Escaping Eden (4 page)

Until tonight.

The next song came on and Fin spun me around and pulled me against him again, moving to the beat as well as his hands down my stomach and holding me close.

“I missed you,” he whispered into my ear as I reached up and put my arms around his neck again.

Being this close to Finley was something, I just now realized, I had missed desperately. I closed my eyes and let the beat take us wherever it felt we should be at that moment. I wanted the song to last forever as Finley moved himself against me; memories of us rushing back to me in tidal waves of lust and need.

But like all good things, the song finished, and we were left standing there sweating and a little shaky.

“I need a drink,” I yelled into his ear.

He nodded and took me by the hand back to the bar where we waited for Jake to notice us. I stood there with Fin’s arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind, when a voice leaned in and shouted into my ear.

“That was quite the show you two put on!”

I laughed. Simon was standing there with a big grin on his face.

I reached up and tapped Finley’s arm to get his attention.

“Fin, this is Simon. Simon this is Fin. Let’s all be friends,” I said as they shook hands.

“What are you having?” Fin asked, leaning over so Simon could hear him.

“Screwdriver?” Simon asked glancing down at me. When I nodded Fin waved his arms to get Jake’s attention and put in our orders.

“Where’s Eliza?” I asked Simon.

He jerked his head to the end of the bar where she was sitting with her friends. She looked over at me and smiled, which I returned with a big grin.

“Here you go, babe,” Fin said handing me my drink, before handing the next one to Simon.

“Babe?” I asked, glancing up at him.

He grinned down at me and shrugged before grabbing his drink. As he reached for his wallet, Simon was already ahead of him, handing Jake money.

“It’s on me,” Simon said to him.

“Thanks man,” Fin said with a nod.

Simon gave me a wink as he went back to the end of the bar to hang out with Eliza and her friends.

About two hours later, I had enough screwdrivers in me to open my own hardware store. Finley spent most of the time sitting next to me at the bar, with my back against him so he could hold me up. Liquor was never one of my strong points and if I got in a good enough mood I would drink until the world was a blur.

“I think we need to get you home, Eden,” he finally said.

I rolled my head to the side so I could look at him and smiled through my haze. I must’ve looked so sloppy but Fin was never one to judge me.

“Come on,” he said, as he stood up and propped me against him.

I like the fact that he had his arm around my waist so I could have some shred of dignity as he half carried me out of TAO.

“Wait,” I slurred. “Simon.”

“What about him?” Fin asked.

“I’m not leaving him here,” I replied, trying to straighten myself up.

“Eden, let me get you to the car, then I’ll go back in for him, okay?” Fin bargained.

“Sure,” I replied wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “I’m a mess aren’t I?”

“Yeah, but you’re still kind of cute,” he replied with a smile.

I giggled as he put me in the front seat of his car and strapped me in securely. He locked me in and then went back into the club to find Simon.

I closed my eyes and didn’t open them again until I felt someone cradling me in the arms.

“What the hell?” I asked, half asleep.

I put a hand to my forehead, feeling the hangover already starting to place itself in position for the following morning.

“It’s just me,” Finley said. “You’re kind of drunk.”

I sighed then pushed against him to let me down. Laughing, he set me on my feet and I almost immediately fell over. He gripped me by the arms as Simon unlocked the door to my apartment and they both stepped in behind me.

“Are you going to be okay, Eden?” Simon asked as I propped myself up against the kitchen table.

“Yep.”

I burped quietly.

Oh no. No no no. I don’t want to throw up.

My mouth watered and I closed my eyes tightly. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to hold it back much longer so I had to think of a way to get to the bathroom without falling over and getting a concussion.

“Eden?”

I turned to look at Fin who was giving me a questioning look.

That is until he saw the look in my eyes. He ran to the bathroom for some towels, but when he emerged I was bent over throwing up all over the kitchen floor, with Simon holding my hair back and an arm wrapped around me.

Fin sighed and got to his knees to clean up my mess and Simon stood me up. He placed his hand gently under my chin and tipped my face up.

