When I got to class Wednesday morning, I chose to sit a little bit closer to the front of the room in the hopes that I’d be less likely to fall asleep. In my opinion, 9:00 AM classes should be banned, but unfortunately, this was the only time Abnormal Psych was offered, so I was forced to brave the wee hours of the morning. Just as the professor began his lecture, I heard a door at the back of the room slam shut, and everyone sat up straight and turned to see who the culprit was. Of course it was Hunter, and from where I was sitting, I could see his cheeks had flushed a rosy shade of pink, embarrassed to have all eyes on him. He hurried down the steps with his head tipped down, chin pressed to his chest, and his paced slowed as he reached my row.
“Do you mind if sit here?” He nodded his head toward the empty seat next to me.
“Uh, no. Have at it, soldier,” I smirked.
His shoulders relaxed, and the corner of his mouth tilted up appreciatively as he slid into his seat. He leaned over and I could feel his warm breath against my ear. “How have you been?”
“Fine.” I kept my eyes focused on the front of the room while the slightest hint of a smirk teased at my lips. “And yes, I’ve been sleeping well.”
This time I turned to look at him. He was faced forward, but I could see him silently laughing to himself as his shoulders bobbed up and down. I must have guessed correctly what his second question was going to be.
“So did I miss anything?”
I clicked my pen and started taking down notes. “No, Dr. Jenkins was just about to go over the difference between adaptive and maladaptive behaviors.”
“Can anyone tell me what maladaptive behavior is?” Dr. Jenkins looked around the room. “Yes, you in the middle.”
I heard Hunter clear his throat next to me, unaware that he had even been raising his hand. “Maladaptive behaviors are usually meant to reduce one’s anxiety, but more often than not, they’re dysfunctional and non-productive. I believe the book uses the example of avoiding situations because someone has distorted fears that, at first, may reduce one’s anxiety, but ultimately, it is non-productive in reducing or completely eradicating the actual problem in the long run.”
Hmm, that sounded familiar.
“Very good. Glad to see someone’s been doing his homework.”
Our professor continued on with his lecture, directing questions at the class, and I couldn’t help but stare at Hunter in awe. He must’ve caught me out of the corner of his eye because without moving a muscle or removing his gaze from the front of the class he asked, “What?”
“I think I just found my new study partner.” I slowly grinned up at him.
“Is that so?”
“Oh yeah. I have no doubt I’ll pass this class now.” I twirled my blonde hair around my pen, completely tuning out everyone and everything but Hunter. He reached over, untangling the strand from my pen and gently placed it behind my ear.
“Well, I’d be happy to tutor you.” I could hear the smile in his voice, and I was proud that I had actually made it this far into the conversation. Maybe letting Hunter in wouldn’t be so hard after all.
“Do you like Mexican food?”
I started to write the word “Mexican” in my notes and looked down at my paper, wondering where that had come from.
I swiveled in my seat, turning my whole body toward him. “Wait… what?”
“Mexican. Food. Do you like it? They just opened up a new place not too far from campus. I think it’s called La Tolteca, or something like that. I was gonna head up there after I finished up some training exercises later and thought maybe you’d like to join me. We could discuss tutoring and set up a schedule.”
I sat there dumbfounded with my mouth hanging open. Was this his subtle way of asking me out?
His smile slowly faded as silence passed between us. “Or we could talk about other stuff. It doesn’t necessarily have to be school related.”
“Is this like… a date?”
Hunter nervously ran his fingers through his short brown hair. “Uh, well, I didn’t intend on it being a date, but—”
“Oh, well in that case, I’d love to!” My mood instantly perked up. As long as we were just going as friends, there was no pressure. So why the hell not? Right?
“Great! Why don’t I pick you up around, let’s say, seven?”
“That sounds perfect.” I grinned and turned my attention back to Dr. Jenkins, which was useless because there was no way I was going to be able to pay attention now. I was too giddy about my dat—, err dinner, with Hunter.
