Chapter 38

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Lily followed Finn off stage and grabbed his arm, using it to pull herself close to him.

"Finn?" she hissed as they were ushered quickly through the backstage area and into what appeared to be a small dressing room of some sort.

Finn didn't respond to her as someone reached out to shake his hand and thank him for his service. She was having a difficult time keeping up in her heels and she stumbled, but Finn reached out and caught her while barely turning around in the effort. It was like a metaphor for their relationship.

"Where's your drummer friend?" He asked as he shook another hand. It appeared as if he was the man of the hour.

"He went home. Why?" Lily asked. They were talking in soft voices, and it was hard for her to hear him.

"I just want to be aware of any and all threats." He nodded over at Mason and pulled Lily into a small restroom at the back of the dressing room. It was so little there was hardly enough room for the two of them.

"Paxton isn't a threat, he's a friend," Lily insisted, she wasn't shying away from being close to him.

"He looked and sounded like more than a friend." Finn looked down at her, and she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.

"Are you jealous, is that why you've had this sudden change of heart?" she asked, her eyes wide. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"It's not a change of heart Lily, my heart has been yours since you choked on that damn lemon drop," he growled.

Someone banged on the door, telling them it was time to move.

"We need to talk, but we have to get through this first. Meet me at my house after?" he asked as she reached behind her for the doorknob.

Lily nodded. "Did you mean it Finn, was that you telling the world that you love me?"

"Lord, help me, yes." He smiled tenderly at her while brushing a renegade curl out of her face.

"I love you too, Finn," she smiled up at him as there was another knock on the door.

"I will not kiss you for the first time in a bathroom, come on." He opened the door to an empty room, and he hustled her into the hall to catch up with the others.

"You two are going to make my year?" Mason laughed as they joined everyone else. "Lily you broke the news about Finn being a SEAL perfectly, and who doesn't love a little off-stage romance!" He threw his arms around their shoulders as they made their way down the corridor and to the back entrance of the theater where they were pushed into a waiting limo.

Everyone, including Cassie and Finn's girlfriend, was there.

"Lana," Finn greeted, kissing her cheek.

"Finn," she grinned and winked at Lily.

Lily had no idea how to take it. Was she saying 'good for you,' or 'hey we're in the same club now.'

"Everything about that was great," Lana said as she opened a planner she had on her lap. "It's going to change how we move forward, but in a good way," Lana spent the short drive to the hotel where the reception was being held reviewing everything for the next week.

Once they arrived, they all had their marching orders and the do's and don'ts of the tour and as the limo pulled up to the curb, cameras started to flash.

"We'll go first," Mason insisted, helping Cassie out of the limo, taking his time waving and greeting everyone.

"Jo and Tom, you're next," Lana said, leaving only the three of them in the car.

Lily couldn't help but measure herself against the beautiful blond, wondering how she could ever compare to her in Finn's eyes. She had it all together.

"Finn, Lily," she said and watched with a smile as they climbed out of the car.

The camera flashes were blinding, and Lily felt very small as she clutched Finn's arm close.

"I don't know If I can do this," she said, looking up at Finn.

He looked down at her and smiled. "You fought an elite Navy SEAL and won; this should be a piece of cake." He pulled her close, putting his arm around her shoulders, and she rested her hand against his broad chest, feeling his strong heartbeat underneath the fabric. It helped to ground her, and she smiled for the camera's as he did.

"Remember, my place after," he said, kissing the top of her head as they were separated. The rest of the evening sped by, and she and Finn would only get to see each other for snatched moments the rest of the evening.

After it was all over Lily road back to Cassie and Mason's house with them and then spent a few minutes over a drink, reviewing the evening. She was eager to jump in the car and get to Finn's, but she was also hesitant because she was nervous about what would happen once she got there. She was afraid that he would have a change his mind and decide that he once again didn't want her.

It was after eleven when she got in her car and drove to her apartment. She wanted to change and pick up her bag of lemon drops for Mike. By the time she reached Finn's, it was just before midnight, and as she parked the car in his drive, she hesitated once more before she climbed the steps and knocked on the door.

A young girl Lily didn't recognize answered and looked at her with a haughty raised eyebrow. "May I help you?"

"I'm here to see Finn?" she said softly, with a sweet smile in an attempt to be friendly and not jealous.

"It's a little late to be out visiting, don't you think?" She tried to close the door.

"I'm here at his request." Lily tried once more.

