“You went behind my back,” he said sharply, cutting me off. His arms were crossed, his chest tight against his ribs, eyes dark and unreadable. “You didn’t ask me. You didn’t even—”
“I know,” I said, voice catching. “I’m sorry. I just… I wanted to help. I thought—”
“No! You didn’t think about me,” he said, stepping forward so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. “You went to my family without even telling me. They showed up at one of the biggest games of my life. Do you even know what that did to me?”
“I know I should have told you,” I said, taking a step toward him. “I didn’t mean to throw you off. I just thought—”
“You didn’t think,” he interrupted, voice shaking slightly. “I nearly screwed up because of it. I fumbled. I—” He ran a hand through his hair, jaw tight. “Holly, I was blindsided. I didn’t know how to handle it, and you—”
“I wanted to help!” I snapped, stepping into his space. “You think I did that to hurt you? To ruin the game? I thought it would make things right!”
“And I get that!” His voice dropped, low, raw. “But I should have been part of that decision. You didn’t give me a chance. You made it your choice, my family showing up… That wasn’t yours to make.”
“I know,” I whispered, hands dropping to my sides. “I know, and I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” he pressed, eyes searching mine, tense, furious, hurt all at once. “Because it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like you thought youknew better than me, Holly. That you could fix my life for me!”
“I… I just wanted to make it right!” I said, stepping closer. “I thought it would mean something. I thought—”
“You thought without asking me,” he said, voice dropping to a low growl. “And that’s what I can’t get past. My place in the team, my work, it’s all yours. I get it. But my family?”
There was a beat of silence. My chest heaved. His eyes were dark, stormy, fixed on me. All of the frustration, fear, and longing we’d been holding back for months was coiled in that gaze.
I stepped closer, letting my hands rest lightly on his chest. “Hunter… please,” I murmured, leaning forward. “I know I screwed up, but I—”
Before I could finish, the tension broke, spilling into something bigger than words. I pulled him forward, pressing my lips to his.
He froze for a second, then his hands came up, gripping my waist and shoulders, pulling me impossibly close. The kiss was urgent, desperate, electric. All the frustration, hurt, and longing flowed into that single contact. I tangled my hands in his hair, pressed against him, letting the heat of him ground me.
His lips moved over mine with purpose, teeth and tongue testing, claiming, needing. My chest pressed against his, every nerve ending alive. I let out a soft gasp into the kiss, and he responded immediately, pulling me tighter, pressing closer, grounding us both in that moment.
The argument, the hurt, the betrayal, they all melted into that kiss. The room around us disappeared. His hands roamed, feeling, exploring, reverent in a way that made my breath catch. I felt him everywhere at once, and I responded just as urgently, letting my body answer him with every brush, every shiver, every low murmur that escaped my lips.
We broke apart, breathing fast, hearts hammering, the heat between us crackling. He traced a thumb along my jaw, eyes dark with intensity, voice low. “Next time, talk to me first.”
“I know,” I whispered, pressing my forehead against his. “I know.”
The kiss was slow at first, gradually deepening, building. In an instant his hands were on me. Running down my arms, my back. He grabbed my ass hard, and pulled me into him, grinding against me. I broke from his mouth, breathless, and tilted my head as he buried his face in my neck. Hot, wet kisses set my skin alight, and a deep moan fluttered out of me when he sucks it between his teeth.
My hands trailed down his chest, undoing his buttons as he hurriedly pushed my blazer from my shoulders. We fumbled out of the main barriers in the dark, and I licked my lips, pressing them to his pecs as I sucked at his nipples in turn. His breathing got heavy, and his hands fisted in my hair. Taking my time, peppering soft kisses to his hot flesh, my fingers found his belt. A muffled growl vibrated in his chest the moment my hand made contact with his hard cock through the thin fabric of his boxers. My own breathing kicked up at the feel of it straining for my touch.
I slid my hand into his boxers. “Jesus.” It came out in a shaky breath.
He took my face with both his hands, and pressed his mouth to mine in a desperate, biting kiss. My lips tingled maddeningly when he finally broke away, and said, “Take it out.” His voice was thick and heavy with desire.
The sound of it caused the ache between my legs to grow stronger. Almost painful with want.
I tucked my thumbs into the waistband of his boxers, and carefully slipped it down to just below his ass. He gave a deep groan of pleasure when I wrapped my fingers around his cock, stroking him steadily. Full and pulsing in my hand, a warm trickle of arousal pooled in my underwear at the idea of having all of that inside me. His own excitement spilled out of him too, and coated my fingers. The urge was too much to resist, and I dropped to my knees to taste him.
This time his moan of pleasure was loud and clear, as I closed my mouth around the tip of his cock. I circled my tongue over the smooth pulsing head, and then slowly inched down the length of him, suckinghim off with relish. He buried his fingers in my hair, and gripped tightly, straining against his need to push deep into my throat. His thighs trembled under my hands.
“Stop,” he said, lightly tugging my head. “You need to stop.”
He gave a disappointed groan when I released him, but seemed relieved just the same. I licked the taste of him off my lips, as I looked up at him. He let out a long, quivering breath, eyes closed, most likely envisioning ducks on a pond if I had to guess. When next he opened them, his usually clear eyes were shot dark with arousal, and he scooped me up and pinned me to the door again, hiking my thighs high around his waist.
Fumbling with the clasp at my back, he snapped off my bra in one movement. His eyes dropped to my breasts, and his tongue came out to wet his lips. Hands on my hips, he lowered his head. I wrapped my thighs around his waist and pulled him close, throwing my head back as I melted into the delicious feel of his mouth on my skin. He flicked my stiff nipple with his tongue, and then sucked me in. The ache in my core began to pulse and throb. I’d never needed anything as much as I needed him right now. My breath came hot and heavy as I clutched his head to me, not wanting any of this to ever end. And just when I thought my body couldn’t take any more, he slid his hand between my legs.
His fingers moved in firm strokes, teasing me through my underwear that was already soaked through.
