Rumors: Brianna & Hunter

by Rachael Brownell

  "Seriously? She goes through men like I go through socks. I don't want that for him."

  "Well, that's what Megan and I were talking about earlier. We saw them staring at each other. Ally definitely looked interested, and we were planning on finding a way to keep them apart. I'm not saying she's a bad person, because she's not, but she does have a reputation for going through men quickly."

  Hunter squints his eyes, a clear sign that he's thinking something over. He has an idea, a good one, but he's rolling it around in his head before he shares it with me. It needs to be flawless. Perfect. There can't be any holes. That's how he operates when it comes to any problems at work or in general.

  "Spill it," I finally say after a few minutes of silence. I need to change and fix my hair before we leave, and I can hear the time ticking by.

  "What if we split up tonight? You and the girls go on the island tour and the guys and I will find something to do here. We can meet up after. That way we keep them apart tonight and don't have to worry about them."

  "I don't think anyone will have a problem with that."

  "Okay, get ready to go, then. I'm going to pop over to Ryder's room and talk to him real quick. I'll meet you in the lobby in twenty minutes. Sound good?"

  Hunter leaves, and I slip into a new dress, freshen up my makeup and hair quickly, and head over to Megan's room. I need to fill her in on the plans we made. Hopefully she won't be disappointed about spending the night with just the girls.

  Knocking on her door, I hear laughter coming from inside the room. When she opens it, I realize why. Justine and Ally are perched on her bed, a glass of wine in each of their hands.

  "Hey! We were just going to come and get you," she says, motioning for me to come in the room. "We're ditching the guys tonight. Justine heard about this cute bar in town, and we're thinking about going there instead of the boat tour if that's okay with you."

  Great minds think alike, I guess.

  Justine tells me all about this bar she heard about, and once Emerson and Angela show up, we decide to ditch the guys. I send Hunter a text letting him know we're staying in town and make a plan to meet back up with him here, at the bar, around midnight.

  Margoret and Herman are staying in, not wanting to bar hop with the young kids. Cammie refused to join us tonight since she doesn't know us. Fine by me. She's reminding me more and more of Zane's ex from college.

  The hotel shuttle is waiting for us when we make it down to the lobby. I look around for the guys, but they must be gone already. Hunter texted me that they were going to walk around and look for a place. Justine gives the driver the name of the bar and we're off.

  It's not until we walk into the bar that I see exactly how much our plan has backfired on us. Megan and I share a knowing look when a smirk crosses Ally's face.

  All the guys are seated at a table in the corner. Coincidentally, the only person missing is Chris.

  "Where did you hear about this place again?" I ask Justine as she waves at Devon.

  "Ally was telling me about it earlier today."

  When I turn to ask Ally where she heard about it, I find her walking away. Straight toward the guys with her eyes narrowed in on her prey. He's watching her as she approaches, a look of approval on his face.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The 'cute' bar Justine heard about from Ally is a small tavern located just off the main strip. There's nothing special about it. It reminds me of the local places back home.

  A little run down. Lots of characters. Beat up table and chairs. Cheap booze.

  In a word, it's perfect, but at the same time, this was a clear setup. At some point today, Ally and Zane planned this. There's no doubt in my mind. The two of them must have known we'd try and split up tonight, and instead of fighting it, they made plans of their own.

  Although they're trying really hard not to make it obvious.

  Ally is sitting at one end of the table, next to Megan and Justine, while Zane is at the opposite end with Tyler and Hunter. They're not paying attention to each other at all. Not a single glance since just after we walked in. It makes me wonder if this is part of their plan, as well, or if I'm reading too much into this situation.

  Coincidences do happen. There are probably only so many bars to choose from.

  Although if we had stuck to the original plan Hunter and I made, if I hadn't fallen into the trap Ally carefully set using Justine as a pawn, we'd be on a different island right now. Far from where the guys are.

