Believe: The Complete Channie Series

by Charlotte Abel

  Hunter darted across the room and caught her just before her head would have smacked the tile floor. “Hey, you okay?”

  She nodded then burst into tears.

  Hunter carried her to the bed, bubbles and all, and laid her across the satiny bedspread. “Why are you crying? You didn’t hurt your back or pull anything? It’s not the baby, is it?”

  “No. I’m fine.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “We’re both fine. Except, I don’t want you to take a shower right now.”

  “But…you don’t like sweaty bodies.”

  “Please, just hold me.”

  Hunter scooted her over then laid down behind her and spooned her body against his. He kept a two inch buffer between his chest and her back so she wouldn’t feel the frantic beat of his heart. “Does that song bring up painful memories?”

  She nodded.

  “Are you still in love with Eric?”

  “No.” She took a deep breath then let it out with a shudder. “I meant to delete every song on that list. I just never got around to it.”

  “Want me to do it for you?”

  “No. I’ll do it later, after I go home. I don’t want to think about him anymore, okay?”

  “Sure.” Hunter didn’t want to think about him either, but he couldn’t help it. He lifted Kassie’s hair and kissed the nape of her neck. “Why don’t you dry off and put a robe on in case room service comes while I’m in the shower. We’ll start over after lunch.”

  “Will you dance for me again?”

  “Yeah, but it’s going to be horizontal dancing.”

  Kassie giggled dispelling the remaining tension between them. “Okay, toss me a robe and then go take a shower, but hurry.”

  Hunter smirked. “Afraid you’re gonna miss me?”

  “I don’t want to get out of this nice warm bed to answer the door when our food gets here.”

  After his shower, Hunter washed his boxer briefs in the sink then hung them next to his shirt, which was still damp. It wouldn’t take long to iron the shirt dry, but an iron would just melt his underwear. He might have to go to supper without them. Thankfully, he’d taken his jeans off before he started breakdancing, so they didn’t need to be washed. He could get away without wearing underwear, but not without wearing pants.

  Hunter dried off then wrapped himself up in the softest, fluffiest robe he’d ever seen. Kassie sat up when he came out of the bathroom. Her red-rimmed eyes meant she’d been crying while he was in the shower. He sat down beside her and pulled her head onto his shoulder. “Hey, now. This is supposed to be a happy time.”

  “It’s just these damn pregnancy hormones. They make me so emotional.”

  Someone rapped on the door three times. “Room Service.”

  Hunter grabbed his wallet and gave the man a ten dollar tip. Ten dollars seemed like an awful lot of money since Josh had already paid for the food. All the fella had to do was wheel the cart onto an elevator and then transfer the food to the table in their room, but that’s what Josh said to give him, so that’s what he did. “Hey, Kassie, what would you think about me applying for a job here as a food delivery man?”

  “Ugh.”

  Hunter pulled a chair out for Kassie then slid it under her as she sat down. “I know you don’t like me working at your school as a janitor. This seems like it would be a step up.”

  “Can we not talk about menial labor while we eat?”

  Hunter didn’t understand Kassie’s attitude about good, honest work. But he didn’t want to upset her again, so he let it go. He picked up a cracker decorated with little black balls and sniffed it. “Dang! What is this stuff?”

  “Caviar.”

  “Well, it smells like fish bait.”

  “I agree. Why did you order it?”

  “I let Josh pick out the food.” He’d let him pay for it, too, but he planned to pay him back as soon as he had enough money.

  Kassie laughed then blotted her mouth with a napkin. “It’s a joke. Josh doesn’t like it either.”

  Hunter didn’t like wasting food, so he held his nose and ate the caviar. He nearly gagged, but managed to swallow it. He grabbed a dark blue bottle labeled ‘sparkling spring water’ and took a big swig. The bubbles surprised him, making him cough. “This water’s fizzy.”

  “Yeah, it’s sparkling water.”

  “I saw that, but I assumed that meant it came from a sparkling, clean well.”

  “It came from a factory.”

  Hunter set the bottle back on the table. “I like root beer better.”

