by Molly O'Hare
They were crazed.
Possessive.
It was hot.
Abbie forced herself not to look down at her lady bits. Calm down, girls. Holy crap.
“Get back into the car, Abbie.” Hunter pushed her toward the door. Deciding it was best not to poke the beast while they were waiting for their imminent death, she did as he asked. To her complete surprise though, when he climbed in after her, he pulled her to his side securing his arm around her.
She stared at him with her brow raised.
“Don’t. Not right now.” He tightened his hold.
Okay, that was weird. Actually, the last five minutes were weird.
“Flights grounded?” the driver asked.
Hunter grunted his answer.
“Told you.”
The driver pulled away from the curb. “Rooms are slim pickings right now, but I think there might be some left in the hotel up the street.”
Abbie felt Hunter take a deep breath followed by a loud sigh. “Thanks, man. I appreciate you waiting for us. The attendant said they grounded all flights thirty seconds after I bought the airfare.”
“Sure, they did.” The driver looked back at them.
Hunter laughed. A deep laugh which scared Abbie. Maybe he’d finally lost his mind? She knew she had about forty-five minutes to go until she reached that point herself, but maybe Hunter was seconds from snapping.
And she was first in the line of fire.
She gulped as he focused on her with an intensity that unnerved her.
“Oh, look. There’s a gas station open. Do you want me to stop and see if you all can get some snacks to ride out the storm with?”
The moment was broken again. She cursed herself. Why was there another moment to begin with? Stupid Abbie. Stupid moments.
“Yeah, thanks man,” Hunter said letting go of her.
That’s when she looked at the driver. “What do you mean ride out the storm?”
“The Governor put a curfew on the state. In about forty minutes everyone’s on lockdown so you might as well get some snacks until it’s lifted.”
“Lockdown, as in like a prison lockdown?”
“Kinda, but not really,” Hunter answered. “I’ve lived through a hurricane or two. Let me run in and grab some supplies if there is any. I’ll be right back.” He glared at the driver. “Mine.” With that, he raced out of the car.
“Mine what?” Abbie yelled after him before looking back at the driver. “Mine what?”
The driver threw his head back in a deep laugh. So deep it was like he couldn’t breathe.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Abbie huffed as she plopped herself into the back seat. “Everyone has lost their fucking mind and we’re all about to die. What a perfect way to go.”
That only made the driver laugh harder. So hard, in fact he was now wheezing.
“Everyone can fuck the fuck off.”
The driver placed his hand on his stomach as he doubled over in laughter.
Assholes. All of them.
After a few minutes, Hunter was back with a bag. Curious to see what he grabbed she opened the bag. “This is all candy.” Then her eyes spotted the small box of tea. A ball formed in her throat, if they weren’t about to die, she would have kissed him.
Blahh, What the hell? No, it didn’t matter if him getting her some tea was by far the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her.
They were about to die.
“It’s better than nothing.” Hunter grunted as he narrowed his eyes at her.
“Do not give me that look, Hunter. I will add you to my list of throat punches.”
“Aren’t I already at the top?” He arched his brow.
“You are now.”
The driver still in hysterics pulled out of the parking lot and started driving down the deserted road. After a few minutes they pulled into a hotel.
The moment they were stopped, Hunter tossed Doug his card. That’s when Abbie looked at the rate and blanched. “Holy crap, are you serious? Three-hundred dollars?”
Doug winked at her. “Hey, premium pricing what can I say? Plus, isn’t your boss paying for it?”
Oh yeah, how could she forget? “Hunter, leave a hundred-dollar tip.”
He sent her a wicked smile. “One fifty?”
“Hell yeah!” Abbie did a little dance as she got out of the car. Then another gust of wind hit her bringing her back to reality.
Holy crap they were about to be in a hurricane. She’d never been in a hurricane before.
“Let’s get inside and rent some rooms,” Hunter suggested as he grabbed his card from the driver. “Thanks. I hope I never see you again.”
Doug’s smile brightened. “We’ll see.”
Hunter shook his head as he tossed his bag over his shoulder. “I hope not.” He then grabbed Abbie’s free hand and pulled her toward the hotel entrance.
When they made it inside Abbie looked around, it was quiet. An eerie quiet. She didn’t like it. Then she heard the whistling of the wind from outside. She really didn’t like that.
This was it.
This was her last moments before she died. She knew it.
Poor Rupert.
Hunter squeezed her hand once more before he dragged her up to the front desk. “Hi, I was wondering if you had any rooms available?” Hunter asked brightly at the lady working behind the counter.
When Abbie saw the woman’s face fall, her heart plummeted.
“Umm, I can check.”
Abbie glanced at Hunter. What if they didn’t have anything? What if they were forced to go back outside? In a hurricane…
Abbie looked behind her. Doug was long gone.
Great.
Sweat broke out on the back of her neck. Freaking great.
As dread washed over her Hunter nudged her shoulder getting her attention before he pointed her in the direction of a pitcher of water on the other side of the lobby. “Babe, can you do me a favor and get me a glass?”
Her eyes widened. “Babe?”
“Please, Abbie.” Hunter’s eyes pierced into her.