The rest of the lecture flew by, and before we knew it the professor was announcing that class was over. I collected my things, and Hunter stood to let me pass by first. When his hand connected with the small of my back, I nearly jumped out of my skin, startled by the unexpected contact.
He quickly placed his hand back at his side and smiled, but it never reached his eyes. “Sorry. I guess some habits never die.” I could sense a bit of remorse from him not having asked before touching me. My thoughts went back to the night of our first encounter, and I could see why he had reacted in such a way.
I shrugged it off. “It’s fine. I just get a little jumpy sometimes. Not your fault.”
“Is it because…”
I stepped in front of him, placing my hand on his chest. “Can we not talk about that anymore? I’d much rather forget that whole night ever happened.”
“I understand. It kills me to even think what that a*shole could have done to you, but at least something good came out it.”
“Are you serious? What good could have possibly come from almost being raped?!” After hearing a remark like that, I was fuming. Absolutely livid. How could he be so insensitive?
“I met you.”
All right, that was actually kind of sweet of him to say that, and I couldn’t help but smile back at him with the way that boyish grin lit up his face.
“Yes, you did, although the circumstances might not have been favorable.”
I must have been on autopilot because the next thing I knew, we were walking through the doors of the campus dining hall and heading toward the table where Liberty was seated. Her eyes grew wide as we approached the table.
“Hey, Maddie and Hunter. It’s so good to see you again. Are you going to be joining us for lunch?”
Damn that woman. I didn’t even get the chance to cut her off before she asked. I looked up at him and saw that he wasn’t looking at Liberty, but rather at me.
“Wish I could, but I’ve got my internship at the hospital in about twenty minutes. I’ll see you later?” He brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear and softly trailed his finger along my jaw before returning his hand back to the strap of his backpack. A rush of heat flooded up my neck and stained my cheeks crimson.
“Uh, yeah. Later,” I choked out.
“All right, have a nice lunch, ladies.” He winked at me and made his way back out the way he came.
My eyes never left his back as my legs gave out, and I sank down into the nearest chair. It wasn’t until Liberty spoke that I was able to break the contact.
“Well, well, well. What was that all about, Ms. Harrington? I see things are running much smoother between the two of you.”
“I guess you could say that. I decided I’m at least going to make the effort to be friends… and don’t give me that look! I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not looking for anything more, so don’t push it.”
Liberty shook her head in disapproval. “I don’t know why you do this to yourself, Maddie. You are a beautiful woman, inside and out, and you deserve to have someone special like Hunter. I mean, the way you were looking into each others’ eyes… you’d have to be blind to not see what I’m seeing.”
“Liberty, I just met him. Whatever it is you’re seeing has clearly been fabricated in your mind, because there is nothing going on between us. Not even close.”
“Suuure. Then can you explain to me why there’s drool running down your chin?”
I quickly wiped at my chin only to find that it was dry. “Bitch, I will cut you if you keep this shit up! God, we’re just getting some dinner tonight and possibly talking about setting up a tutoring schedule. That’s it. It’s really not that big of a deal.”
Liberty’s grin grew wider and wider by the second. “You have a date?!”
“It’s not a date.”
“Did he ask you, or did you ask him?”
I eyed her cautiously, unsure of what she was really trying to get at. “Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“He asked me.”
“It’s a date,” she squealed, giggling as she clasped her hands together.
I released an irritated sigh and grabbed my things. “I think I’m going to eat my lunch elsewhere today.”
“Have fun on your date!” Liberty’s boisterous laughter resonated throughout the dining hall, and I cringed wondering if she was right; that it might actually be a date.
F*ck.
“The red one or the pink one?” I said to my towel-wrapped reflection while alternating the two dresses in front of me. I was trying to keep up with the “going against the norm” theme, but nothing in my wardrobe seemed modest enough for the occasion. It was just dinner with a friend, so it wasn’t like I needed to impress him or anything.
I looked over my shoulder in the mirror to find Lance looking back at me. “What look are you going for? Sultry seductress or sweet and innocent girl-next-door?”