  “Me too. You want to me call room service and have them bring us some?”

  “No! I mean…I don’t want to be disturbed again.” He didn’t want to spend another ten bucks to have it delivered either. “If you really want a root beer I’ll get dressed and go see if I can find one of those dispenser machines.”

  “I’d rather have you.” Kassie gave him a smoldering look.

  “Now you’re talkin’.” Hunter picked up their plates and carried them to the bed.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Multi-tasking. Satisfying two appetites at the same time. Come here, woman.”

  Kassie grabbed their bottles of sparkling factory water and crawled onto the bed. “Lay down and close your eyes.”

  Hunter grinned and obeyed.

  “Open your mouth.”

  He smelled chocolate and strawberries before he tasted it. “Mmm…delicious. Why do I have to shut my eyes?”

  “It heightens your other senses.”

  “Then maybe I need to blindfold you after we’re done eating.”

  Kassie giggled but didn’t say anything.

  Hunter opened his eyes and sucked in a breath at the sight of Kassie leaning over him with a chocolate strawberry between her teeth. Her breasts full and heavy and so close. He ignored the strawberry.

  “Ow!” Kassie jerked away from him and smacked his chest. “That hurt!”

  “It did? I thought you liked it.” That shouldn’t have hurt.

  “They’re sore.” She grabbed her robe and covered her body.

  “Really?” A few of the women Hunter had been with back home liked to play rough so he knew exactly what it took to make his niblets sore. He was always gentle with Kassie, so she must have been playing rough with someone else. “Why are you sore?”

  “I’m pregnant. Duh.” She rolled her eyes.

  Hunter was relieved that Kassie had a good, believable excuse, but he hated it when she talked down to him. He’d had to quit school in the sixth grade when his daddy yanked him out of the classroom and shoved him into the woods to hunt. They both knew she was smarter than he was. She didn’t need to keep reminding him.

  “Come on, Hunter. Don’t pout.”

  “I’m not pouting.” He rolled onto his side and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t ever want to hurt you. Maybe we should just cuddle.”

  “Nooo….” She dragged the word out with a whine that rivaled the trips’. “I wanna have sex. Just, be careful with my boobs.”

  “Alright.” Hunter set the dishes on the floor next to the bed. He was tempted to take a bite out of the fancy sandwich while he was at it, but decided Kassie would prefer the taste of chocolate and strawberries on his lips instead of chicken salad. He rolled onto his back and laced his fingers behind his head.

  “What are you doing?” Kassie frowned, puckering the skin between her eyebrows. She was so damn cute when she did that.

  “I’m all yours. Do whatever you want.”

  “But, don’t you want on top?”

  “Not this time.” Hunter was pretty sure Kassie’s reluctance to take the lead in bed was just a lack of experience. She was plenty bossy everywhere else. The only other man she’d been with was Eric and it was obvious he didn’t know squat about pleasing any woman, much less Kassie. Hunter hadn’t known her very long, but it didn’t take a sexual genius to figure out she had a domineering personality. “I’m giving you all the control.”
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br />   Sure enough, her eyes lit up. She tightened the belt on her robe, then undid Hunter’s.

  He arched his back so she could yank it off.

  She wound the end of it around her hand, but didn’t say anything.

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. Maybe he should explain the purpose of a ‘safe word’ before this went too far. The robe’s belt was okay, but he’d worn a leather belt with his jeans. Hunter didn’t mind a little aggression in bed, but he wouldn’t put up with being whipped. As long as Kassie didn’t go for the leather, he’d keep his mouth shut.

  “What should I do with you?” Kassie used a sing-song voice and tapped her lips with her index finger. “I think I’ll start by just looking at you. Is that okay?”

  Hunter smirked at her. “What do you think?”

  “I think you’re an exhibitionist and you’re going to enjoy it just as much as I am.” She pushed the robe off his shoulders. “Sit up. And drop your hands.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Hunter knew the rules of the game but Kassie didn’t so he went ahead and grinned at her.

  She pushed his robe down to his waist. “Take your arms out.”

  “You like being in charge, don’t you?” He took his arms out of the sleeves then folded them across his chest.

