Out of Mind (Out of Line #3)(48)
Author: Jen McLaughlin

“I won’t pretend I’m a hundred percent better,” he said, motioning me forward. He fell into step beside me as I walked toward the mall where Islands was. “But I’m not a hot mess anymore, either.”

He placed his hand at my lower back, just like Riley had last week. But instead of feeling a little awkward, Finn’s hand made me all itchy and wound up inside. “Well, there’s that. But friends don’t hold on to each other. Hands to yourself.”

He dropped his hand back to his side. “Damn, you’re right…again.” He looked at me, giving me a grin. “So what’s up with you? Still studying and being a good girl?”

I shivered, a burst of desire sweeping through my veins. Last time he asked me if I’d been a good girl, I’d gone down on my knees in front of him. What a freaking time I’d had. Of course, that had been after he told me he might be leaving, and then he had.

I stared at him for so long that he blinked at me.

“Carrie?” he said, looking at me with narrowed eyes. “You okay?”

Quickly, I looked away from him, shaking off the memories. “Y-Yes, of course. My grades are as good as ever. I’ve had more time to study ever since—”

“Since I was an ass and left?”

“If the shoe fits.” I tucked my side bangs behind my ear. “In this case, you might as well be Cinderella.”

“I like the new cut and color, by the way.”

“You noticed?” I touched my hair self-consciously. “It’s not a big change or anything. Just a shade darker.”

“I noticed the second I saw you. Favorite subject, remember?”

I shook my head. “Yeah. Sure.”

He twisted his lips and opened the door for me. His gaze fell on the spot where he’d bruised me inadvertently. It had faded a long time ago. I wish I could say the same about the rest of the pain he’d inflicted upon me.

I watched him as he walked up to the receptionist, giving her his megawatt smile. She practically melted into a puddle right then and there, and I wanted to gouge her eyes out for it. I guess friends weren’t supposed to feel that way. I had a lot to learn about being friends with Finn…if we could even make it work.

I didn’t want to hurt him anymore.

Chapter Twenty-Two – Finn

I watched Carrie close her small hands around the gigantic burger on her plate, her eyes shining with excitement. I knew, right then, that this was the best f**king move I could have ever made. Start out as friends, just like we did before, and eventually? Maybe she would love me again. Fuck, I hoped she loved me again.

Knowing she didn’t love me anymore was killing me.

I fingered the envelope in my pocket; uncertain whether or not I should give it to her. Hell, I was uncertain of everything. Twelve times now, I’d reached for her hand, and covered it up by grabbing my drink instead. I was on my fifth f**king lemonade. I didn’t even really like lemonade. I’d just ordered it because I’d been too distracted by her to pay attention to the menu. Ten times, I’d gone to entwine my ankle with hers under the table, just like we used to, but quickly jerked my foot back to my side. And six times, I’d almost went in for a kiss, but hidden it by grabbing the dessert card off the table.

Being her friend again was hard.

She moaned and closed her eyes, slowly chewing. My c**k came to life at the sound, since it’s the same one she made whenever I made love to her. Her face was lost in rapturous delight, and, oh my f**king God, I wanted her so badly. Needed her. I cleared my throat and picked up my own burger, unable to look away even though it physically hurt to watch her.

I sank my teeth into the burger, hoping it distracted me from the need that currently attempted to kill me. It did. I chewed, letting out my own groan. Her eyes flew open and she watched me with heated eyes. Oh, f**k. She liked that sound, too.

I didn’t know whether that was a good or bad sign right now.

I swallowed past the suffocating need choking me. Trying to play it cool, I lifted the burger. “It’s so f**king good.”

She nodded slowly, her gaze on my mouth. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

Need punched me with iron knuckles in the gut.

Before I begged her to forgive me and take me back—and before I could ruin the tenuous peace we had going between us—I shoved the burger in my mouth and took another bite. This time, I groaned even longer, and I even rolled my eyes back in my head a little bit, because why the f**k not? She kept staring at me as if she wanted to close her mouth around me instead, and if she was tempted?

I was going to push my luck.

She made a small sound and picked up her lemonade, downing almost the whole glass in one gulp. “It’s so freaking hot in here, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” I lifted my shirt a little bit, fanning my abs and showing her the goods. It worked. After her gaze dropped, it flew back up to mine. “They need to turn the air on or something.”

She frowned at me. “Totally.”

I took another bite, once again groaning deep and low. She bit down on her lower lip, watching me with hunger in her eyes. When I chuckled, the hunger faded away, only to be replaced my calculation. She grinned, too. The kind of grin that told me she was up to no good.

Thank God.

Her gaze latched with mine, she took a bite of her burger, letting out the longest, most drawn out moan she’d ever voiced. It was f**king hot. “Oh. My. God. Yes.” She breathed in tiny little spurts, as if I was going down on her right here and there. “That’s so good.”

Some twenty-year-old brat kid looked over at her, his mouth ajar. It took all my control not to punch the f**ker in the face. Those noises were for me. Or, at least, they had been, once upon a time. Another dude looked over, and he looked vaguely familiar to me. He’d been at the beach the other day, when Carrie and I had been surfing.

Coincidence…or not?

I looked back at Carrie, forcing myself to pretend I didn’t notice him. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Ginger.”

She patted at her lips with a napkin, never looking away from me. “I have no idea what you mean. I’m just eating.” She leaned in. “Unless you have something to admit to, Coram?”

“Not at all,” I said, smiling. I reached out and ran a thumb over her lower lip. “Sorry. You had a little something on your lip.”

Her eyes were blazing at me now. “Oh, really?”

“Really,” I said as innocently as I could manage. I sucked on my thumb, licking away all traces of her. “Mm. Tastes good. Almost as good as you do.”