by Claire Adams
I extended the gun over to her, allowing her to inspect and scrutinize the gun’s grip and aesthetics. She studied it with keen concentration, as if it were a precious artifact being examined. After a few more seconds, she gave it to me and smiled. “I’m taking it then.”
I led the way toward the desk, where Vince was still busy coloring the few last pages of his book. He glanced up and smiled, standing up and walking around the counter. “Miss Kylie. How are you?”
Her eyes brightened. “Good, Vince.” She knelt down. “How are you today?”
“I’m great.” He reached out and touched her cheek. I went to scold him, but she put her hand over his and smiled. “I was worried about you last night.”
“Well, thank you. I stayed with my mom.” She patted his hand and stood, turning back to me.
“Kylie, I’m sorry,” I started, but she cut me off.
“Don’t. I think it’s precious.” She glanced down at Vince and back to me. “How much is it? The gun,” she asked.
I looked at her eyes and knew I was going to have to ask her out. I’d been pretending for a little bit too long that she didn’t matter, that I wasn’t totally turned on by her. Fuck me for waiting so long.
“Never mind paying. It’s free. Take it as a gift from me. You needed it anyway, being the only help I could offer to your situation.” Words escaped my mouth before I could stop myself. It was a kind deed, something innate inside of me I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.
Her cheeks were flushed again, colors of roses spreading on her fair skin. She looked enticing and innocent. She was one of a kind.
“Thank you, Hunter. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Of course.” Hearing my name on her lips made me smile. I handed over the papers secured in a brown envelope, plus the gun packed in a safe, sturdy kit. Seeing her struggle to carry the box, I took the initiative to offer a hand to her. “Lead the way.”
She waved at Vince and turned to walk to the door, her hips swaying so subtly. Her ass looked good in her jeans: thick and big. More than enough for me to wrap my hands around and squeeze softly. So perfect. Every part of her. My cock was thick and hard by the time I walked out of the shop with her. Being a big guy, I knew she was going to be able to tell where my head was if I didn’t hide my shit.
She unlocked the car door, directing me where to put the kit inside, and moved back.
I laid the box on the passenger seat as she watched me remove the dust from my hands. “All right. Be safe, and if you need me…I’m right next door.” I smiled and turned to walk back to the shop.
“Hunter,” she called after me. Chills rose on my skin thanks to the softness of her voice.
“Yeah?” I glanced back but kept my body turned toward the door. Fucking hard- n.
“I hope you won’t mind teaching a novice like me how to use this thing.” She looked beautiful. How could I deny the attraction I felt for her charm among other things?
I smiled at her as I nodded. “With pleasure. You can come to hunt some filthy, stubborn hogs with me and Garren on Monday night to test run your gun.”
She giggled. “Sounds fun.”
I walked back into the shop but turned to watch her drive out of the parking lot. After I had lost track of her vehicle, I turned to find Vince sitting back at my desk, coloring the last page of his book. I stood beside him, watching his artistic prowess come to life.
“Dad, Miss Kylie is kind and pretty. I like her a lot.” As he spoke, his eyes still darted on the cartoon he was coloring.
I patted his shoulder gently, giving him a commendable praise for his hard work in coloring the book. “I like her too. She’s a good lady.”
“How about you come hog hunting with us on Monday night? Miss Kylie is coming with us to practicing her shooting.” I offered my invite. “It’ll be dangerous, but I think between you, me, Kylie, and Garren, we should be safe.”
He faced me, his green eyes sparkling. “Are you kidding me? We’re a team. We won't let anything get to Miss Kylie. Especially them pesky hogs!”
Chapter Eight
Kylie
“So, you got a gun yesterday?” my mother asked, repeating the statement I just said uttered moments ago. Her hands were on her hips, her brows wrinkled in a questioning expression. She looked pissed. If I would enumerate the things on my list why I should not buy a gun, one of would be my mother’s objection to them.
