So when she left for her top-secret makeup assignment—this one a photo shoot in Lake Tahoe, she’d been able to tell him at least—he’d done some online shopping.
Now he was standing outside his apartment door, staring at a nondescript brown cardboard box.
Hot. Damn.
He grabbed it and let himself into his apartment. In his pocket, his phone vibrated. One look at the screen had all his dirty thoughts working overtime.Serena.
“Hey, beautiful. What’s up?”
Her breathless voice filled his ear. “I missed my connection! I won’t be back in time for dinner, I’m sorry.”
“Shit, that sucks for you. Where are you, LAX? I’ll drive up and get you.”
“No, no. It’s okay, I’m rebooked onto the next one. And I’ve got my laptop, I can do some work. But I’m sorry that I won’t get to see you tonight.”
“I’ll still get you when you land in San Diego.”
She made an indecisive sound in his ear.
He rolled his eyes, glad she couldn’t see him. “I’m picking you up when you get here, end of story. Text me your new flight number.” He grinned as she gave a little laugh of acceptance. One of his favourite things about Serena was that she’d never ask for anything, but was genuinely pleased when he offered. He’d always prided himself on being a nice guy, and he’d pick anyone up from the airport. It was the least he could do.
But with Serena, it wasn’t anything like doing a friend a favour. It felt like…shit, he didn’t know. Good. Right.
Serena had beenwound tight since she left the Reno airport, forty-five minutes behind schedule, knowing she’d miss her connection and worrying the whole time that she’d get stranded in Los Angeles for the night. Bothered beyond measure that she wouldn’t see Hunter.
It had been five long nights away from home and she craved his touch. His murmur in her ear and his solid weight behind her as they slept.
She had a Christmas present for him in her bag, a watch that had called to her from a shop window in the airport. She’d gotten a ridiculous tip from the movie star who she’d been working on for the Japanese perfume commercial, and for the first time in a while, she was flush.
It felt like a bit of a cop-out, buying Hunter an expensive gift instead of giving him the three words he’d shared with her so selflessly.
Not instead.
The way her heart swelled at the thought of him, she knew she’d find a way to give voice to her most innermost feelings. No matter how scary it might be, she’d tell him how she felt.
She carefully rolled her carry-on makeup case toward baggage claim, her arm and back protesting with every weighted tug. Having Hunter pick her up was a selfish move when she was dead on her feet like this. Maybe she should pull out her phone and call him, tell him she’d just get a taxi instead.
“Beautiful.”
Too late. Her heart leapt sky-high as she turned to her right and he gave her a slow, panty-melting smile. He was leaning back against a pillar and he looked impossibly good. Long, muscular legs, his thighs stretching his jeans just enough to make her mouth water. Grey t-shirt stretched across his chest, fluttering loose over his abs, and when she got close enough, she was certain it would smell like fabric softener.
She’d never gotten wet over Downy before Hunter. Now it was her favourite scent.
He moved toward her like a panther. Liquid movement, his gaze keen and fixed on her. She held her breath as he skimmed his fingertips along her jaw then exhaled in a rush as he brushed the barest of kisses against her mouth.
“Hi,” she whispered shakily.
“You look exhausted,” he muttered, his brow pulling together. “How many bags do you have coming?”
“Two.” She rolled her cheek against his palm and closed her eyes. She was feeling better already.
He took the handle for the makeup case from her and she opened her mouth to protest, but he moved the case gently, clearly remembering how she’d told him how valuable the contents were. So she bit her tongue, which he didn’t miss. He rewarded her with a pat on her bottom once they arrived at her baggage carousel, an amused smirk curling up the corners of his mouth.
He righted the makeup case on its base and told her to wait with it. She watched as he grabbed a luggage cart. An unnecessary few dollars, but the look on his face said he didn’t want to hear an argument over that, either. She pointed out her suitcases and he swung them off the moving belt with ease. He asked if the biggest one could go on the bottom— “Nothing fragile in here?” — and then again if he could put the makeup case on top.
“I can pull it.”
“That wasn’t what I asked, was it?”
She stuck her tongue out at him and he arched one eyebrow.Oooh, bossy. She laughed, but a tremor of desire shook her core, too. It shifted more of those things inside her that had long been dormant.
“Let’s get you home and into a bath.” That look on his face—it was perfect. If he’d just hold it a hair longer…if it translated beyond moments like this, beyond the scorching sex they’d been having lately, to the rest of their relationship, she’d think he might truly understand her. That she could, in fact, tell him everything she desired without fear of judgement or rejection.
But when he looped his hand through hers and gave her a big, sloppy grin as he pushed the cart to his SUV, she sighed to herself. It didn’t matter, really. He was absolutely perfect just the way he was.
It was time she set aside her secret desire that the perfect boyfriend and the perfect Dom might one day be the same person. She’d found the former, and he would never be the latter.
And if she was going to fall in love with him, truly and without reservation, it was time to bury the part of her that wished it were otherwise so, once and for all.
