“Hunter!”
“Shit,” he murmurs, untangling from our embrace. Adjusting his tux, he turns from the doorway where Artie stands with a hand on her hip.
She takes one look at us, eyes wide with amusement, before bursting into a hooting laugh. “Really, guys?” Her shoulders shake as she tries to stifle it. I press fingers to my mouth to hide my own giggles, fixing my dress with my other hand. “A closet. A bathroom. A freaking car. All good choices. How do I know this and you don’t?”
Hunter frantically pulls at his pants, glaring over his shoulder at the both of us. “Artemis, I swear to?—”
“Hopefully you have some ‘water balloons’…” She curls her fingers into air quotes.
“Did youneedsomething?” Hunter sneers.
She titters, eyes glistening. “Yeah, I need to give you the talk, apparently…”
I snort, covering it with a cough when he glances my way. It really shouldn’t be this funny. But something about us getting caught feeling each other up like we’re a couple of horny teenagers who can’t wait to be alone is hilarious to me. And from his nosy little sister?We’re never living this one down.
Shaking his head, Hunter sucks his teeth. “You done?”
“Dad, uh, told me to come find you…” She flicks a tear from her eye, a shaky sigh hissing from her lips as she tries to get control. “But I can tell him you”—she snorts—“need to put something away…”
I cackle, and Artie loses it again. With an exasperated sigh, Hunter tips his head back and chuckles. “Fifty bucks, and you never mention this again.” He turns to Artie with a defeated smile.
“One hundred, and you teach me how to drive your car.”
“Naw. Not my car.”
Shrugging, she turns back down the hallway.
Hunter groans, and a tight grimace pinches his face. “Fuck.Wait…” he calls after her. “Fine. But you saw none of this. You tellno one…”
Artie squeals, fists squeezed near her chin in excitement when she whips back around. “I can’t believe that worked! Ashlie, you’re a genius.”
“Told you, girl!” I wink, and she bounds down the hallway, occasional squeaks echoing as she goes. When I turn to Hunter, his arched brow is only tempered by the smirk on his face. “What?”
“You’re trouble.” The sensual rasp in his voice as he trails fingers down my arm sends a shiver through me, but the fire in his eyes threatens to burn me all the way up.
“Me?” I scoff playfully, despite my breathlessness. “All I did was tell her how to negotiate with you the next time she had some dirt. I didn’t knowthiswould be the dirt.”
Tangling our fingers, he leans in, his lips ghosting mine. “You’re my favorite brand of trouble.”
I giggle, and he pulls me against him for another slow kiss. That familiar haze consumes me as I clutch at his waist. A needy whine chases his lips when he pulls away too soon. He presses a peck to my temple, whispering, “If I don’t leave now, I won’t go… Meet me in our room?”
When I nod, he slips a key in my hand. Taking slow steps backward, he watches me with a smile until he reaches the hallway, then disappears around the corner. He’s every single thing I’ve been looking for, and I’m already aching for more of him. An hour is an eternity.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
ASHLIE
The excitement buzzing through my body as I wait for Hunter to get back to The Bluffs is only partially soothed by my rapidly bouncing foot. I’ve had time to change out of my dress, shower, and get a snack, but he still hasn’t made it back. For the last thirty minutes, I’ve been sitting cross-legged on the bed, balancing my giddy smile with the nerves I’ve had all day. The longer he takes to get here, the more my thoughts stray to how momentous this is. Tonight’s the night I lay my heart on the line next to his.
The warm lamplight casts soft shadows over all the memories we’ve had in here—the bedroom where everything started. I smooth my hands over the tufted bedspread with a sigh, remembering that first night of connection we shared. The stark awkwardness in the room yesterday. How calm I feel now. We’ve come a long way. Reconnecting in this house—this room—is the perfect way to bring us full circle.
The door closes downstairs and my knees are loaded with springs, shooting me out of my seat. I can barely hear my sharp inhale over the pounding of my heart as I peek out the door, watching Hunter take the stairs by twos. And when our eyes meet, I’m simultaneously flung across the ocean and welcomed home. Embarking on my greatest adventure while settling into my safest haven.
He’s lost his suit jacket and tie, the top buttons on his shirt popped open, partially exposing the tattoo on his chest. As he saunters toward me, I let my gaze wander to that mischievous smile quirking his lips.God, I love him.
“Hey, honey bear.” The sensual hum in his voice threatens to melt me into goo right here. He pulls me to him with one arm, keeping the other behind his back as he kisses me.
“Hi,” I whisper a smile against his mouth. “What are you hiding behind your back?”
