He grinned over the top of her head at Avery.
I never realized you were such a gentleman, she sent the thought quietly into his mind.
I told you, sweetheart, there’s plenty you don’t know about me.
This time when he lowered himself into the chair next to hers, he reached out and used the arm of her chair to pull her closer. She made a small squeak of alarm that brought a smile to his lips.
“What did I miss?” Valencia asked as Hunter put his arm across the back of Avery’s chair. She sat stock still for three heartbeats; then she relaxed back into the shelter of his arm.
“Izzy and Shade have decided to get married on the island,” Ceara said.
“Wonderful. Have you picked out a dress?”
Izzy nodded.
Hunter sat back and listened to the discussion on the virtues of short versus long, straps and strapless. He figured that as long as he didn’t show up naked, he was doing good.
The waitress brought their drinks and took Valencia’s order. Avery hadn’t said much but he could tell by the way she looked at everyone while they were talking that she was paying attention. And yet there was a sadness about her, a subtle droop to her shoulders. He’d studied her for so long, watched all her expressions. There was something bothering her but he had no idea what.
The waitress brought the massive platters of wings and he thought he heard Avery sigh.
What’s wrong?
She glanced at him as he reached for the white dinner plate Maxim passed his way. This position gave him a good look at her face, the flurry of emotions in her eyes.
I miss food.
I bet.
She took a deep breath, obviously relishing the scent of the spicy, tangy wing sauce.
“Good sauce,” Shade announced.
“Mmm hmm,” Maxim agreed, a droplet of deep-orange on his lower lip. Ceara reached over and gathered it with her thumb. Maxim’s eyes never left his mate as he licked her skin clean.
Avery watched the interaction and Hunter saw the thinly veiled desire in her eyes, the tight set of her mouth, her shallow breathing. She certainly wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted everyone to believe. There was a fire burning deep inside her. He’d felt the lick of those flames once before. Had been longing to feel their warmth ever since. He just had to get her to admit it. Admit that he wasn’t just some guy she’d hooked up with once. That he wasn’t some guy she could just use for sex.
Since he couldn’t have what he really wanted, he dug into the wings.
“So how do you know Pearl?” Avery asked, cupping her goblet in both hands.
Though she sat back in her chair and looked relaxed, he could feel the slightest tension in her body. A lot weighed on his answer and he took it as a good sign that she was curious.
He wiped his mouth with a napkin and angled toward her.
“I—”
“He saved my life,” Pearl’s voice carried across the table.
They glanced up to see Pearl watching them, a serene look on her face.
“Mind if I join you?” she asked with a smile.
“Please,” Avery said, waving her hand toward the chair at the end of the table. As Hunter helped Pearl into the chair, Avery put her goblet down and leaned an elbow against the table. “Now this is a story I have to hear.”
“I tell it best,” Pearl said, grinning up at him.
Oh boy. Here it comes. She was going to make him out to be some hero.
“Hunter’s too modest, you know,” Pearl continued. “So there I was, in the South of France, driving along the coast. It was a gorgeous day and my hair was blowing in the breeze.”
She grinned and fluffed her curls. The rest of the table was enthralled. “I came around a corner and there was a truck across the road. I stepped on the brake and swerved to the side. The car behind me couldn’t stop…you know how it is when you’re driving a fancy smancy sports car. He crashed into the back of me and sent me straight over the cliff. It was only about fifteen meters or so, but the car rolled. I was hurt pretty badly. Hunter was coming along from the other direction, stopped, obviously because of the truck across the road. But he climbed down the cliff and pulled me out of the car just before it fell into the water.”
Everyone around the table was silent, their jaws agape.
“I was in the right place at the right time,” Hunter assured them.
“Oh, it was more than that.” Pearl offered everyone at the table a knowing smile. “I’m Pearl, by the way. Avery’s teaching me yoga.” Her light blue eyes lit up, much the same way Avery’s did when she was excited about whatever she was saying.
