by Lexi Hart
I pull a face at him. “Why would that make me happy?”
“Now we’re both naked.”
I’m still too annoyed with him for bringing me down here, even if he’s technically more exposed than I am. He eyes the shirt that’s covering me. “Take it off.”
“No.”
He’s grinning at me, rain falling down his face like this is exactly where he wants to be right now. “I’ll need it back eventually.”
I sigh and twist my face into a scowl. “I’m not giving it back.”
He swipes a drip off his nose then gets up so all the water runs down his body. My lungs seize up as water cascades down his muscles, running off his tattoos, his nipples, his abs, and his already stiffening cock.
There’s an irresistible tease in his voice as he sits beside me and tugs at my collar. “I couldn’t leave without getting you thoroughly wet.”
A tiny trickle of anxiety overrides my growing lust. “You were planning on leaving?”
He kisses me again, silencing my question as his hand slides down my thigh until he’s pushing my legs apart. “Take it off.”
Despite my protests, the water does feel good, and with his hand sliding closer to my crotch, I do as he says and toss the shirt onto the rocks surrounding the pool.
My nipples are out of the water, rain caressing them, making them harder as I take his shaft in my hand and start to stroke him.
He chews my earlobe, sucks it, and plants kisses down my neck making shivers travel down my body. When I’m as wet as the water, I climb on to his lap, and put my legs around him, pushing him inside me as rain pours down over our naked bodies.
I ride him, kissing him as water caresses my skin below and above. Ripples of pleasure rush through me as the water amplifies the intensity of my orgasm.
When I’m breathing hard and shaking from muscle fatigue, he positions me so I’m on my knees, back facing him and leaning over the edge of the hot pool.
The water tickles my nipples as he slides inside me and starts to thrust slow and deep. I’m panting as he pounds me harder until he’s grabbing my hips and speeding up and half cursing, half praising me as he explodes inside me.
When he’s done, he sinks back down into the water bringing me with him so I’m sitting on his lap. He wraps his arms around my body and holds me snug against his chest. “Why the hell are you selling this place? The things I could do to you up here.”
I lean my head back so I’m resting against his shoulder, a smile playing at my lips as his hand rests under the water on my knee. “It’s not really up to me. We made the decision as a family.”
Hunter’s lips brush against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “But if it were up to you, would you sell?”
I exhale slowly and look around at the mountains, the trees, and the river. My eyes start to burn with tears. “No. I love Haven Springs. I always wanted to move up here. Some of my happiest memories are inside that cabin.”
“But you don’t have the money to keep it?”
I sigh. “Dad can’t come up here anymore, and since Jemma and her husband don’t use it, it isn’t really a priority.”
I don’t say I haven’t been here in over five years either. There didn’t seem to be any point without bringing someone who loved the mountains as much as I did.
His arms tighten around me. “So, if money wasn’t an issue you’d keep this place?”
I wonder why he’s asking me so I move off him so I can see his face. “Why are you so interested?”
He licks rain off his lip before answering. “Is that a problem? Me being interested in your life?”
The rain carries on relentlessly as the silence between us grows. His eyes are locked on mine. My heart is racing, but I can’t bring myself to speak. “Hunter, what are you saying?”
He shifts closer until our knees are touching, his expression serious. “I’m not saying anything. I’m just trying to figure out a way to do this on a more permanent basis.”
I suck in a breath and inhale rainwater. I manage to speak through my choke. “Permanent?”
He frowns. “Would that be so bad?”
I frown back at him, a dozen reasons all spinning wildly in my brain. “The cabin is as primitive as they come. I’d be cut off from everyone, everything if I lived here.”
He cocks his head. “You’re hardly cut off. The valley is a few miles down the track, and you have cell access.”
I’m so surprised I splutter a laugh, and his mood darkens almost instantly. “Right. What was I thinking? We’re all a little primitive up here in the mountains.”
