“Okay, I’m going, I’m going.” She spins and flashes me a thumbs-up before prancing off into the kitchen.
Hunter’s gaze is heat and hunger, tracing my dress down my legs to my sky-high heels as I carefully maneuver my way downstairs. When I reach the bottom, he’s waiting for me.
“You look ... incredible.” His voice is pitched low, too quiet for Lou to hear from where she’s undoubtedly trying to eavesdrop in the kitchen. He slides one arm around my waist, pulling me into his body in an embrace that makes my skin feel like I’ve suddenly caught fire. He leans down to brush his nose through my hair, inhaling. “And you smell amazing too.”
His warm breath on my neck sends a delicious shiver down my spine. His touch and his words and the strength of his body drive all my fears away. Heady anticipation takes the place of all the negative thoughts I’ve battled for the last hour.
“You got me flowers,” I say, slightly breathless as we break apart.Thisis the spark I didn’t have with Austin. A mere hug has every nerve in my body buzzing.
“I did.” He smiles and hands them to me.
“Lou, you can come back and put these flowers in water for me.”
She emerges from the kitchen so quickly Hunter and I share a glance and both start laughing.
“What?” She fists her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at us.
“Nothing,” I say quickly. “Thanks.” I hand off the beautiful bouquet to her and then add with a wink, “Don’t wait up.”
Hunter and I are both laughing again as we quickly exit, leaving Lou standing in the front entryway, holding my flowers with her eyebrows lifted.
We’ve been driving for a few minutes when I ask, “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” He’s cryptic but throws me a cocksure grin.
“You’re making me nervous.”
When he reaches over and threads his fingers through mine, my heart skips up into my throat. “You don’t need to be nervous with me. We’re messy mates, remember?”
“Right.”
And heisright. I don’t know how to describe how I feel on this date. Being with Hunter somehow feels like coming home. Every time we’re together I feel more and more like I already know him and was only waiting for him to comebackinto my life—not getting to know him for the first time. It’s both comforting and a little scary to feel so connected to him so quickly.
We drive through Scottsdale toward Tempe as the sun begins to set, and the city falls into dusk. The passing headlights glow with unexpected beauty, casting fleeting spells across the road. The BMW’s engine hums louder in my ears. I’m hyperaware of Hunter’s every move and breath. When hestarts stroking his thumb back and forth across the sensitive skin on the inside edge of my palm, a shiver races up my arm.
“Still nervous?” he asks, eyes fixed on the road as we weave through the Saturday-night traffic.
“No,” I say, a little breathless as his fingers skim higher to the soft underside of my wrist.
“Good.”
We talk a bit about the deal he and Lou closed, and then Ifinallyask him about the ideas he has for the bakery. He eagerly tells me about a local Swedish festival and some other opportunities he thinks could be really successful for minimal cost—like offering a freepepparkakorcookie as a reading-program reward for elementary school students—to get families to come in or something. I try to focus because they are really good ideas, but I’m too distracted by what his thumb is doing on my skin and why such a small touch is making my whole body thrum.
We finally turn in to the Marriott at the Buttes in Tempe. “Are we going to Top of the Rock?” I’m wide-eyed as his car surges up the hill.
“Yes.” He glances at me, and for the first time,helooks a little nervous. “I hope that’s okay. I have a friend who recommended it and said the views are incredible.”
“I’ve lived here for eleven years, and I’ve never been. I can’t wait!”
We valet park the car, and Hunter places a light hand on the small of my back to guide me toward the restaurant. That hovering brush of his fingertips against my spine makes me shiver, even in the balmy evening air. The sun hangs low, streaking the sky with blazes of crimson and burnt amber. Sunsets in Arizona don’t just happen—they set the world on fire.
“It’s gorgeous,” I breathe. “You can see the whole city.”
“The viewisgorgeous,” he agrees, but when I glance at him, he’s looking at me, not the city below us.
I duck my chin to try to hide my blush. I hardly know how to handlethisHunter—the one who is openly interested in me and isn’t throwing me for constant emotional loops. If I thought he was risky for my heart before, I’m really scared for the things I’m feeling with himnow.
“Should we head in?” Hunter gestures.
