by Alexa McLean
My body tensed before falling into a familiar rhythm as my fingers gripped the chain link pattern and I climbed my way to the top. Carefully, I maneuvered to the other side and dropped down.
“Just like riding a bicycle, you can never forget.” Hunter chuckled. The sound brought me back to my childhood where we had spent countless nights staying up late laughing at each other’s stupid jokes.
A second later, he landed beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
Together, we walked down to the water. I admired the waves as they crashed against the shore. “Do you remember when we used to come here and collect sea glass?” I asked.
“I remember when we used to come here to do much more than that.” His eyes burned even brighter. A shiver ran through my spine as I thought about those moments cuddled up in the sand, forehead to forehead.
My heart tightened. It was painful to be here with Hunter especially when, deep down, I knew it was my fault nothing ever happened between us. The sting of his words still echoed through my skull most nights.
He guided me toward a large boulder – the same boulder we had claimed as teenagers. He rounded toward the back and ran his fingers along a pair of faded names. “This was so long ago...”
I looked over his shoulder, the corners of my eyes burning with the need to cry but I held back my tears. The last thing I wanted to do was break down.
He smiled a bittersweet smile before jumping onto the rock and offering a hand.
We sat there for a long while just staring into the distance. A million and one different things buzzed through my mind. There was so much I wanted to say but my lips felt like they were glued together.
And then he placed his hand on top of mine, squeezing it gently.
“Hunter...” I began even though it felt like there was a knot in my throat the size of Texas. I was breathing through a straw but I knew I had to get this off my chest or it would only fester with time. “Do you...” I moistened my lips in hopes that it would help.
He took my other hand and waited patiently for me to continue. He looked into my eyes like I was the only girl in the world – like I was the only thing that mattered to him. My heart swelled at the thought. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a chance for us. No. What was I thinking? I crushed my own hope like a bug. A man like Hunter? He had already found someone else. I was sure of it.
Still, I couldn’t live with this guilt. “Do you... still hate me for going away?” My voice was nothing more than a feeble whisper. It was carried away by the wind.
He leaned in close and took my cheek into his hand. “I know that I didn’t react in the best way back then. I was angry. I thought you were trying to run away from me – that you wanted nothing to do with me. But I know now that what you did it for the best and I can’t possibly hold that against you.” His thumb slid across my cheek. “So, no, I’m not mad.”
A weight lifted off my shoulders as I heard him say those words. All these years, I had feared that I had severed our relationship past the point of salvation. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head and placed his finger against my lips to keep me from saying another word. “Shh. I don’t want to hear it. That’s all in the past now. All that matters is that we’re together again.” Before I could react, he pressed his lips against mine.
A fire ignited inside my soul. I melted against his body as he held me even closer.
Our lips danced with a fevered hunger. He pushed me onto the rock, fingers tangling into my hair. I shivered with delight as excited energy traveled through every inch of my body. He grinned into the kiss as his hands traveled along my every curve.
My lungs started to burn with a need for air but I ignored their plea. I wrapped my arms around his neck and surrendered myself to the emotions I had kept away for so long. I had missed this man more than anything else. Making the decision to go to school was like choosing between my right leg or my left leg. Of course, I wanted to keep both but life just didn’t always work out that way.
He broke away and looked into my eyes. “You’re just as beautiful as I remember.” He breathed. “Well, no, I’m lying. Somehow, you managed to become even more stunning.” Hunter cupped my cheek in his hand and smiled. “Please tell me I’m not too late.”
“Too late for what?” I furrowed my brows together with confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Instead of answering me, he kissed me once more. This time, he held my face in his hands like he never wanted to let go.
My heart fluttered like a butterfly. This kiss meant something – everything. He was trying to tell me how he truly felt and it made my head spin. Could it be that he still loved me even after all this time?
The kiss continued until I thought I was going to pass out. Only then did he pull away. “Please... tell me I’m not too late.” He repeated.
“Hunter, I don’t know what you’re going on about.” I protested.
“Are you taken or did you wait for me?” He took my hands and pulled them into his chest.
I smirked and rolled on top of him. “What does it look like to you?”
He chuckled. “Well, I don’t know. You could be sneaking around behind my back for all I know. I mean, I am pretty irresistible. I wouldn’t blame you.” Just then, he got up and carried me over to the water’s edge. Before I could stop him, he threw me into the waves.
I landed on a soft bed of sand before pushing myself to the surface. There, I was met with a face full of water as Hunter splashed me. He stood off to the side with this mischievous look on his face.
Seaweed dangled from my hair so I shook my head in an attempt to get it off.
Hunter laughed. “You look just like a wet dog, you know that?”
“No thanks to you.” I huffed. “What are you five? Why are you splashing me?”
“Because you get this really cute look on your face whenever you’re mad.” He splashed me again. “See? It’s unbelievably cute. How do you want me to resist?”