Was he crazy? There was no way in hell he was looking at her like that.
“Please, Abs. I’ll take care of this. Just get me some water. I’m dying here.”
“I’m gonna spit in it,” she huffed as she narrowed her eyes at him.
“Fine.” He lightly pushed her toward the pitcher and for some unknown reason, she went. Clearly, the traumatic events of the last fifteen hours had caused her brain damage.
Stupid Hunter.
Stupid hurricane.
Stupid Bill.
“Stupid everything,” she grumbled as she walked away. Then she remembered what Doug had said about there not being any water. This might be the last bit of water she would ever come across.
Decided fate had given it to her. She grabbed the two pitchers, poured the remainder of the one into the other and pulled out her shirt.
Turning away from the front desk she did her best to hide. “Mine now.” She carefully placed the pitcher under her top.
Abbie let out an ear-piercing scream as someone tapped her on the shoulder causing her to spill the water all down her front.
“God damn it! Now I’m gonna die of dehydration,” she snapped as she turned to annihilate whoever had caught her. That’s when she saw Hunter holding his stomach as he laughed.
“What the hell were you doing, Abbie?”
“I was making sure I had water to ride out the storm.” She gave him the ‘duhh’ look as she pointed to her wet front. “Thanks for scaring me. Now, I’m screwed.”
Hunter shook his head. “You’re not screwed. Come on.”
Abbie tried to brush off some of the excess water. “Wait, she found us rooms?” Abbie no longer cared she was soaking wet. They weren’t going to have to go back into the storm. Hell yes!
“Yeah,” Hunter answered. “We’re on the fourth floor.”
Abbie quickly glanced around her and spotted a tiny ru
g in front of a window. She walked over to it and pulled it to where she’d spill the water. She then covered the puddle and dusted off her hands. “Now, no one will know.”
“Did you just hide the puddle with a rug?” Hunter stared at her in disbelief.
“You say hide. I say destroying evidence.” She shrugged before grabbing her bag. “Are we both on the fourth floor?”
Hunter mumbled something as he motioned to the elevator.
“What?”
He turned back. “Yeah.”
“I hope our rooms aren’t next to each other. I bet you snore.”
“Uh, huh.”
Once inside the elevator, it quickly took them to their floor. When they stepped out, Abbie followed behind Hunter as he walked up to room ‘4121’.
“Are you taking this one?” Abbie asked.
“We both are.” He turned to her.
“What?”
Hunter smirked. That same smirk that made her want to tackle him to the ground. Before she got the chance though, he ushered her inside with a little more force than necessary.
“Are you freaking kidding me? You better be joking, Hunter or I swear to the Universe—” She stopped the second she was in the room. Her mouth fell open.
“This was the only room they had,” Hunter announced appearing from behind her. “It just so happens to only have one bed.”
Chapter Fourteen
“What do you mean there was only one room?” Abbie spun around toward Hunter. “Wait, fuck there being one room, what in the hell did you just say? One bed! One. Freaking. Bed?”
Hunter shrugged as he walked past her taking his bag to the bed. “That’s what I said.”
“Oh, no, no, no. Over my freaking dead body.” Abbie snatched her bag that she’d dropped and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To get another room. What does it look like dumb-dumb?”
Hunter ran after her. “There aren’t any.”
“Pshh, it’s a hotel. They always say that shit.” As she reached for the handle of the door Abbie found herself flying through the air before landing on the bed.
“Not this time,” Hunter snapped. “Don’t forget we’re about thirty minutes until landfall.”
Abbie squeezed her eyes tight. Goddamn it! Damnit, straight to hell. She’d somehow forgotten about her impending death by hurricane.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Hunter crouched in front of her, his eyes hard. “Why do you have a tude?” she scoffed.
“Because you are trying my patience, Abbie.”
“Excuse me?” Her brows shot to the ceiling. “I’m trying your patience? I should get a gold medal for all the shit I’ve had to put up since you walked back into my life.”
“What patience? Abbie, I’ve lost track of the number of times you’ve tackled me to the ground.”
Abbie crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve deserved it every single time. And that says more about you than it does me. It’s not my fault you’re a weakling and my plump ass can take you down with ease.”
Hunter’s eyes darkened as his lips thinned.
Oh shit.
He stood pulling away from her. “Whatever. Go down there if you want, Abbie. I’m done with this. I wasn’t lying. We’re about to be hit by a Category One Hurricane, if not Category Two. I’m surprised they even had a room at all. If they didn’t, we’d be out there.” He opened the curtain in the room to prove his point.
When Abbie saw the trees bend in the wind along with the copious amount of rain, she swallowed.
“Beggars can’t be choosers.” Hunter scowled at her.
The gravity of the situation hit. This wasn’t some joke Hunter was playing on her like he did when they were younger. No, this was serious and dangerous. “Do you think we’re going to be okay?” her voice sounded small, even to her.
Hunter walked over to the bed to crouched in front of her. “I think so. We’re in a solid structure. They have running water we can fill up the tub and sinks. We’re safer in here than we are out there.” He hitched his thumb behind him pointing to the window. “And I promise you this, Abigail Collins, I will protect you with my life, nothing will ever hurt you. Do you understand?”
