Puzzled, Jennie turned to me with a furrowed brow. "Did you invite her?" she whispered.

I shook my head, equally puzzled by Rachel's sudden appearance. "No, I didn't. Did any of you?" I whispered back, glancing at Kam and Nate, who all shook their heads in confusion. Shawn shifted uncomfortably, and Finn spoke up, saying, "I did," as he walked towards Rachel.

Rachel's smile widened as Finn approached her. "Thanks for the invite," she said brightly, her tone cheerful and polite. "It's been ages since we've hung out," she exclaimed, moving to embrace him in a hug.

Pulling out of the hug, Rachel continued, "We haven't been apart like this since I moved houses when we were little," she laughed, lightly hitting Finn's side. "Even then, we'd sneak off to the playground," she smiled, reminiscing.

Finn laughed as well. "I know, it's been a while," he turned back to us, "the more, the merrier, right?" he said, glancing at me.

Jennie frowned, glancing around the cabin. "Hate to break it, but we're kind of tight on space here. There's not really any room for another person."

But Rachel simply waved off Jennie's concern with a dismissive smile. "Oh, don't worry about me. I can crash on the couch in the living room. It'll be like a slumber party!" she exclaimed clapping her hands, her tone cheerful and carefree.

Nate, ever the peacemaker, smiled and interjected, "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat. How about we call it a night and get some rest?"

"Yeah," Kam said as she dragged Jennie and me upstairs. "See you later, Rachel. Ask Finn to catch you up on our itinerary," she smiled as we headed upstairs to the room Jennie, and I shared.

Closing the door behind us, Kam seethes "That bitch is fake".

Jennie nodded in agreement. "She gives off a weird vibe. I mean, nobody is that nice," she said as she sat on the edge of the bed.

I smiled weakly, taking off my top and changing into something more comfortable. Jennie did the same, removing her makeup and fixing her long black hair into a bun.

"Alright, change of topic. What's up with you and Finn?" Kam asked. "And Nate," Jennie chimed in.

"I mentioned it to Jennie before," I begin to explain, recounting the conversation I had with Jen earlier about my feelings toward Finn.

"As for Nate," I laughed, "He's so unserious." Jen and Kam both laughed. "But I don't know if I have feelings for him. I won't deny there's something," I sighed.

"Ugh ... this was meant to be a fun trip. Why is everything getting all tangled?" I said, falling on the bed and covering my face with a pillow.

Kam sighed and sat on the bed beside me. "Okay, drama queen," she teased, turning to me as Jen scooted closer. "I totally get where you're coming from – feelings are a total rollercoaster. But guess what? Take a deep breath, trust your instinct, everything will work out in the end, right, Jen?" she smiled.

"Yeah," Jen started softly. "I know it's scary, but you can't let fear dictate your happiness. Sometimes, the best things in life come from taking a chance, from opening your heart to the possibility of love."

"I love you guys," I say, my voice choked with emotion. "I needed to hear that."

"Also..." Jen trailed off, "having two hot guys basically swooning over you, oh, to be Lily for a day," she said, laying dramatically on the bed.

"Piss off," I mustered a smile. "There's that smile," Jen laughed, hugging me. "Don't forget me," Kam jumped on us.

We all burst out laughing.

"Alright, let's call it a night," Jen said. "Kam, sleepover?" she turned to her.

"Nope, sorry girls, but my man's two doors down," she laughed, getting up. "Unlike you, I'm gonna have the ride of my life," she said, sticking out her tongue and rocking her hips back and forth.

"Ahh!! You whore!!" Jennie laughed, throwing a pillow at her "Use protection !!" she yelled and Kam waved her off as she left, then it was just us two.

"I'm going to bed," Jennie said, hopping into the bed beside me. "It's been an eventful day, and it's only day one," she laughed.

As we settled into bed, exhaustion washed over me. I pushed aside my worries and tried to fall asleep.

******

As I lay in bed, my thoughts swirled with the events of the evening. Unable to shake the feeling of unease that had settled over me, I tossed and turned restlessly.

Not being able to sleep, I finally decided to take matters into my own hands. Slipping quietly out of bed so as not to wake Jen, I quickly changed into my bikini and made my way to the back porch where the jacuzzi awaited, its bubbling waters beckoning me with promises of relaxation and solitude.

As I stepped outside, the cool night air sent a shiver down my spine, but I ignored the chill. Wrapping a towel around my shoulders, I made my way to the jacuzzi and slipped into the warm, welcoming waters.

As I slip into the jacuzzi, the hot water does little to calm the churning in my chest. The night is quiet, save for the soft rustle of trees and the bubbling jets, but all I can focus on is the knot of frustration that's been building since we got here. Since she arrived.

I close my eyes, trying to force myself to relax, but the sound of footsteps pulls me back to reality. I don't need to turn around to know who it is.

"Lily," Finn's voice is soft, almost tentative.