I sighed, not really sure myself. “I don’t know. Neither really.”
Lance took both dresses out of my hands and laid them on the bed. “Look out, girlfriend. Daddy’s raiding your closet!”
I chuckled, watching the sight before me. Lance dove right in, tearing through my closet like a pro, and came up with probably the last outfit I would have ever chosen.
“Skinny jeans and a plain white t-shirt?” I quirked an eyebrow. “This is the best you could come up with?”
“Throw these boots on, too. Oh, and this jacket will look cute over that shirt.”
“You sure? Because this is beginning to make me question your sexuality, Lance.”
He shoved me into the bathroom with a wicked grin on his face. “Trust me.”
I wasn’t quite convinced Lance knew what he was talking about, but I quickly got dressed and slipped on the tan, knee-high boots and olive-green, canvas jacket; the zipper was off-centered and slid up the right side of my torso, which added a bit of an edgy feel to the whole look. Okay, I had to admit, my outfit was actually coming together quite nicely. After throwing my hair up in a French twist, clipping it in place, I added a bit of color to my eyes, cheeks and lips. When I stepped out of the bathroom, both Lance and Robbie were sitting on my bed, clapping their hands in approval.
“Girl, you are going to knock him dead where he stands. He’s not going to know what hit him!”
“Well, let’s not kill him before I get dinner out of the deal,” I joked, making us all laugh.
A rumble of thunder echoed through the house, and I grabbed an umbrella so I wouldn’t get poured on; nothing worse than looking like a drowned rat on the first date. I mean… not that it was a date. It was just dinner. Between friends. Nothing more. Now, why couldn’t I shake the feeling that I had to be kidding myself to even think that was true?
I heard a knock at the front door and quickly dashed into the living room to answer it. Robbie and Lance were hot on my heels as I flung the door open, and my mouth gaped wide, drinking Hunter in. I thought he looked hot as hell in his fatigues, but this… this was a whole different Hunter. He had on a pair of jeans that were ripped at the knee and a black V-neck t-shirt that clung to his broad chest, but that wasn’t what had me nearly drooling. It was the black boots and leather jacket that had my panties disintegrating just at the sight of him. It gave him that bad-boy appearance without appearing as though he was trying too hard.
I watched as his grin faltered and his eyes grew to the size of saucers. Just before I could ask him what was wrong, a hand reached out from behind me and lifted my chin so that my mouth was no longer hanging wide open. I peeked over my shoulder, and Robbie and Lance were towering over me with matching goofy grins. I could see why Hunter might have felt intimidated at first glance, but those boys couldn’t hurt a fly even if they tried.
“Hi,” I finally spoke, breaking the tension. A few more seconds of silence passed. “Oh! Sorry, this is my roommate Robbie and his boyfriend Lance.”
Hunter’s eyes softened and his warm smile returned. “Nice to see you again, Robbie, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Lance. I’m Hunter.” He extended his hand to shake both of theirs before turning his attention back down to me. “You about ready to go?”
“Yeah, let me just grab my purse.”
“Hmm.” He tilted his head to the side, and his eyes roamed over my body as though he were studying me.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, not at all.” He reassured me. “But, uh, you might want to take your hair clip out.”
“My hair clip? You don’t like it?” I reached up defensively. Never had a guy so openly expressed his distaste for my hairstyle.
“Oh, no, no, no. I didn’t mean anything by it. Your hair looks great. Really. But I don’t think this will fit over it.”
He reached behind his back, revealing a small black helmet that looked like it was just my size. Then it clicked that it wasn’t thunder I had heard a minute ago. I stood on my tiptoes to peek over his shoulder, and low and behold, there was a black and silver Harley parked just out front of my apartment. Pretty sure his hotness factor just shot through the roof… but did he really expect me to get on the back of that death trap?!
“Oh, uh, I’m not sure if this is a good idea. I-I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.” I stepped back, apprehensively. “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive? I don’t mind. Really, it’s no trouble.”