Before I can say anything else, he pulls himself out of the water, looking furious as he locates our clothes. He doesn’t say a word as he hands me his sodden t-shirt. I don’t know why he’s so annoyed with me. Did he really think this little fantasy vacation could go on forever?
He doesn’t bother pulling his jeans on, just throws them over his shoulder the way he did me and offers his hand as I start to climb out of the pool. “Can you walk?” is the only thing he says.
Out of sheer stubbornness and my own annoyance, I make it back up the hill with minimal help from a glowering Hunter. My ankle is a little sore, the wrapping falling off when we reach the cabin again. He’s still naked, and despite my best efforts to not look, I can’t help admiring him as I pull the wrapping off my foot.
I give my ankle a cursory glance as I flex my foot and test it out. There’s bruising, but the swelling is gone. I have no idea if soaking in the springs helped. It’s highly likely I accidentally discovered a cure. My mother used to swear by them for pretty much any ailment that befell us up here.
I shrug my clothes over my damp skin and manage to pull my boots on all while sending Hunter discrete glances.
I can’t help but watch him as he tugs another pair of jeans from his pack and pulls them on.
By the time I’m dressed again, my stomach is growling. I limp over to the table and rummage around in the bag of food from my car and settle on a granola bar.
A jolt of alarm runs through me as I see him pulling wet weather gear out of his pack and start to tidy away his things. “You’re leaving?”
He flicks a glance at me. “The cabin’s done. I’ll be moving on.”
I gape at him, utterly speechless he can be so cold after such an incredible weekend.
My cell rings as he zips up his pack. I glance at the phone and see it’s my father calling. “Can you just wait a minute? I need to answer this.”
Hunter doesn’t say anything as he pulls on his socks and boots and laces them. “Damn it. Would you please just stop?”
He grunts but stops lacing his boot. I frown as I answer. “Dad? Are you okay? I’ve been—”
“Nat? It’s Jem. Um, Dad’s in hospital again.”
I slump into the chair. “What happened?”
Jemma sniffs down the line. “He forgot to take his meds. I’ve been trying to reach you all morning. You aren’t at your hotel? Where are you?”
Nausea starts to grow in my stomach. “I stayed in the cabin. I hurt my ankle. I couldn’t drive until this morning.”
“Do you want me to send Brett to pick you up?”
I look at my foot and flex it. “I’ll be okay. I’ll meet you at the hospital.”
I end the call with raw guilt spinning through me.I feel sick. My father was lying in a hospital bed while I was having sex with Hunter.
Hunter hasn’t moved. But his expression has shifted from irritated silence to empathy. “Can I do anything?”
I shake my head and snatch up my keys and purse. “You did enough,” I snap at him.
He doesn’t respond, and if I weren’t so worried, I’d apologize, but he just carries on lacing his boots as I lock up the cabin again.
He’s right beside me when we step outside. The rain has made the grass slick and muddy, and I slip in my haste to reach my truck. Hunter grabs my arm as water pours down his face. “For fuck’s sake, woman. You’ll hurt yo
urself again at this rate. Give me the keys.”
He holds his hand out, a fierce expression on his face that tells me he’s not backing down. A half-choked sob escapes as I hand them over.
For a minute, he just stares at them, rain pounding us as he seems to be rethinking his offer to drive me.
Finally, he moves, muttering to himself as he opens the backseat and throws his gear inside. I get in the passenger side, and wait for him to start the engine.
He closes his eyes for a moment as though either praying or trying to calm himself. I’m too concerned about getting to the hospital to worry about what’s going on with Hunter, or where this weekend is heading, so I look out the window as he pulls away from the cabin.
Chapter 5.
Hunter
I’m muttering prayers, curses, left right and center as I drive for the first time in two years. I know I shouldn’t be, I sure as shit don’t have a license to, but it’s my fault she missed the call.
I keep my eyes on the road, gripping the wheel so tightly my fingers are blanched at the tips. My heart is beating way too fast, and sweat is dripping down my spine.