  “Shut up.” She smiled when she said it, but there was no doubt she meant it. Her chest rose and fell faster with each breath. Her pulse throbbed at the base of her neck as a delicious strawberry pink flush cast a glow on her creamy skin. Seeing the obvious signs of her increasing desire heightened Hunter’s.

  “Now lay down.” She put her hands on his chest and pushed. But she did it gently, and stopped to adjust the pillows before his skull hit the headboard. She slid her hands over his pecs then ran her fingers over the ridges of his stomach muscles. “You are so ripped. I love your eight-pack abs.”

  “And I love you.” He’d told her that before and they said ‘love ya’ to each other on the phone instead of good bye. But this time, he felt his heart-of-hearts crack open. This time, he wasn’t just trying to get laid. This time, he really meant it.

  Kassie sighed and dropped her chin. “I know.”

  Hunter propped himself up on his elbows. “That’s all I get?”

  She unwrapped the robe from his lower body and smirked as she straddled him. “You get me. What more could any man want?”

  Hunter wasn’t in the mood for her lighthearted teasing. “I want all of you, Kassie. Not just your body. I want your heart.”

  “No more talking.”

  If she hadn’t already taken such good care of him, Hunter would have slipped out from under her and refused to be used until she admitted that she loved him, too. And not just the casual ‘love ya’ of telephone conversations or the ‘I’m so horny I’ll tell you anything if you’ll just give me what I want’ declaration. He needed her to admit that she was falling for him, too. He knew that most of what she felt was physical, but occasionally a spark of gold light would break through the purple haze of lust clouding her energy field.

  Hunter grabbed her hips and stilled her rocking. “Just say it.”

  “No.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and held her in place as he rolled her onto her back. “Tell me that you love me.”

  She squirmed beneath him, obviously trying to distract him. “I thought I was in control.”

  “Three little words. That’s all it takes and you can be in charge again.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “No.”

  Hunter moved to his knees then grabbed her wrists and lifted them over her head. He held both her hands with one of his and used the other to grip her chin. “Say it.”

  She licked her lips as she shook her head. “Kiss me.”

  Hunter smirked at her. “Not until you tell me that you love me.”

  Kassie wrapped her legs around Hunter’s waist and drove her heels into his butt as she lifted her hips.

  Hunter flexed his abs, refusing to give her what she wanted. “Why won’t you tell me?”

  Tears filled her eyes. “Why won’t you just make love to me?”

  “Ah, Kassie, I’m sorry.” He rolled them onto their sides and kissed the tears off her cheeks. “Don’t cry.”

  She pushed his shoulder, obviously trying to get him on his back.

  This time, he didn’t resist.

  Kassie dug her fingernails into his shoulders and arched her back. She closed her eyes, lost in ecstasy…and cried out Eric’s name.

  Hunter froze as Kassie collapsed on top of him. Her baby…Eric’s baby…kicked him. This time it was Hunter’s eyes that filled with tears. He blinked them away as anger replaced pain. “I don’t believe this.”

  “That was amazing.” Kassie turned her head to the side and kissed his cheek. “And I do love you. I just don’t like it when you force me to say it.”

  Did she even realize that she’d called him Eric? Maybe he was reading too much into it. Half the time his own parents called him Shep or Farmer instead of Hunter. “I love you so much, Kassie. Will you marry me?”

  She jumped out of bed as if it were on fire. “What!”

  Hunter hadn’t meant to blurt that out, but now that he had, he knew it was what he wanted. What he needed. He slid out of bed and dropped to one knee then took both her hands in his. “I ain’t got a ring yet, but I’ll save every penny I earn and buy you the biggest damn diamond I can afford.”

  She jerked her hands out of his and took two steps back. “No.”

  “What do you mean ‘no?’”

  “We’re too young to get married.”

  “If you’re old enough to get knocked up, you’re old enough to get married. And Eric obviously ain’t gonna step up and do the right thing.”

  “I don’t need a husband.” She narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together.

  “Yes, you do.” Hunter rose to his feet and kept his gaze locked on hers. “But more importantly, your baby needs a daddy.”

