Chapter 29: 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟖

BREE

“Finn, let go of me!” I repeat for the hundredth time and Finn only tightens his grip around my waist.

“No.”

“You promised you’d let go off me if we cuddled for an hour,”

“I take back my words,” he says and snuggles his face in the crook of my neck, “I won’t let go of you,”

I whine but he doesn’t listen and only snuggles with me more.

Rose, Arzo and I will spend the day together and I promised them that I’ll be there. Since I knew Finn would be dramatic about it, I stayed at his penthouse for two days. Okay, fine, I stayed at his penthouse because I like staying with him.

However, when I told Finn about my plans today, he became his dramatic self again and started listing reasons why I shouldn’t leave.

“You’ll be bored without me,”

“I can’t kiss you when you’re away,”

“Outside bad. Inside good.”

“How am I going to survive for that long?”

“Do you want me to die? Is that it, amore?”

“It’s dangerous. Stay.”

After many more reasons, he promised to let me go if I cuddled with him for an hour. An hour became two and he’s still not letting go of me.

And the fact is, I am melting for the way he doesn’t want to let go of me.

What is happening to me?

“I promised Rose and Arzo!” I say, trying to push Finn.

“You’re my girlfriend,”

I sigh, “Finn, honey, please,”

Finn lifts his head and looks at me.

“What?” I ask.

“You called me honey,”

My cheek heat, “yeah, so? You call me by a nickname, I can’t?”

He smiles, “of course you can, amore.” He leans in and places a soft kiss on my lips.

When he pulls away, I ask, “Has anyone else ever called you by a nickname?”

He hums and lays on his back, his eyes to the ceiling, “no,” he says then looks back at me, “only you,”

A smile takes over my lips at the fact that I’m the first one to call him by a nickname.

“What about you?” he asks.

“A guy? No.”

He frowns, “a girl?”

“Rose calls us love.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“You’re not dating,”

“Oh my God, stop being jealous of her!”

“I am anything but jealous.” He says then looks away, “Maybe I should set her up on a date with Ryan,”

“Finn!” I hit his arm, “don’t do that!”

“Ow! Fine!”

“I’m leaving,”

“What?- no!”

I quickly jump out of the bed before Finn could grab me.

“Shit-”

I let out a small scream and dart out of the room to go downstairs as I feel Finn jump out of the bed and run after me.

We both run around the living area like children playing tag.

“Stop chasing me!” I yell as I run as fast as I can.

“Stop running away from me!”

I’m about to run into the elevator when a strong pair of arms grab me by my waist, stopping me from running.

“Caught you.”

A squeal leaves my mouth as Finn effortlessly turns me and throws me over his shoulder.

“Finn! Put me down!” I yell, hitting his back only to hear his laugh.

I keep hitting his back while he takes me towards the couch.

I yelp as he drops me on the couch. Before I could run away, he grabs my wrists and hovers over me.

“I’m keeping you hostage,” he says with a fake seriousness.

Not being able to help it, a heartfelt laugh leaves my mouth from the chase and the turn of events that just happened.

Finn lets out a laugh and joins me too. None of us say any word but laugh like idiots.

But right now, it doesn’t matter if we look like idiots laughing our asses off because it’s just him and I in here. Smiling in the comfort of each other. Falling into something beautiful.

As our laugh slowly starts to die down, Finn leans down and buries his face in the crook of my neck. His arms wrap around my middle and he lets out a sigh. I wrap my arms around his neck, the smell of his hair shampoo tickling my nose as I thread my fingers through his hair.

“I can’t let you go, amore,” he whispers, “I want to keep you all to myself.”

I sigh, “I’m blaming you for being late,”

I feel him grin, “no problem,”

ᯓᡣ𐭩

“You’re late!” Rose says as soon as she opens the door of the apartment.

“It’s Finn’s fault! He wasn’t letting me go,”

Rose squints her eyes at me, “okay, that’s kind of cute but still,”

I give her my innocent smile as she opens the door wider for me to walk in.

I walk into the living room and find Arzo pouring chips in a bowl.

She looks up when she notices me and smiles, “hi, Bree,”

“Hi, Arzo,” I say, taking my seat by the coffee table, “you didn’t bring Maham?”

She shakes her head, “no, she’s spending time with her baba and Uncle Farhan,”

“Are you sure she’ll be fine without you?” Rose says, bringing us cans of soda and taking her seat.

“She’ll be more than fine. She has way more fun with her baba than with me,” Arzo replies, “she’s so attached to him,”

“I wonder why,” Rose says, looking at Arzo.

Arzo catches Rose looking at her with a knowing gaze and her cheeks turn pink, “shut up.”

Rose and I laugh at how quickly Arzo blushes.

We all grab each bowl of chips and can of soda. Rose puts on a random movie as our background.

“So, what was it that you wanted to tell us?” I ask before I pop a chip in my mouth.

“Oh, right. Let me go grab those,” Rose gets up and disappears into the room.

She returns holding two small bundles of printouts and hands each of them to Arzo and I as she takes her seat.

“What are these?” I ask.

“My manuscript,”

Arzo and I let out a collective gasp and Rose smiles.

“You’re writing a book?” Arzo asks, her face blooming with the same excitement as mine.

“That’s the plan,”

“Oh my God! Finally!” I exclaim.

Rose has always had a talent for writing amazing stories, that’s why her clients are always so pleased with her result.

Ever since I read her journal in which she wrote a story, I started bugging her about writing her own book but she always denied saying that it wouldn’t get any recognition.

I’d beg to differ.

“This is just the first five chapters. I need to reviews so I thought of both of you,” Rose says.

“Oh my God, I feel so special,” Arzo says, opening her manuscript.

I chuckle, “I know right?”

“Don’t read it right now!” Rose quickly says, “read it when you have time and can process everything,”

“Okay,” Arzo and I say then put the manuscript away. We discuss a little about Rose’s book and she tells us about what it’s about and the genre- romance, of course. Arzo and I squeal and laugh as we talk about how Rose will be a famous author now but Rose keeps denying it.

“Oh, how is everything with you and Finn?” Arzo asks after a while when we divert to another topic.

“Good.” I smile, “amazing,”

“What amazing is also the fact that the media hasn’t gotten a sniff of your relationship.” Rose says, “you two are really careful,”

“I’m glad that the media isn’t the problem. I don’t want Ryan to find out like that,”

Rose and Arzo freeze midway eating and stare at me.

“What?” I ask.

“If you’re thinking about telling Ryan about you two… I’m guessing you’re serious about him.” Rose says, a soft smile taking over her lips.

I stare at them, processing Rose’s words while my heart pounds at the thought of our relationship becoming public.

I forgot that this was a testing phase. It never felt like it. From our first date till now, everything was real. My feelings, his gestures, my admiration, his words.

You still want to be with me?

Always, amore

A genuine smile takes over my lips as I say, “I’ve always been serious about him.”

I just never realized it.