Falling for Finn (Maplewood Falls #1)

Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

FINN

DAY 4

The warmth of a soft body molded to my chest has me blinking my eyes open in confusion. I look down and see Oakley’s hair sprawled around her face. My erection presses against the lower dip of her back. My body’s obviously confused as hell. It’s the only reason my arm is tightly wrapped around her waist, holding her like she’s my lifeline.

My head finally catches up, and I push away from her.

“Oakley,” I grind out, adjusting myself. “What the fuck are you doing in my bed?”

“What?” she mutters in a sleepy voice, barely moving. “It’s too early for one of your tantrums.”

“You can’t sneak into my bed like this,” I hiss, shifting to the edge of the bed.

“I told you I wasn’t sleeping on that couch!” she bites out, stretching before she gets up.

“You’re insufferable.” I stand, grab a T-shirt from my dresser, then slide on some sweats.

“Okay, Mr. Snuggled Me All Night Long . I started on the opposite side of the mattress and somehow got pulled into your arms, so that’s on you.”

Once I’m dressed, I turn and face her. “You better plant your ass on that couch where you belong. You’re the one who told Aspen she could have the cottage, now you can deal with the consequences.”

“Are you kidding me? This same conversation again?” she shouts. Oakley looks like she’s ready to throw her fist in my face. “For the last time, I was trying to help your sorry ass! Something I’m seriously regretting!” She huffs and turns to walk away, then pivots and adds, “Should’ve let you make a fool of yourself and told her the truth. Maybe I’ll tell her today and put myself out of my misery.”

Before I can respond—and beg her not to do that very thing—a loud knock rattles on the door, startling us. Instead of dealing with Oakley, I flee downstairs and open the door.

“Aspen,” I say, defeated that I’m once again facing my ex. “What are you doing here so early?”

Oakley walks up behind me, wrapping her arm around my waist and closing the gap between us. When I glance down, she smiles wide like we weren’t at each other’s throats two seconds ago.

She’s in character , I remind myself.

“Good morning to you, too. I see you’re still not a morning person. Anyway, I was hoping we could catch up and grab some coffee. I’d love to hear about how the farm’s been doing.”

Before I can tell her no fucking thank you, Oakley speaks up. “We’d love to! Neither of us got a lot of sleep last night, so we need our caffeine. Right, sweetums?”

Swallowing hard, I wish I could curse her out for not only volunteering us but also for giving me a ridiculous nickname. Instead, I cave and wrap an arm around her.

“Definitely.” Then I meet Aspen’s eyes that were on Oakley. “Meet you there in twenty?”

Aspen straightens her posture and forces the corners of her lips to tilt up. “Great. I’ll save two seats.”

Oakley leans into my side, and I hate how much I enjoy her closeness. She’s so damn inviting, yet as soon as she opens her mouth, I want to shut her up with my tongue.

Waking up with a boner is one thing and not all that uncommon, but fantasizing about kissing Oakley is something I need to erase from my brain. As hard as it will be, I need to keep my distance when we aren’t pretending to be a couple.

As soon as Aspen turns to leave, I shut the door and face Oakley. “What the hell were you thinking? I don’t want to be around her, especially with you .”

She winces as if I’ve slapped her across the face.

“Wait, no. That came out wrong. I—” I pause to gather my thoughts, scrubbing a hand through my messy hair. “I don’t want her asking more questions or knowing anything about my life.”

“Well, if we’re going to fake it, we have to be believable. Dodging her could make her suspicious versus sticking to a story.”

I cross my arms. “We don’t have a story .”

She shrugs as if she’s not worried about it. “I’ll make up something. Go along with it.”

Yeah, sure. That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

“Go along with it?” I repeat, knowing that won’t work.

“Stop worrying. Don’t make it a big deal.”

“Until the whole damn town finds out.”

“If I can hate your guts and be your fake girlfriend at the same time, you can do the same. Act the opposite of how you are now—sweet, charming, and lovable.” She flashes a snarky smile, and her quick insult almost has me bursting into laughter. Instead, I shake my head and climb the stairs to my room to get dressed.