  “She does not. She has me.”

  “You want him to be a bastard?” Kassie kept insisting her baby was a girl, but Hunter had already scanned her and knew the little fella was a boy.

  “How dare you!”

  “If you don’t get married before he’s born, that’s what he’ll be.”

  “You narrow-minded, back-woods hillbilly!” Kassie raised her voice until she was yelling at him. “I’m a bastard. So is Josh. It hasn’t hurt either of us!”

  “Why are you being so stubborn? Who else is gonna marry you?”

  “Aunt Marge landed a filthy-rich attorney years after Josh was born.” Kassie shoved Hunter out of the way and grabbed one of the robes off the bed. “If I ever decide to get married, it won’t be to a janitor.”

  Hunter’s mouth dropped open as his heart shattered into a thousand pieces. He sat on the edge of the bed, stunned into silence. Kassie continued her rant, but he didn’t hear a word until she sat down beside him and took his hand.

  “I’m sorry, Hunter. I never meant to hurt you or lead you on. And I do love you, but love’s not enough. I have to think about my baby. I can’t afford to marry a man that won’t be able to support us.”

  “I make good money—”

  “No. You don’t. Not for this part of the country.”

  “We could move back to Arkansas.”

  “And do what? Raise chickens?” Kassie sighed and shook her head. “I’m not leaving Colorado.”

  “So, what you’re saying is that I ain’t good enough for you?”

  “I love hanging out with you. You’re funny and sweet with a gorgeous face and super-hot body. You’re incredibly good in bed. I don’t want to lose what we have. Let’s just pretend you never asked me to marry you and have a good time for as long as it lasts.”

  “I cain’t do that.”

  She dropped his hands and crossed her arms over her chest. “Most guys would kill to have a no-strings-attached relationship with sex anytime they wanted.”

  “I ain’t most guys.”
Hunter stood up. If he were lucky, he’d be able to catch a bus back to Louisville. If not, he’d walk. “I’m gonna go now.”

  “No. Don’t go. It’ll ruin Valentine’s Day.” Kassie reached out and grabbed his hand. “We still have dinner reservations. Josh and Channie are expecting us.”

  “I don’t think I can sit through a seven course meal and pretend that everything’s okay while those two make googley eyes at each other.”

  Hunter could pretend that he wasn’t devastated by the loss of his family. He could pretend that seeing Channie with Josh didn’t eat him up with jealousy. He could pretend he wasn’t horribly homesick. He could pretend that he wasn’t dying of loneliness in a world he didn’t understand. He could even pretend that marrying Kassie would make all of that disappear. What was one more lie?

  He felt like a frightened horse tangled in barbwire. No matter which way he turned, or how hard he kicked, it only made it worse. Everything he did to try to escape the pain only tightened the wires and dug the barbs in deeper. He was already bleeding. What was one more scar?

  “Alright, Kassie. If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do.”

  “Thank you, Hunter. You really are the nicest guy I’ve ever known.”

  Too bad nice guys finish last. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear then kissed her cheek. “I know.”

  Jonathan glanced at the address scribbled on the back of Dr. Harrison’s card then at the tiny cottage across the street. What sort of therapist worked out of a house painted eggplant purple? The kind that claimed they could cure phantom pain with hypnosis; that’s what kind. What was he expecting? A high-rise office building?

  He gritted his teeth against the pins and needles sensation in his left hand — or what his nervous system still believed was his left hand. Pain meds helped, but not enough. That’s why he was here, knocking on the Pepto-Bismol pink door of Bluestar Morninglory’s Holistic House of Healing.

  The door creaked open. A black and white striped cat darted between Jonathan’s feet. He spun around and grabbed it with his right hand. The crazy cat dug its claws into Jonathan’s forearm. He gritted his teeth and turned around to find a middle-aged woman standing in the doorway. She looked pretty good for an old broad. Her faded jeans and old Bolder-Boulder t-shirt from 2009 hugged her curvy body, but her tanned-leather face and grey streaked hair kept Jonathan’s libido in check.