Fuck, Hunter is a good-looking man.He’d been a slightly gawky kid—tall with arms and legs that seemed to go everywhere, smoothed-down hair, and glasses—but he sure had grown into his looks. He was cute and adorable as a young man, but now? Now he was downright gorgeous. He’d filled out in all the right places. Still slim, but with wide shoulders, his physique showcased by the narrow pants and formfitting sweater he wore—dressed more casually than everyone else but holding himself confidently. Dark hair, now longer on top, and the scruff on his face lent him an air of casual sexiness. The dark, piercing eyes were locked on Aaron, making him hyperaware of his own reaction to seeing the man. The breath left his lungs as his pulse thundered. He swallowed thickly.
“Easy, buddy.”
Aaron tore his gaze from Hunter’s to focus back on Garrett. “What?”
“Breathe. You look like you’re going to pass out. Don’t let him get to you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Aaron hissed.
“It’s me you’re talking to, remember?”
For a moment, Aaron wished he hadn’t spilled his guts to Garrett, hadn’t told him all about his stupid crush on the dark-haired kid who visited every vacation and had grown into the young man who’d had captured Aaron’s heart—captured and stomped on his heart.Don’t forget that part.Thank goodness he’d put all that behind him. Sure, he still lusted after Hunter—with a face and body like that, who wouldn’t?—but Hunter’s asshole behavior had certainly doused anything more. It was a shame Aaron’s body didn’t seem to care that that guy was a grade A douche bag.
Aaron hardly had time to pull himself together before Hunter approached. The last time he’d been with Hunter and Garrett in the same room, there’d been fireworks, so he held his breath.
“Whitehall.” Hunter greeted Garrett with a handshake.
“Cavendish.” The distaste in Garrett’s voice was obvious, or maybe it was just obvious to Aaron, who knew that Garrett disliked Hunter on Aaron’s behalf. Nothing like solidarity between friends. “What are you—”
“Hunter. Good to see you again,” Aaron interrupted, determined to keep things friendly and not trusting Garrett to keep things pleasant. He’d most likely say something about Hunter’s presence in town that would ramp up the tension. “I hope you got home without too much trouble.”
“It wasn’t the most welcoming of arrivals in town, thanks to you.”
Aaron bristled. “Like I said earlier, it wasn’t intentional. These things happen.”
Hunter’s eyes narrowed. “Not to me, they don’t.”
No, of course they don’t. As if anything like that would normally happen to prim and proper Hunter Cavendish.
Garrett put his arm around Aaron again, giving his stiff shoulders a reassuring squeeze. Hunter looked between them, but Aaron couldn’t read the expression in his dark eyes. He was no doubt still pissed at getting drenched. “Look, can we just put it behind us? It really was an accident. This is a party and—”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Brooke interrupted. “Why don’t you boys try to get on for once and play nice?”
Hunter’s gaze softened as he turned to his sister. Jealousy tugged at Aaron; the love was so obvious in Hunter’s eyes. Hunter pulled her to him, careful not to knock her glass of red wine, and placed a soft kiss to her temple. “You look gorgeous, kiddo.”
“What? In this old thing?” She glanced down at her outfit and giggled.
Brooke was wearing a dress in a soft lilac fabric. It was fitted at the top but draped softly from her hips in gentle folds to her knees. High-heeled boots completed the look. She did look beautiful, but not the relaxed, comfortably dressed woman that Aaron usually knew. He couldn’t remember seeing her dressed in anything other than jeans and sweaters on a regular basis—very rarely in a dress, let alone in this type of classic style.
“You look spectacular in anything,” Aaron said, giving her a smile in greeting.
“Why, thank you, kind sir, but tonight the credit goes to my personal stylist.” Brooke winked at Hunter.
An inside joke?
“Can I get anyone a drink?” Garrett offered, looking around the small group. “Aaron? Hunter? A top-up, Brooke?”
“That’d be lovely. Thanks, hon. I’m drinking the cabernet.”
“I’ll have a glass, too,” Aaron said.
“Me three,” added Hunter.
“I’ll come with you.” Brooke linked her arm in Garrett’s and steered him to the built-in bar at the side of the room.
Aaron felt like a deer in the headlights when he looked away from his departing friend and was forced to meet Hunter’s gaze. Surprisingly, Hunter looked relaxed as he smiled at him.
“So, do you attend these things often?” Hunter swept out an arm, indicating the room.