I narrowed my eyes before lunging at him. He stepped to the side, causing me to land face first into the water. Before I could right myself, he grabbed me by the hips and reeled me into his body. I pounded on his chest so he would let me go but he only held on tighter.
“Hunter. I’m not playing games with you.” I warned.
“And, if you think I’m going to let you go, you’ve lost your mind.” He grinned. “Besides, the wet dog look is really working for you. I might have to call a modeling agency soon.”
“Ugh! You’re the worst! Why do you always have to tease me like this?” Again, I tried to get away from him but he was much too strong.
“Maybe, if you give me a little kiss, I’ll consider letting you go.” He offered.
With no other choice, I kissed him.
His grip tightened as he pulled me under the water where the kiss continued. In a way, it was quite romantic – something you’d see in a movie or something. He held me close as my hair floated between our heads. My heart thumped with excitement.
This man had only returned for a short while and already, he was throwing me through loop after loop. And, deep down, I loved it. God knows that I needed some excitement in my life.
We surfaced to catch our breaths. I couldn’t help but smile.
“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” He said while kissing the top of my head. “When you left for college, I legitimately thought my world was going to end. I couldn’t imagine life without you.”
I blushed crimson. “You’re being dramatic.”
“I’m just telling you the truth.” As he spoke, he took me into his arms and carried me a little deeper into the ocean until the waves lapped at our shoulders. To my surprise, the water wasn’t cold but nice and refreshing. “I was miserable.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t try to stop me. I mean, aside from all the yelling. Like physically, you know?” I whispered while running my fingertips along the side of his neck. “I half expected you to stop t
he train from leaving the station.”
“Oh, trust me, I thought about it. I would have burned the whole damn world to the ground if it meant making you stay.” He sighed. “But, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I knew it would be selfish of me to make you stay. You were trying to follow your dreams and who was I to get in the way of that?”
“Yeah... but...” I started but he interrupted me with a flick of his wrist.
“Don’t. I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself for what happened. It wasn’t your fault. It was mine for being such an asshole about the whole thing. I should have been more understanding from the start.”
“Hunter...” I whispered.
But he just smiled and carried me out of the water. “We should probably go home. It’s getting late.”
WHEN WE RETURNED TO my place, I had every intention of asking him to come inside but before I could even open my mouth, his phone started to ring. He looked down at the number and his demeanor instantly soured.
“Sorry, but I have to go. It was nice seeing you again, Tori.” And, without another word, he rode into the night leaving me standing on the curb with my brows knitted together.
What had just happened? Why had he left so abruptly? Who was calling him so late into the night?
A million and one scenarios played out in my head. He had someone else and she wanted him to come home. Or he was caught up in something horrible.
What was I thinking?
From the looks of it, Hunter has his life all figured out. I’ve probably just been watching way too much TV. He wasn’t a criminal or a hitman. It was probably just one of his friends or something.
Yeah, that’s it.
But, even as I tried to convince myself, I couldn’t rid myself of the bad feeling tightening within my gut.
Chapter 4: Hunter
A few days later.
The weather was unseasonably warm for the start of autumn. The weather woman on the TV kept blabbing about some broken record while prancing in front of the green screen. “I think I’ll spend my day by the poolside,” I announced before sitting down and enjoying a bite of my breakfast burrito. “Mmm, Porter, you’ve outdone yourself this time. This is better than Baja’s.”
Porter suppressed a smile as he poured himself a bowl of cereal.
I shook my head. “I really don’t understand you. You’re an amazing cook and yet you barely eat your own food.”
“Simply watching my diet. Don’t want a spike in my blood sugar. You’re still young, sir, your body can handle the surge of carbohydrates – mine can’t.” He explained while adding almond milk to his already disgusting breakfast.
“If my doctor threatens to put me on a ‘special diet’ when I’m older, I’m just going to end it,” I said, my expression completely serious.
Porter shook his head. “Your mindset will change once you’re my age.”
“Anyway, as I said, I’ll be out by the pool today,” I said as I rose to my feet. “If anyone calls, tell them I’m busy.”
“No work today, sir?” He inquired with a raised eyebrow. “You aren’t neglecting your duties, are you?”
“No. I have people handling the operations back at headquarters. Don’t worry, everything is under control.” I told him with a smile. “You worry too much.”
I didn’t wait for him to respond because I knew that if I did, he would proceed to lecture me. So, I hastened to the backyard before he could nag my ear off. There, I took off my shirt and tossed it to the side before making myself comfortable on a nearby lounge chair.
The sun beamed down on me so much so that I cursed myself for forgetting my sunglasses. But I was much too comfortable to get up and get them. So, I just kept my eyes closed and tried to relax.
Almost instantly, Tori popped into my mind. I hadn’t seen her in a couple of days and as far as I was concerned, I meant to keep my distance. It was painful to stay away but deep down, I knew it was for the best. The last thing I wanted to do was get her caught up in my messy affairs. She didn’t deserve that. I didn’t want to think about it but she deserved someone way better than me.