After thirty minutes of nonstop touching Oakley and avoiding most of Aspen’s personal questions over coffee, we escape the inn. With Oakley’s hand in mine, we leave and head toward my truck.

“See, that wasn’t so bad. She clearly wants to see you happy, so I don’t know what you’re so worried about.”

I scoff, releasing her grip. “If that’s true, she only wants to see me happy to relieve her guilt. She wanted a different life and kept trying to change me, but once she realized she couldn’t, she broke it off. She made it clear I wasn’t enough. So trust me, her wanting me to move on is for her own conscience,” I tell her, then open the passenger door.

“Well, then it’s her loss. The farm is beautiful. Who wouldn’t want to live here?” She hops into the seat and buckles up.

I have the answer—my uptight, entitled ex-girlfriend who’s now engaged—but I keep that to myself.

“I’d gain fifty pounds from the pastries alone, but hell, it’d be worth it. Which makes me wonder, how do you keep it off? You work out or lift weights or something?”

“Nope.” I slam the door, then walk around the hood to the driver’s side.

“Are you a runner?” she continues as I get in and crank the engine.

“I work on a farm, Oakley. An orchard. We’re constantly on the go here, so any food I shove into my mouth gets burned off within hours.”

“Wow. Lucky for you, then. I prefer meditating over exercising. But when you paint for a living and all through school, the majority of your time is spent standing or sitting on your ass.”

“You could run?” I suggest, driving us to the hard cider operation building. It’s prime apple harvest season, so their production is busy as hell. It’s the worst time of year to visit. “Probably be good for someone who likes to talk shit so much. Would give your mouth a break.”

She leans over and sucker punches me in the arm.

“The hell was that for?”

“Being a rude ass. I don’t run my mouth . I speak the truth. There’s a difference.”

“Can you speak to yourself?”

As I glance over, I catch her rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. She clearly isn’t used to someone going head-to-head with her, but hell, if this is the only foreplay I get for the rest of my life, I’d die a happy man.

And that thought should scare me.

As soon as I park, I tell her to stay put. She scowls, and before she can say anything, I hop out of the truck and go to her side. Then I open the door and hold out my hand.

She furrows her brow and glares at my palm as if it’s covered in mold. “What are you doing?”

“We have a reputation to uphold,” I remind her. “If people think we’re dating, we need to keep up appearances everywhere we go. Never know who’s watching, when my ex will randomly pop up, or who she’s told.” It wouldn’t surprise me if she has people watching us, either.

“And you opening the door and helping me out is something you’d do as a boyfriend?”

“It is,” I say firmly, then lower my voice and grind out between my teeth, “So slap on a smile and get your ass down.”

Our hands stay tangled together as we enter, and I give her a brief tour while introducing her to some of the employees. Then I talk about the process of making hard cider and how it’s a big hit all year round.

“Where to now?” she asks when I lead her to my truck. We get inside and make our way across the property.

“Apple picking wagon tour. The next one is in ten minutes.”

“How often do you have them?”

“This one runs twice a day during harvest season. During winter, people can buy tickets for horse-drawn sleigh rides.”

“You’re joking. Sleigh rides? In an orchard?”

“Yeah. They get to learn about the history and enjoy the farm covered in a blanket of white snow but without the apple picking. Then they’ll stop for a warm treat and hot cocoa at the bakery.”

“Wow. Sounds incredible but cold. How long does this one take? I need to get back to painting,” she reminds me.

We turn toward the tour area. “It only takes forty-five minutes. You’ll have plenty of time to play after.”

She blows out a breath as if she’s stopping herself from going off on me. This isn’t a bag of Skittles for me, either, but it’s important to my grandmother that she gets the full Bennett Orchard experience.

We arrive just in time, and when I walk up into the wagon, I find only one spot left.

