by Jill Shannon
"No, she wanted to make sure the things she was bringing would fit." The excited smile Willow had on her face vanished in a heartbeat. "Is that your conception of women or from personal experience?" she asked sarcastically, her defensive wall put back in place.
Hunter bowed his head, knowing he had just put his fucking foot in his mouth. Hadn't he learned anything from Judge? This was not how he wanted to start their day together. "Experience," he grumbled out. "I apologize. I should not have assumed you were anything like the other women I've been with." He turned to look at her then reached for the bag she had packed.
Willow pulled her bag back. "How many women?"
He had done it again. What the hell was wrong with him? "None who mattered." Taking the bag from her hand, he asked, "Can we please start over?" Closing the trunk, he turned to look at her. "Good morning, Willow, how are you?" he asked politely then dazzled her with a brilliant smile.
Willow couldn't help herself and started to laugh. "You're so easy. I was just busting your chops, and I'm a little nervous." Relaxing her inner nerves by using laughter had always worked for her when she wasn't ready to face something. Yet she still needed to make her point. "Oh, and so you know, I'm always five minutes early."
Hunter wasn't sure if he believed her, but not knowing her as well as he would like to, he kept his comment to himself. "Good to know, are you ready to go?"
"Am I dressed okay for this ride?" Willow was wearing a black leather halter corset that displayed her impressive chest and tightened around her little waist. A black short leather jacket rested on her arm, while her legs were clad in black jeans. The black boots she wore had a three-inch heel on them, and she still didn't reach his chin. Her hair was braided down her back. "Too stereotype?" Willow asked hesitantly. "I can go change."
Looking at what she was wearing had his cock getting hard in his tight blue jeans. "Absolutely not, it's perfect." He needed to get his body under control, or it was going to be a painful ride. Taking a deep breath, he told her, "You might not need the jacket right now, maybe later."
Willow was trying to form a sentence as she took in what Hunter had on. It wasn't so much the clothes he was wearing but how they fit him. His black Killer Couture shirt had a gold skull and crown over his left pec and stretched across his muscular chest, leading her eyes down to jeans that hugged his trim waist. His cut rested on his shoulders with black work boots on his feet. He was an incredibly handsome man as well as tall. Still in awe that he wanted to get to know her, Willow handed him the jacket to put in his saddlebag. "Is this the same bike from yesterday?" she questioned, looking at the backrest for her.
"Yes, it's the same one. I don't normally have passengers on the back of my bike, so I ride most of the time without the trunk." He got on and started the bike. "You should be more comfortable on this ride. Ready when you are." Hunter glanced at his watch; Willow planted her ass on the seat at precisely nine o'clock. He thought to himself, at last, a woman who knows how to tell time!
Willow put her foot on the stage and held onto Hunter's shoulder as she pushed her leg through to the other side of the bike. Once she had her feet planted, she sat back against the backrest, and leaning forward, she asked, "Do I have to keep my back against the rest?" She had liked riding when she could hold onto him.
"No, you don't have to; it's an option. We'll be riding further this time, though, so you might need it." He patted her thigh. "Same rules apply as last night; keep your ass in the middle of the seat, lean with the bike, and if you need to shift for any reason, tell me first. Got it?" She confirmed his instructions, and with a smile on his face, he told her, "Now, try to relax and enjoy the ride."
She graced him with a beautiful smile. "I'm looking forward to it." She put her sunglasses on and her hands on his waist. "Ready when you are."
"Before we leave," he had her attention, "did your family have plans for your day today?"
"Yes." she smiled again. "Find something to get me out from under their feet. Otherwise, I would be setting up the decorations for my own party. They were all so grateful when I told them I had plans for the day." She started to relax back into her seat then remembered something. "Oh, there is one thing. Could you have me to the salon in town by three today? They made an appointment for me to have my hair and nails done before tonight."
"Yes, I'll have you back in time for your appointment."
Her body relaxed as she placed her hands on his waist. "Where are we going?" she yelled as they started to pull away.
"My favorite spot when I was growing up." The minute her hands touched his waist, he knew this was going to be the longest ride of his life.
A calming sense ran through Willow's body, thinking of Hunter sharing his special place with her. She let all thoughts and expectations leave her mind as they got onto the highway.
When Hunter felt her stiffen up as they got onto the busy road, he leaned back and shouted, "Close your eyes and let your other senses take over."
Taking his advice, Willow closed her eyes, and when she did, she forgot about the eighteen-wheelers, cars, and trucks, her sense of smell kicking in. She could smell the motor oil and diesel from the vehicles, but she could also smell the nature they were passing and the businesses that were cooking food, farms, even fresh-cut grass. After a while, she opened her eyes and sat against the backrest. Her hands never left Hunter's waist. They turned off the highway and pulled into a gas station.
"How are you doing?" Hunter asked when he shut the bike off to fill it up.
"Can I get off? I just need to stretch a minute." Hunter nodded his head, and she stood by the bike as he filled it. "At first, I was pretty nervous riding by the big trucks, but I did what you said, and it got easier. Now I'm loving it. How much further?"
"We should be there in another half hour." When he was finished, they got back on the road.
