Even as she said it, Zara thought it sounded like something a crazy person would say. However, it was now a part of her reality that she had to accommodate.

She liked Finley, and if she had to admit it, she liked his bear too. His animal was beautiful and strong and they were the same person, or together at least. She was still a little fuzzy on the details.

However, sitting in his lap, hearing him talk about something in her future that could be assured when so much of her life felt up in the air was settling for her. It felt good to know that something, even though everything about what he was saying was nowhere even close to normal, had a certainty about it.

She didn’t want to be reliant on an idea of forever, but it did sound nice. And it did give her a sense of peace.

“I don’t know if I can give you those promises, Fin. Not yet. I need to be able to see everything play out.”

She expected him to be upset, but instead he smiled at her. That devastatingly handsome grin that made her pussy clench. It was a really good smile.

“Deal. Let me prove it to you.”

“Prove it to me? What, forever? That is a result only proven by time.”

“Exactly.”

She shook her head at him. “You think you’re tricky.”

“Not tricky, lucky. I love you, Zara. I’ll get your parents to love me too. Eventually. We have all the time in the world.”

She wasn’t so sure that it was going to be long enough, especially where her parents were concerned. She wasn’t about to burst his bubble.

Luckily, she didn’t have to because Finley Rochon kissed her. This kiss was different. It felt joyful and hot. Happy and sexy. It was a combination of emotions that were new to her and at the same time familiar.

The kiss was also different because they were touching in a much more intimate way than they had before. That was her last thought before Finley had her flipped onto her back on his bed with him leaning over her.

He was looking at her again. She noticed he did that a lot. Stared at her and looked at the tiniest details of her face. At least she assumed that’s what he was doing, because her nose truly couldn’t be that interesting.

“You are a beauty,” he whispered.

“Glad you think so.” She said this a little mockingly, but with him staring at her, the look in his eyes. She could believe him.

“I want you, Zara.”

“We’ve already established that I want you. So where does that leave us?”

“Not where I want to be, but damn happy I’m here.”

“So, if we do… does that mean forever?”

“Technically yes, but how about we leave those conversations for a later date? This is us; me and you, and nothing from the outside.”

“I can handle that.”

She really could. Just sitting with him was the first time in ages she hadn’t thought about school or family. Her schedule and worry about the future was a constant running dialogue in her head, but with Finley around, her brain had taken a break.

It felt amazing.

Fin kissed her and she kissed him back. She didn’t want to talk anymore, she wanted to feel. His weight over her was exquisite, it made her girly parts purr knowing how big and strong he was. From what she had felt when she was sitting on his lap, she was in for an amazing time.

Zara wanted to feel his skin. It was imperative that she touch him, so she slid her hands under his shirt and encountered his taut stomach.

He gasped and growled. A raw, deep sound that came from his chest and she couldn’t help but experiment to see if she could do it again. This time she let her hand slide down to the back of his jeans and slipped her fingers just below his beltline.

He made the noise again.

“You’re being naughty,” he whispered as he was kissing down her neck.

“Maybe, I’m conducting an experiment. You make a noise when I touch you. I like it.”

“I’m going to make all sorts of noises. Trust me that they are all good.”

Zara decided she could accept that at face value. She liked when people were expressive. It didn’t make you guess.

“Fin, you aren’t going to go slow are you?”

“Slow? Define slow,” he said. He wasn’t looking at her, he’d pulled far enough away so he could start pulling up the edge of her T-shirt. As soon as he had exposed a few inches of skin, he started kissing it.

“This is slow. I figured we could jump to the teenage movie scene of awkwardly ripping each other’s clothes off and falling into bed.”

Fin had worked himself down her torso where he rested his head against the smooth skin under her breast. He chuckled against her stomach. “Not going to happen.”

“Fin, I’m really riled up. I mean I’ve been having these dreams. You don’t even know.”

“Yes, I do. They are the same dreams I have.”

“We’re sharing dreams? That’s not possible.”

“I think by now you shouldn’t assume anything is impossible. We both want each other, so it’s logical that we both are dreaming about stripping the other person down and kissing every part of them.”

She had to agree, that was plausible. “Fin, we could do it twice. How about that? A fast one to get this itch out of my system and then another time slower?”

“No.”

“Fin, you touch me the wrong way and I’m going to come.”

“Good.”

“Not good. I want to be, you know, doing it when I come.”

He lifted his head from her waistband of her leggings that he had been tugging with his teeth.

“Seriously? Doing it?”

“Fin… ” she practically whined.

“Okay, let’s get naked and renegotiate.”

Zara was all for that if it meant they were going to be getting to business more quickly.

Finley went to work on her pants stripping everything off from her waist down, leaving on her underwear.

Her shirt was pulled over her head and she was glad she at least had thrown on her black bra instead of one of the serviceable white ones she often wore. She was going to have to step up her lingerie game.

When she was lying in just her undies, Fin managed to get undressed in a flash of movement that either was because he was supernaturally fast or Zara had just been distracted by his chest. His abs were taut and muscular, she’d seen them in the bathroom, but feeling them was going to be on a whole different level.

When he’d stripped his jeans and boxers, Zara’s attention went straight to his cock. It was just as big as she had felt before. It was thick and standing at attention like it could do that all day.

She involuntarily licked her lips and she heard him growl. Her eyes shot to his and saw his normal hazel eyes were flashing between burning yellow and the brown green of the forest.

“Don’t lick your lips like that. You give me all sorts of ideas.”

“I should hope so. I have ideas right now.”

“Zara, I’m feeling very… dominant right now.”

“What does that mean? I mean, I know what it means, but to you?”

“It means I want to do what I want to you.”

“Isn’t that what we’re doing?”

“No, it means that I want to take my time if I want to. I won’t be rushed and I won’t fuck you fast just to get you off. You want to come. I’ll make you come.”

“That easy? You’ll just… ”

Zara didn’t get to finish as Fin’s hand reached between her legs and cupped her. She didn’t even think, she arched against his hand.

“I guess you just will.”

Finley bent down to her, his mouth was tantalizingly close to her and her head lifted off the pillow to reach him, but he leaned back at the last minute.

“I’m not going to let you down, baby.”

“Fin, just kiss me.”

“I will, again and again. But I want you to wait for it.”

“Why? Who wants to wait for it?”

“It will be better if you do.” His hand lightly skimmed over her clit.

She whimpered and bucked.

“See, slow down.”

“Screw slow.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do.”

“Hah-hah, you know what I mean.”

“I do. I’ve got you.”

Zara didn’t want to go slow. She wanted to reenact the dream she had last night where she was straddling Fin on a chair and riding him like a pony.

“Why don’t you just let me climb on top of you and then we can stop discussing it.”

“This won’t do at all. I think we are going to have to get creative. Do you trust me?”

“That’s a loaded question.”

“Not really. Do you trust me to take care of you and not bring you any harm?”

“Of course, Fin.”

“Good.”

Before she could realize what was happening, Zara found her arms over her head and bound together. They were laying one atop the other, something smooth wrapped around them. She tried to pull against the restraint. Her wrists were rigid but didn’t hurt. “Do you have handcuffs?”

“Does that feel like handcuffs?”

“How would I know?”

“It’s a tie that I meant to get dry-cleaned. Now it’s being used to slow you down.”

“Meany.”

“Maybe.”

“So I’m tied to the bed?”

“No, it’s just a reminder to keep them up there. I want full access and if you touch me I’ll get distracted.”

“Wow, you are bossy.”