“Shit,” I mutter as Roy, the driver, announces everyone needs to be seated. The engine roars to life, and I know he’s seconds from pulling onto the gravel road.

“You’re gonna have to sit on my lap,” I tell her.

“You can’t be serious,” she mutters with a glare so intense that I nearly freeze in place.

“Come on, sweetie ,” I hiss between my teeth, emphasizing the last word so she remembers we’re in public.

As soon as I sit, I pat my lap, and she eventually uncrosses her arms to follow directions.

This is a bad fucking idea.

She shifts on my thighs until she’s comfortable, which makes me highly uncomfortable .

Roy pops the tractor into gear. The wagon shakes as it’s pulled across the gravel road and onto the grass. I hold Oakley so she doesn’t go flying, but with each harsh movement, her ass grinds harder against my dick.

Roy goes through his typical tour script. The guests listen in awe, but I can only focus on one thing. Her .

“It’s so pretty,” she says, twisting her hips. “Do we get to pick any of the apples?”

“Yeah, he’ll make a stop toward the end. You have to bear his monologue first, though,” I say, keeping my voice low so no one overhears.

As soon as the wagon stops, I push Oakley off my lap. My dick can’t take any more of her wiggling.

We’re allotted ten minutes to browse and pick apples. I stand and watch Oakley, who’s struggling to reach the one she wants.

“Need some help?” I muse, walking over to her.

“No.” She jumps, reaching high above her head. “I just need?—”

“To grow about six inches.”

She scowls, then tries again. After her third sad attempt, I step closer and reach above her for it. She jumps again but falls against my chest. I instinctively wrap an arm around her waist and steady her.

Once I grab the apple, I hold it out for her. “Here.”

She swallows hard as she takes it. “Thanks.”

Being close is something we’re supposed to do publicly, and while we haven’t had to cross any boundaries, I’m not sure where her comfort level is when it comes to being physical. We never discussed it.

“You’re welcome, babe,” I say, then lean down and brush my lips over her cheek. She doesn’t push away but instead melts into me, but I tell myself she’s acting.

I release my hold on her, and as I walk around the tree, I feel her eyes following me. An older woman comes over and asks me to help her, and once I do, she thanks me with a wide grin.

“Your boyfriend is so sweet,” she tells Oakley, who then glances at me as if she’s in physical pain about having to say something nice about me.

Slowly turning toward the woman, Oakley swallows hard. “I couldn’t agree more.”

I chuckle under my breath and wait until she’s alone before joining her. “That hurt to say, didn’t it?”

“Trust me, there are worse things I could’ve said.” She shoots me a sassy smirk, then we go to the wagon.

Once the tour is over, Roy drops us off at the field by the parking lot. With our fingers interlocked, we make our way to my truck, which is a short distance away.

I don’t want to part ways with Oakley, but I don’t want her to know that either, so I turn on my asshole act. “I have a lot of shit to do, so we’re done for the day.”

“Great. Drop me off at your house. I’m feeling inspired to paint now that my idea is fully sketched out.”

“I’ll be more than happy to drop you off.” I shoot her a smile, but I’m pretty sure she sees right through me.

“Thanks for taking me on the orchard tour. Never been to one before, so it was fun and educational.”

I snort. “Yeah, Roy has a good time with it.” He’s great at making the guests laugh at his corny farm jokes.

As soon as I pull my keys from my pocket, I spot Aspen chatting with someone. Her gaze quickly averts to mine.

“Shit,” I mutter, stepping closer to Oakley even though we’re already holding hands. “Aspen.”

Oakley smiles in her direction and slowly speaks between gritted teeth, “Kiss me.”

I blink hard but keep a straight face. “What?”

“She’s watching,” she says above a whisper. “Before you open my door, kiss me .”

She can’t be fucking serious.

But I’m not about to argue. As soon as we’re close to my truck, I press Oakley against the passenger door and cup her chin. Before either of us can change our minds, I lean in and slide my mouth over hers.