“Sorry,” Hunter said and quickly introduced her to everyone.
“Did you finalize your slumber party plans?” Pearl directed the question to Avery.
“Slumber party?” He’d heard of them during his time in the states but he’d thought they were for children. Not that he would mind a slumber party with a certain beautiful vampiress.
“Yeah.” She turned toward the other end of the table. “I was talking to Pearl about it this morning. You guys have to come. I’m thinking day after tomorrow. V’s even promised to come.”
She shot Valencia a look, as if she dared the other woman to back out. He loved her sass. And the excitement in her voice. He realized then what had attracted him to her. It wasn’t just her smile, her laugh or the way she looked in a skimpy, red bikini. She had that rare personality that drew people in. She was inclusive, effervescent and was quick to spearhead a plan.
Like right now. The guys sat back and enjoyed their wings as the girls made plans. Laughing, Avery got them into the mood with anecdotes and wistful stories from her childhood and her thoughts of how a proper slumber party should go. Drinks, magazines, nail polish and movies were evidently on tap.
“I guess we’ll have to fend for ourselves,” Maxim said to Shade.
“Oh, I’m sure Hunter will keep you guys entertained.” Avery turned to him, her eyes hopeful. “Won’t you?”
Did she realize she was asking for his help? Turning to him, relying on him? Damn that felt good. Almost like they were a couple.
What do I get out of it?
You are such a negotiator. What do you want? She cocked her head as she sent the silent message his way.
Instead of saying what he really wanted he settled for something that wouldn’t send her running.
Another we’re-just-friends-breaking-the-rules kiss.
It took her all of a second to consider his proposal. She nodded.
“Of course, I will,” he said aloud, not breaking the connection with her. “We’ll make a day of it.”
The smile that lit her face was nothing short of miraculous. His chest tightened, full of hope and love, and he felt ten feet tall.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Early the next morning, Avery gave up on a sound sleep. The sun was due up in a few hours. She grabbed a magazine and strode out onto the deck, too keyed up. Fifteen pages later she couldn't remember what she'd read or any of the pictures she'd seen.
Frustrated, she tossed the magazine onto the small side table and stared out at the ocean. It wasn't like her to be restless. But she couldn’t get Hunter’s words out of her mind. Even now they played in her head like a broken record.
Another we’re just friends breaking the rules kiss.
If that was the case, why had he walked her home, pecked her on the cheek and left? She couldn’t figure out his hot then cold demeanor. Especially since she’d made her feelings clear. She wanted him…naked, hard, ready to throw her on the bed and drive her wild with pleasure.
But here she was, alone, fully clothed, aching with unfulfilled desire. So frustrated that she felt a headache coming on.
She’d just go for a long run. Problem solved.
She blew out a sigh and leapt to her feet.
Avery'd just passed the main hotel when she heard someone call her name. Turning around, she jogged backwards. Not a good idea in the sq
uishy sand. She slowed to a walk and scanned the two dozen people on the beach.
Hunter trotted out of the shadows. “Didn't you already put in a workout yesterday evening?” he asked, those sexy lips pulled upward on one side.
“I did.”
“And you're still going for a run?”
So much for getting away from her demons. But gracious, what a handsome demon he was.
She was still walking backwards and he was still following her. Could she hope he’d come to his senses? That he was ready to get naked?
“Jogging isn't exercise. At least not to me.” Knowing if she stopped or continued the conversation she'd want to stop and get lost in it, in him, she turned and took off again. But this time, she had a partner.
He was silent as they turned the far end of the island. The ocean crashed at their feet but they stayed just out of reach. It'd been a long time since she'd had a running partner. Hearing his steady footfalls next to her in the sand made her miss it. There was something nice about sharing the experience, the wind in your hair, the agony of training.
