The Rules | ✅ Completed

Chapter 15

The warm chest under me rose and fell in a steady rhythm I was slowly memorizing. At some point Finn had rolled to lay on his back and dragged me with him. My head lay near his heart, one leg tangled around his and one hand clutched at his shirt. One of his arms was wrapped around my back while the other hung off my bed.

I took a minute to appreciate his sleeping form. His mused copper hair and the stubble gracing his jaw line. The tone torso I laid on complimented the subtle tan he earned over the summer. The insanely soft T-shirt still grasped in my hands. The jeans that hung low on his hips the night before were still in place. The black ink on his arm peeking out from under the sleeve of his shirt.

The four of them had gotten the same tattoo their Junior year. It was a phrase Coach Gilly used at least once every practice; work hard, play harder. It bound them together in a brotherhood that few would understand.

My fingers inched toward the script. Gently brushing up under his sleeve to follow the blocked letters, I fought off a sigh. I was causing a rift between them. Their brotherhood was crumbling because of my selfishness.

The hand at the end of the arm I was stroking reached up to my face. It pushed my unruly hair behind my ear. I avoided his eyes, trying to pretend he was still in a deep sleep.

"Good morning." From the corner of my eye, I could make out his lopsided smile and a hint of sparkle in those emerald eyes.

"Morning," I whispered as my hand returned to his chest.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I could feel the forced smile falter as I pushed off him and untangled my leg from his. The arm around my back slipped to my waist as I sat up. "We should probably get out of here before Lucas wakes up."

"Blaine," his hold on me tightened when I tried to get off the bed. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing," I tried the smile again as I ran my hand through my hair. Finn let go of me, but not before his brow wrinkled.

"You have to talk to me for this to work. Especially, if we're facing off with the dynamic duo."

"Shane won't pick a side."

"You're missing the point." He sat up, watching me get to my feet.

"I'm not an idiot," I said too harshly.

"I never said you were."

"I have rules, you know." He looked more confused now. "Before this year I lived by three rules. Heather convinced me to throw them out the window and live a little."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Right now, yeah." Finn shook his head as he climbed to his feet. He walked over to me with a mocking smirk taking place of the confusion. His hands cupped my face as he leaned down to talk to me.

"I'm glad you ditched the rules. Seeing you enjoying yourself this last month was worth it. If you think this isn't what you want then tell me. I'll walk away, no questions asked. But if there is a sliver of you that does want this, I'm in. I'll endure any torment your brother has planned. You're worth it, even if I have to prove it every day from here on out."

His kissed my forehead and I could feel worries wash away. A simple touch was enough for me to forget what lay beyond the door. Taking a deep breath, I fell into his hold. The peace he brought to me was overwhelming. There were two thuds on the door and the peace vanished. Finn's hands fell down my back and found their place at my hips.

"Now, or never," he mumbled, his forehead against mine.

"Now, or never," I repeated. My fingers playing with the belt loops of his jeans. His hands pulled mine free and kept hold of one. Pulling me toward the door, the nerves stirred again. The door swung open and we found Shane leaning against the wall. His eyes fell to our joined hands then fell to look at his shoes.

"Luke's waking up. You better get your act together before he comes out here."

"My dad?"

"Left an hour ago. We have the house to ourselves." He pushed off the wall and wandered down the hall to the kitchen. Finn looked at me and I nodded. The lopsided smile returned as he tugged me out into the hall. We followed Shane's path to now find three mugs at the kitchen table. A pot of coffee between them. Shane stood near the island, a mug in his hand. His stare followed us as we sat beside each other at the round table

Shane sat beside Finn. It was an obvious attempt to put a buffer between him and my brother. I slid a mug in the direction of Finn while grabbing my own. A door down the hall opened and feet shuffling across the carpet put all three of us on edge. Lucas appeared in at the edge of the hall scrubbing a hand over his face.

Still wearing the jeans from the night before, he looked tired. I filled the third cup for him and slid it carefully to the open seat. Rubbing his bare chest, he sat down across from Finn. The tattoo was on full display as he took a sip from the mug. Finn rested his hand on my thigh in a poor attempt to comfort me.

"Now that we're all awake," Shane started this little meeting, "Can we have a civil conversation?"

"I'd like to," I said playing with the mug in my hands.

"I want to understand more of this," Lucas gestured to the two of us. I looked at Finn before looking back at my brother.

"What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with when."

"After the first game," Finn stated. I raised my eyebrow at him. "We were up late and talked about why we shouldn't do this. What you would do if we did. We actually fought about it. I thought she was going to give me the same treatment as Owen."

"I considered it," I smiled at him before it faded. "We realized that you couldn't be the only factor in our decision."

"Next question," Shane announced taking a sip from his mug.

"Why did you wait so long to tell me?"

"Noah," I said flatly and Finn squeezed my knee in warning. "Sorry. Your reputation as an overbearing protector made things a little complicated. The last thing your team needed was for him to be out of the season."

"Not to mention he wouldn't be able to touch you," my brother crossed his arms as he leaned back in the chair.

"All of that aside," Shane stepped in. "Can't say she was wrong in her way of thinking."

"Rules." Lucas grumbled.

"Go on," Finn waved his free hand.

"No more staying in her room." I bit my lip as Finn's hand loosened its hold on my leg. "I was drunk, but not that drunk. Your car was out front and living room was empty. No more sleepovers."

"Understood."

"Keep the handsy PDA shit to a minimum."

"We can try," I gave in.

"She's still my little sister," Lucas finally looked at me. His expression told me he was warring with himself. "If anything, and I mean anything happens to her. This is all going to end badly for you. Friend or not. You got me."

"Of course," Finn nodded. My hand covered his under the table. Our fingers laced together and I could feel all our problems fading away. Lucas was more on board then either of us thought he'd be. Shane let out a sigh of relief.

"Who wants breakfast," he asked, "Lainy's cooking."