"I'm sorry, he's not here, and he didn't say anything to me about your visit." Then the girl shut the door in her face. Lily's sense of humor rose to the surface as usual. At least Finn was able to pick sitters who were able to keep out the riffraff.

Lily sat on the top step of the porch with her back against the column. She hoped Finn got here soon. Otherwise, the girl was probably going to call the cops on her and have her arrested for stalking. She opened her bag of lemon drops and popped one in her mouth as the front door opened.

"Lily!" Mike said. Closing the door behind him. She wanted to jump up and hug him but knew he wouldn't welcome it, so she patted the step next to her and offered him a lemon drop.

"I missed you," she said as he took one and popped it in his mouth. She held out his fist, and he fist-bumped her, which was the closest she was going to get to a hug. "How does this one treat you?" she asked with a nod of her head in the direction of the door he had just walked through.

Mike shrugged, telling her that she was alright.

"Would you like to hear a story?" she asked.

Mike nodded as he rolled the candy around in his mouth and studied the drive.

Lily started to tell him about one of her adventures, and he smiled a few times. She was finishing up the story when Finn's truck pulled into the drive and parked next to her car.

"Why are you both out here?" he asked, pushing Lily over and joining them on the step.

"Your new girl wouldn't let me in, so Mike snuck out. She's good in some respects at least," Lily said, offering him a lemon drop which he declined. "But Mike thinks she o.k. overall."

"Good to know," Finn said as the door behind them opened, and the young girl gasped when she saw all three of them sitting together.

"Lemon drop?" Lily offered.

Finn cleared his throat; she thought to cover a laugh.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Baxter. I told her to leave, and I didn't know that Mike was out here." She wrung her hands nervously.

"It's fine, Patricia, this is Lily, the only reason you haven't met her is that she' been away, and Mike isn't a prisoner, but it would be a good idea if you know where he is from now on." Finn stood and held out a hand for Lily.

Lily took it, and he pulled her up a little harder than was necessary, and she landed against him. He held her close, instead of letting her go right away. Mike jumped up, taking the lemon drops from Lily's slack hand.

"That's a good idea, Mike, we wouldn't want her to drop them." Then he pushed her wild hair off her shoulder as his hand landed on her neck. "Patricia, we're in for the night, you can go home now."

Lily liked the way his 'we're' sounded. She couldn't look away from his gaze. She didn't hear Mike and Patricia go back into the house and close the door.

"I missed you, Lily."

"I missed you, Finn," she whispered.

"A kiss now, I think," he said.

"O.K.," Lily replied.

"Not your first kiss though?" he asked, pausing as he drew unbearably near to her lips and she could feel his breath mingle with her own.

"No, but that's your own damn fault, I offered," another whisper. Lily's eyes were glued to Finn's lips, and she watched them curve up in a smile.

"You did," he agreed, "and it will always be one of my biggest regrets in this lifetime."

"Shut-up, Finn, and kiss me!" She grabbed the lapels of his suit jacket and brought him closer.

"Yes, ma'am," he said as his lips grabbed hers in a fierce kiss.

Lily felt her heart almost burst as she rose on tiptoe in an attempt to get closer. His arm helped her while his free hand cupped her head. When she sighed, he deepened the kiss and her whole body melted while the world exploded around her. She didn't want it to stop ever.

Eventually, it did, when he broke away from her, resting his head against hers.

"I need to go for a run before we talk," he said roughly.

"Alright," she said with a smile. "I'll wait for you."

He led the way inside where Patricia was finishing gathering up her things, something she should have done earlier, which led Lily to believe she had been spying on them through the window.

"Did Mike go to bed?" Finn asked as he closed the door behind them and started to undo his tie.

"Yes," she said, staring at Lily in awe. "I'm just leaving now."

"Thank you, Patricia, the tour starts next week, you'll be able to stay with Mike while we're away?" he asked.

"S-sure," she said with a smile before she turned and left through the backdoor with a soft goodnight.

Lily's heart was doing a jig at his use of 'we're' again.

"Wear sweatpants when you run, you don't want to give the secret away," she said over her shoulder as he headed down the hall to his room to change.

"Yes, Lily," he said with a smile.

She should be frustrated that he wanted to go for a run, but she knew him, she understood he needed to be alone to think and blow off steam, and an hour was nothing if it meant she got to keep him for a lifetime. 

She had gotten her kiss after all.

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