Camera Shy (Lessons in Love, #1)(98)

I gasp. The air fills my lungs as my climax radiates through my entire body. The sensation is so potent, I think I come twice. Once because of the pleasure, and once because of the liberation.

It feels so real.

The pulsing sensation is so familiar. The euphoria makes my head go hazy and sink back into the ship deck, waiting for the flames around us to burn us to cinders.

Finn smiles. “Time to go home, Queen. The ship is burning.”

He grazes the crown on my head that somehow magically appeared amidst our rough sex. Ripping it off my head, he then throws it overboard into the pitch-black sea. He scoops me up and before I can ask him if he’ll be okay, then tosses me over the ship rail and I begin to plummet.

I’m falling for ages. Much too long to make sense. I should’ve hit the water by now.

It’s the feeling of falling, the swoop in my stomach that yanks me fully from my dream.

And when I open my eyes, I see Finn.

Not Pirate Finn.

Real Finn. No scar. The dim light of the lampshade across the room reveals the perfect, handsome angles of his flawless skin. And he’s wearing the most amused smirk I’ve ever seen.

“Did you just have a dirty dream about me?”

“No.” I don’t know why I bother lying, but I’m a little embarrassed. I subtly rub my thighs together and feel the moisture. Dream or not, I most definitely came. That had to be the most passive-aggressive orgasm of my life. If you won’t fuck me in real life, I’ll find you in dreamland, Finn.

“You sure? Because you woke me up when you said my name a few times. And you’re breathing kind of hard.”

“I don’t remember what I was dreaming about. Wait…I think I vaguely remember I was falling.” Lies. I remember it perfectly. Your pirate doppelganger threw me overboard right after you choked me with your hook and gave me the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had. But I’m not saying that shit out loud.

“Okay, whatever you say.” His smug smile says he doesn’t believe a damn thing I’m saying. “Come here.”

He yanks me back into his chest, and I snuggle against him, back to belly. This is how we fell asleep and I must’ve wriggled away in the middle of the night. I’ve been sleeping alone for over a month, so my instincts need time to adjust.

Finn puts me back in my rightful place, cuddled into his embrace, his thick bicep sprawled out as a pillow for my head. I rest my ear on the dramatic curve of his muscle and the mermaids on his tattoo fall into my direct sightline. They sing what they always sing to me.

Praise and encouragement. Go ahead, girl, get yours.

I did. Oh, I did.

I giggle silently at my own silliness, feeling playful and full. I don’t think I’ve ever had a wet dream before. I thought those were only for the other sex. But lo and behold, I taught myself this lesson all on my own.

I shut my eyes, desperately trying to go back to the ship, hoping that Pirate Finn survived the fire and is ready for round two.





28


Finn





I wake up to the unmistakable sound of hushed arguing. I’m in bed alone, and the sheets on Avery’s side of the bed are cool to the touch. She’s been up for a while, apparently.

I slept like the dead last night. No doubt it was the comfort of a woman lying next to me. I’m not sure where to go from here. When we leave the hotel and go back home, do we sleep in separate beds? Should we just keep pretending like we don’t know where this is headed?

I know she feels it too. She’s already mine. My woman. My queen. I just need some time to break down whatever walls she’s built up because it’s clear we should be together. Every sign points to the inevitable.

Lennox really likes Avery. She isn’t interested in my impending wealth. This woman knows how to be comfortable but turns on the charm whenever she chooses. She’s intelligent and carries herself gracefully and isn’t remotely intimidated by my dad or the Harvey name. We’re hot together. The sex is glorious because it’s different than what I’ve had. Lessons or not, when I’m with her, it feels like the deepest kind of connection. Like she needs me…

Like I need her too.

Dex was always meant to leave this summer...

And Avery was always meant to fall right into my lap.

Pulling myself out of bed, I head to the walk-in bathroom of this stupidly expensive suite. Why one night in this hotel suit costs nearly two grand is a mystery to me. Although, I suppose if I was planning on living like a real Harvey, I probably wouldn’t blink at the money. But my heart is more Thatcher, my mother’s maiden name, than Harvey. Two grand to me is my mortgage payment, a month’s worth of groceries, and my cell phone payment. Even when she shared my dad’s last name and wealth, Mom raised me to be reasonable. We bought new things only when our old things broke. She always treated our money like a fleeting privilege. Mom once told me that my dad’s wealth was more of a burden than anything. She honestly believed that if Dad was born without a penny to his name, he might’ve had a chance at decency.

But I know better. I’ve seen poor men who are pussy-hungry cheaters that treat their wives and girlfriends no better than Dad treated Mom. He was always doomed. Let’s leave it at that…

Because he’s no longer my problem.

I splash a little water on my face and head out to the living room in just my briefs to see if Avery is really going to keep that stone wall up another day. I know she had a sexy dream about me last night. The way she was mumbling my name between moans and flexing her hips in her sleep, I don’t know what I did to her in her dreams, but I wish I were there so I could’ve taken some notes.