I glance over my shoulder, and there he is, standing with that casual ease that always gets under my skin. He's holding a glass of juice, his dark eyes scanning my face like he's trying to gauge my mood. It irritates me that he even has to guess.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asks, lowering himself to sit on the edge of the jacuzzi.

I shake my head, my eyes drifting to the stars, anything to avoid the weight of his gaze. "Not really."

He holds out the glass. "Here. Thought it might help."

Our fingers brush as I take it, and just like that, that familiar spark flickers between us—the one I've been trying to ignore since we got to this cabin. I sip the drink, more to distract myself than anything else. The silence stretches between us, comfortable but heavy, like there are a thousand things we're not saying.

"Mind if I join you?" he asks, his tone casual, but there's something beneath it, something I can't quite place.

I glance up at him, then shrug. "Sure."

Finn peels off his shirt, and I pretend not to notice how the moonlight highlights the muscles in his chest, the way his skin looks almost golden in the low light. When he drops his joggers and steps into the water in nothing but his boxers, my breath catches for just a second before I force myself to look away.

He settles in next to me, close but not touching. The tension between us feels like it's alive, crawling under my skin, making it impossible to focus on anything else.

I take a deep breath, the words I've been holding in all day bubbling up before I can stop them. "Why did you invite Rachel, Finn?"

He doesn't answer right away. Instead, he leans back, running a hand through his hair, his brow furrowed. The silence stretches on so long that I almost regret asking.

But then he finally speaks, his voice quieter than before. "I didn't think it would be a big deal."

I scoff, unable to hide the bitterness in my tone. "Well, it is."

Finn turns his head toward me, his expression serious now, his eyes dark and searching. "Why, Lily? Why does it bother you so much?"

I bite the inside of my cheek, my frustration flaring. He knows why. He's always known why. "Because you don't get to bring someone like her here, Finn. Not after everything between us."

He stares at me for a long moment, then his gaze softens, but there's something harder beneath it, something unresolved. "You don't get to be jealous, Lily. Not when Nate looks at you the way he does."

My breath hitches at his words. "What are you talking about?"

"The way he looks at you like he wants you. Like he could have you if he tried." Finn's voice sharpens, his jaw clenched. "And the worst part is, I know he's right."

I blink, my pulse quickening. "Nate's just a friend."

He laughs, but there's no humor in it. "Yeah? Friends don't look at each other like that."

The frustration that's been simmering inside me finally spills over. "You don't get to be angry about Nate when you brought Rachel here."

"I didn't invite her for me!" he snaps, eyes blazing. "I brought her because I thought—"

"What? That it wouldn't matter? That I wouldn't care?" My voice rises, my heart pounding in my chest. "Well, I do care, Finn. I care because—because..." I trail off, my throat tightening, the words I've been holding back choking me.

Finn moves closer, the steam between us swirling like the distance we've never been able to cross. "Because what, Lily?" he presses, his voice lower now, more urgent. "Because you still feel something for me? Just say it."

My hands grip the edge of the jacuzzi, the coolness of the tiles grounding me as I struggle to find my voice. "I don't know, Finn. I don't know what I feel anymore."

He exhales sharply, running his hand over his face.

"I hate this, you know? I hate the way we dance around each other like this. The way I can't stop thinking about you, but I can't do anything about it."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, the raw honesty of them cutting through the fog of my anger. I meet his gaze, my heart in my throat.

"Do something then, you can't expect me to wait till you've got it all figured out Finn"

Finn's eyes soften, and for the first time tonight, I see the vulnerability he's been hiding. "I don't want to push you away, Lily. But I don't know how to make this work."

My chest tightens at his confession, the truth of it sinking in. We've always been stuck in this in-between, too scared to admit what we want, too scared to take the risk.

"I don't want to be stuck in this limbo forever," I whisper, the weight of my own words pressing down on me.

He looks at me upset, his frustration evident.

"I KNOW I WANT YOU, ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?!" Finn yells

I flinch at the sudden force of his tone, the intensity of his gaze burning through me. My breath catches, and for a moment, I can't move, can't think. Finn looks immediately regretful, his hand running through his hair in a gesture of frustration. He glances away, his jaw tight, his anger simmering just beneath the surface.

The weight of his confession hangs heavy between us, suffocating the air around us. I don't know what to say. The silence presses in, thick and unbearable.

"I hate the way Nate looks at you," Finn admits, his voice quieter now, but no less intense. "Like he has any right to you, like he's the one who gets to be with you." His fingers clench the edge of the jacuzzi, knuckles white. "And it kills me because maybe he can have you. Maybe he's the one you want."

My heart stutters in my chest, my throat tightening. "You don't know what I want."

Finn's eyes snap back to mine, searching, pleading. "Then tell me. Tell me you don't feel it, this—us." His voice cracks with something raw, something desperate. "Because I feel it every time we're together."

The tension is suffocating, the air thick with everything we haven't said, everything we've been avoiding for too long. I can feel it, buzzing beneath my skin, pulling me toward him even though I know I shouldn't.

"I can't, Finn," I whisper, my voice trembling. "I don't know what this is."