  "I'm torn," I whisper to Emerson. "Do you think she made this happen?"

  "If I've learned anything since meeting Ally, nothing happens by chance when it comes to her. She's always in control. Think about Chris right now. He's probably back at the room, flipping channels, looking for porn to occupy himself for a bit. She made that happen. She probably warned him about being in a group with all the guys and how awkward it would be."

  "And Cammie too," I point out as Emerson leans closer. "I wonder what Zane said to her to get her to stay behind. That girl likes her wine. She had to assume we'd be drinking tonight. Awkward or not, I doubt she's the kind of girl that passes up the chance to go out and drink."

  Emerson pulls her back slightly so she can look directly at me. "What do you know that I don't?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "You have her pegged already. How?"

  "It's his type, that's all. He dated a girl similar to her in college. The only difference I see is that he's not attached to her. At all. He barely looks in her direction. She's a fill-in for someone. Maybe the ex, maybe someone else. She hurt him, that's all I know. He's not the same person he was before he dated her. Not in a bad way, just different. More confident, sure of himself. Mentally and physically."

  "Interesting," Emerson draws out the word, but before I can inquire why, Angela butts into our conversation.

  "They shared a look. Watch them. I have a feeling they're both going to get up from the table at some point," she says, her eyes darting between Ally and Zane.

  "I feel like we're spying on them. Like we're on a secret mission," I joke.

  Emerson and Angela snicker at the idea, but both agree with my comment. The conversation turns silly after that. We contemplate ways to spy on the other members of our group without them noticing. We're in a fit of giggles by the time we realize that Ally has left the table, Megan and Justine unaware of her absence as Vinnie and Devon spin them around the makeshift dance floor.

  "She's gone," Angela whispers loudly, drawing our attention to Ally's empty chair.

  In unison, our heads whip in the direction of Zane's chair to find it empty as well.

  "Now what?" Emerson asks.

  I shouldn't be worrying about this. I'm supposed to be on vacation. I'm getting married tomorrow. Ally should respect that and keep her pants on. Zane too. I'm not sure who I'm more upset with right now.

  "Hunter," I yell over the music. His head whips in my direction with a look of confusion on his face. I nod toward Zane's empty chair, and when he puts the pieces together, he shakes his head and stands.

  "Let Hunter take care of it. He'll put Zane in his place."

  Angela and Emerson are doubtful but can't come up with a better idea, so when Tyler and Ryder pull them out of their chairs to dance, they go willingly. I notice both of them watching the hall to the bathrooms closely. I am as well. That's the way Hunter headed, and he hasn't returned yet.

  Zane's the first to return to the table followed by Hunter. They're deep in conversation as they take their seats. Ally's shows her face ten minutes later looking a little flush but still presentable.

  Sliding out of my seat, I make my way around the table to where my husband is now laughing. Tapping him on the shoulder, I nod toward the dance floor, and he obliges, taking my hand and spinning me until we're side-by-side with Emerson and Ryder.

  "So…" I say, letting my voice trail off.

  "Don't worry about it. It was nothing," he replies dismissively.

  "N
othing? I doubt that very much."

  "It could have been more if you hadn't noticed they were gone. Let's just say they know to stay away from each other for the rest of the trip."

  "So you did catch them doing something?"

  "I may have, but the bro code says that I can't talk about it. If you want to know, you'll have to ask Ally, and trust me, it's not that good of a story."

  "The bro code trumps marriage vows?" I tease, pressing up on my tiptoes and kissing him gently on the lips.

  "Marriage vows trump everything, but not this. This is different. It'd be like you telling me something private about Megan or one of the girls. You guys have secrets between each other. There are some things that don't need to be shared."

  Biting my bottom lip, I look over Hunter's shoulder at Megan. The one person I've kept secrets for. Even though those secrets cost her her marriage and reputation. I knew her truth but she didn't want me to share it, with anyone, even if it meant clearing her name.

