Scratch

On Fionn’s porch, Rose says goodbye to Rowan and Sloane, noting Sloane’s injuries but their shared happiness. Rowan teases about their night together; the brothers part warmly. As the couple drives off, Rose has a fleeting vision of a domestic future before dismissing it as impossible for her.

Back inside, the quiet magnifies Rose’s restlessness and claustrophobia. She scratches under her cast with a metal crochet hook for relief until Fionn intervenes, warning of infection and taking the tool away. Seeking a safer fix, he kneels and cools her skin by blowing air beneath the cast, his touch and breath intensifying their mutual awareness.

The physical closeness heightens Rose’s arousal and frustration. When Fionn asks if she is okay, Rose admits she isn’t. She guides his hand up her thigh to her center, and Fionn pauses to set boundaries: no relationship, and rules to avoid emotional entanglement. They agree on no cuddling, no kissing on the mouth, no sleeping together, no PDA or pet names (except “Doc”), and to keep communicating.

With the rules established, Fionn proceeds, insisting on eye contact as he pleasures Rose. The encounter is intense and consensual, culminating in Rose’s orgasm on the couch. Their chemistry overrides earlier restraint, confirming that mere relief has become need.

Afterward, Fionn lifts Rose, carries her toward the bedrooms, and implies they will continue. Rose recognizes that scratching the itch may open a deeper wound, yet she lets herself be taken, marking the start of their secret, rule-bound affair.