Finn moves closer, his hand brushing my cheek, wiping away a tear I didn't even realize had fallen. "I hate this," he mutters, his voice raw. "I hate not knowing where we stand. I hate how we keep going in circles."

He's close now, too close, his forehead resting against mine, the heat of his breath mixing with mine. The tension between us is a live wire, crackling with the weight of everything unspoken.

"Just say it," Finn murmurs, his lips hovering dangerously close to mine. "Tell me you don't feel anything, and I'll let you go."

I can't. I can't say it. Because it would be a lie. And he knows it.

Without thinking, I close the distance, my lips crashing into his with a desperation that surprises even me. It's like a dam breaking, all the emotions I've been holding back spilling over, and I can't stop.

Finn responds immediately, his hands pulling me closer, deepening the kiss until I'm drowning in him, in us. The water sloshes around us, but I barely notice. All I feel is him—his lips, his hands, the way his body presses against mine as if he can't get close enough.

The kiss is everything—frustration, longing, relief. It's like everything we've been holding back is finally unleashed, and there's no turning back.

I straddle him, my legs wrapping around his waist, the heat between us intensifying as the tension that had been simmering finally explodes. His hands slide up my back, pulling me tighter against him, and I can feel his heart racing beneath my palms, matching the wild rhythm of my own.

The water lapped gently against our intertwined bodies, adding a sensual rhythm to the moment. My heart raced at the sudden closeness, the heat between us intensifying as I settled on his lap.

Our bodies pressed together heatedly against the tub, breathing heavily as our lips pressed together. I can feel the steady beat of his heart beneath my palms, unlike the erratic pace of my own, as we eagerly let ourselves go into the kiss, we've both been longing for.

Finn's touch was both comforting and electrifying, his fingers tracing delicate patterns on my back as if mapping out the desires we dared not voice.

He gently bites on my lower lip, and I release a slight moan, I can feel his smile through the kiss.

We pull apart, foreheads just touching. He looks into my eyes and smiles, I do the same, letting out a little giggle. He laughs as well.

I leaned in one last time, capturing his lips in another kiss. I just want to freeze this moment, no worries just me and him.

Breathless and flushed, we reluctantly pulled apart, our eyes locking in a silent exchange of emotions.

"Lily, I—" Finn began, his voice tinged with a mix of sincerity and uncertainty.

But I silenced him with a gentle touch, pressing my finger against his lips.

"Let's not ruin the moment, okay?" I whispered, the warmth of my breath caressing his face.

He chuckled softly, his smile lines becoming more pronounced.

"Alright then, up we go," he said, his hands securely holding my waist as he rose from the water, effortlessly lifting me with him.

Instinctively, my arms wrap around his neck and legs firmly around him, ensuring I wouldn't lose my balance, a joyful giggle escaping me.

He gets out of the jacuzzi and is standing on the gravel, his arms move to under my thighs holding me firm. I tilted my head to meet his gaze, my hand brushing aside his wet hair. I gazed into his mesmerizing blue-green eyes, losing myself in their depths.

As we stood on the gravel, wrapped in Finn's embrace, the tranquil moment was interrupted by sudden footsteps approaching.

"Anyone out there?" came a voice, and I turned my head to see Rachel approaching.

My eyes widened in surprise, and Finn swiftly moved us behind a nearby pillar, shielding us from view. We held our breaths as Rachel looked around for a moment.

"Weird," she muttered to herself before eventually leaving, unaware of our hidden presence.

Once the coast was clear, Finn and I laugh as he sets me down, our eyes remained locked, I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you," I murmured softly.

He takes a step back, his eyes flickering to the side as if a thought had just occurred to him. Without a word, he disappeared briefly, returning with a fluffy towel which he draped around my shoulders. The warmth and scent of his skin mingled with the fabric.

"Here, you might catch a chill," he said, his voice filled with concern.

I smiled gratefully.

As we stood there, Finn glanced around and then walked to the nearby ottoman, picking out another towel which he casually wrapped around his waist.

He takes my hand and leading me to my room. Walking together in comfortable silence, I felt a sense of security that I hadn't realized I craved until that very moment.

Upon reaching my door, Finn paused, his eyes meeting mine once again.

"Remember, I want you and only you," he said.

His voice carrying a warmth that mirrored the affection in his eyes.

Finally, give me the answer to the question, I asked earlier.

His hand reaching up to tenderly brush a stray strand of hair from my face. Leaning in, he placed a short but sure kiss on my forehead, his lips warm against my skin.

"Sleep well," he murmured, his voice a gentle caress.

I nodded, a soft smile playing on my lips as I watched him turn to leave.

I carefully close the door behind me and change out of my wet bikini.

Afterwards, I climb into bed, careful not to disturb Jen sleeping beside me.

I replayed our encounter in my mind as I drifted off.

I whispered, "I want you and only you too, Finn."

**********

Author's Note

Hope you're enjoying so far, don't forget to please vote, comment and follow

Thanks,

Tee xx