Hunter grinned down at me, a hint of laughter behind his eyes. “You’ll be fine. I’ve been riding that baby since I was sixteen, and I’ve been riding dirk bikes even longer than that. I promise, I’d never let anything happen to you.” His eyes softened as they raked over me. “Do you trust me?”
I listened to my heart as it told me everything was going to be fine and that I could trust him with my life. I already had once, although I wasn’t consciously present through most of it. However, my head was telling me otherwise. For the first time in my life, I told my head to take the night off and chose to go with my heart.
I just hoped I wouldn’t regret this.
I made my answer loud and clear as I removed my hairclip and let my long, blonde hair tumble down over my shoulders. I reached for the helmet and placed it over my head, sliding the visor down and doing a little twirl. “Well, how do I look?”
Hunter took his bottom lip between his teeth, holding back a smile. “Babe, you look like you’re ready to ride.”
I giggled, pleased with his reaction. That was the first time he had ever used any form of endearment toward me, and I had to admit, I kind of liked it.
I pulled the helmet off, shaking out my hair. “Well, let’s go! I’m starving and I have a hankering for some chimichangas!”
“Have a good night you two!” Robbie slid my purse over my shoulder and as he did, whispered in my ear, “And behave yourself, baby girl.”
Hunter stepped back, waving his arm out and motioning for me to walk ahead of him. “Ladies first.”
Honestly, I had to hand it to him. From what I’d observed so far, he really was quite the gentleman, which kind of caught me off guard, because I wasn’t used to being treated with such… respect.
When we reached his bike, he grabbed the helmet slung over the handle and popped it on over his head. He swung his leg over the side with ease and sank down into the soft leather of the seat, using the heel of his boot to nudge the kickstand up. Okay, the hotness factor just spiked up another notch… he looked too damn good on that bike!
“Hop on.” He motioned to the tiny space behind him, and I struggled to stretch my tiny legs over the bike.
I slipped the helmet back on and looked around for somewhere to place my hands, but he took it upon himself to reach back and wrap my arms low around his abdomen. I could feel just how toned his lean muscles were beneath my fingertips, even through his thick, leather jacket, and a shiver ran down my spine as I imagined him shirtless and slathered with baby oil…
I shook the thought from my head, reminding myself to keep my libido in check, and returned my attention back to him.
“Now make sure you hang on tight. When I lean to take a turn, lean with me.”
“Got it.” I nodded, bobbing my head from the weight of the helmet. I wonder what would happen if I didn’t lean with him. Shit, what if I make him crash?!
The motorcycle roared to life, and I tried to shout over the deafening rumble, but he still couldn’t hear me. His feet lifted off the ground, and we quickly made our way down the road with me clinging on to him for dear life. I closed my eyes and leaned the side of my head against his back. Digging my hands deeper under his jacket, I balled up the hem of his shirt until my hands touched his bare skin. The warmth of his skin had a soothing effect on me, and I was finally able to enjoy the ride.
Suddenly everything went quiet, and I felt Hunter begin to shift. “You still alive back there?”
I lifted my head and took in my surroundings, quickly realizing we had pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. As I slowly peeled the helmet off my head, I shook my hair out and ran my fingers through it a few times.
“Wasn’t so bad after all, was it?” He looked back at me with a smirk.
“Yeah, I guess you get brownie points for not killing us on our first date.”
The second the words left my mouth, I immediately regretted them. Dammit! Why couldn’t I just bite my tongue? Hunter didn’t seem upset in the least. In fact, his smile grew wider, and he reached out his hand to help me off of the bike. After taking the helmet from me, he set them both on the bike and motioned me toward the restaurant with his hand placed on my lower back. I was gradually becoming accustomed to his hand being there, as if it had always belonged in that exact spot; like he had staked his claim to it, and it was his and his alone. As much as I hated to confess, I was beginning to like it… and maybe even like him.
The hostess seated us in a semi-circular booth in the corner of the restaurant, away from the noise of the mariachi band they had lined up for the night. The delicious, spicy aromas that surrounded us had my stomach growling, and Hunter and I looked at each other with laughter in our eyes. I was surprised at how comfortable we were with one another, as though we had known each other for years, and yet, I still knew nothing about him.
