by Jess Bryant
He forced himself to roll out from between the sheets and stand. He stretched, listening to the cracks of his bones and joints. He wondered if this huge house had a gym hidden away somewhere that he could borrow. He could use a good workout and the chance to burn off some of his restless energy. He made a note to ask Millie about it when he tracked her down as he went to his bag to fetch a clean pair of briefs and fresh clothes.
He smiled when he saw it. Sitting on top of his suitcase was a small piece of paper that looked as if it had been ripped from a planner. It was creamy white and he’d have known the flowing feminine script anywhere. He picked it up as he realized that Millie had left him a note.
Gone downstairs to grab us breakfast. Back in a bit. - M.
Hunter liked that she’d left a note. He wished she’d woken him to go with her but since she hadn’t, he supposed the sweet note letting him know where she was so that he didn’t worry was the next best thing. He tried to judge how long she’d been gone from the state of the room and the bathroom but it was impossible to tell. For a half second he contemplated crawling back into bed and letting her bring him breakfast but he dismissed the idea as quickly as it surfaced.
He wasn’t here to charm Millie into bed with him. At least, that wasn’t the only reason he was here. He was supposed to be watching out for her, having her back, and keeping her ex from getting too close to her. He couldn’t do that from up here and God only knew what Millie was facing alone in that dining room.
An inquest from her brother? Some not so subtle hints from her father that he wanted her back with his business partner’s son? Her ex making moves on her? All of those thoughts and more made Hunter’s smile fall and his grumpy mood resurface as he rushed through a quick, cold shower. He didn’t have time for more than that. Not with Millie already alone downstairs. Now that he was awake enough that his head was on straight and he was thinking with the one above his shoulders, his dick would just have to wait for the attention it wanted.
His hand could have done the job, sure, but his hand wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted Millie, and if he had a chance in hell of ever making this thing with her real then he needed to get to her before she put her walls back up and before her family or her ex had the opportunity to come between them.
Hunter grabbed a lightweight sweater and pulled it on. Normally, if he was going to be around Millie, he’d have added a layer, putting a button-up underneath so that he wasn’t tempted to push his sleeves up his forearms and reveal the scars and the tattoo. But she’d seen all of that last night. She’d seen a part of him that he’d hidden from her and she hadn’t recoiled. She’d touched the marks and she’d listened as he told her the story. She’d even said she liked the ink, though he wasn’t sure he completely believed her considering she hid her own tiny tattoo at all times. It was still sweet of her to say she did and he figured since the wedding wasn’t until tonight, he’d have plenty of time to change depending on what activities she had planned for them today.
He added a pair of dark denim jeans and boots. He spritzed on just a dab of cologne. He ran his hands through his hair and contemplated shaving. His stubble was already back in full force, darkening his jaw, and though he’d gone clean-shaven for Millie last night, he dreaded the grind of keeping his face that way which was why he’d grown a beard in the first place. Millie was used to seeing him with a short, manageable beard and she’d never complained about it so he decided to skip shaving today in favor of getting to her faster. He grabbed his watch off the nightstand, buckled it around his wrist and headed downstairs less than fifteen minutes after he’d rolled out of bed.
He was a man on a mission.
It was a big house and it was bustling with people as they prepared for the evening wedding. Hunter followed the sound of voices down to the ground floor. Millie had given him a quick tour last night but it still took him two wrong turns to find the dining room with its long oak table stacked high with warm, delicious smelling breakfast foods.
There were heated trays of eggs and bacon and sausage. A big pot of white gravy and a pan of what looked to be homemade biscuits. There were at least three more trays of fruit and vegetables and at the end there was a server pouring coffee, juice or tea. It was overkill, but Hunter had already figured out after last night’s welcome meal that the Turner family didn’t seem to know any other way.
There was only one Turner that he was interested in though, and he scanned the room for her. Millie was there somewhere and he needed to find her. When he did, he had to work not to scowl.
