“Yes,” he says finally. “I’ve had my share of women, but I didn’t sleep around the way people think.”
“So you had…what? A few select women on speed dial?”
He shifts uncomfortably. “I had women in my life I could call when I needed to…”
“To fuck.” I say the words flatly.
“Winter, I told you I don’t date.” His green eyes are piercing as he stares at me like he’s begging me to understand something.
“I don’t get it,” I say in confusion. “What are you trying to tell me, Hunter?”
“I’m telling you that I’ve never been able to get close to someone romantically. I’m not a snuggle-after-fucking, talk-under-the-covers kind of guy. I guess I’m not built that way.”
“But you do all of that with me,” I say.
“Yes, I do,” he says, his tone raw and frustrated. “You know you’re the only woman I’ve…”
He stops short, and my pulse picks up. But like him, I’m not sure I want him to continue his sentence. It’s too scary to feel what’s going on between us.
So, I change the subject.
“You have tomorrow off, right?” I ask him.
He nods, exhaling, and I can tell he’s as relieved as I am to talk of something more casual. “Rare day off. With our big road trip coming up, Coach decided to give us a break after today’s practice, which will be fucking brutal.”
“So what do you do when you don’t have a game or a practice?” I ask Hunter.
“I like to get out in nature and hike.”
“Really?” I never knew Hunter to hike.
“Yeah. I got into it a few years ago during the off-season. I just needed to get out of the city, and I found my way to a trail.”
“That sounds amazing.”
“Not real intense hiking—that’s hard to find around here. I just usually pack a snack and get out of town for the day. It clears my head. I can hear myself out there better than in the city a lot of times.”
“That sounds nice,” I say because it does. Learning who Hunter is now fascinates me, and the best part is how much I still like him. How much we still enjoy hanging out.
“You want to come with me tomorrow?” His eyes brighten. “I know of a great place about two hours out of the city in Mississippi. The weather’s supposed to be sunny with no rain expected.”
Hiking with Hunter. That sounds like something couples would do.
Like he can read my mind, he quickly adds, “Before you go back to New York, I want to make sure you spend some quality time outside of New Orleans. Get your feet down and soak in the southern countryside.”
Yet another activity we’re passing off as a non-date.
And I’m in.
I’m so far in I don’t know how I’m going to back out when it’s time to go.
“I’d need to be back by seven. I’m meeting Charly for drinks.”
“Sure. We’ll keep good track of the time.” I guess we’d better keep good track of the time. Time is passing quickly in the Bayou, and before I know it, these non-dates with Hunter will be just a memory.
* * *
After we finish breakfast,Hunter heads off for practice. I snuggle on the couch with Theo and my musical book, but when I hit a snag, I put my work away and head for the kitchen.
