by Lexi Hart
My entire body is conspiring against my feeble protests that this is a ridiculous attraction that is primarily fuelled by the amount of whiskey I’ve imbibed.
But there’s no denying my hormones are in overdrive when he throws the mattress on the floor, and I start thinking about him throwing me down on top too.
A low moan escapes before I can stop it, causing a look of concern to appear on his face. “You okay?”
I’m most definitely not okay right now. But I am not going to let him know that. “Uh, huh,” I mutter.
Hunter stalks back out and in seconds appears with blankets and pillows that he scatters on the mattress. “Come lie down.”
My eyes widen, pulse rapid as my mouth runs dry. He must mistake my lack of movement for pain because he crosses the room and offers his hand.
My skin is on fire as I slide my fingers into his. Head getting lighter by the second, I stumble into him and am crushed against a solid wall of muscle. “Steady,” he murmurs.
He grabs my upper arms so he’s looking in my eyes. His fingers reach up so he can cup my chin. “We should probably treat the cut on your face too.”
I don’t know whether to agree. I don’t know what I’m thinking right now. Other than how good he smells and how close his lips are to mine.
He slides his hands around my waist, and all my nerves blaze to life. I’m no longer thinking about my foot, about getting out of here, or what needs to be done.
All I can think about is whether kissing him would feel as good as I hope it will. It’s worse than reckless, but when his fingers slide to the small of my back, and his chest starts to rise a little faster, I press my mouth to his.
If he’s shocked, he doesn’t show it, just grips my waist and kisses me back. I groan into his mouth and slide my fingers under his shirt so I can run my fingers down his abs.
His voice is ragged when he pulls away so he can grip the back of my neck. “What are you doing?”
I release a shuddering breath. “Do you want me to stop?”
He grips my neck tighter and kisses me again, using his tongue to answer my question.
His hands creep under my shirt, and I reflexively place all my weight on both my feet. I inhale sharply, and he growls. “I’d rather not be worried about hurting you.”
I gape at him as he half drags me back to the mattress. “I’m okay.”
He raises an eyebrow as I struggle to lower myself on to the mattress. “That’s the whiskey talking.”
Without a word, he lifts my foot and slides the pillows under it just like he did in the bedroom. Only this time, when he finishes, he slides along the mattress and leans over me.
My arms link around his neck as he teases my tongue with his.
I pull him closer, and he shifts his weight so he’s half lying on top of me. My breath is coming out ragged as he breaks the kiss and pushes away from me. “This must happen to you a lot, huh?” I breathe.
He chuckles as he gets up, leaving me gazing up at him. “Gorgeous women kissing me? Not really.”
I scoff as he turns, effectively ending our impromptu make-out session. “I find that hard to believe.”
Given the way he kissed me back, it’s probably a common occurrence for him. He probably has women falling all over him. But he just shrugs and turns the propane off. “You can believe what you want to.”
I ease myself up and scoot back so I’m propped up on my elbows. My mouth waters as he pulls out a spoon and uses his t-shirt so he can nestle the pot and protect his hands.
I’m still trying to figure out how drunk I am when he sits on the floor and scoops up a spoonful of stew and blows on it.
He pushes it towards my mouth, and I open almost in surprise that he’s feeding me. He doesn’t bother to blow on his own, just shovels a few mouthfuls down, then offers it to me again.
I don’t know what the hell is happening right now, but this is possibly the most erotic moment of my life.
He’s managed to make a delicious meal out of nothing; he’s feeding it to me all while looking so drop-dead gorgeous it’s a struggle to keep my hands to myself.
He leans closer, bringing the spoon to my lips as he gives me a teasing smile. I swallow, no longer tasting the food as a new hunger slowly builds.
Hunter takes a mouthful and licks the gravy off his lip. “You feeling any better?”
I’m so turned on I can’t even speak. He cleans, fixes things, takes care of me, and cooks me dinner?
“Who are you?” I whisper.
A dark look replaces his amusement. His posture switches into guarded as he puts the stew on the floor and swipes his mouth. “No one you want to know.”
He starts to rise so I reach for his arm. Hunter tenses and shakes his head. “Don’t.”
My chest starts to rise and fall too rapidly as my fingers stroke his skin. “Don’t what? Touch you?”
His eyes narrow. “Don’t look at me like that unless you mean it.”
I push myself up until I’m a hair away from him. “I do mean it.”
He kisses me one more time, and just when I think he’s about to relent, he pulls away.
I stare, incredulous as he grabs his backpack and walks away from me. “See you in the morning.”
I flop back on the mattress and stare at the ceiling while I try to collect my thoughts. None of them are positive or helpful, all of which point the finger of blame solely on me.
I turn on my side and pull the blanket over me, trying not to cry as rejection stings at my chest.
If a random stranger doesn’t even want me for a night, and my own husband lost interest, it’s becoming glaringly obvious there must be something fundamentally wrong with me.
Chapter 4.
Hunter
Sunday 12.34am
I can’t sleep. I can’t get her out of my head. But I can’t follow through and screw her either, not when she can’t even stand, and she’s been drinking.