True to his word, they pulled off the highway and started following a curvy road around a lake till they pulled into the driveway of what looked like a log cabin to Willow. One of the two-door garage doors opened as he approached it. Pulling the bike in, he parked it next to a brushed aluminum Audi A5 coupe. When Hunter gave her the okay, she got off the back of the bike. Stretching her muscles, she walked around the car, checking it out. "Is this yours?" She was talking about the car.
"Yes."
"The security business must pay very well," she commented.
Hunter had moved to the back of the bike. "It pays the bills." As he pulled her bag out, he heard what sounded like a hissing noise coming from inside. "What the hell is making that sound in your bag?" As he handed her the bag, it opened enough for the can of mace that was spraying hit him in the eyes. Dropping the bag, he grabbed for his eyes. "What the fuck?"
"It's mace." Willow grabbed for his hands, removing them from his eyes. "No, don't touch your eyes; we need to flush them out."
The tears running down his face helped wash the cover-up away. Eyes red and irritated, he tried opening them. "Do you always carry a can of mace on your dates?" Hunter blurted out, not thinking.
"As a matter of fact, I do, but that's not the issue right now. We need to get you to a sink."
"Guide me to the door; the kitchen is just through the mudroom." Willow took hold of his arm and helped get him to the door. "Here, take the keys." He handed the house key to Willow.
"I'm so sorry, Hunter." She felt so guilty he had gotten hurt again because of something stupid she had done. She felt the need to explain as she opened the door. "I had a bad experience a few years ago. Since then, I'm always prepared to defend myself." They got through the mudroom, and Willow stopped walking. "Holy crap. This has got to be the biggest kitchen I've ever seen in a private home." She turned to look at him. "This is a private home, correct?"
The sting in Hunter's eyes began to lessen, with how much water his eyes were producing. "Yes, this is a private home. A little guidance here," he said, bringing her back to the moment. Although he knew the layout of the entir
e house, he liked that she was still helping him.
She got him to the sink and turned the cold water on for him. "Here, stick your head under the water." She moved out of the way and guided him to the sink. While he was rinsing his eyes, Willow looked around the room they were in. An enormous pantry was located next to the garage door. On the other side of the door upper and lower dark cherry cabinets were hung. The stove and refrigerator were both industrial-size stainless steel. A large island rested in the middle of the kitchen with additional cabinets on the far log wall. A fireplace that could be enjoyed by anyone in the kitchen area or the living room area was placed in between the two rooms. There was an entrance into the rest of the home by the refrigerator. However, what held Willow's attention was the wall of glass that opened to a screened-in lanai and pool area. She heard the water shut off and looked at Hunter. A smile formed on her face.
"What?"
"I was surprised when I didn't see two black eyes today, and now, I know why. You had makeup on them, didn't you?"
Realizing all the cover-up had been washed away by the mace and water, he told her, "Yes, I was wearing cover-up. As you can see, I look like a raccoon." He tossed the towel he had been using to dry his face and hair onto the countertop. "I think it's safe to say, you do not need to bring mace with you the next time we go out. Trust me, if anyone is going to get hurt, I'm sure it will be me."
"I am really sorry, Hunter."
He realized his teasing was not taken the way he intended, so he took her in his arms. "It's really okay. I was just playing with you." He kissed her forehead gently. "Come, I'll show you around."
"Can we start out there?" Willow pointed to the pool area.
"I had a feeling this would be the part of the house you would like the best." He led her to the doors and opened them. Hunter opened one of the accordion like doors, folding it to the wall. Then he repeated the same process on the opposite side.
Willow walked out onto the lanai where a barbeque grill and cooking area were set to the left side, and a table with six chairs around it rested to the right side. Tropical plants and flowers were growing around the pool and hot tub area. But what held Willow's attention was the view of the lake area beyond the room. A wide path of green grass led to the lake, bordered on either side with tall trees. "Can we go down there later?" she asked, "After I see the rest of the house?" Bright blue eyes stared into his proud grey eyes.
He knew it didn't really matter if she liked his home, but it did make him feel better that she did. "Yes, after we eat some lunch. I can pull out some burgers to grill if that's good with you?" He had no idea if she was a vegan or vegetarian. "Or put together a salad if you don't eat burgers."
"Burgers sound great; can we sit out here to eat?"
"If that's what you'd like to do. I like sitting out here myself."
"Why is it screened in? I thought they only did that down in Florida. Almost every house with a pool down there is screened in."
"My mother liked to swim at night, but it seemed like all the bugs came out at that time. She got tired of being chewed up and had the screen put up."
"So, you grew up here?" The amazement could be heard in her voice.
"No, just summers. Come on. I'm sure you could use the ladies' room." He led her back through the kitchen into the living room area.
He heard her intake of breath when they walked into the large, open living area. The furniture was tastefully arranged in front of the massive fireplace, a lounge chair to the left and an oversized couch to the right. An additional chair and footstool with an end table were placed next to the sofa. A white rug rested on the floor in front of the fireplace. On the right side of the room, resting on the log cabin walls, were shelves of books. Adjacent to the shelves was a bar, and toward the front of the house was a pool table under a tiffany lamp. Above them, hanging from the high ceiling made of large square logs, were two chandeliers. Yet, what made the house different was where the bedrooms had been placed. They were technically just off the living room area, set on a railed balcony six or seven steps up. There were three doors set in the middle with two sets of double doors at each end. Willow stood, looking unsure. "The door in the middle is the bathroom. If you want to get changed, you can use the room at the end of the hall."