After the waitress took our drink orders and dropped off some complimentary chips and guacamole, a long pause settled over us until Hunter finally took the initiative to speak up.
“So.” He clasped his hands together and set them atop the table in front of him. “Abnormal Psych, huh? Pretty crazy that we happened to end up in the same class together.”
I finished swallowing the mouthful of chips, feeling slightly embarrassed, and cleared my throat. “Yeah, small world.”
“Well, what made you decide on taking that class? Doesn’t seem like something you’d be interested in.”
“Oh really?” I quirked an eyebrow curiously. “Well, I guess that goes to show how much you think you know about me. For your information, I just so happen to be a Psych major. Actually, what I really want to go into is counseling for kids who come from broken and abusive homes.”
“And why is that?” He took a sip from the bottle of Dos Equis the waitress had just brought over.
“I guess because I grew up in a normal, happy, loving home. Not all kids have the benefit of being raised in such a loving environment, and it’s no fault of theirs, but they don’t always see it that way. I want to be able to help them work through their issues and show them that they are loved and capable of loving, too.”
Hunter paused mid-sip and set his drink back down. He reached over, taking my hand just as I was reaching for another chip, and held it there in the middle of the table. For a second, I thought about pulling away, but when I looked up and his eyes connected with mine, there was a sense of tranquility that had enveloped around us, and I didn’t want to lose the contact we shared in that moment.
“You’re right, Maddie. I don’t know that much about you, but I have to say, I’m happy with what I’ve learned so far. I think it’s extremely selfless of you to want to give back to kids who need help the most and make a career out of it.” He gently rubbed his thumb across the top of my hand before placing it back on the table. Goosebumps continued to spread up my arm even after the loss of contact.
“Well, I love kids. I always have.” I smiled sheepishly. “When my high school guidance counselor asked me what I wanted to do with my life, it was a no brainer.”
“You know,” he said, leaning back and spreading his arms wide across the top of the booth. “I can tell you’re going to make a great mom some day.”
My eyebrows pinched together. “You really think so?”
“Hell yeah! I can hear the excitement and passion in your voice, and your gorgeous brown eyes light up just at the mention of working with kids. I can only imagine how awesome you’ll be with your own kids. I have no doubt that you’ll be a kick ass mom.”
If it weren’t for his warm, inviting smile that was beaming back at me, I probably would have had a full-blown panic attack just listening to this conversation. Me? A mom? My heart began to race just thinking about it, and I knew I had to change the subject before I let my wandering mind get the best of me.
“So what about you? What made you decide to choose pre-med?” I took a long, self-medicating sip from my margarita.
“My dad’s a neurosurgeon, and I guess you could say I’m following in his footsteps. Cliché, I know, but I’ve always loved neuroscience anyway. It’s crazy to think how each individual portion of the brain controls every aspect of our lives, from every breath we take all the way down to the raw emotions we feel at any given moment.”
“Wow,” I said in surprise. “That’s deep.”
“Yeah, you probably think I’m a total nerd now.”
“Not at all. In fact,” I said as I inched closer to Hunter until my leg just barely grazed his, and I trailed my fingers across his hand and over the tattoo on his forearm, “I’m curious to know what emotions you’re feeling right now. At this exact moment.”
I gazed up at him through hooded lashes and could hear his sudden intake of breath. To some it might appear that I was being a bit of a tease, drawing slow circles as I traced over the outline of his tattoo, but I couldn’t help myself. Some force of nature was drawing me to him, and I needed to be closer to him. I needed the contact. I craved it. God, if Robbie were here right now, I had no doubt he’d be scolding me for the way I was behaving.
“Babe, there are so many emotions coursing through me right now that the synapses in my brain are firing off like it’s the Fourth of July!”
I laughed at the medical reference and gave him a satisfied grin before diverting my attention back to his tattoo.