She tilts her head, and when she opens wider, I deepen the kiss. She brushes her tongue between my lips and though I’m tempted to give her more, I pull away before it’s too late. My fingers dig into her hips as my cock pushes against the fabric of my jeans.

Oakley glances over to the side. “She’s gone.”

Quickly, I step back and cover my groin. “Thank God. I knew she’d randomly appear.”

“Maybe she’s still into you,” she offers, and I bark out a laugh.

I open the door and motion for her to get inside. “Unlikely.”

Once she’s seated, I climb in and start the engine.

“Maybe she regrets ending it. I can’t imagine why anyone would willingly go to where their ex lives to help out his family ,” she says, using finger quotes.

I shrug, not wanting to think about it. Aspen and I dated for years, and it took months to get over her. Though I’m glad she ended it before I proposed, she still shattered my heart. After going through that, I vowed I’d never commit to another serious relationship. Although it was said in anger, I still doubt I’ll ever trust a woman again.

“Even if that were true, I’d never give her a second chance after what she did,” I tell her truthfully.

“Hmm…could be fun showing her what she’s missing.”

I furrow my brow. “And why would you want to do that?”

She shrugs with a smile. “You’re not the only one who’s gotten hurt by an ex who said they wanted one thing but suddenly changed their mind and wanted something else.”

“What’s the story there?” I ask as we drive closer to my house.

“I’ll save that for another day.”

After I park, she hops out, but I stop her before she closes the door. “After work, I’m meeting up with a buddy. So I’ll be back around ten.”

“Oh. Alright. I’ll probably be painting until then anyway.”

I give her a nod, and she shuts the door. Once she’s inside the house, I leave and head toward the bakery. My mom needs me to look at something, and I text Levi as soon as I arrive.

Finn

Wanna meet for a beer later?

We didn’t have plans prior to me telling Oakley, but I needed a reason to stay away for a while. Between trying to keep my distance and pretending to be a couple, things are beginning to get confusing.

Levi

Sure, 8?

Finn

I’ll be there.

Maplewood Falls has only one bar, and unless it’s a game night, it’s quiet.

I greet my mom and aunt when I walk into the bakery while my grandma chats and rings up customers. Though she’s normally at the inn, she stops in to help when it gets busy.

“How are things going with Oakley?” Grandma asks.

“Great.”

I haven’t told her about our fake relationship agreement, but I’m sure the news will spread, and I’ll have some explaining to do.

“Are you being a gentleman while showing her around?”

“Of course. Took her on an apple-picking tour earlier.”

“Wonderful! I bet she enjoyed that.”

Before I can respond, Aspen walks out from the back and comes toward me.

Fucking hell . Is she everywhere at once?

“Hey, Finn.” She looks around. “Where’s your girlfriend?”

“Painting,” I quickly reply, moving away from my grandma before she asks questions. “I’m here to look at one of the ovens, then I’ll be out of everyone’s way.”

“You have a girlfriend? Who?” my grandma blurts out.

Aspen crosses her arms. “You didn’t tell her?”

“Like I said, it’s recent,” I grind out between my teeth, then turn to face my grandmother. “Yes, it’s Oakley.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh. When did?—”

“Mom, I need you over here for a quick minute,” Aunt Paisley blurts out, giving me an escape.

I mouth a quick, “Thank you,” and head to the back. Luckily, Aspen doesn’t follow and returns to restocking the shelves.

After a couple of hours of tinkering with the oven, it’s eventually fixed, and I leave. I stop by the harvesting facility to check on something, then help Roy repair the other tractor. Double tours will be running during the celebration, so they have to be dependable.

At seven thirty, I head into town to meet with Levi. I arrive at the pub before him and start with a beer. When he shows up, he orders a whiskey and a basket of fries.

“You wanna talk about why we’re drinking on a Monday night?” he taunts, knowing I save going out for the weekends. “Anything to do with your ex-girlfriend being here?”

“I needed some space and time away from home,” I admit.

“From the new girl, huh? She driving ya crazy?”

Yes, but not in the way he’s thinking .