“Yeah, Mom. It’s for the best.” I tried to change her point of view, but it was useless.
“Well, if that’s the case. I can’t do much about it.” She let her hands drop to her sides, retreating over our argument. She looked calm yet still peevish, but I knew I could handle her temper. Sort of.
I reached out and took her hand, looking into her eyes, although she avoided my gaze on her. She was truly beautiful. Her golden blonde hair was tied in a neat bun. Although the wrinkles from her age spread on her face, she was still alluring. Why she hadn’t married again after Daddy died was a mystery to me.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I will only use it for self defense. Nothing bad will happen. I have to be able to protect myself. Right?”
“I guess so.” She squeezed my hand and gave me a small smile. “I’m just worried. You might be in danger by merely having a gun. I’m scared. That’s all.”
I put my arms around her. “I thought about it all night. I think having one would give me protection, plus Hunter gave it to me for free as a gift, and I’m not sure if you know this, but I was raised to never reject a present, Mom.”
She released my hold and covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes coming back to life. She was staring at me like I was nuts.
“What? Really? So, that explains it. Hunter gave it to you. Enough said!” She pushed my shoulder lightly, teasing me.
I could not help my blush, but I managed to gather my confidence and tell her more. “Yeah. I’ll see him on Monday to learn to shoot the thing too.”
The tables seemed to have turned. My mother was now the stunned one, speechless as to how to respond. She looked impressed by my news. As if I had finally found my courage. And I had. Sort of.
“Wow, I can’t think of any word but wow,” she said. “But you got to keep your gun hidden. I’m serious, Kylie. You should be very careful from now on. My view about you owning a gun has not changed. I disapprove of it a lot, but I understand the need for you to protect yourself.”
She pressed the topic, reminding me again and again of my responsibility. As we conversed, a customer at the front counter joined the conversation.
“Your daughter is right, Mrs. Tomms. Having a gun nowadays is a necessity, especially the fugitives that are out of control. It’s always good to have protection. No one can tell when the need arises. Better safe than sorry.”
I smiled at her as I checked her out, shooting my mom a knowing grin.
“I told you so,” I whispered as I packed the woman’s items up. After giving her receipt and bags, I crossed my arms and faced my mother with a smirk.
She rolled her eyes, turning her back to walk through the store. “Why don’t you stay at the store on Monday? I need some help around here. Also, we could eat dinner together at home. I will cook your favorite stuffed chicken if you want.” Her back was to me, but her voice resonated her worry. I knew her all too well. By the way she lured me to stay on Monday, she was hoping I would cancel with Hunter.
Not a chance.
“Mom, I already committed to Monday with Hunter. I’m not canceling on him. We’re going hog hunting that night. That will also give me the chance to train. Plus, his son is coming along.”
“What? You shouldn’t go, Kylie. Who the hell goes hog hunting at nighttime? Practice shooting under the moonlight, when there is nothing but darkness around? And tugging a five-year-old kid along to watch the entire violent animal shooting? No way! You’re not going along.” She was decisive. Her fists were curled into a ball, her eyes ablaze. Telling her about Hunter’s plans was a big mistake. S
he was overreacting and had to be the most paranoid person I knew in life.
“Mom, it's fine. Hunter and Garren are skilled hunters. I know they are well aware of the land at night. I’m in safe hands. And I hate to point this out, but I’m not a little girl anymore, Mom. I’m twenty-seven years old. I’m going.”
“I’m your mother, Kylie. No matter how old you get, I will always be the woman who knows what’s best for you. Believe me, I know it’s definitely dangerous to go along with Hunter.” She was calmer, but her eyes were frightened.
“Sorry, Mom. I’m going, but I promise I will stay safe.”
I turned to face the next customer who was ready to check out at the front. I was surprised to see that it was the man mother hated the most, one of our regulars.
His face was pale as always, the bags under his eyes getting bigger and darker. He looked awfully eccentric, but upon seeing me smile, he returned a crooked smile. I scanned the barcode of the item he bought, which was a bottled energy drink. Too bad he settled on something to hype him up. He needed a sleeping pill, from the looks of things.