“It’ll help you breathe easier,” he explained.

I stared at the ceiling.

I was beyond embarrassed.

“Ugh.”

“Do I need to move?” Fin asked suddenly.

“No. I just want to sleep this off,” I replied with a sniffle.

“Alright, well I’m not leaving you tonight so I’ll give Simon a ride back to his place, then I’ll be back,” he said getting to his feet.

“Unnecessary. Eden, may I take your car? I’ll bring it back tomorrow,” Simon said.

“Yeah, sure. The keys are in my purse. I’m going to my room. Sorry tonight turned out shitty,” I said quietly.

“Hardly,” he replied with a smile. “I’ll see you in the morning. It was nice to meet you Finley,” Simon said as he pulled my keys out and left us in the apartment.

Us.

The drunk horny girl and her sexy, orgasm giving, ex-boyfriend.

Fin looked at me for a moment before he took the towels out to the trash and came back in.

“You don’t have to do all that,” I said as he grabbed the mop and began to clean the floor.

“Well unless you want it to smell like puke when you wake up, I’m okay with doing this,” he replied with a laugh.

“I’m going to lay down. Thanks Fin.”

He nodded and I half walked, half stumbled into my bedroom. I curled up on the bed thankful that I hadn’t gotten anything on my shirt and closed my eyes.

The door to the bedroom closed and I felt Finley get into the bed with me.

“Really?” I asked blandly.

“Nothing sexual, Eden. Just want to make sure you don’t choke on anything in your sleep,” he said as he pulled the blankets up around himself.

“G’night.”

“’Night.”

I didn’t close my eyes again until Finley rolled over onto his side, facing away from me and his breathing steadied. I fell asleep shortly after he did.

I woke up the next morning at eleven. I heard the TV on in the living room and I rolled onto my back. My head was pounding, but it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. I slowly plucked myself off of the bed and groaned. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of my room.

“Finally awake, huh?”

I screamed.

“Eden, what the hell?”

I turned around and saw Fin giving me a wide eyed look from the kitchen.

“Sorry. I forgot you were here,” I mumbled.

He laughed nervously and made his way back to the living room and sat down on the couch. I eyed him for a moment, before I went into the bathroom and scrubbed my teeth. I looked in the mirror and rolled my eyes at my hair. I knew there was no way in hell I was going to get that hair tie out, so I grabbed a pair of scissors from the medicine cabinet and carefully snipped it off. I splashed some water on my face before I walked out.

Why
is
Finley here?

I went over to the couch and casually leaned on it. He was sitting about four inches to my left. When he noticed me again, he looked up and smiled.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah. Um. Fin? Um ... did we ...?”

“No,” he replied laughing. “I wouldn’t have taken advantage of you like that, Eden, you should know that.”

“So, don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but why are you here, again? I don’t think we’ve established that.”

He stared at me for a moment.

“Wow,” he scoffed. “I saw you at TAO last night, remember?”

I looked up and scanned my memory for a moment. Suddenly our Dirty Dancing reenactment came back to me and I felt my face turning hot.

“What happened to Simon?” I asked.

“He went home,” he replied looking at me oddly.

“Alone? Or with that brunette?” I inquired.

“Alone, Eden. He was standing in the kitchen holding your hair while you threw up all over the place,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. Not even twenty four hours together and his jealousy was already showing. I went around the couch and sat down next to him.

“So did we get along last night?” I asked casually.

“We did.”

“Cool.”

“Indeed.”

I leaned forward and grabbed the remote off of the coffee table and began to flip through the channels.

“Eden?”

“Hm?” I asked as I found a true crime program that I loved and set the remote back down again.

“What were you really doing with Simon?” Fin asked turning sideways to face me.

“I was really doing Liora a favor and taking him out. Didn’t you notice his accent? He’s an Aussie and apparently is shy around girls. According to him, Li thought I would be able to help him. I don’t know why though. It’s not like my love life is rocking or anything,” I replied with a shrug.

“Mine either,” he said with a chuckle.

“How come? You’re decent looking,” I teased, making a face at him.

