest artists.

  He followed Casey to another studio that was being set up with extra lighting. “We’ll be shooting in here. Do you have any stage makeup with you? Not just for the camera, but to also cover that bruise on your face. ”

  “Got some in my dressing room locker.”

  “Want to tell me what happened? I mean what really happened?”

  “No, Mama Bear, I do not.”

  Maya was at the far end of the room, stretching on the floor with her long legs spread in a wide second-position split. She looked up at him and winked, then called out, “Hey, handsome, you ready to look sexy with me?”

  Casey laughed and Finn managed a half smile. But from the first day he had worked with Maya, she had been pushing his buttons. He’d been trying to come off neutral and not react to Maya’s constant innuendos. That was easier said than done when she pawed him and clung to him. And because Casey had choreographed a romantic duet with sensuous lifts and holds, Maya seemed to take his dramatic performance as something real. But he happened to be a good actor who immersed himself in a role. He did not want to cause any discord for Casey so he decided he could handle it for the few weeks until the performance.

  When he went to the dressing room to change into his costume, which resembled shiny black leather pants and a tight tee, he sent a text message to Trinity.

  Casey scheduled a photo shoot and just told me. How about a late pizza instead of making spaghetti together?

  Her reply came almost instantly: Okay. What time?

  Not sure, but I will come by your place to pick you up.

  Smooch. Then a kiss emoji.

  Finn smiled and almost typed back: Love you—but he stopped himself. Even though they’d been best friends for so long, the years in between had made it as if they were getting to know each other all over again as lovers.

  So he just responded with: Can’t wait to see you.

  When he got back to Studio Four where the shoot would take place, Finn was shocked to see it jam-packed with people.

  “Who are all these folks?” he asked Maya, who was waiting for him near the door.

  “Casey invited people from the media and local big wigs and friends of the performing arts center. And I think word also got out to some North Cove high school girls’ club that came to see you.”

  This would be more than taking a couple photos, but he could never get annoyed with Casey. She had given him so much that he would never refuse her anything. She had not only gifted him with free training and then later advised him on career decisions and opportunities, but she had also helped him keep his head on straight through his unhappy teenage years.

  So Finn posed with Maya for the photographer, although the pro photographer was hardly the only one taking photos. Then he and Maya danced a small excerpt of the duet, then answered questions while he offered humorous comments to entertain the audience. Several times he had to peel Maya off, and at this point he decided he would have to discuss this with Casey, asking her how to handle getting Maya to back off without causing an upheaval. The problem was that Casey was up to her ears with her huge holiday show that was also a fundraiser for the community, so finding a few minutes for a private conversation with her would be no mean feat.

  Finn was followed to the dressing room by a crowd of girls begging for selfies and when he finally got changed and snuck out to his car it was ten thirty.

  He buzzed Trinity and she picked up, sounding droopy. At least he hoped it was only that.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “Casey had more planned than I expected. She invited some donors and people from a few media outlets to get more publicity, so I couldn’t just duck out. Is it too late?”

  “I’m pretty tired and need to get up early.”

  “Let’s try again tomorrow?”

  “Okay. Tomorrow.”

  Finn went home to his lonely bed, missing Trinity. She had come to his house for dinner the last two evenings, and of course for dessert they’d had several rounds of sex. But each time she opted to go home afterward. He wanted her to spend the night with him. He wanted her to spend every night for the rest of their lives with him.

  * * *

  Trinity stood next the magnolia tree in her front yard at Three Girls Roasting Company looking for the right limb to hang the ornament on when she felt a kiss just behind her ear.

  Yep, Finn already knew her favorite places to be touched and kissed. Fast learner, that boy.

  “Whatchya doing?” Finn asked. “These trees already look great with all the twinkling lights and ornaments you put on them.”

  She turned and tilted her face up for a kiss, and he pulled her into his arms and kissed her silly. Luckily her cafe was closed by now, but the truth was, if customers looked out the window and got offended, they would just have to find another cafe—because every kiss, every touch, every smile from Finn was precious to her.

