I've Coveted You Forever

Chapter 6 Be My Girlfriend

Julian was desperate to get back to his lover, too cowardly to face me directly, and he was eager to pass me off as a messy burden to anyone who would take me.

In that moment, Finn was the perfect candidate to take his problem off his hands.

"Sure thing, Julian. I'll take good care of Eleanor for you," Finn said, his tone light and playful, back to his carefree playboy persona from the engagement party.

Then, he returned to my side and pulled me out of the bar, not stopping until we reached the car.

We drove until we hit the riverfront, where he parked and turned off the engine, letting the cold night wind blow through the open windows.

He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it, the red ember glowing bright in the dark, flickering with every breath he took. "Well? Have you seen Julian for who he really is now, Eleanor?"

The night wind stung my cheeks, and my chest felt tight and heavy with sorrow.

It turned out a tiny, fake scratch on Barry's arm was enough to pull Julian away from our engagement, while I was left standing on stage, humiliated and alone, with not a second thought from him.

"Barry is Julian's childhood sweetheart. You never stood a chance against him. So why not choose me instead, Eleanor? Let's team up. We can take Julian down, take everything he has," he said, his lips brushing my earlobe intentionally, sending a shiver down my spine.

Everyone in high society knew the Ashton Group was powerful and wealthy, and it was no secret the family was torn apart by internal power struggles.

Finn said, his eyes glinting with a cleverness no one could quite read, "Julian can give you status and security, but I can give you more—everything he has, and more."

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

Finn leaned in closer, his warm breath fanning against my ear. "Be my girlfriend. That's the only deal I'll make."

The image of Julian and Barry tangled together in the bar booth flashed through my mind, along with Julian's cold, cruel words about using me as a pawn.

Without thinking, acting on pure impulse and rage, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him first, bold and teasing.

His lips were soft, softer than I expected, and the kiss felt surprisingly natural.

Finn was stunned by my sudden move, his eyes widening in shock for a split second before he recovered.

He lifted me easily and set me down on the hood of the car, trapping me between his body and the cool metal. There was no turning back now. Finn held my chin firmly, forcing me to tilt my head up and kiss him back deeply, his other hand sliding under my skirt to knead the soft flesh of my waist, already weak from his touch.

His cool, slick tongue pried my lips open, and I parted my mouth willingly, letting him deepen the kiss, matching his hunger with my own.

The second our tongues tangled, I went weak all over, like a fish out of water, drowning in his possessive, rough tenderness.

When he finally pulled away, my lips were swollen and sore from his kiss.

Finn smiled, wiping away the smudged lipstick from my lips with his long thumb, his touch gentle despite the roughness of the moment. "Look, Eleanor—your lipstick is all smudged from our kiss."

Once I was composed, he drove me back to the Westbrook Hills Villa.

That night, Finn was relentless, taking everything he wanted from me until I was completely exhausted and passed out in his arms.

I woke up late the next afternoon, the sun streaming through the bedroom windows.

The first thing I saw was Finn, standing by the bed with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

I blushed fiercely, peeking at him through my fingers, staring at his defined abs and long, powerful legs.

Finn noticed my gaze immediately, a triumphant smirk spreading across his face. He walked toward me slowly, step by step, and tugged at the edge of his towel teasingly.

"Eleanor, we've already been intimate, seen every part of each other. Why are you still shy? Want me to take this off so you can look all you want?" he asked.

"Stop, I don't want to look!" I exclaimed, my face burning even hotter. I grabbed my phone and stared at it, desperate to distract myself from the embarrassment.