“You’re not so bad yourself, lady,” he replied with a laugh.

We looked at each other laughing, before I suddenly felt painfully shy and pulled my legs up onto the couch. If I put more space between us there’d be no way he would—

I should’ve known better
, I thought as he ran his hand down the side of my face before he placed his soft lips against mine.

Fin pulled back for a second and looked as shocked as I felt.

I looked down for a moment.

I missed his lips; his touch.

But Simon’s lips were softer, weren’t they?

“Fin, I don’t know if this is such a good - -”

I was cut off by his lips against mine again. Only this time he didn’t pull away, and I felt my heart start to beat just a little faster. Simon may have been the best kisser I’ve ever had, but Finley definitely gave him a run for his money.

He put his hands on my legs and gently pushed them back onto the floor, as he slid his tongue into my mouth; like an explorer desperate to rediscover former territory. I put my hands around his waist as he gently lowered me back onto the couch and let his weight fall onto me. I missed how it felt to be under Fin; feeling his weight on me again was intoxicating. I returned his kiss; gently, passionately, hungrily.

When Fin pulled back for air he looked down at me with that all too familiar “I’m Going to Fuck You Until You Break” look. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want him too, but I pushed him gently on his chest back to a seated position and ran a finger along my lower lip. That familiar taste ... If I didn’t kick him out now, I knew I never would.

“Fin...”

“Yeah, I know.”

He stood up with a heavy sigh and grabbed his keys off of the table. I leaned forward and put my face in my hands.

While I will admit that making out with Finley again was a thousand times better than a hangover, it was much more dangerous.

There was a knock on the door and I glanced at the clock on the wall.

It’s not even noon. Who the hell could that be?

“Would you?” I asked him since he was already by the door.

I leaned back on the couch and craned my neck to see who it was.

“Oh GOD,” Fin said unhappily.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Liora asked him angrily, as she pushed passed him.

“I invited him over. He’s on his way out. Can’t you be nice to each other for two seconds?” I asked them in exasperation.

“You always were a bitch,” Fin said to her on his way out.

“Why don’t you go find another stripper to stick your dick into, little boy?” Li snapped at him on his way out.

“Fuck you, Liora!” Fin shouted at her, slamming the door behind him.

Li looked at me furiously, “If you had sex with him, just tell me now.”

“I swear didn’t!” I insisted.

I was actually shocked at how angry she was. I mean she hated Finley and he hated her; that much was obvious, but I never expected her to be this furious at seeing him again.

“What if I did, though?” I asked, feeling myself becoming angry. “What business would that have been of yours?”

“Eden,” she started as patiently as she could, “I understand first love. I do. But this is the same Finley that fucked a stripper! I don’t want to see you broken hearted over that dipshit again, so I’d rather that you didn’t give him any ideas or let him think that he has a chance again.”

My mouth hung open.

“Anyway, how did it go with Simon?” she asked, sitting down and blatantly ignoring the look on my face.

“He met a girl. End of assignment,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

“What?” she asked.

“He met a girl. Some little brunette chick. Name’s Eliza I think. Anyway he’s fixed. Can I go back to watching TV alone now?”

“Oh for the love of Christ!” she yelled, slamming her purse on the floor. “How dense are you Eden? I didn’t want you to set him up with someone!”

Wait.

“What did you just say?” I asked her quietly.

Liora sighed when she realized her slip up. She looked at me with a guilty smile.

“Opposites attract, right? You need a good guy in your life, and he needs a wild girl in his. I thought you guys would hit it off.”

“I knew it!” I yelled.

“Wasn’t it obvious?” she asked with a laugh. “Alright, so now I just have to get rid of this Eliza chick. Should be simple enough. Just don’t do anything rash with Finley okay? I really think you and Simon would be good for each other.”

“Shame he saw me doing the Lambada with Fin then, isn’t it?” I asked, giving her a dirty look.

“Drunk or sober Lambada?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Sober.”

Liora rubbed her temples. Almost as if though she had developed a blinding headache. Before she got a chance to say anything else, there was another knock on the door.