I know a dozen guys who wouldn’t give a flying fuck about either of those things. But despite my broken moral compass, that’s low even for me.
Come morning she’ll be embarrassed and relieved we didn’t take it any further. Her ankle will be better, and she’ll drive away none the wiser to how much of a bullet she dodged.
I don’t need the complication, and I doubt she does either. Despite my rational brain trying to convince me otherwise, my cock is trying to talk me into going back out there.
I could be curled up in bed with her. Instead, I’m freezing my ass off, thinking way too much about what I’m missing out on.
When there’s no chance I can sleep, and I can’t get her out of my head, I try to convince myself it’s not a big deal if I did go back out, just for a few minutes so I can warm up.
She should be fast asleep given the whiskey and the amount of time that’s passed; I can probably risk sneaking out and warming up.
Natalie won’t even know I’m there.
I swing my legs out of bed, shivers wracking my body as I creep into the living room. The room is warmer than the bedroom, but judging by the embers on the fire, it won’t stay that way for long.
I don’t see her at first, mainly because I’m looking at the mattress, but she’s not lying there asleep, she’s sitting in the corner, her arms wrapped around her shins.
I know she sees me, but she doesn’t say anything or move when I put another couple logs on the fire. I turn, ready to go back to the cold when she speaks in a quiet voice. “You don’t have to leave.”
I know a trap when I hear one, so I just pivot ready to walk back. She starts to cry, but it’s quiet like she’s trying to hide it from me. Despite my promise to leave her alone, the words slip out. “What’s wrong?”
I can barely see her, the candles I lit have burned down, and the firelight isn’t bright enough to reach the corner she’s propped up in.
She sniffs. “If I ask you for the truth, will you give it to me?”
I adjust my weight, crossing my arm
s as I consider. The truth has rarely been an ally of mine. “Most people don’t want the truth. They only think they do.”
Her laugh comes out bitter. “Is that a no?”
I exhale slowly. At least if I keep her talking to me, I can warm up a little. “I can tell you the truth, depending on the question.”
She sighs. “Is there something wrong with me?”
That was not the question I expected her to ask. “Not following.”
Natalie shifts out from the shadows, shuffling on her ass until she’s closer to the light. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, the firelight casting her in a golden glow as she uses the wall to rise to her feet.
She limps but manages to stop in front of the fire. “Is there something about me that turned you off?”
My eyes nearly pop out of my head as she gestures to her incredible body. “What?” I manage.
Tears glisten in her eyes, and her voice cracks “I just want to understand why Jed stopped wanting me. Why you didn’t want me.”
I frown at her. “Who’s Jed?”
Her gaze drops to the floor. “My husband until six months ago.”
I frown at her. “He left you?”
She keeps her gaze on the floor, looking so defeated I flinch. “If you weren’t interested and he isn’t...”
Not interested? What the fuck?
“Natalie—”
She doesn’t let me finish, just gives me a smile that near rips my heart out. “Sorry. You don’t need this. We don’t know each other, sorry.”
I huff out an exasperated breath at her continued apologies and cross the distance so we’re standing eye to eye. “The only reason I didn’t sleep with you was that it felt wrong because you were hurt, not because you are wrong.”
I know I shouldn’t say it, but I’m pissed off, and I’m not sure why exactly. “If your husband walked away from you, he’s a fucking moron.”
She sucks in a breath; then her breathing starts to increase. I think she’s about to slap me, but she issues me a challenge. “And what about now? Does it feel wrong now?”
I don’t know whether she’s drunk, but I’m past the point of caring.
She’s waiting, holding my gaze, mouth open, looking wild and sexy enough for me to quit trying to do the right thing.
My cock is getting hard just thinking about it, so I grab her by the back of her neck and kiss her again.
She responds hungrily, twisting my hair into her fingers. I kiss her harder, taste the whiskey lacing her breath, her tongue merging with mine until I’m rock hard against her.
This time I have no intention of stopping until she’s screaming my name and she’s forgotten all about the asshole who left her.
NATALIE
I don’t know why he came back into the room. I don’t really care; all I care about is that he wants me as much as I want him.
Without a word, he picks me up and puts me on the table. His stubble is rough against my skin as his tongue seeks out mine.
He starts to unzip my pants, and I have to wriggle so he can tug them down and throw them across the room. Whatever pain I had in my ankle is fast being replaced by need I’ve never experienced before.
He slides his hand inside my panties and groans as he feels just how slick I already am. His kiss becomes more insistent, more desperate as he tugs them off me, so he can rub me faster. “Say my name,” he whispers in my ear.
I can’t even breathe let alone speak as his other hand tugs my shirt up, and he starts to stroke my nipple through my bra. “Say it,” he repeats, his voice ragged.
I arch my back and spread my legs wider. “Hunter,” I pant.
With a growl, he drops to his knees and pushes my thighs apart so he can use his tongue instead of his hand.
I’m so turned on; I’m coming and screaming his name in seconds. I think he’s done, but he’s just getting started. He tugs off his shirt, kisses me deep then starts to pull my shirt up.
I raise my arms, and he tosses my shirt away as he kisses me and manages to unhook my bra. I grab his belt buckle and start to undo his jeans, panting in his ear as his fingers return to stroking until I explode in his hand.