She stared at him for a few seconds before she nodded. How could she not? Hunter’s words pierced through every wall she’d ever built.
Abigail Collins…
As long as she’d known Hunter, he’d never used her full name.
The wind started to howl causing Abbie to shut her eyes tightly. It was all too much.
When Hunter squeezed her thigh, Abbie peeked through one eye only to see him stand and walk over to the bag he’d gotten from the gas station.
With his back turned, she studied him. She couldn’t stop herself.
His muscles rippled under his business shirt. Since he’d pulled the sleeves up, she was able to take in the tan of his arms. She’d never admired arms before, but on Hunter they were hot.
He had thick, strong, arms. Forearms that had carried her multiple times now. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit it left her in awe whenever he effortlessly moved her.
Then there were Hunter’s hands.
The same hands that had pinned her arms above her head causing a rush through her body each time. No matter how hard she tried to deny it.
Her eyes fell closed as she pictured Hunter pinning her hands above her as he kissed along her neck and down her body.
What the hell?
Her eyes shot open. She shook her head trying to get rid of the images, but it was no use. As her eyes honed back in on Hunter’s arms, she decided it was time to jump off the nearest cliff.
Hunter turned slightly giving her the most delicious view of his backside.
Was she drooling? Abbie could swear she was drooling.
No. Bad, Abbie. Bad! This is Hunter James. Stop it. It’s just been too long since you’ve had some bow-chicka-wow-wow. Calm your crazed lady bits, you lunatic. This is Hunter James for the love of all things!
Yes, Hunter James… the same Hunter James that was now bent over going through his suitcase.
Her nipples pebbled.
Abbie looked down snapping her attention from his ass. That’s when she saw those two traitorous devils poking out through her wet shirt. Oh, for fuck’s sake.
She jumped to her feet and headed toward the bathroom. Once she threw some cold water on her face, she’d be fine.
Absolutely fine.
Hunter turned back to the bed when he heard the bathroom door shut. He let out a deep breath as his hand rubbed his eyes.
The situation they were in had fully set in. He put aside the fact they were about to be in a hurricane, but seeing the look in Abbie’s eyes nearly unmanned him.
Being this close to her and not being able to comfort her the way he wanted was killing him.
Walking back to the bed, he kicked off his shoes before removing his tie. This was going to be a test of his strength.
Hunter’s eyes moved to the bathroom. On the other side of that door was the woman that made his dick stand at attention the second she sassed him. The woman that he spent years cursing until he realized there was no use fighting it.
On the other side of that door, stood the only woman that would ever make him feel whole.
The front desk had offered him a pull-out bed, but he declined. There was absolutely no way in hell he was going to miss the opportunity to sleep with Abbie in his arms.
To feel her curves next to his body.
To finally know what it’s like to have her in his arms.
Holy shit, he sounded like a loser even to himself.
Shaking his head, he grabbed the bag of peanuts he’d taken from the bag and tossed some of them in his mouth.
Fuck, he needed a chill pill.
The wind picked up outside causing him to look out the window. As he focused on the trees, the kiss he shared with Abbie all those years ago came rushing back.
The rain started pelting the window causing a wave of concern to wash over him. This wasn’t his first hurricane, but this one looked bad.
Add in the fact he was now locked away alone with Abbie had his heart seconds from exploding. “Fuck!”
He tossed the peanuts on the nightstand just as the bathroom door open.
“Excuse me?”
Hunter snapped his head to her as his breath caught in his throat the moment he saw her.
Holy shit.
Abbie was absolutely breathtaking. She had wiped away all the makeup she had on, and tossed her hair into a messy bun.
With her shirt still wet from the crazy moment she had downstairs he was able to take in her curves. The curves that haunted him since her little stunt from the first day in the conference room.
That purple polka-dotted bra had starred in all his fantasies since. That’s why it was one of the first things he packed.
Hunter bit the inside of his cheek as his dick took notice.
He wanted her.
He wanted her bad.
Hunter’s breath deepened the moment Abbie took a step toward him.
“Did you just curse at me?” She crossed her arms under her chest ready for a fight.
Hunter smiled at her ready to attack him stance. “No, I did not curse at you.”
She sent him a glare. “Really? because it sounded like you did, bub.”
Hunter’s eyes shined, if Abbie wanted to fight, he was ready. However, this time there wasn’t going to be any backing down. “While you were in the bathroom did you forget to take your angry pills?”
Abbie’s eyes hardened as her breath came in short pants.
Maybe it was wrong of him, maybe he knew he shouldn’t have done it, but he didn’t give a shit. His lips formed into the smirk he knew would get her exactly where he wanted her.
In a split-second, Hunter was off the bed; his arms open ready for her lunge.
He was done playing this game.
The moment she was in his embrace, he wrapped her legs around his waist and pinned her against the nearest wall. He watched her face as she blinked a few times trying to register what he’d done.
“Abbie…” The air in the room thickened. This was it, he wasn’t pulling back now. “Kiss me.”
Her mouth fell open as she stopped fighting against his body. “What?”
