Secret Obsession by Olivia Linden Page B

hung on the wall across from her bed. Trailing her fingers over the intricate pattern of the blue and white quilt, she tried to accept the peacefulness of her new home.
    The last few months had been a nightmare. Between finals, dance rehearsals and an ugly breakup, she was ready for some peace. It was also going on two years since she’d seen her mother. The divorce of her parents had been hard on Raven, but with her mother overseas there wasn’t anyone she could really confide in.
    Getting up, she walked over to the bay window and tried to make out the landscape outside in the dark. There was a large red barn off to the right, and then acres of nothing for miles around.
    Raven shrugged. With nothing else to see, she turned back to look at the room. It was a little bare, but she could spruce it up with the few belongings she brought with her from her dorm room.
    That reminded her of her long drive there. She didn't want to dwell on all the reasons why she left school and came running to Daddy. There was no point, and she was too damn tired. Her entire trip was spent trying to figure things out. Sometimes thinking was overrated. She needed to do something to keep her mind from wandering.
    She located the box with her personal effects and rummaged around until she found her iPod docking station. She needed music. Dancing would help her burn off some of her tension. After that, and a nice long shower, she would be ready for bed. She could think about things in the morning.

     
    An hour spent in the barn seemed like enough time for things to settle down. Finn waited until he saw the lights go out on his mother's side of the house before he ventured inside. It wasn't like him to be so anti-social, but he was still annoyed by the fact that his mother sprang the news of his new housemate on him at the last minute. Maybe if he had the time to adjust to the idea, things would’ve been different. But as he set up an area in the hayloft for his canvas and art supplies, his blood continued to boil.
    What was this Raven person like? Would they get along, or would she disturb the serenity that he was used to having? Being an only child, Finn never had to learn to live with other siblings, or how to share his things. He laughed at himself, feeling like a spoiled brat for a moment. But still, he should have been given some type of warning. Heck. Harry should have come to him and explained things. Maybe that was what was really bothering him. He was a man, and they had treated him like a child with no say so.
    On his way back to the house, he slowed his pace as he approached the little red car. Peeking into the back windows he saw the clutter of boxes and girlie things. It could be the result of her travels, or she was a messy molly. Shaking his head, he moved on towards the house, checking the sturdiness of one of the front tires with his boot as he passed.
    The house was silent as he entered the side door to his domain. The lights were still on, the way he'd left them, and he turned each one off on the way to his bedroom. The door to the guest room was closed. He didn't bother knocking to introduce himself. She could wait until breakfast. He made a quick stop by the bar to pull a cold brew out of his mini fridge before going into his room.
    The room was dim, except for the light that shone in from his half cracked bathroom door. He put his beer down just long enough to strip off his shirt and pull off his boots. Without a second thought, Finn strolled over to his bathroom door. He liked to turn on the shower and let the room get steamy while he sipped his beer. Something about the sauna like effect helped him to relax before bed.
    He neared the bathroom, and a muffled hint of music played. Swinging the door open, he wasn't prepared for what he would see. The door that adjoined to Raven's room was open. Through it he could see her dancing in front of the full-length mirror in the guest room.
    She was dressed in the skimpiest excuse for