“She snuck into my bed last night,” I tell him, knowing what he’ll say.

“Wow. So I guess it’s safe to say you’re over Aspen.”

“She didn’t like the couch,” I clarify. “I woke up, and she was sleeping next to me.”

“Bet that was a new experience for you.”

“She’s a pain in my ass. Like a little sister who won’t leave me the hell alone.”

He arches a brow. “You sure about that?”

“I don’t know…” I sigh. “When Aspen showed up, I blurted out that Oakley was my girlfriend, so now we’re pretending to be together.”

“Wait…” He bursts out laughing. “You what ?”

I down my beer, mentally slapping myself. “It was stupid, but then Oakley went along with it, and now she’s staying at my house.”

He smacks my shoulder. “You got yourself in a predicament, huh?”

“Yeah, and now my mom and aunt are smack dab in the middle of my lie.”

“I don’t know how in the hell you managed all this in four days.” He laughs again.

I shrug, wishing I knew the answer. “She’ll be gone in a week. Then hopefully, things will go back to normal.”

“Is that what you want?”

I shoot him a look but don’t respond. My stomach growls, so I order a pizza to go and another beer. Then I change the subject.

“Guess I’ll see you Saturday,” I say, smacking his shoulder.

“You know I wouldn’t miss it. Plus, I need to meet this chick that has you all twisted.” He waggles his brows. “See if she needs a fake baby daddy or something.”

I grunt. “Shut the hell up.”

After I leave some cash on the bar, I take my food and drive home.

I can’t get Oakley out of my head, knowing she’s at my house doing God knows what. Being in an enclosed space with her fucks with me.

When I walk inside, she’s standing in the kitchen in front of her easel, facing away from me. Her blond hair is twisted up, exposing her pale neck. A smock wraps around her petite waist as she paints across the canvas.

She looks deep in thought while an audiobook plays from her phone, so I don’t speak. Instead, I sit on the couch and eat my pizza and then plan to shower before going to bed.

I don’t pay much attention to her book until I hear heavy breathing and panting.

“Count how many times I make you come.”

“What?”

“Do it. Count. Now.”

My brows shoot up as I listen to the extremely descriptive scene of a guy eating the girl’s cunt while she begs for more.

“Fuck me. Please!”

A loud slap across my ass startles me until I’m crying out for more. “Yes!”

“Keep counting, sweetheart…”

My cock reacts as I envision Oakley bent over in front of me, taking all of me as she counts how many orgasms I give her.

Goddammit. What’s wrong with me?

“Jesus, fuck. You listening to porn? That some kind of painting inspiration?”

My voice causes her to jump, then she spins around, wearing a mischievous smirk. “Stay a while. Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.”

I scoff, grabbing the empty pizza box as I stand. “I don’t need lessons from a romance novel.”

She snorts, and it pisses me off.

After trashing the cardboard, I keep my gaze on her ass and head toward the shower.

I turn on the water and stand underneath the stream, hating how worked up I am by her. That stupid book and Oakley’s comments have my dick rock hard. Gripping my shaft, I stroke it over and over. Visions swirl in my mind of Oakley kneeling in front of me with her mouth wide open as she waits for my cum, and I explode.

Groaning through my release, I throw my head back and tell myself it’s the only time I’ll jerk off to fantasies of her.

By the time I walk into the living room, Oakley and her audio porn are gone. I take a minute and admire her canvas, amazed by her progress so far.

When I head toward the stairs, I notice she’s not on the couch.

I find her on the other side of my bed, snuggled under the covers with her blond hair sprawled out over the pillow.

“Oakley,” I whisper, shaking her arm.

She doesn’t move, and I’m too tired to argue, so I say fuck it and leave her be.

Once I put on my shorts, I climb into bed and stay as close to the edge as possible.

An hour later, when she rolls closer, I’m tempted to push her away but don’t. My mind races as her sweet smell invades my space, and all I want to do is sleep.

Goddamn, this woman tests every ounce of willpower I have.