She looked absolutely breathtaking. He rarely saw her in anything but her business professional skirts and blouses but this morning she’d dressed casually. Her denim pants were skin tight, clinging to her body and cupping her ass in a way that made his imagination run wild. She was wearing a simple, navy long-sleeved Henley and a plaid vest over that with knee high riding boots. Her dark hair was pulled back from her face in a single braid that she’d flipped over one shoulder and the light from the windows glinted off her glasses. She was stunning.
That wasn’t what annoyed him. It was the fact that she wasn’t alone in the line of people carefully picking through the piles of food. Joshua Bell was just behind her and though Hunter couldn’t see her face straight on from this angle he could see the other man’s just fine. He knew that look. It wasn’t the look of anger or even hatred that the other man had shot at Hunter time and again since their arrival. It wasn’t even the sneer of disbelief the bastard had given Millie when Hunter introduced himself as her boyfriend, or when they’d been telling stories over dinner. No, the look he was giving Millie now was that of a man desperate to get back in her good graces. It was all charm and white teeth and pleading niceness. Millie must have said something to him because Joshua’s grin widened and he eased just a little bit closer to her, invading her space despite the fact there was plenty of room for him to go around her.
Hunter saw red. He couldn’t help it. He didn’t want that bastard anywhere near Millie. He didn’t want her talking to her ex-fiancé. He wanted to stamp his name on her like a caveman, toss her over his shoulder and get the hell out of dodge before this asshole convinced her he was worthy of a second chance.
Instead of letting his anger get the best of him, he took a deep, calming breath and let it out before he started towards them. He and Millie had made real progress last night and he wasn’t going to lose ground to some asshole that hadn’t known what he had until he lost it. Everyone here thought he was Millie’s boyfriend, even this jackass who had brought a date of his own, yet here he was hitting on Millie over breakfast. Hunter couldn’t allow that. Not as her fake boyfriend and certainly not as her very real future one.
Joshua Bell might have been her first… everything… but Hunter St. James intended to be her last.
Millie had her back to him so she didn’t see him coming. Joshua had turned to say something to one of the servers so he didn’t see him either. Hunter slid in behind Millie, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck.
“Morning, beautiful.”
Millie shot nearly a foot off the ground, letting out a squeak of surprise that had half the room turning to look at them, including her ex. Joshua glanced back at her quickly and his eyes darkened when he noticed Hunter. His gaze dropped to where Hunter’s arms were wrapped around Millie and his smile fell too. It was all Hunter could do not to stick his tongue out at the asshole.
“Oh my God.” Millie recovered quickly, her hand coming down to settle on top of his over her stomach, “You scared me, Hunter.”
“Sorry baby.” He rubbed his jaw against the sensitive skin of her neck and smiled when she shivered. Yeah, he was really glad he hadn’t shaved now. He wanted to mark her soft skin and not just on her exposed neck. He wondered what she’d think of him leaving stubble burn up her thighs as he laid her out and licked her pussy until she came all over his tongue. His dick recovered from the cold shower instantly with that thought and he tried
to shake it away and not get ahead of himself.
“It’s okay.” Millie turned slightly, just enough to look up at him over her shoulder and her eyes sparkled with mischief when she grinned, “You can make it up to me later.”
He chuckled at the innuendo her ex wasn’t about to miss. Oh, somebody was feeling playful this morning. Good. She hadn’t closed herself off from him yet if that was the case.
“If you’d stayed in bed, I could’ve made it up to you right now.” Hunter kissed her neck softly and whispered in her ear loud enough for her ex to hear, “I woke up and you weren’t there and you know how much I hate waking up without you.”
“I was hungry.” Her voice had gone breathy and he couldn’t contain the urge to run his teeth over her earlobe.
“So was I.”
“Hunter.” She said his name in a warning tone, no doubt to remind him that he was laying it on a little thick again, but he didn’t care.
