Darker The Forbidden Berry

Eventually, she lost all sense of propriety and her gaze lingered on Finn for a bit too long. He must have felt her looking because he turned to meet her gaze and a slow smile spread across his full lips. He nodded his sandy, brushed-back hair towards the foyer and a single strand fell into his eyes.

As if it were a command, she stood and followed him to the open space. He put a gentle hand on her back and nudged her past the door and out to the waiting car.

“I called the valet a few minutes ago.”

“Oh?” She asked. “Why?”

“You look miserable.”

She sighed and ducked inside of the shiny black sports car, closing her eyes as she leaned her head against the leather interior. The car was easily one of the nicest she’d ever been.

“I’m not much of a party person,” she murmured, putting her head against the window.

“Aren’t you a college student?”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I party all the time like you.”

The soft chuckle the slipped past his lips and washed over her. She relaxed a little more.

“I don’t party all the time.”

“The first time I met you, you were sloppy drunk and almost falling over from some jet-set party, and this party is literally the second thing I’ve seen you do. I don’t feel like my assumptions are unfair.”

“I just like having a good time.”

“Obviously.”

Finn glanced over at her, the street lights flashing over her face and illuminating skin, making it shine like gold.

“You really did not have a good time? Even with all the expensive champagne and good company?”

“I hated it,” she said without missing a beat.

“What would rather have been doing?”

“Getting to know you.” The words slipped out before she could stop them and heat flooded her cheeks.

“What?”

She sighed and turned to look at him, her head fuzzy as she took him in.

“Don’t make me say it again,” she pleaded.

“I just want to know where you’re going with this.”

She rubbed her face and grunted. “I want to get to know you, okay? There’s just something about you that makes me want to know more. I would have rather been having a quiet dinner with you.” She wanted to see if that spark she felt was just a coincidence.

The car came to a slow, rolling stop as he put it into park and turned to look at her with a smile.

“It’s a date then,” he announced, slapping his own knee.

“What?”

“We’ll get to know each other. I was only half-joking at the party when I said I wanted to get to know you too.”

Aja looked him up and down for a moment. “Why are you agreeing to this?”

“You’re obviously dedicated to your job, which means that we’re going to spend a lot of time together. Might as well make it as easy as possible right?”

Finn tapped the car door with two fingers and it opened upwards. He slipped out of the sleek, foreign car and opened Aja’s door as well, offering a hand to her. She felt her belly do a flip flops as she took his hand and stood, glancing at him and then away. God those perfect cheekbones were going to be the death of her.

He helped guide her into the house and to the stairs, resting a hand at the small of her back.

“Do you think you can make it up there yourself?”

“I… Don’t think so.” It was a lie, but she did not care.

“Come on.”

They made their way up to the second story of the house and Finn stopped at the top of the stairs. She turned to thank him, but before she could say anything, he reached out and gently touched her cheek, silencing her immediately.

“Sleep well, Aja.”

She did not say anything in return. She was too busy silently hoping he would kiss her right then and there. Instead, he turned and made his way towards a set of French doors on the other side of the hallway. It took everything in her power to not follow him.