"I think the bag is still in the garage." Willow saw Hunter cringe a bit. "I'll get it when I come out," she said, walking up the steps to get to the bathroom. She stood in place after she closed the bathroom door, awe and wonder on her face. The room she was standing in right now was bigger than her bedroom at home. On either side of her, there were closed doors. She assumed they adjoined the bedrooms on the other side of the walls. As she looked straight through the oval window, the view of the lake behind the house was revealed. A mirror was mounted on the right wall over the double sink vanity. The faucets were set above the glass vessel sinks in hunter green, on the earth-tone marble counter. In each area of the bathroom, the earth-tone shade changed, bringing all the colors out on the marble counter in both natural and artificial light. She moved further into the room, finding the water closet. A glass-enclosed shower stood next to it, but the feature in this bathroom was the oval sunken bathtub in front of the window. Looking at the tub, Willow imagined they had contracted it at the same time they'd ordered the vessel sinks. They used the same design concept on both features. She wondered how they got the same effect in something so big.
Hunter was getting worried; she was taking a long time in the bathroom. He hoped everything was okay. He was about to yell and check on her when she came walking out.
"What did you say your parents did?" The look of awe still covered her face.
"I didn't, but we can talk about it over lunch. Go get your bag. I'll put the burgers on. Potato salad and coleslaw good for you?" She confirmed that would be fine as she walked out to the garage to retrieve her bag. As she came back in, he asked her, "Beer good, or would you like something else?"
"A cold beer sounds great. I'll be right out."
Hunter doubted that statement. If she was shocked over the bathroom, he couldn't wait to hear her reaction to his bedroom. Laughing to himself, he knew he had more than enough time to change before cooking. Sitting in a chair at the dining room table, he removed his boots. His cut followed. He hung it over the chair, tossing his shirt over it. Going out to the storage bin on the lanai, he retrieved a pair of swim trunks. His jeans were added to his pile of clothes as he changed right on the lanai. Walking barefoot back into the kitchen to gather the things he would need for lunch, he wondered if he'd be finished cooking by the time she came back down. He smiled to himself as he turned on the southern rock station and started preparing lunch.
After she had gotten her bag from the garage, she followed Hunter's instructions and went to get changed in the bedroom. Willow felt like Alice in Wonderland after she slid down the tunnel. Her house was big, but this house was deceivingly big. Looking at the porch as they drove up, she had thought it was a two-room cabin until she got inside. The slim look to the front hid the length of the house. The double doors were set catty-corner as you walked through them, and straight in front of her was a king-size bed angled the same way. Walking further into the room, to the right of the bed was another wall of glass opening onto a balcony looking at the lake. The bathroom and closet entrance were also to the right of her. To the left of the bed was a fireplace with a television mounted above it. A black leather couch perched in front of it. But what held Willow's attention was the wall of artwork done by John Lawson. Now, Willow understood. She liked one painting the artist had done. However, Hunter was a serious fan. The entire room was designed around the artwork on the walls, from the grey rug under her feet to the red comforter on the bed. She finally pulled herself back together and took her bathing suit and shorts from the bag. Getting changed, she left the rest of her belongings on the bed.
She entered the kitchen area wearing her black bikini top with her khaki shorts covering the bottoms. She stood b
arefoot in the doorway, watching Hunter move around the kitchen, putting together a tray of things they would need. He had gotten changed while she had been gone. He stood in a pair of multi-colored blue shorts. Everything else had been removed except the chain around his neck. Willow stood, admiring his tattoos, and noticed his nipple piercings. Self-doubt entered her thinking, looking at him, what an amazing body. Her nipples became hard, and wetness gathered between her legs, making her shift her body. Shaking the thought from her head, she needed to move, "Can I help with anything?" she asked as she entered the room, trying to avoid eye contact.
Hunter had felt her presence the minute she came down the stairs, but he waited for her to announce herself. Wearing what he would describe as two pieces of black cloth covering her erect nipples connected to a string, he could only imagine what the bottoms looked like. Visualizing the image in his mind sent a wave of desire straight to his cock. "No, I have this covered. Could you grab the beer out of the refrigerator?"
Willow went to the refrigerator, opening the door. She saw how stocked it was. "Do you live here?" she asked, handing him one of the beers she had pulled out.
He opened the beer and handed it back to her, taking the other from her hand he opened it for himself. "No, but I have a caretaker and housekeeper who make sure everything is ready for me in case I do show up."
"Where are they now?" She moved to a seat on the other side of the island and watched his body as he walked around the kitchen.
"I gave them the day off. Is that okay?" he asked, giving her a questioning look. Hunter didn't want her uncomfortable, being alone with him.
"They are your employees. If you want to give them the day off, that's totally up to you." She sipped her beer, happy to hear no one would be interrupting their time.