“You're in good shape,” she said when they were on the back beach. Not that she'd expected anything less. But not many people could keep pace with her. Coco enjoyed more violent forms of exercise, thanks to years as a warrior. Kick boxing didn't do it for Avery, but she'd dutifully taken a few of Coco's self-defense classes. Ceara hardly exercised at all. Izzy did yoga upon occasion. Valencia was a pacer. If that was ever put in as an Olympic sport, she would win gold.
“You sound surprised.”
His deep voice washed through and over her. Would there ever come a time when she didn't have such a physical reaction to the sound? Since she'd been turned thirty plus years ago, she'd had her share of one night stands. And she'd never met a man who affected her as much as the one running along beside her now.
She slowed to a walk. “You’ve surprised me pretty much nonstop since I met you.”
“You tired? I figured you’d go the whole way.”
“No.”
She stopped and turned back to him. “Why are you really taking yoga?” More importantly, why did she feel like her life hinged upon his answer? Would he admit to wanting to be near her? Would he admit it was all part of a strategy to woo her?
He gave a short laugh and glanced out at the ocean. “I should think it’s obvious.”
“Hunter—”
“Women in tight shorts and sports bras…” He crossed his arms over his chest, drawing her attention to the bulging muscles beneath perfectly tanned skin. The smirk on his lips almost brought her to her knees. “What’s not to love?”
“So you’d be in the class even if I weren’t teaching?”
“I like yoga, Avery. It clears my head and keeps me strong. But if you don’t want me to come to the next class, I won’t.”
Did he have to be so damn perfect? A man who willingly participated in a “girly” sport and admitted it freely? Plus he’d hit her reasons for liking yoga like a hammer to a nail. Well, not the women in tight shorts and sports bras…
But now she was more confused than ever. And still as desperate for him as before.
She licked her lips, staring up at him. That was ultimately her problem with him. The fact that he’d offered to drop the class to make her more comfortable. Perfection like that didn’t last. Nothing lasted.
Except, evidently, the desire he caused. There was a delicious quiver in her stomach that she recognized as anticipation. Indeed her body was softening, preparing for him. She swayed forward slightly and caught herself. She’d laid it all on the line. Heck, she’d kissed him. She wasn’t going to make the first move again only to be shot down or side stepped. Lifting her chin, she tried to rein herself back. But it was a losing battle.
He was so handsome, standing there watching her, waiting for her. Could he smell her arousal? Did he have any idea how wet she was? How much she needed to feel his hands on her skin?
Summoning a strength she didn’t know she possessed, she turned away and her abdomen clenched.
“Why do you keep denying what’s between us?” he asked, his voice rough.
She closed her eyes, pain shooting through her. The quiet agony in his voice tore through her.
Tell him, Valencia’s voice echoed through her mind.
She felt, rather than heard, him step closer. It was a sixth sense. She always seemed to know when he was near, when he was watching her.
“Why do you keep playing hot and cold?” she asked.
“Avery—”
The pleading broke her. Hunter was not a man who begged for anything and he shouldn’t have to humble himself for her.
“His name was Robert,” she whispered, knowing he could hear her perfectly. She licked her lips and tried to figure out how to tell him about the man who’d stolen everything from her.
Fifty yards up the beach was a grouping of lounge chairs. Suddenly she felt like she needed the support if she was going to get through this.
Glancing back, she held out her hand to him and he took it quickly. As if he knew exactly what she wanted, he led her to the chairs. With his back to the sea, he straddled the extra long seat. She sat cross legged, facing him, trying to figure out how to begin.
Her hesitation gave him a chance to speak his mind.
“Are you still in love with him?” he asked softly. He seemed braced for her answer.
“Not if he was the last man on earth.” She ground her jaws together and looked over his broad shoulder to the waves beyond. “But I did love him once. We were engaged, planning our wedding. I was a happy bride, looking forward to all our plans, our future.”
“Did he cheat on you?”
Avery met Hunter’s unwavering gaze. The curiosity and concern in his eyes was unmistakable.
