Craft Beer & Roses

Chapter 21

Grunts of exertion filled her ears as she approached the gym. Finn grinned at her as he finished out five more sit-ups. Suresh lay across the gym bench, contracting his pecs with each rep of chest flies. Sweat glistened on their muscles, making Aviva suddenly feel incredibly parched. She coughed and swallowed to wet her dry throat, leaning against the pull-up equipment.

"Right; why am I here?" Aviva asked. "Surely it's not just to watch you both flex."

"As if you'd complain." Suresh exhaled on his effort as he pulled the weights above his chest, though his voice still carried its usual arrogance.

Aviva rolled her eyes. "You're hyperextending your arms on the downswing." She corrected, barely passing a second glance over his form.

Suresh twitched on the bench, fixing his posture to slightly bend his arms as he lowered them again.

"Ha! I tried to tell him." Finn forced himself to his feet and stretched his tightened abs by raising his arms high above his head. "You were in the beach hut when we all woke up; I didn't get to say good morning."

Aviva smirked. "You called me over just to say good morning?"

"And to see your face."

Aviva turned her head to the side, concealing the blush that crept its way up her neck to her face behind her thick curls. "Well, don't hide it now!" He laughed. Finn sidled up beside her, nudging her shoulder slightly. "You know, my day will officially be made if you join me for breakfast."

Aviva dared to look at his face. He was standing so close. She could smell the natural scent of him; it threatened to consume her entirely. She almost despised him for taking advantage of her girlish reactions; for smiling at her the way he always did, causing her to blush every shade of red. For saying things that made her heart flutter. For making her knees weak with one look. She hated herself most for liking it.

Neither of them noticed Suresh had completed his set and was now stretching out his sore muscles. "Shouldn't Kat be joining you for breakfast?"

Finn turned to Suresh; the only sign of irritation was the slight furrow in his brow. "Why?"

"Because you shouldn't be eating with other girls when you have each other. You know, committed relationships and all that." Suresh wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel before draping it around his neck. 

Finn's gaze slid to Aviva. "You'd know all about commitment, huh, mate?" He threw an arm around Aviva's narrow shoulders and began leading them toward the villa. He deliberately took a moment to look back at Suresh. "A real expert." He called, emphasizing the ex. 

Suresh seethed, tightly gripping the ends of the towel. Aviva stumbled a bit as she peered back at Suresh over Finn's toned shoulder. Finn pulled her a little tighter, forcing her to look ahead.

She eased away from him with a grimace. "You're so sweaty."

He tugged her back in with a lecherous grin. "You want to help me clean it all off?"

She could feel her ears and cheeks burning.

Is this a game to him?

Once again, with great effort, she placed some distance between them. "He's right, you know." She twisted her face in disgust. Agreeing with Suresh tasted horrid. "You should be with Kat."

Finn slowed his pace to a stop, and Aviva followed. "We're not...things haven't been good since the whole Excess Baggage thing. To be honest, I don't think they've ever been good."

"Apparently Kat hasn't gotten the memo." Aviva looked out at the garden. "Why do you keep picking her, then?"

And why did you kiss me?