She’s not looking at me—whether it’s out of annoyance I don’t care. I just know if she looks at me I might ask her for her number or her address or something equally pointless.
I should be more pleased about how things worked out, but the fact that I like this redhead enough to abuse her ex over the phone and get behind a wheel again is a little unnerving.
What’s even more alarming is knowing if I actually saw him, I might do a little more than just verbally abuse him. Given that I’m supposed to be keeping my head down and staying under the radar, it’s not a good sign.
My life is tidy right now. Simple, uncomplicated, and neat. Even if she could stay up here, it would get messy real fast. I never should have asked her to consider it.
The windscreen wipers are going full tilt already, but the rain is falling mercilessly, making me even more uneasy. Trees run along the side of the road, and with the track muddy, one spin out, and we crash into them.
My entire body is clenched as I drive. By the time we reach the road, sweat is making my shirt cling to me. I release a breath and keep driving towards the town of Haven Springs. “Where’s your hotel?”
“Main Street.”
Since there are only two hotels in town and only one on Main I swing left and pull into the hotel lot. I leave the truck running, windscreen wipers beating a steady thump thump as the rain keeps falling.
Natalie’s lips purse as she looks over at me. “Well, I guess this is goodbye?”
“Yeah, I guess it is.”
I unhook my belt and open the door before she can say anything else. I yank open the back door and grab my pack. I need to get out of here before someone sees me. I’ve already pushed my luck about as far as I can.
When I close the door, Natalie has scrambled out. After a second’s pause, she kisses me with way too much tongue, given this is a goodbye kiss. Her voice is throaty. “Come with me.”
With her pressed against me, it takes everything I have to fight the impulse not to get back in her truck.
But I can’t do that to her, so I infuse ice into my reply. “I can’t.”
She squirms out of my arms and sets her shoulders. “Well, thank you for all your help.”
My stomach twists as she turns around and limps back to her hotel. She doesn’t look back, just opens the door and steps inside her room and out of my life forever.
NATALIE
Tears are stinging my eyes as I pack up the rest of my things. I’m shivering, and my stomach is aching with hunger, but I don’t have time to eat or shower.
I look the room over one more time then pull the door closed so I can check out. I spend too long looking out at the parking lot, hoping I’ll see Hunter, but I see no trace of him as I open the door to reception.
The receptionist guesses I’m in a rush, so we don’t exchange pleasantries as I swipe my credit card.
I’m almost out the door when my phone starts to ring. Dread rushes around my body as I see it’s Jemma calling.
I get back in my truck and close the door before I have the courage to answer. I pick it up to hear a rasping croak. “Jemma? Is that you?”
“It’s Dad.”
I start to sob. “Don’t cry... Jemma, what did you tell your sister?”
I hear muffled noises in the background. “You worried her for no reason. Damn it, Jemma.”
I lean against the headrest and close my eyes. “Dad. You had a relapse?”
He huffs a breath then coughs. “Yeah. Well, I’m fine now. How’s the cabin coming along?”
My eyes pop open. “Is that really important right now?”
His voice sounds a little weaker. “Sorry I couldn’t reach Bob. Jemma promises to come out and finish the job.”
A faint smile twitches at my lips before confusion muddles my thoughts. “Wait. Dad, you didn’t get hold of Bob?”
He coughs. “No. I didn’t get a chance.”
I stare at the dash, thoughts tumbling around my mind as I try to make connections I should have done earlier.
Hunter never once said he knew Bob, or that Bob had sent him. All the little hints he gave. How willing he was to stay that first night. The amount of gear he was lugging around. Everything makes sense now.
He was just in the right place at the right time. If I’d not been so intoxicated firstly by whiskey and then by Hunter, maybe I’d have cottoned on earlier?
Jemma is on the line telling me our father needs to stop talking, but that he’s being moved to recovery.
