I nodded and he kissed my forehead. That singular gesture made me so warm and protected. Hunter was the strongest of shields. He would always keep me safe.
As if the turn of events couldn’t get any more disastrous, the dark sky above us pulsed with a flash of lightning and the rain turned from a drizzle to a torrential downpour. Hard sheets of water bounced off the ground.
Hunter started walking down the sidewalk leading to our apartment complex.
We were soaked in seconds.
Our eyes met and we shared a laugh. Getting caught in the rain should have annoyed me. Except all I could think about was how this was the most romantic moment of my life.
“Hunt, put me down.” I pushed away the red locks sticking to my neck. “I’ll walk.”
“You mean limp, considering your heel is broken?”
I tucked my face in his neck and kissed the droplet of rain travelling down his jugular. “Yes.”
“I want to carry you home tonight.” Hunter laid his cheek gently against my head. “Just let me, sweetheart.”
God, I love him, I love him, I love him.
“You’d do it, wouldn’t you—walk miles in the cold rain and bring me to safety?”
“Yes.” His deep voice rumbled against my skin. “You’re my whole world, Gabriela. I need to keep you protected.”
Tears stung my eyes. One escaped and trekked a path down my cheek. I prayed Hunter didn’t notice and that it mingled with the rest of the raindrops on my face. “You’re my whole world too, Hunter.”
CHAPTER 36
Grim Reaper&His Angel
Gabriela
Midterm season came to an end. Things slowed down slightly before they inevitably picked back up since there were six weeks remaining in the semester. The Panthers were entering the semi-finals, so Hunter had a lot on his plate, and I wished I could do something more to alleviate his stress besides making him daily fresh meals and giving him massages when he got home. Hunter wasn’t needy by any means—except for my affection—and he never once complained about all he had to do. Even when he was tired, he continuously made time for Luna and me, his two girls.
Like tonight for Halloween.
Cade and Josh were hosting a party at the Remington manor with their trusted close friends and teammates, and I’d been looking forward to it all week long.
I somehow convinced Hunter to go dressed up as a grim reaper. His attire was all noir, save for his signature silver watch and thin chain, and his hair was half down and half up in a low bun. Moreover, he even let me paint a black-and-white skull on his face. He looked hot—scary hot—and I couldn’t wait for him to devour me.
As soon as we arrived at the party, Hunter’s friends dragged him across the room for drinks and I beelined it to Anna, Layla, Ella, Darla, Dacia, and Hera.
The entire place was atmospherically dark, save for the strobe lights flashing on the makeshift dance floor. Thankfully, we weren’t packed like a can of sardines tonight and there was enough space to move around without getting hit by a flailing limb or inhaling a gross combination of BO and alcohol.
Ella and Layla outdid themselves with the décor. A mélange of spooky-themed garlands and spider webs hung from the ceiling, jack-o-lantern pumpkins dotted every available surface, black roses sat in large vases, and a photobooth was set up in the corner of the room that the future sisters-in-law were hogging as they took an innumerable number of shots before the camera.
The rest of us girls were gushing over each other’s outfits. Every year, Anna, Layla and I wore matching costumes. Last year we did theTotally Spies!and this year we dressed as angels, donning the bustiers Anna sewed for us. Layla was in all white, with a long maxi skirt and kitten heels. Anna was in all pink, with a short skirt and thigh-high boots. And I was in all black, with a micro-miniskirt and stilettos featuring gold snakes that wrapped all the way up to my ankles. We wore wings that matched our respective colours and dare I say, along with Ella, Darla, Dacia, and Hera, we were the best dressed in the vicinity.
In the midst of all our chatter, laughter, and dancing, my eyes wrested over to Hunter.
In my biased opinion, he was the handsomest grim reaper to exist.
I was doing my best to keep my clingy behaviour at bay. Yet all I wanted was to go over there and have my wicked way with him.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought he looked exceptional. Many stares veered in his direction and strayed longer than needed. Men and women alike. I guessed it couldn’t be helped. Still, it made me want to bare my teeth at the onlookers.
One was brave enough to have the audacity to approach him. I recognized her from school. She was in my finance classes.
Tina.