He shrugs out of his jeans until he’s standing naked, his cock hard and almost too big for me.
Hunter grabs my hips, and I think he’s going to take me on the table, but he picks me up so I’m nestled against his chest and carries me to the mattress.
He lays me down and lies on top of me, and in a slick move, slides his cock inside me. I wrap my legs around him and squeeze my arms around his thick torso as he pumps harder.
The rain beats down on the roof as ripples of pleasure rush through my body with every thrust and every movement of his hips.
I scratch my nails down his back and pant nonsensical words as he makes me erupt again. He pounds me harder until his face contorts and he’s gasping and releasing inside me.
He shudders and eases off me, trying to catch his breath as I try to find mine. My heart is still thudding in my chest as he rolls on his side and kisses me again, softer. “I don’t know about you, but everything about that felt right to me.”
I have no response so I kiss him, enjoying the way his tongue caresses mine and sends shivers running over body.
I’m so blissfully satisfied that if my body wasn’t fighting against me, I’d stay kissing him for longer, but my eyelids are drooping, and sleep is tugging at me.
When I have to smother a yawn, he wraps me in his arms, encasing me in muscle.
My eyes close as I listen to the sound of his rhythmic breathing, his heart beating slow and steady and the rain outside and the crackle of the fire.
I start to drift off, feeling utterly satiated and content lying in Hunter’s arms, the oddest question is circling.
How is it that one time with Hunter was more satisfying than an entire four years with Jed?
I’M GROGGY, AND MY foot is aching when I pry my eyes open to the grey day. I rub a hand over my face and blink away the sleep to find Hunter restarting the fire that burned out in the night.
He’s not wearing a shirt, just his jeans. I admire him for a while. watching the lines of his muscles as he moves.
I’m studying him so closely that I miss the first ring of my cell phone. He throws the matches to one side, cocking his head and running his tongue over his teeth. “You going to answer?”
A shiver runs through me. He’s looking at me with such obvious intent; I swear if I were standing, my knees would give out. The phone keeps ringing. “I should take it if it’s from my father,” I mutter.
I reach for his t-shirt, and tug it over my head, inhaling his masculine scent as I slip my arms through.
When I look at him, his eyes have narrowed, and his entire upper body is tensed. “It’s not your father. It’s Jed.”
I scramble to get up, but he presses talk and holds the phone to his ear. “Natalie’s busy right now. She’s shacked up somewhere with a stud who can’t keep his hands off her. Can’t say I blame him.”
I’m so horrified by his behavior it takes me a while to notice he’s struggling to keep a straight face. “I’m her assistant.”
My eyes pop as he runs a hand through his hair and glares. “Yeah, I can pass the message on. Her dipshit ex wants to make sure she cancels the cable since it’s under his name. I got it; you’re a cheap ass as well as a dick, huh?”
That does get me out of bed, half hopping, half limping as I try to get to the phone before he makes it worse. “Yeah. I would say that to your face. Then I’d probably come up with a truckload of other insults.”
I stare slack-jawed at him as he ends the call and doesn’t look anything close to guilty about what he just did.
I get close enough to grab my phone from him and toss it on the bed. “Why did you do that? Why did you get so angry at him?”
He grabs me and jerks me closer to him. “I told you. Things that matter bother me.”
I’m still reeling when he kisses me
and runs his hands over my bare ass. “You want to go take a dip in the hot springs?” he says.
I glance at my foot, then back at him. After insulting Jed, that’s what he’s thinking about?
My nose wrinkles as I try to think. “I don’t think I can climb down.”
Hunter’s grip tightens around my waist, and without warning, he throws me over his shoulder. I scream as he stalks across the room and opens the door to the rain outside. “Hunter put me down. It’s muddy.”
He only grips me tighter. “I got you.”
The rain pelts me, soaking my borrowed shirt. I smack his back with my hands as we get closer to the slope.
When it’s clear he’s not going to stop, and we’re descending the hill, my annoyance at him is overtaken by worry I’ll fall.
I’m soaked through and freezing by the time we reach the springs. He doesn’t even set me on my feet or take off his pants just wades into the river, leaving my hair to trail in the water.
He’s alarmingly surefooted which makes me think he’s either done this to livestock or more worryingly to other girls.
When we reach the thermal spring, he flips me so I’m in his arms. He’s rain-soaked and grinning at me as he sits down with me in his lap. I try to get away from him, but he locks me in place. “Stay.”
I glare at him. “I don’t really have a choice, thanks to you.”
He starts to laugh as I try to tug my billowing t-shirt down. “Take it off; no one’s around.”
I splash him, but he only laughs harder. The rainwater keeps bouncing off the hot pool, half of my body is in warm water while the rain is pelting me with cold. Worse, his t-shirt is clinging to my breasts, highlighting just how cold I am.
I push off him and sit down on the rock ledge opposite. “How am I supposed to get back up? It was dangerous enough climbing down here. And what if someone finds us? I’m naked.”
He doesn’t look in the least concerned as he starts to remove his jeans. He nearly slides under the water but manages to take them off and toss them on to the rocks. “Happy now?”