  Those same secrets kept us apart for almost a year. A year that I spent dealing with so many things that I needed her for. Her support. Her wisdom. Her friendship.

  So, yeah. I get this. I get Hunter wanting to keep what he found to himself. As long as Ally and Zane stay away from each other, there's no need for me to know what happened. That's all I care about.

  "Are you ready for tomorrow?" Hunter asks, nibbling on my earlobe.

  "I'm ready for tonight if that's what you're really asking," I purr. He knows exactly what he's doing, and he's doing it on purpose.

  "I say, let’s ditch everyone and go back to the room. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, and you need your beauty sleep."

  "Beauty sleep? I have a feeling sleep is the last thing on your mind right now." Pressing my body against his, Hunter groans before pulling me closer and capturing my lips.

  "Get a room!" Tyler hollers, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

  "Sounds like a good idea to me," Hunter says, taking my hand and pulling me toward the door. Stopping short, he turns and points at each of the guys, leaving his finger pointing at Zane. "See you tomorrow. Don't be late."

  His brothers pretend to be scared of his words, raising their hands in the air and shaking them. Zane is taking him seriously, nodding slightly and maintaining eye contact with Hunter.

  Whatever he said to them, it worked. Ally is avoiding looking in his direction, and Zane is obviously choosing his friend over a quick fling.

  Now, to take my husband back to our suite, make love to him, and fall asleep in his arms. I can think of nothing else in this world that would make me happier right now.

  Hunter and I are lying awake in bed, cuddled in each other’s arms, when we hear laughter in the hallway. Ryder and Emerson's room is across the way from us, and Angela and Tyler are next door. I have a feeling it's the four of them making all the noise.

  My suspicions are confirmed when I hear Angela laugh loudly followed by a snort. She only snorts when she's drunk, and it generally makes her laugh even louder, but I can hear a male voice hushing her. Probably Tyler.

  One door closes followed by a second. At least we know everyone made it back to the resort safely.

  Hunter and I took the shuttle. It was waiting for us outside the bar. When we got back, the driver came inside and tossed the keys on the counter. I assumed he was done for the night, but maybe he went back and picked up the rest of our group.

  At least, I hope so. I hope they didn't have to walk back. It's not that far away but far enough that they could get lost or hurt. That's the last thing I want to happen.

  "Do you really think Zane and Ally will listen to you?" I ask Hunter, rolling my body toward him and draping one leg over his.

  "I think so. The point is not to keep them apart, Bri. If we tried to do that, they'd want to run straight into each other’s arms. The point of talking to them was to make sure they didn't ruin our wedding. What they do after tomorrow night, I don't care. Let them get together and kill each other. They can learn the hard way. All I care about is making sure your day tomorrow is everything you want it to be."

  "How did I get so lucky?"

  "You drew the short stick, babe."

  "From where I'm sitting," I start, my hand slowly making its way south, "your stick is far from short."

  "I wasn't talking about that. You could have had any guy you wanted, and you chose me. I'm the lucky one."

  Hunter is obviously delusional. I didn't have my pick of the litter. Still, if I had, I would have picked him. He was different than any other guy I knew back then. He was real. He didn't play games, and when it came down to wanting to spend time with someone, I knew I wanted to spend more time with him the moment we met.

  "I guess we're both lucky, then. We not only chose each other but we get to marry each other all over again in a few hours."

  Rolling me on my back, Hunter kisses me gently on my lips before traveling down my neck to the center of my breasts. I love the way he worships my body. My broken, childless body. The body that can't give him the one thing he wants most in this world.

  But I can't think about that right now. I won't. The darkness needs to be kept at bay until we get home. Nothing is going to ruin this day. This moment.

  "Get out of your head, Bri," Hunter demands when I stop responding to his touch.

  "I can't help it. You treat me like a princess, and I don't deserve it."

  Pushing his body off mine, Hunter stares down at me. There’s a sliver of moonlight coming in from the blinds, shining directly on his face. I can see the concern in his stare mixed with the heat of desire.