“Now what’s the deal with the tattoo? That’s one of the only things I can remember from the night Tucker…” I trailed off, catching myself before I could go any further. I removed my hand from Hunter’s arm and slid back across the seat, creating some distance between us.
Hunter’s eyes appeared sympathetic, picking up on my uneasiness at the mention of that night.
“It’s a caduceus.”
I looked at him puzzled. “A cadu-what?”
A soft chuckle rose through Hunter as he further explained what it was. “A caduceus. It’s actually from Greek mythology. It was a staff carried by Hermes, who was believed to be a protector and conductor of souls into the after life. There are several meanings behind it, but it’s most commonly associated with medical practice. Sometimes it gets confused with the traditional medical symbol, the rod of Asclepius, but that only has one snake entwined around the rod and isn’t depicted with wings.”
I sat there in awe of how much he knew about the subject, and even more taken aback by the meaning behind it. When my eyes settled on the tattoo etched into his skin, I immediately felt safer around him. Safe. My mind was reeling as flashbacks from that fateful night came flooding back to me, and I remembered this strange feeling had washed over me as though he had been sent there to protect me. At the time I couldn’t quite understand why, but now, knowing the irony behind that symbol, it explained so much.
“You’re like a walking encyclopedia. What other useless knowledge are you hiding up there?”
Hunter chuckled softly. “What else would you like to know? I’m an open book, babe.”
“All right, now that we have the medical side of things cleared up, why did you decide to join ROTC?” I asked as I swiveled the straw in my drink aimlessly, my eyes never leaving his.
“Well, the answer to that is simple. I got a full-ride scholarship when I joined. My grades were good enough, and I’ve pretty much always been in great physical shape from sports, so they offered me a scholarship right off the bat. I couldn’t pass that up. Med school is going to be expensive enough. I might as well have my undergrad covered.”
I smiled at his honesty. It was nice to finally meet a guy who had his priorities straight. Most college-aged guys I’d encountered cared more about how much beer they could consume and p-ssy they could score. I would like to say that I’d been looking in all the wrong places, but had I not been in the wrong place at the wrong time, I never would have met Hunter. Seeing this side of him was refreshing to say the least.
When our food arrived, we took a break from interrogating one another and dove into the mouth-watering meals in front of us. We shared subtle glances and playful smiles while picking at the food on each other’s plates. As the evening continued to pass by with comfortable ease, I was beginning to second-guess this whole idea of pushing Hunter away. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I could make this work between us. In life, there were no guarantees, but for a moment, I felt as if opening my heart up to someone wasn’t as far-fetched as I had once thought. Maybe I wasn’t so broken after all.
We ate until we were stuffed to the brim and decided to pass on dessert. Had I eaten another bite, he would’ve had to roll me right on out of the restaurant. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that not once was the topic of tutoring brought up throughout dinner, and I had a sneaking suspicion that Hunter had used that as an excuse to get me to go out with him without labeling this as a date. Well played. Either way, the details of how he got me here were no longer a concern of mine. The entire night had flowed effortlessly, and I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet.
I invited Hunter back to my apartment for coffee, and he accepted the invitation eagerly. This time, I loosened my death grip around his waist as we rode back down the winding streets on his bike. I still managed to tuck my hands under his shirt, however, feigning that my hands were a bit cold. His skin was warm beneath my fingers, and I could feel the soft trail of hair that gradually dipped below the waistband of his jeans. I was so tempted to slip my fingers just a bit lower, but Robbie’s advice reverberated through mind, and I chose to keep my hands a safe distance away until we made it back safely to the apartment.
“Would you like another cup?” I peeked over my shoulder and caught Hunter leaning against the counter with his shirt pulled tight across his chest and torso as he stretched his arms above his head. I unconsciously licked my lips, remembering what it felt like to have my hands pressed against his warm, smooth skin. God, what I wouldn’t give to have my hands on him again. Just from what little I had seen of Hunter, I knew he had an incredible body and I couldn’t deny that he was probably the sexiest man I had ever laid eyes on, but continuing to push him away was proving to be harder and harder as the night wore on. I needed a distraction so I went with the first thing that came to mind…
I spun around and stumbled across the kitchen floor, falling flat against Hunter’s chest and spilling the remnants of my coffee down the front of his shirt. “Ohmigod, I’m so sorry!”