He’d told her before that this wasn’t an act for him. Everything he said to her, everything he said about her, it was real for him. She needed to know that applied whether they were alone or in public, whether it was day or night, and that it wouldn’t change whether they were here or when they left to go back to the city.
“Hunter.” She said his name again, squeezing his hands at the same time, “You remember Joshua from last night?”
Hunter smirked when she tried to play nice and make another introduction but he wasn’t in the mood and from the way her ex glared at them it was clear he wasn’t either. That was good too. It meant the asshole believed they were a couple and maybe, if Hunter was lucky, that meant Joshua Bell would give up whatever it was he had planned to get Millie back.
“Oh, yeah.” Hunter didn’t offer his hand, didn’t move them from Millie’s body at all, “Hey Josh.”
“It’s Joshua.” The other man’s jaw was so tight the words came out through clenched teeth.
“Yeah, that’s what I said.” Hunter grinned and then, before the other guy could get another word in he spun Millie around, switching their positions. It put him between her and her ex. She was facing him now and his back was to Joshua Bell. Hunter shut him out of the conversation with nothing but his broad shoulders and he saw Millie trying to contain a grin. “That’s an awful lot of food you’ve got there just for little ol’ you. Why don’t you let me help carry it?”
Millie let him take the heaping plate she’d been holding, “It’s not just for me. I told you. I was getting us breakfast and I was going to bring it back upstairs to you.”
God she was sweet. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to suck on her tongue and taste her again. He’d only thought he had it bad for her before last night. Sleeping with her in his arms, having her open up to him even just a little, opening himself up to her, it made his need for her that much more powerful.
“Mmm, I should’ve stayed in bed then. I could’ve had breakfast and dessert.” He winked and Millie giggled, her cheeks flaming pink at the innuendo.
Behind him, Hunter heard what sounded like a strangled growl of annoyance. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see Joshua Bell snarl. The other man snatched a drink from the hand of the server so hard it nearly spilled as he stomped away.
Hunter turned back to find Millie barely containing her laughter and grinned down at her, “I thought his head was going to explode when I called him Josh.”
“Oh God.” She snickered, putting a hand to her mouth to contain the sound, “He hates being called that.”
“I figured.”
“But I don’t think we have to worry about his head exploding. If it’s withstood his ego all these years, I doubt we can even make a dent.”
Hunter chuckled as he slung his arm around her shoulders, “So, now that I’ve handled him for a little while longer, what do you say we find somewhere to eat and you can tell me what we’re up to today?”
“Sounds like a plan. Come on. I think I saw the grooms sneak off to the patio to eat in peace. I bet they have a couple extra chairs away from all these curious eyes.” Millie slid from under his arm but surprised him when she reached back and took his hand.
She laced her fingers through his, smiled at him and he knew his world was never going back to the way it had been before Lemon called him two days ago. He gave Millie’s small hand a quick squeeze and she smiled back at him. Her cheeks were still flushed pink but she ducked her head and started for the back door, dragging him behind her, not letting go even though he’d have followed her regardless.
They made their way out onto the patio and there were more people sitting around back here. Some were perched on the wall that framed the big patio. Others were sitting on the stairs. The patio table to the right was full of people chatting away, shoved so close together they were all eating atop each other’s plates.
“This way.” Millie tugged his hand again and led him around the corner of the house to a smaller area out of view.
Sure enough, just as she’d predicted, the grooms were seated at an old style wrought iron table. It was small but there were four chairs and only two of them were taken. The rest of the area was empty and he was just about to tell Millie that maybe since it was their big day the men wanted to be alone but Reed looked up and saw them first.
“Hey! Good morning. Come, sit with us.” He waved them over.
“Thanks.” Millie grinned as she dragged Hunter over, “You don’t mind if we join you, do you Col?”