  “These aren’t actually more ornaments,” Trinity said. “Well, yeah, they’re ornamen
ts but not for show. Look, it’s a bird seed cake. I told you I do crafts with local kids once a week, and yesterday we made these bird seed ornaments to sell at the bazaar this weekend. But we all got to take a couple rejects home.” She held up the ornament. “This one was supposed to be a…um…”

  “A snow blob?” Finn took it and pointed to a branch higher than she could reach. She nodded and he hooked it securely in place.

  “You’re coming to the bazaar, aren’t you?” she asked. “It runs enough days that you ought to be able to find some time that can work for you.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Liar. You hate things like fairs and bazaars, and this one will no doubt have some people you are not keen to see.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” He lifted her and swung her around, then set her on her feet with a quick kiss. “You’re the reason I’ll get there. If I didn’t have professional obligations, I’d be following you around all over, the way I used to when we were kids.”

  “I think it was me who followed you.”

  “Hmm. Maybe we both followed each other.”

  “Maybe we just wanted to be together all the time.”

  He took her hand and they continued bantering as they walked together into the cafe like a couple of teenagers going steady. Trinity couldn’t remember the last time she was this happy.

  She ran upstairs to say a quick goodbye to Caroline and to grab her overnight bag. Trinity had not yet spent a whole night with Finn and this morning she got a text inviting her to a pajama party for two.

  “Have a great time,” Caroline said. “Nellie and I will hold down the fort.”

  They took Finn’s car and he promised to get her back in time for her morning roasting duties tomorrow. She had a 1990 Probat L5 Roaster and prided herself on the perfection of her specialty coffees that were now sold in shops and cafes up and down the East Coast.

  “Should we try making the spaghetti we planned on last night or do you want me to pick up something else?” Finn asked as he drove toward his cottage a few miles east.

  “No way. I want spaghetti night.” When they passed their old neighborhood, Trinity said, “I told my mom we were seeing each other.” She waited to see his reaction and breathed a sigh when he smiled at her.

  “That means mine knows too.”

  “You should visit her, Finn.”

  “I stopped in that day I went to thank your mother for the cookies. I sent my mom a Christmas wreath a few days ago. But visits are difficult because in the winter months my dad’s schedule is unpredictable and it’s not too good when we’re both there.”

  The minute they got inside his cottage, he pinned her against the closed front door and ravished her mouth. She opened for him and their tongues danced, seeking, diving, wanting more. They had only missed one day of seeing each other, but it seemed like forever.

  They stumbled away from the door, through the living room, dropping their jackets and pushing off their shoes. Finn picked her up, cradling her in his arms, and carried her to his bedroom, his lips trailing down her throat all the way.

  It was a plain room with a queen-sized bed, generic dresser and night table, the bathroom across the hall. But to Trinity it was heaven on earth. This was where all those dreams she’d once had of Finn becoming much more than a friend came true.

  He set her on the bed and stepped back to pull his shirt overhead and take off his jeans. “How hungry are you?” he asked. “Do you mind if I indulge in my favorite meal before we have dinner?”

  Trinity answered by tearing off her top and pants and flopping back on the bed. “Wouldn’t want to deprive you, babe.”

  Finn knelt on top of her and started in on her breasts, at first gently kissing and licking, then adding a teasing bite, giving each their due. He nibbled his way down to her stomach, tickled her belly with his tongue, then moved lower for the main event.

  His voice turned rough. “You are so beautiful.”

  He spread her legs and licked along the inside of her thighs. Just the sight of him there had her wetter than ever. When he tongued her clit, then sucked on it, making her whimper, she felt herself climbing fast. She clutched the bed sheet, panting as he added his fingers to the mix, expertly stroking inside her, taking her higher and higher until she screamed out his name as he sent her over the edge.

  “I love to hear you call my name when you come,” he said and crawled up to kiss her, his skin hot and smooth against hers. “It happened so fast tonight I hardly got my fill,” he teased.

  “All I have to do is look at you and I’m practically there, you gorgeous man.”

  “Hey, sweetie, you’re the one who was born beautiful. So beautiful people around the world paid to have you posing on their ads.” He licked her shoulder. “That was one of the problems I had when we were fourteen. One look at your outrageous sexy body and beautiful face and my dick would swell. I couldn’t control it and kept worrying you would see it.”

  Trinity laughed. “If only you had told me, I could have helped you out with a hand job.” Her hand went down to him now and he moaned as she stroked him.

