“Why not?” Hunter asks, facing me as he puts a hand on each of my hips. He does it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. I ignore the thrill that moves through my body with his touch. I also ignore that I like the sound of him moving in with me, and how that makes me feel.
“You can’t move in someplace where you’re not wanted,” I explain as if I’m dealing with a child—which I’m starting to fear I am. “That’s not how it’s done.”
“Have you moved in with many people, Beau?” he asks, and I really hate that he’s trying to be logical right now.
“That’s beside the point. Your son can stay tonight, but you two are not moving in.”
“We are,” Hunter agrees. He’s acting like I’m the deranged one. The bastard even bends down and kisses my nose. He kisses my nose!What the hell is that???
“You’re deranged and trust me, Hunter, I’ve had some scary deranged people in my life. I think you might be the king of deranged though!” I huff.
He pulls back to look at me, his hand going to cup the side of my neck, his long, beautiful fingers pressing into my skin. It shouldn’t feel as good as it does, but God …
“You’ve had deranged people in your life? Would you care to expand on that?” he murmurs, studying my face.
Panic hits me immediately.Shit. Shit. Shit.What made me say that? That is not a road that I’m going to go down with Hunter. I don’t even know what Hunter is to me. Tonight, he was a big fat jerk. I was pissed at him. Although, there was a small part of me that loved the attention he was giving me to try and keep Apex away. He also says he’s moving in and for the life of me I can’t figure out why I’m not freaking out and calling the law to escort him out of here—or better yet, calling Torch. I shouldtotally call him and tell him to get his son and check him into the psych ward. Yes, I should definitely do that.
But I’m not.
Is it because Ty and I bonded tonight? Maybe a little, I can concede that. I’d be lying if I said that was the reason I’m not calling Torch and demanding Hunter leave, though. I swallow down the worry that hits me. I think I’m scared if I kick him out that I’ll never see him again.
How did everything get so messed up in my head?
“Everyone has deranged people in their life. Hence, you being in mine,” I mutter, hoping that covered enough for me. I’m not telling Hunter about my past. No man wants a woman with as much baggage as I have. I don’t want my baggage. Ireallydon’t want to rehash it with Hunter. My past is done and finished. There’s no point in revisiting any of it. Donald Hyde is a memory that is best left buried.
My ploy works because Hunter just pulls me into his arms and hugs me. “I left the food in your living room. Let’s go eat.”
“You can sleep in the bedroom beside mine,” I grumble as he takes my hand and starts leading me out of the room. He stops and turns around and looks at me with a smirk, shaking his head.
“Babe.”
“I’m serious. We’re not sleeping together. I’m not ready for that. I’m also not ready for you to move in. I figure we will talk about that when the house isn’t full of kids.”
“You’re cute. Let’s eat. I’m hungry.”
I huff out a breath, annoyed, but not knowing how to even approach arguing with him. “Fine.”
He stops by the door that leads downstairs and yells down to the boys. “Guys get up here and get your food before it gets cold.”
“Okay, Dad,” Ty yells back.
We get to the couch, and Hunter starts unpacking the food and putting it on my coffee table. “What would you like to drink?” I ask lamely, needing something to do.
“You got a beer?”
“Yeah. What’s Ty like?”
“Just give him whatever you get Slider. He’ll be fine.”
“Alrighty then,” I mutter, going to the kitchen. I grab Hunter a beer and sodas for the rest of us. I don’t even know why, because I’m not really hungry. I think I might be in shock. I mean, what else would you do when the man you are pretty sure you fell in love with and then kicked you out of the bed the next morning, shows up at your door and says he’s moving in with his kid? Obviously going into shock makes sense.
“Beau, I love my room downstairs,” Ty says as I walk back in.
I kind of force a smile on my face. I’m glad he’s comfortable here. I think Ty is a wonderful kid and I genuinely love being around him. “If you’d rather make a permanent place upstairs there’s a bedroom here, too. You can still have the downstairs if you’re here with Slider,” I respond. He looks at me with a goofy, cute smile that only a future heartbreaker could pull off.
“Thanks, Beau, but I really like it. It’s like my own apartment,” he brags.
“In your dreams, kid,” Hunter laughs.