I should be more relieved, but all I can think about is that I just spent an incredible weekend with a gorgeous man who probably just wanted a bed for a weekend.
Is that what he is? A drifter?
But if sex was all he wanted, why did he seem so irritated with Jed and why was he so bothered to learn I wasn’t planning on coming back here?
I groan aloud. It’s impossible and pointless to even think about him now.
He cleaned, he fixed the roof, he cooked for me, took care of me and gave me the best sex of my life.
But he also said he didn’t want to come with me, and since I can’t stay here, I need to stop dwelling on what can’t be.
I put the truck in drive and force myself not to look in my rear view mirror as I drive away.
I ARRIVE AT THE HOSPITAL bone weary, yawning, and every muscle aching. I walk around the corner and find Jemma waiting outside smoking a cigarette.
She looks impeccable as always. Dressed in a suit and heels, in stark contrast to my jeans and muddied boots. Her hair is tied back, make up immaculate.
When she sees the scowl on my face, she rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’m a horrible person. And I’m trying to quit.”
I shake my head and walk past her. How can she smoke still? She knows what cancer is doing to our father.
She catches up to me reeking of smoke and popping a mint in her mouth as we enter. She even pulls a bottle of perfume out of her handbag and sprays it on herself, just like she used to back in high school.
I’m so exhausted I know I’ll snap at her and I don’t have the energy to waste right now. Between driving here, my aching ankle and thoughts about what and who I left in the valley, I don’t think I can take any more.
She starts talking rapid fire as we walk across the foyer and find the elevator. Most of which I tune out, most of which she doesn’t need to remind me of.
I know she’s successful. I know she’s the top saleswoman in the marketing division. I know she’s going to make partner in the next couple years. I know because she tells me at every opportunity.
When we reach the intensive care ward, I’ve had enough. “I’m here to see Dad, as soon as I do that I’m going home to sleep. I spent all weekend cleaning because you didn’t help.”
Her lips press into each other as she pushes her handbag over her shoulder. “All weekend? Rea
lly because that’s not what Jed told Brett.”
Shit. Of course, Jed would have told Brett what Hunter said. I eye Jemma as we walk along the corridor to the nurse’s station. She signs us in all without looking me in the eye.
She smiles at the nurse, the essence of professional calm then mutters under her breath as we walk. “What I want to know is, if you’re so broke, how can you afford an assistant?”
I sigh. “I don’t have an assistant. That was Hunter; he was helping me clean the cabin.”
She stops outside Dad’s room and looks me up and down. Her eyes linger on my cheek where the bruise is visible. “And where did Hunter come from? I thought you were single.”
I lean against the wall and exhale slowly. “Can we just drop this. I’m exhausted. I just want to see Dad.”
She blocks my entrance and crosses her arms. “I think I have a right to know if you are shacking up with some loser up at the cabin.”
My eyes widen as anger overrides my fatigue. “Hunter isn’t a loser. He’s the only reason I got the cabin cleaned and ready.”
Her eyebrows rise. “Where’d you find him? Brett seems to think he was extremely familiar with you.”
I bite back a retort as a nurse walks past and lower my voice. “None of that matters right now. Let me see him.”
Her bottom lip protrudes just the way it always does when she’s trying to get her own way. When that doesn’t work, she switches her tone to sickly sweet. “I mean if you paid him to help, I can spring for half.”
I shake my head. “I didn’t pay him. Now move.”
I’m about ready to physically move her from the door when her hand goes to her mouth. Her voice is so high; I’m pretty sure half the ward hears when she speaks. “You had sex with him up there, didn’t you?”
She starts to laugh, and misplaced anger starts to build. “Yes, I did. And he gave me more orgasms in two days than I had in four years with Jed. Make sure you tell Brett to pass that little nugget on to his pal,” I hiss.
She looks so shocked that she steps aside as I push the door open. Dad is propped up in bed with tubes attached and oxygen sticking in his nose.