“You should be careful,” he spoke as he handed his payment to me, his eyes fixated on the bill he was handing over.
I looked at him and nodded, thanking him for his reminder. “Um, sure. Thanks?”
“I heard your house got broken into yesterday. Sorry to hear about that.” The man turned his back, refusing to get the receipt of his purchase. He gripped his drink tightly as he exited the shop, not saying another word.
Weird. How did he know that my house was broken into by burglars? I looked at my mother who was sitting behind the pastry stand, her head bowed down as she pretended to be busy reading a novelette as the man left the convenience store.
I glanced toward the window, watching the man walk further away as a chill raced down my spine. With one last look from afar, I caught him looking at my mother, whose head was still down pretending to read her book.
Who is that man? And what the hell does he want?
Chapter Nine
Hunter
Sunday was spent doing the same drill as Saturday, just a little slower. After a long day, we closed up and headed home. It felt like I blinked twice and it was Monday morning again. Time to start another week, but this one would have more of Kylie in it.
A little after lunch, Garren walked through the door carrying a duffel bag around his shoulder. He was not wearing his uniform. Instead, he wore a white shirt and faded jeans.
“So, you like being called Day Late Garren, huh?” I watched as he approached my desk, putting his bag under the one the desk at the counter. He looked tired and didn’t seem too excited about me poking at him. What else was new?
“Sorry, man. I just got back into town. Too bad the bus schedules were delayed.”
“No problem. I hope you have not yet forgotten about our hog hunting game tonight.” I studied him, wondering where the hell he’d been all weekend. We were good friends, but neither of us pried into the other’s life. Just didn’t seem right.
“Oh, yeah, sorry, Hunter. I totally forgot. Man, I got a date tonight with some hot chick I met on the weekend.” He scratched his head and sighed. By the looks of things, he’d had a few too many beers the night before. Damn.
“No big deal, Garren. You better not disappoint the girl.” I patted his shoulder as I turned my back to him.
Several customers filled the gun shop, buying guns for shooting and hunting season over the rest of the afternoon, leaving me happy and the cash register full.
As the late afternoon approached, I heard Vince’s bus stop before our shop. Garren was busy attending the customers when my son came inside, walking slowly, simply dragging his feet to come to my side. Seeing him in that state, I got up from my desk and walked to meet him in the center of the shop.
“Hey, buddy, are you okay?” I took his backpack and lunchbox to ease the weight he carried. Vince looked pale, his eyes drowsy and a little red. As I held his forehead, it was hot. He must have caught something.
“I’m okay, Dad. Look, I can still dance the chicken song we performed today.” He moved along, trying to dance, but the poor thing looked like a limp noodle wiggling. He looked awfully sick, and he needed to take a day off.
I guessed the hog hunting trip would be canceled. First, Garren failed to make it. Now Vince has gotten sick.
“Vince, I’m afraid we can’t go tonight. You need to stay at the house and get some rest. That chicken dance must have done you in, boy.” I smiled and kissed his forehead before holding his hand as we walked together toward the back office.
“Better keep yourself hydrated. Do you want to eat some cookies?” I watched as he opened the bottle, drinking a little water, but not nearly enough.
He refused to drink more, putting the bottle on the table nearby.
“No, Dad, I’m still full.” He seemed to relax on the couch as he closed his eyes. Soon enough, he was fast asleep. I stroked his hair, wiping the sweat from his forehead and neck.
I checked his lunchbox. It was almost untouched. I guessed he had lost his appetite, and his headache would have ruined his energetic, cheerful nature.
Before I went out of the back office, I looked at my son one more time. He was sound asleep, but he still looked pale and sick. I turned to Garren who was still serving some customers. I came near him despite Garren conversing with our loyal patrons.
“Is Vince okay? He looked pale and sick,” Garren asked before I could utter a word.