“It probably wouldn’t have hurt so much if he had been cheating on me.” She gave a rueful little laugh. It was a question, a thought she’d posed herself many times. Infidelity wasn’t to be taken lightly but somehow she thought she would have felt less…shattered if he’d simply been sleeping with someone else.
She took a deep breath and pressed on with the story. “I wasn’t feeling well so I went to the doctor and during the pre-” She blew out a sigh, collecting herself before she continued. Emotions she hadn’t felt in ages came roaring back and her eyes watered.
“Preliminary tests showed that I was pregnant. God…” She looked up at the star filled sky, blinking back tears as that day rushed back to her. The smallest details, what she’d been wearing, the Doctor’s surprised expression, the overwhelming sense of happiness, they were all as fresh as they’d been three decades before.
“I was so happy. I wanted a family. I was ready for a family. Back then, thirty seemed late to have kids. Our wedding was two weeks away and the whole way home I kept thinking about how lucky I was. How I had everything I’d ever wanted.”
It’d been such a lie. A lie she’d told herself, a lie she’d lived. She blinked back the tears pooling in her eyes.
“That night, I couldn’t wait to tell him. In my excitement I couldn’t think of any fun way of sharing the news so I just sat him down on the couch. When I told him, he pulled away—”
Hunter covered her hands with his. She closed her eyes, soaking in the warm reassurance. Where Robert had pulled away from her, Hunter reached out. The gesture cemented what she already knew deep down; Hunter was head and shoulders above the rest, above the Roberts of the world.
She didn’t try to stop the tears from falling. Not this time. As she cried, his touch soothed her, reminded her that many years had passed. She wasn’t the same person and she didn’t need to feel the pain the way she had all those years ago. She was stronger than that.
“He asked whose baby it was. As if I’d cheated on him. As if I’d slept with someone else. He was serious and I couldn’t do anything but stare at him, jaw dropped. When I didn’t say anything, couldn’t find my voice to correct him, he got up and started pacing. I just
watched him mutter and curse to himself and it was like I was seeing him for the first time. Finally I pulled myself together and told him the baby was his. I’ll never forget the way he looked at me, disbelieving and then walked out the door. I was…devastated.”
She sounded bitter and she knew it. She didn’t care. She was pretty sure she’d earned her right to be bitter. Hunter squeezed her hands and she met his gaze again.
“He came back three days later telling me how much he loved me and how sorry he was. I believed him when he was ready to get married and start our life together. He told me he knew the baby was his and he’d just been shocked. I forgave him. I trusted him. But two days before the wedding the doctor called me with the results of the rest of my tests.”
She worried her lower lip and stared out at the ocean again, her mind replaying the conversation as if it were yesterday. “She told me -- I had --cancer. That she was sorry. She fit us in for an early morning appointment the next day, the day before my wedding. I had cancer and the outlook was grim. I remember being so shattered I just couldn’t cry. Between Robert’s accusations and the cancer…I was completely numb the whole way home. We decided not to tell anyone else. Not until after the wedding.”
She stared into Hunter’s eyes, amazed at how unwavering he was, how he didn’t pity her or interrupt her or even curse Robert’s name. But she could tell by the way he pursed his lips and held her hands tight that he was full of emotion right now. Just like she was. After another steadying breath, because this was actually the hardest part of her story, she continued.
“Robert never showed up.” Two tears dribbled down her cheeks. “I waited in that church, a fresh piece of me dying every minute until— until there were no pieces left. When I made it back to our apartment there was a note on the table. He said he couldn’t go through with it. That he could lose me then or six months from then. And he was choosing then. In that one moment he stole everything I’d believed in. Forever. Romance. Happily ever after. Even human decency. I mean, he couldn’t even tell me to my face. It never occurred to me that he wouldn’t be there until the end. But he was a coward and wrote me a letter. He let me stand in front of a church full of our friends and family and be publicly humiliated. What kind of a man does that?”
Pursued by a Werewolf (Mystic Isle, Book 4) Page 10