I grabbed a dishtowel and soaked up the coffee that was quickly seeping into his shirt, but thankfully, he was wearing black. I continued to dab at his clothing, moving further down until my knees hit the floor, and I found myself front and center with the zipper on Hunter’s jeans. Hello!
“Shit. Um, I’ll… I’ll let you finish this up.”
“It’s okay. Accidents happen. No worries,” he said, brushing it off like it was no big deal.
“I’ll go check and see if Robbie has anything you can borrow. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind lending you something of his.”
I quietly padded down the hallway, hoping Robbie and Lance were fast asleep so I could slip into his room unnoticed. After knocking a few times with no answer, I tiptoed in and grabbed the first two items I could find. I stepped back out into the hall, carefully pulling the door shut as to not wake them, and looked down to find a plain t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants in my hand.
“Hey, this was all I could find, but they should…” I trailed off when my eyes landed on a bare-chested Hunter, who was just about to reach for the zipper of his pants. I was beginning to think there was some kind of energy in this kitchen that made men want to strip down, because he was the third man in the past week that was about to get naked in my kitchen… and with a huge grin on his face, no less.
“Thanks. These are perfect.” He accepted the clothes from me, but not before he continued to push down his jeans and step out of them right in front of me. He turned around, bending slightly as he pulled the sweatpants up and over his delectable ass. Oh. Sweet. Baby. Jesus. Robbie was right. He did have buns of steel, and I instantly felt a pool of warmth low in my belly as I pictured myself digging my fingers into his firm derriere and screaming his name while he sank into me over and over…
Oh God, I was in such big trouble. I tried to shake the mental image that was now burned into my brain, but all I could think about was what Hunter would be like in bed. Was he a slow and gentle lover or did he prefer things to be hard, fast and totally uninhibited? Did he like to take the lead, or was he comfortable with having a woman take the reins in bed?
“You okay over there? I’m pretty sure I just saw, like, twenty different expressions flash across your face,” he chuckled softly.
“Huh? Oh, no I’m fine. I just… I uh…” What could I possibly say? Oh, I’m sorry, I was just fantasizing about what might be your preferred method of f*cking. Subtle enough? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
“You look so adorable when you get all flustered.” He ran his finger across my cheek, and I knew my complexion instantly grew a few shades pinker. Just as he slipped the shirt over his head, I heard the same rumble of thunder I had heard earlier, only this time I knew it wasn’t Hunter’s bike.
He scratched at the stubble that was just beginning to form along his jawline. “Shit. I was hoping the rain would hold out a little longer. Do you think you can give me a ride home?”
Oh, I couldn’t have planned this better myself. “But then you wouldn’t have your bike with you. Why don’t you just spend the night here? That way you can ride home in the morning.”
“You sure you don’t mind? I don’t want to intrude. I can always find someone to bring me back here to get my bike tomorrow.”
“It’s no trouble at all. You can have my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch. Besides…” My eyes ran up the length of his body. “There’s no way you’d be able to curl up even half of your body on that tiny couch.”
“I couldn’t do that to you in your own apartment. Look…” He scratched the back of his neck apprehensively. “I have no problem sharing a bed, if you don’t.”
“All right, as long as you behave yourself and stay on your side of the bed,” I teased, leading him down the hallway toward my bedroom.
He looked over at me with a smug grin plastered across his face. “For some reason, I don’t think I’m the one you need to be worried about.”
“Is that so?” I grabbed the pillow off my bed and tossed it in his face, but his reflexes were quicker than I had anticipated. He smacked my ass with the pillow before placing it back on the bed.
“Damn. Do you have anything I can put my contacts in for the night?”