“He’s got a fever. The hog hunting needs to be moved to a later date, I guess. Hey, buddy, can I talk with you when you’re done?”
“Sure.” Garren nodded and finished up with a customer before joining me near the back. “What’s up, man?”
“Hey, sorry about this, but I need to take Vince home early.” I hated to ask him for more help, but I had no choice.
“Yeah, man. No problem. The date will be at nine, so I still have time.”
“Thanks, man.” I patted his back, grateful for his help. Without him, I did not know how I could juggle the roles of being a father and a business owner.
I went to the back office to get Vince and his stuff. I took his backpack and lunch box first, taking them to the car, after which I came back to carry my son. He was peacefully asleep, almost undisturbed as I lifted him up. As I walked closer to the car, Vince raised his hand and spoke in his sleep.
“Hooray, hog hunting tonight.” His voice was tipsy and weak despite the excitement he seemed to try and muster.
I kissed his forehead before I closed the car door, getting into the driver’s seat and starting the car. I drove as fast as I could thanks to Vince panting softly behind me. Worry left me feeling sick. Every now and then, I checked him from the rearview mirror, finding him sound asleep.
“Dad, let’s go to the lake and fish,” he whispered roughly from the backseat.
“Absolutely, buddy. Get better, and we’ll go.”
We got home and I took him to his bed, changing his clothes and rinsing him off with a wet towel. He appeared comfortable. Poor little guy.
Assuring that he was already better than when he arrived at the gun shop, I stood up and went to the kitchen. Chicken noodle soup would help. It had to.
As I started to gather the ingredients, I heard the doorbell ring. I walked to the front door to see Kylie waiting out front. She wore a long sleeve blouse tucked into ripped jeans, completed by cowboy boots. She was ready to hunt. And, man, was she good-looking.
“Kylie. Hey there. Come inside.” I opened the door wider and moved back.
She walked in and smiled back at me. “You okay? You look a little overwhelmed.”
“Yeah. Just trying to get some soup started for Vince. He’s not feeling too well.” I shrugged.
“Oh no.” She put the gun case down. “Let me help then. I’m a great cook.”
“Really?” Relief filled me. “Come on. I’m not going to deny the help. He’s asleep right now, but I�
�m hoping he wakes up a little later and eats.”
“Is it his stomach or something else?” Her voice was so soft. I couldn’t help but wonder if she knew how seductive she sounded. Was she trying? No, not with me telling her about Vince.
“Fever.” I walked into the kitchen and went to the fridge. “I think I have everything we need.”
She went through a list of items, and I pulled them from the fridge. I hopped up on the counter next to her and watched as she started to construct the soup from scratch. “You okay?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Just had a long day, and then Vince getting sick.” I shrugged and forced myself not to reach out and touch her. There was something so inviting about her. “You look nice, by the way. So pretty in your hunting gear.”
She laughed, the sound warming me. “This?” She glanced down. “Okay, I’ll take your word for it.”
“Do.” I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest. “So, Garren told me today that he has a date tonight; the idiot forgot about the hog hunting we had scheduled for this evening. I guess it doesn’t matter seeing that Vince isn’t feeling well. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We can do it another time.” She turned to face me and smiled. “Besides…you’re right next door. If something goes wrong, I’ll just run over here.”
“I’d like that.” I reached out and tucked a long strand of silky blonde hair behind her ear. “And honestly, once we get the soup made, I can take you out to the barn and teach you some basics about the gun. We’ll just leave the back door open so that I can listen for Vince.”
“No, you don’t have to do that. Really. I’ll come back when the little man is feeling better.”
I wanted to fall in love. She cared more about me, or really Vince, than herself. “It’ll be fine. We’ll load the gun, and I’ll show you how to handle the weapon.”
She blushed, and I couldn’t help but wonder where her mind was. I knew where the fuck mine was. The opportunity to get closer to her was undeniable. I’d be using it to my advantage for sure.