“What a lovely surprise. I haven’t seen that chiseled body in a long, long time.” A thick, sultry voice broke my train of thought. I immediately jumped out of my seat and rounded on a familiar face. “Whoa, hold on there, tiger, there’s no need to get your panties in a bunch. I know you’re excited to see me but keep it in your pants, will you?” A bombshell blonde stood there with a dirty grin on her face. Despite the heat, she wore a black leather outfit that accentuated her curves. As much as I hated it, I couldn’t stop myself from looking. “Like what you see?” She teased, grin deepening. “I always knew you had a thing for me even if you didn’t want to admit it.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked through gritted teeth. Already, my hands were balled into fists and my blood had begun to boil. “I thought I told you the last time that I wanted nothing to do with you.”
She approached the pool, heels clicking against the stone patio. A silver cane flashed in her hand as she dragged it across the surface of the water. “What? Is it a crime to visit an old friend?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief. I could tell she was up to something.
I grabbed her by the shoulder but she quickly snapped her wrist. Whoosh! The cane flew in my direction but I managed to dodge just in time. She lost her balance with the momentum and nearly tumbled into the pool. I caught her at the last possible moment. Our bodies collided together as a result, her face mere inches away from mine.
“Why, hello there, handsome.” She smirked.
I immediately eased my grip.
“I’ll only ask once more and I expect an answer this time. What are you doing here?” I demanded.
She ran her fingers across the pearl necklace dangling on her chest. Clearly, she was trying to divert my attention elsewhere but I wasn’t going to fall for it. I kept my gaze locked with hers and waited for her to answer me.
“Fine. I just dropped because I heard a rumor you were back in town...” She feigned innocence by batting her eyelashes. “And I was wondering whether you were looking to rejoin your old line of work because I could really use some experienced –”
I stopped her before she could say anything else. “No. I’m not here for that. Mark my words, I’m never going down that rabbit hole again.”
She laughed. “Oh, you think you’re on such a high horse, don’t you? Well, let me just say one thing...” She paused as a devilish grin painted her face. “Tori.”
I narrowed my eyes and before I could stop myself, I had her shift clenched between my fist. “Don’t you dare bring her into this.”
“It’s your choice then.” Her grin deepened. “Stay out of this and she doesn’t. Get involved and I’ll leave her alone. What’ll it be?”
“Leave,” I growled. “Now.”
“Sure, sure. I’ll leave. Not a problem. But, just remember, you can’t keep her safe forever.” And with that, she twirled her cane between her fingers before walking off my estate.
I watched her go with a bitter taste in my mouth. I knew it was a bad idea to come back. Too many skeletons in the closet waiting to come to life. And yet, how was I supposed to stay away from the one person who had brought color into my life?
Chapter 5: Tori
That same day.
Another typical day at the library. I sat behind my desk and waited for someone – anyone – to walk through the door. For some reason, I was extremely anxious. I kept looking at my watch. It was the first time in a long time where I wanted to go home early.
But our newest employee had called out sick so I was left to handle things on my own.
Betsy, our weekday security guard strolled by and grabbed a piece of chocolate from the complimentary dish by the door. She smiled at me before popping it into her mouth. She was about to walk away when I beckoned her over. “It’s pretty dead in here today, huh?”
She cocked her head, brows furrowed with confusion. “It�
�s a library, ma’am, isn’t it always dead? Most people do their research online these days.”
I shook my head. “I mean... none of our regulars have come in today.”
“Lots of people getting the flu lately.” She said. “A bunch of people in my complex are coming down with it. I’ve gone through a whole bottle of hand sanitizer just to keep my family healthy.”
I listened to her but I was already regretting my decision to strike up a conversation with this woman. She spoke with a thick, drawn-out drawl that made time crawl by.
Just then Rebecca walked in and I uttered a prayer of thanks under my breath. Another minute with Betsy and I was sure to lose my mind.
She smiled as she piled a stack of books on the counter.
“Your mysterious boss is getting ambitious. Art of War and Anna Karenina on the same week?” I asked. “I don’t even remember you checking out these books.”
“He sent someone over midweek.” She explained. “I was sick.”
“I see,” I said as I ran the books through the scanner. “So, is today going to be the day?”
She shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Sorry, Tori, I’m under strict instruction to keep his identity a secret.”
I bit the inside of my lip. Should I tell her about the love notes?
“One of these days, you’re going to tell me. It’s just a matter of time.” I said, scanning the final book. “Or, he’s going to manage the impossible and read every single book this place has to offer.”
“Who said it was a he?” She teased. “I could be working for a female. After all, women make up most of the population’s readership.”
Her words took me off guard. Wait, what if her boss was a woman? Did I have a female admirer? The thought made my cheeks flush with embarrassment. I looked over my shoulder as if she would emerge from the woodwork at any moment.
“Anyway, do you think I can grab the new books so I can get out of here? I’m aiming to get off work a little early so I can go watch my son’s soccer game.” She explained as she flipped the pamphlets on the counter. “He’s the goalie, you know.”
