Secret Obsession (10 page)

"What?"

"Where the heck is your mind at? I feel like I've been talkin' to myself for the last twenty minutes."

"Well, if you knew I wasn't paying attention why did you continue?"

"Cause I like to hear myself?"

"Ain't that the truth." Finn chuckled as he sipped his drink.

"Holy cow!"

"Ok. You've got my attention. Go on."

"Look," Buck said as he gazed at the door in a trance. Finn frowned. What the heck was wrong with his friend? He looked over towards the door and his jaw dropped, too.

Raven stood in the doorway looking for him, dressed up like a cowgirl from head to toe. He almost did a double take. She was always gorgeous in his eyes, but this was something else. And judging by the smile on her face, she'd done it just for him. All he could do was gawk as she sauntered towards him. A black Stetson hat covered her curls and matched her trendy boots. A pair of daisy dukes, the kind where the pockets hung lower than the hem, showcased her dancer's legs. At that moment he wished they were back home so he could tumble her into his bed and show her how much he liked her outfit.

"Hey boys." She waved at Buck as she squeezed into the empty stool between them. Buck took of his hat and held it to his chest as he continued to ogle her.

"Well hello, darlin'. Look at you."

"Do I look okay? I wanted to fit in this time."

"Oh you're looking' mighty fine," Buck replied.

"What do you think, Finn?"

He cleared his throat. "Mighty fine."

"Aww, thanks."

Finn was so hard for her that it didn't register or matter that she had most of the men in the bar checking her out, or that Buck hadn't stopped staring at her breasts. He put up three fingers to order a round as Randy came over to add his own set of compliments.

"Now what do we have here? Lookin' lovely Miss Raven."

"Thank you, Randy. I thought I'd take a page out of your book."

"Honey, my book don't have nothing that lovely in it," he replied with a wink. He slid two beers and one soda across the counter, bowed in front of Raven and went to tend customers at the other end of the bar.

"You look amazing," Finn whispered in her ear. His lips grazed her skin for a few seconds before he pulled away. He was surprised at his restraint. Raven shot him a sly smile as she sipped her drink.

As the three sat at the bar trading bad jokes and chitchat, a small crowd of friends grew around them. Finn was born and raised in Dusty Springs and had a few life long pals. Buck was the closest, but he'd been on the football team in high school and that notoriety stuck long after in a small town like theirs. He paid rapt attention to the way his friends treated Raven. In general, everyone was nice, if not curious. A few of the girls eventually pulling her out on the dance floor.

Finn watched as they danced around to the music. Raven tried to be demure, but eventually she came alive and became the vivacious woman that he'd first been captivated by as she moved her body with abandon. Soon people weren't dancing, they were watching her too. A couple of the girls begging her to show them how to do certain moves.

"She's something else. That's for sure."

Finn hadn't realized that Buck was standing next to him. He was so engrossed with watching Raven. She seemed to always have his full attention. Except when he was out on the ranch. He made a noncommittal shrug as if he hadn't noticed.

"Huh. No big deal to you?"

"Yeah, she is something special. What else am I s'posed to say?"

"So then you won't mind if I dance with her?"

Yes, I fuckin' mind!

Of course he couldn’t say that. Instead he tried to project a casual air as he nodded in her direction, giving Buck his consent.

"I'm thinking you've got to ask her first, but knock yourself out."

Even though jealousy was biting his balls, Finn knew he didn't have anything to worry about. Raven wasn't into Buck, and there was nothing wrong with a little dancing. At least that's what he told himself. But when he watched his friend approach her and lead her further onto the dance floor, he had second thoughts.

He wanted to be the one to hold her close. To revel in her sweet scent, and feel her womanly curves settle against him. With all the sneaking around, he hadn't been able to do some of the things he wanted to do. Like taking her out to a nice dinner, or walking down the street holding her hand. Not even lounging on the couch together and arguing over who would control the remote. But he was standing by watching her dance with someone else, another thing that he hadn't done, and he couldn't take it anymore.

He tapped Buck on the shoulder.

"May I cut in?"

"Figured as much," Buck mumbled as he moved aside to make room for Finn.

"Thanks."

Finn didn't acknowledge the smart remark. He didn't care. All he could focus on was holding Raven in his arms. She gave him a knowing grin, stepping forward as he slid one around her waist and pressed his palm into her back to guide her closer.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"I feel like you’re turning me into a stalker."

"You've been a stalker since I met you." She gave him a pointed look, but amusement twinkled in her eyes.

"You have a point," he conceded.

"Do you enjoy watching me?"

"Damn, girl. I enjoy anything that has to do with you."

"Obsessive, stalker tendencies. Should I be concerned?"

Finn laughed. "I don't know. Try to get rid of me and see what happens."