  Finn rolled off her and reached over to the night table for a condom. Speedily putting it on, he returned and covered her body with his, resting his weight on his forearms. Trinity loved the feel of his big muscular frame pressing down on hers. She caressed his strong back as the tip of his shaft teased her entrance.

  “Mmm. That is so nice,” she murmured.

  He went slowly tonight, dipping into her a little deeper with each thrust. Soon she was taking flight again, the excitement building inside her as he finally sank balls deep into her, then shifted into a frenzied pounding.

  “Yes, Finn, yes!” Trinity met each thrust as he mercilessly drove into her over and over until they screamed out their orgasm together.

  She was still tingling from their lovemaking as they went to the kitchen to cook the spaghetti. Trinity wore only a big T-shirt of Finn’s and he wore boxer briefs, his bare chest making her want to head back to the bedroom.

  She chopped garlic and sweet peppers and mushrooms into the meat sauce. Okay, they used a store-bought jar of tomato sauce, but the rest was all their creation. Finn worked on a salad of mixed greens and tried to steal cookies from the new box Trinity had brought with her.

  She slapped his hand. “Those are for dessert.”

  “But I need to test the new kind you said I would like.”

  She grabbed his hands and pushed them down, pressing his back into the counter. Her breasts on his chest, bellies touching, she felt him grow hard, and suddenly they were grinding against each other and kissing passionately.

  In a flash, he had her up on the counter, legs spread, his briefs pushed down. Holding on to her butt, he thrust his shaft into her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She simply could not get enough of this man.

  When they finished, he held her on the counter, panting and sighing and kissing, then carried her to the bathroom to clean up. “Oh no,” he said, a guilty look on his face. “I forgot to use a condom.”

  “I’m on the pill,” Trinity said, “so if you’ve been tested—”

  “I have.”

  “Then we’re okay.” She wasn’t sure if the relief in his face made her feel better or worse.

  And although she tried to drop it from her mind, that night as she slept in Finn’s arms and then woke up to see him making coffee and eggs for the two of them, Trinity could not deny the elephant in the room.

  She loved the North Fork and its community and the business she had built here. But Finn’s career was out on the West Coast. What would happen when he went back to LA? Did he consider their “reunion” a temporary thing?

  Was that all it could ever be?

  Chapter 7

  Trinity rushed around the big town hall where she had spent the last three days working with neighbors and friends to set up the Christmas bazaar. It would run for a week, but today was the big Saturday opening. She knew Finn had a rehe
arsal, but the bazaar stayed open until eight p.m. and he had said he would be able to come over some time after five.

  She wondered how he would feel seeing Joe Felsky playing Santa Claus. In high school he’d been the football star, with a formidable build—and one of Finn’s chief tormentors. Now he did not even need belly padding in the Santa suit and could be seen baby-talking his children when he was not busy working for the sanitation department. Life could be so strange with its twists and turns.

  “Great turnout,” Ray said, striding up to her.

  Trinity nodded. “Thanks to you and everyone on the committee that made it happen. Now we just have to hope for no unforeseen disasters.”

  “Like a blizzard? Nah. Snow’s been pretty light so far and nothing is predicted that I can see.”

  They strolled through the narrow aisle between the tables set up in long rows. Trinity loved the colors and sounds of Christmas. So much red and green and shiny gold. Twinkling lights overhead, carols on the sound system. Neighbors talking, kids laughing. There were craftspeople with holiday ornaments of every kind, also toys and gift items. Clothing vendors, jewelry, pottery, glassware, electronics, and of course wreaths and evergreen sprays. She walked past a table with a sparkling Santa’s village display complete with a toy train.

  On the far side of the hall an area was set up for photos with Santa, next to him a reindeer ride for the little ones, and a table for making decorations. The food section had everything from sandwiches to fried chicken, and desserts ranging from fancy cakes and pies to bread pudding and holiday cookies.

  “If you need me for anything, I’ll be at the Three Girls table,” Trinity said. “Can’t let Caroline and Brina get stuck with all the work.”

  Her two friends nodded to Ray as Trinity stepped behind their Three Girls Roasting Company table where they had four big urns filled with different coffees, packaged bags of their coffees for sale, plus trays filled with various cookies, most decorated with Christmas motifs.