But this woman who’s standing at our table does not seem like a random fan. She’s got platinum-blond hair and is tall and thin. She could be beautiful if it weren’t for the fact that her tan is sprayed on, her makeup is way too thick, and she has a terrible vibe about her.
She’s solely focused on Hunter, and I could be mistaken, but it looks like they have a…um, history.
She places her perfectly-manicured hand with red nails on his arm. She does it in a possessive way, and then she angles her body to block my view of her face.
“How have you been? Lonely?” she purrs.
Hunter shoves his chair back to get some distance from her. “Not at all,” he says with an obvious look toward me.
That changes the energy swirling around the three of us. Now, this woman is forced to turn her head and actuallylookat his dining companion.
Whatever she sees doesn’t seem to concern her. She throws me a snide smile and then returns her attention to Hunter.
“Well, I’ve been lonely. Lonely for you,” she says, putting her hand back on Hunter’s arm.
This time, he reaches across the table and grabs my hand, which has been frozen in place with a fork in it this entire time.
I drop the fork and it clatters onto my plate, breaking the sudden silence.
“Hunt…” I start to say.
But he’s already talking. “Deb, meet Winter.”
Deb’s entire face turns sour like she just ate an entire lemon. “She’s what’s keeping you warm at night?”
“Every. Night.” Hunter spells out the words slowly. “I have no room for anyone else, Deb.”
Deb glares at me. “You don’t deserve him.”
I just raise my eyebrows. “I think Hunter can be the judge of that.”
“I don’t deserve Winter,” he says, his eyes only on me now. “But I’m a lucky guy that she’s giving me a shot anyway.”
I let the warmth of his words and his hand on mine seep into me.
Deb gives a huff and storms off.
“Sorry about that.” Hunter’s cheeks are pink.
“You’re embarrassed,” I say to him in astonishment. “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen you embarrassed.”
He frowns. “Yes, I’m embarrassed. That was shitty of her. She never had any claim over me. We didn’t ever date.”
“We’re not dating, either,” I say stubbornly.
“What we’re doing may not be definable, but it’s meaningful,” he says. “I dare you to say I’m wrong.”
I flush with heat. “Of course it’s meaningful,” I murmur. “It’s just…we said we’re not in a relationship.”
“We did say that.” His eyes fix on mine.
“And…” And I can’t have this conversation right now. I feel too raw. So, I go for something less personal but that which stings nonetheless. “You must have slept with half the city of New Orleans, Mr. Storm.”
He flinches. “That is absolutely not true,” he says, and I know I’ve hit a nerve.
“Hunt.” I rub his hand in circles with my thumb. “I didn’t mean it to come out like that. I just…Charly told me about your reputation.”
He lets go of my hand to tug at the hair on his head. I’ve never seen him so agitated, and I wait quietly for him to decide what he wants to say.