They both laughed, but Finn thought he saw a flicker of concern flash in Raven's eyes. 

"I was jealous," he admitted.

"Jealous? Why?"

"Because Buck got to dance with you before I did. I hate not being able to do what I want with you."

She sighed and rested her head on his shoulders. The song playing was about a man that just wanted a woman's time. He could relate. He wanted to push the issue, but he didn't want to ruin the moment. Instead, he held her close.

"I think Buck knows."

"You're not really discreet Finn."

"Am I really that bad?"

She raised her head to look him in the eyes. "Yes. You are. Don't get me wrong, I love feeling your eyes on me, but I think everyone else notices it too. A few of the girls asked if we were together. I laughed it off, said you were being nice to me since I didn't have any friends."

"It's sort of the truth."

"What?”

He laughed at her incredulous expression. "I'm joking. Take it easy."

"Whatever." Her tone was sassy, but she had a smile on her face when she leaned against his shoulder.  He placed his head on top of hers. If anyone was watching them, they might have looked very comfortable with each other, but it was a slow song so dancing close was expected. Lowering his head closer to her ears he began to whisper to her.

"Damn, I can't wait to get you home."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. I have the sudden urge to lick your pussy until you scream."

"Finn!"

"And then I want you to ride me. Nice and slow. Push your tits in my face so I can taste those pretty nipples. Suck them until you come."

"Really?" She feigned shock, but her body pressed that much closer to his as he continued his dirty talk.

"Then, I'll flip you over. I love hearing you moan my name while I'm looking down at your pussy milking my cock."

She raised an eyebrow. "Let's go."

Before
Raven knew it, the summer was winding up to a close and she had some decisions to make. When she left Pennsylvania, she had left the option to go back open ended. Just like she told her father, taking the extra classes at the local community college would give her enough credits to make up for the classes she dropped. She was ready to enroll into her senior year for the fall semester. Now she had to choose. Go back to Pennsylvania, or stay in Texas.

Her father approached her with the question sooner than she was prepared to answer it.

That afternoon Harry asked her to cut out of work early so they could have dinner together. Just them. Finn had driven Dorothy to Austin to see his aunt who was still in the office, and they would be gone for a few days. She spent the hours leading up to their date destroying her manicure and bouncing her leg nervously against her chair leg. Not even the monotony of filing could calm her nerves. She was quite sure what he wanted to discuss, but she was certain it wasn't anything she wanted to.

She was packing up her workstation when Doug propped himself on the edge of her desk.

"Hey, Ray."

"That would be Raven." It wasn't the first time she'd corrected him on that. The only people who were allowed to call her Ray were her father and Finn.

"I thought that was your nickname?"

"It is. For my father."

"And Finn Walters."

Raven stopped shuffling the papers on her desk and glared at him.

"Excuse me?"

"I thought it was a name that close friends could call you. Aren't you two, close?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Doug. Was there something I could help you with?"

Doug chuckled, a fake sinister sound that made Raven bristle with annoyance and trepidation. Why was he talking about Finn? She wanted to ask a million questions, but didn't want to do it and have her father walk in on them.

"Well, since you're always too busy for lunch I wanted to ask you to dinner. Unless you're seeing someone."

Her stomach dropped, after it did a few flips and dips. She began to feel lightheaded. Doug was trying to make trouble for her. But she wasn't going to let him blackmail her into a date that would never happen.

"No thanks, Doug. Whether I'm seeing someone or not isn't any of your business. I'm not interested."

"Well are you seeing someone?"

"It's none of your business. How’s your girlfriend?"

"Because I saw you and Finn at the Dust Lady and it kinda looked like you two were more than 'friends'. If you know what I mean."

"Doug, I would prefer if you didn't discuss–"

"I don't mean to step on Finn's toes, I figured I could show you around town and it might help our working situation if we hung out."

Raven felt like she was in a nightmare. Doug had cut her off and raised his voice because at that moment, her father was walking out of his office into their work area. He wanted to make sure Harry knew what they were discussing. She was so angry she felt like bursting into tears. After punching Doug in the nuts, of course.

"Is everything all right out here?"

Her father's tone was dead serious as he glared from Doug to her and back.

"I was just –"

"Doug was just being stubborn and not taking no for an answer. I've been in town long enough and don't need any help finding my way around."

Raven forced a smile as sweet as a bee-infested honeycomb. She didn't care if it looked genuine. She wanted Doug to shut up and was prepared to have him lose his job if that's what it took. Her father frowned but didn't speak on it.

"Raven, get your things and meet me outside."

He left without saying a word to Doug. Raven jumped up like her seat was filled with hot coals and rounded on Doug.

"How dare you. You have no right to bring up my personal business. I don't owe you a damn thing, but I will make sure you never set foot in this office again if you fuck with me!"