  "Of course you do. You’re my queen. I live for you. Everything I do is for you. Give me one reason I shouldn't treat you like a priceless work of art because from what I see, priceless is a cheap word."

  "I believe you just called me cheap, Mr. Dixon," I tease, wanting us to get back to the playful banter we've been holding most of the night.

  "I called you priceless, actually. But if you want to start calling me Mr. Dixon, I guess I'll have to show you exactly how much I worship you." His fingertips graze my stomach, his touch so gentle is causes me to shiver, as he moves to take my left breast in his hand. "And I think I'll start right here. Any problem with that, Mrs. Dixon?"

  "Ooh, I like the sound of that."

  "Mrs. Dixon," he says again, slowly this time, drawing out each word.

  "Say it again," I demand, pushing my chest against his hand.

  "You keep getting mouthy with me and this is going to be over before we get started," he retorts, flipping over and taking me with him. "Now, since you're on top, I think you should decide how this plays out."

  A slow grin spreads across my face as I describe exactly how things are going to go. I can feel Hunter's excitement at my words as I rock against him a few times before finally giving him what he wants.

  Me.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Wedding day.

  Megan kicked Hunter out of our room at an early hour this morning, despite my protests. We're already married. There was no need for following tradition. He can see me in my non-wedding dress before the ceremony. Hell, we spent last night together.

  That's definitely against normal traditions.

  Still, Megan persisted until she got her way. Hunter gathered his things quickly, probably to get away from her nagging. If I were him, I would have too. Yet there was still a smile on his face. One that was only for me. He'd sneak a glance in my direction every so often, wiggle his eyebrows, and then return his focus to the task at hand.

  "Okay, I think I have everything," he announced to please Megan.

  "Good," she started, walking over and opening the door for him to leave. "Now, get out. You can't see her again until the ceremony."

  Hunter hung his head and started for the door before stopping suddenly, dropping his bags, then running and leaping onto the bed with me. He smothered me in kisses, loudly. I couldn't stop giggling at his childish actions.
I love it when his playful side comes out.

  I barely heard Megan hollering at him to leave over my laughter.

  "I love you, Brianna Nicole Dixon, and I can't wait to marry you again this afternoon," he whispered as he planted one long, gentle kiss on my lips.

  Then he's gone. Megan's grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him away, scolding him like a child. It was kind of funny, but I held in my laughter.

  "Finally," Megan states, as she walks back in, letting out an exasperated breath.

  "What's the rush? The ceremony doesn't start for hours. I have plenty of time to get ready."

  "No, you don't. The lady doing your hair and makeup will be here in thirty minutes. You need to get in the shower. Where's your dress? I want to make sure it's not wrinkled. And your shoes? What shoes are you wearing? I hope—"

  "Megan," I say loudly, interrupting her rant. "I appreciate all of this, but I don't need someone to do my hair or makeup. I had the huge, fancy shindig the first time around. We're renewing our vows, that's all. The point of coming down here was to keep things low-key. Basic."

  "Basic, my ass. You want basic, you should have picked a different maid of honor. You will look stunning today. Hunter's jaw will drop when he sees you. Hell, every man's will. It's your wedding day, B. I don't care that you're already married."

  Arguing with her will get me nowhere. It definitely won't get me in the shower any sooner, so I give in, pull myself out of bed, and close the bathroom door behind me.

  "Emerson's coming down soon to talk to you," Megan calls as soon as I start the shower.

  Opening the door a crack, I watch as Megan studies my dress for any wrinkles, twisting it back and forth on the hanger. Her inspection is detailed. She runs her fingers down a few creases, determining whether or not she needs to steam my cotton gown. I want to tell her to find a dryer and let it fluff, but I hold my tongue.

  "What does Emerson want?"

  "Something about the ceremony. I don't know. She sent me a text."