I turned around to find Hunter sitting in my bed with his back leaned up against the headboard. I was already going against Robbie’s advice to steer him away from my bedroom, but never had a man looked so right and so perfectly at home in my bed. This was dangerous territory.
“I didn’t even realize you wore contacts. Hmm, let me go grab Lance’s contact solution and see if I can find something to soak them in.”
I grabbed a tank top and shorts from my dresser before stepping out of my room. Leaning my head back against the door, I had to catch my breath. Seeing Hunter in my bed had my head spinning and my heart fluttering in anticipation. I knew I had to calm myself before I faced him again. Why had I never experienced this array of feelings when any other man was in my bed? I wasn’t sure what was different about him, but to honest, it kind of frightened me. I wasn’t used to feeling so jittery and nervous around guys, but something about Hunter was different; a far cry from what I was used to.
I shuffled down the hallway until I reached the bathroom across from Robbie’s room. After changing into my shorts and tank, I realized just how skimpy they were and inwardly cringed. This was probably a terrible idea, but there wasn’t much I could do about it now. I snagged Lance’s contact solution, but came up empty with something to put Hunter’s contacts in. I disappeared into the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets, needing to improvise.
When I made my way back into the bedroom, Hunter was exactly where I had left him, but he was grinning from ear to ear as he flipped through one of my old family photo albums.
“Is this you when you were younger?”
I looked down to find him staring at a picture of Brett and I when we were about twelve and ten years old. My hair was a short, messy, blonde disaster, and the huge smile on my face was adorned with shiny, metal braces. I was so different back then, without a care as to how I looked or how people perceived me; back when I still believed that one day my prince charming would sweep me off my feet, and we’d ride off into the sunset, living happily ever after. But that happily ever after faded into nothingness long ago. I was young and na?ve, unaware of the bitter truths that lay before me. Funny how much things had changed.
I set the bottle of contact solution down on the nightstand along with two shot glasses. Hunter tilted his head to the side, eyebrow raised. “Are you planning on getting sloshed before bed?”
I punched his shoulder playfully and set the photo album back on my bookshelf. “No you lush, they’re to put your contacts in for the night. It was the only thing I could find.”
“Easy there, slugger. I’m just teasing. These will work fine. Seriously, thank you.”
I nodded and watched as he filled the shot glasses about a third of the way full. “How come you never wear your glasses? I bet you look like a sexier version of Clark Kent.”
“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” Hunter chuckled softly, a boyish grin tugging at the corner of his mouth, but his smile faded when he finally took in what I was wearing, and I instantly regretted my choice of attire. Well, there’s a first! It was hard enough finding clothes that bared enough skin, and here I was trying to cover myself up. The silky material rubbed against my delicate skin, causing my nipples to harden into diamond-sharp peaks that were about ready to tear through my paper-thin top. With the way his steely, gray eyes perused my body, there was no hiding the effect he had on me.
I casually raised my arms up and crossed them over my chest. “We should probably try to get some sleep.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m beat.” He yawned, peeling off Robbie’s shirt and exposing his toned chest and abs. He placed his contacts in the shot glasses, separating them so he could remember his right from his left, and his eyes squinted as he settled down under the covers.
“Can you still see?”
He leaned over to face me and smiled thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving mine once. “Yeah,” he said, tucking the tiniest strand of hair that even I hadn’t noticed behind my ear. “I can still see you.”
A shiver ran through my body, leaving goose bumps in its wake. The seduction in his voice had my heart fluttering all over again. I pulled the comforter up higher and leaned my head further into the pillow. “Goodnight, Hunter. I-I’ll see you in the morning.”
Hunter released a heavy sigh, a hint of disappointment lacing his breath. “G’night, Madelyn.”
And then my heart stopped.
No one ever referred to me by my full name except for my parents, but hearing my name roll off his tongue and slip past his lips was the most beautiful sound to flow through my ears. I couldn’t be sure what Hunter was doing to me, but I was quickly beginning to realize that he might be more than what I had bargained for…
He just might turn out to be my game changer.