Hunter watched Millie’s brother glance up from his plate. His dark eyes moved from his sister, to Hunter. His lips thinned almost imperceptibly. Hunter’s own smile fell a little at the look of disapproval in Colin’s eyes. He knew it wasn’t really about him. Colin didn’t know him enough to dislike him. Colin’s reaction to Hunter was purely based on his desire to see his best friend and his sister back together. Hunter wasn’t worried about Colin coming around to him, though. He knew it would happen eventually. Besides, Reed seemed to like him just fine and he proved it when he knocked his shoulder into his fiancé.
“Of course he doesn’t mind.”
“Of course not.” Colin forced a smile and motioned to the empty chairs with his fork, “Sit. Please.”
“Thanks.” Millie smiled at Reed and then gave her brother a knowing look as she pulled out a chair and sat, patting the one next to her for Hunter to take.
“Hey, Hunter.” Reed smirked, “Nice of you to finally join us.”
He gave a snort as he put the plate of food down and pulled out his own chair, “I can’t believe I slept so late. I never sleep past dawn.”
“Something must’ve really tired you out.” Reed wagged his eyebrows and Colin groaned.
“Jeez, that’s my sister you’re talking about.”
“What?” Reed looked mock offended, “I would never! I was only saying the long drive up from the city must’ve been exhausting.”
“Uh huh.” Colin rolled his eyes but his lips twitched back into a smile as Reed leaned against his side.
“So, you two aren’t superstitious huh?” Hunter saw an opportunity to change the subject and jumped on it as he selected a biscuit from the pile of assorted foods Millie had grabbed and buttered it briskly. “Isn’t there some rule about seeing each other before the wedding?”
“Nah, we’re not superstitious.” Reed shrugged.
“Nothing is coming between us ever again, especially not some silly jinx.” Colin kissed Reed’s temple softly.
Hunter smiled at their interactions. From what he’d managed to glean, these two were perfect for each other. Complete opposites but perfect nonetheless. Colin was the stable, serious one that kept them grounded. Reed was the overdramatic, fun one that kept them dreaming. Colin hadn’t smiled much in Hunter’s direction since they were introduced but it was clear to him that the man couldn’t look at his intended husband without giving in to the soft smile of a man in love.
“Are you going on a honeymoon after the ceremony or delaying it for a while?” He asked
once he’d swallowed a few more bites of food.
“Delaying it?” Reed looked at him as if he’d asked if they intended to jump into a pit of snakes, “Hell no. We are getting out of this city, this state and this country to celebrate our marriage while we still can.”
Colin leaned back, dabbing his mouth with his napkin before tossing it on his plate and sliding an arm around Reed’s shoulders, “We’re going to the Bella Vista Resort in Mexico for two weeks. Our only plans are to lay on the beach, drink fruity cocktails and…”
“And I’m pretty sure as your little sister I don’t need you to finish that sentence.” Mille grinned and Reed snorted with laughter when Colin groaned again.
“Pervs. I’m surrounded by perverts.” Colin shook his head good-naturedly. “I was only going to say enjoy our time alone, away from work, just the two of us.”
“Uh huh.” Millie gave the same roll of her eyes that Colin had given Reed earlier which made them all erupt in laughter again.
Once they’d settled back into silence Hunter nibbled on a slice of cantaloupe, “The Bella Vista? Isn’t that the resort where Trent Thorne got married a while back?”
“Yeah.” Reed tilted his head, “That’s when Colin and I got back together. We were down there for Trent’s wedding.”
“I was at that wedding too.”
“You were?” Millie blinked at him in surprise.
“Yeah. Trent asked for security in addition to his usual bodyguards. He was already working with All Saints so Vaughn sent a bunch of us. Trent is the one who introduced Lemon to Vaughn and got her signed with us.” He paused “Wait, were you at Trent’s wedding, too?”
“No. I didn’t go. Lemon took Shane and Dad went with Colin to represent the label. I didn’t want to go by myself so…”
“Maybe if you had you would have met Hunter and you two would have gotten together even sooner.” Reed grinned at them knowingly.
