Hunter hesitates for a moment, his uncertainty palpable. “Well, okay. If you… I’ll go change real quick. Back in a second. Don’t go anywhere.” He kisses the top of my head before he goes inside, leaving me smiling.
I sink into the water, enjoying the warmth and watching the stars appear in the ever-darkening night sky. A short while later, Hunter returns wearing navy swim shorts.
Andholy hotness.
He might be a bigger guy, but his arms are defined, and he’s sporting chest hair that is freaking sexy.
Hunter leans against the hot tub’s edge and carefully removes his prosthetic leg, placing it on one of the porch chairs. He then perches on the tub, turning to face me, and I can’t help but admire how incredibly handsome he looks.
In my eyes, he’s perfection personified.
I rise from my seat and approach him, my wet fingers moving up the outside of his thighs. “Sloan,” he breathes out, and I detect the insecurity in his eyes. “You don’t have to do this. I know it looks… strange. And I’m thankful that you’re willing to overlook it. But you don’t have to pretend to like what you see. I know what I look like.”
“The first thing I thought when I saw you was that you’re so handsome,” I whisper, my voice filled with sincerity. “And the more I got to know you, the more handsome you became in my eyes. Your kindness, your strength, your protectiveness, it’s so sexy. There is nothing that would ever deter me. The more I see of you, the more I want you.”
He expels a terse breath, clearly not entirely convinced, but the longing in his eyes flares. “I feel like half a man. How could you think that’s sexy?”
I reach up to cup his cheek, running my fingers through his beard. “You’re not half a man. In my eyes, you’re a hero. You’re brave and willing to give up yourself for the people you love. There is nothing sexier than that.”
My fingers come down to play with his chest hair, my eyes following the movement. When I look back up at him, my heart swelling with admiration, his eyes are locked onto mine. There’s still insecurity there, but a glimmer of desire is hidden within.
His hand gently moves to the nape of my neck, pulling me close to kiss my forehead.
“Sit down. I’m getting in with you.”
He eases into the tub, settling opposite me, and takes one of my feet into his hands, massaging it gently. “Ugh, your hands are pure magic.” I moan softly, closing my eyes and letting my head fall back, basking in the warmth of the water and the newfound intimacy between us.
“Happy you think so,” Hunter mumbles with amusement. “How are you, Sloan? Somehow, I think we never have time to just talk. I want to know everything about you, and yet here I am, not even knowing how you are today.”
My eyes open, and I pull my head back up to look at him.
How am I?
Fuck, how am I?Stranded, lost, confused.
“Good, I’m good.” I give him a small smile. “How are you, Hunter?”
“No, this isn’t enough,” Hunter tells me, his hands reaching out to grab my thigh and pulling me over, the water making it easy.
A rush of warmth floods through me, not from the swirling hot tub water but from Hunter’s proximity. His hands are insistent, strong yet gentle, guiding me into his lap. The motion sends a ripple across the surface. He manhandles me so I sit with my back to his chest, and the bubbles from the hot tub make the shirt lift in the water. A small gasp leaves me as his arms come around my belly from behind, now landing on my bare stomach, stroking me.
He sets his chin on my shoulder and whispers in my ear, “How are you really, Shortcake?” The softness of his breath on my ear sends a shiver skittering down my spine.
I take a deep breath, letting the moment wash over me. He can make me feel safe within seconds. His aura, his strong arms around me, the fact that I feel small in his arms, yet at the same time, I know he would never hurt me intentionally.
“Confused,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Mm-hmm…” He hums, one of his hands squeezing my thigh. “Is there anything I can do to help with that?”
“I-I don’t know,” I whisper.
He chuckles. “Fits the problem, right? What are you worrying most about?”
“The van. I know you said I can stay here, but it’s still my home, as much as you can call it that. And now it’s only a few miles away from falling apart and barely livable. I’m such an anxious person, and knowing my sanctuary is short of giving out, it’s a constant hum in the back of my mind.”
“Are you going to allow me to help you?” he asks, drawing figures on my thighs underwater, making me shiver some more.
“I don’t want to bother you, Hunt. I’m already pushing it with staying here this long, and?—”
