“Can we talk?” Hunter asks, dragging a hand through his hair, making it look more messy than normal.
“Of course.” I motion for Hunter to follow me into the living room, and I feel like a rock is sitting at the bottom of my stomach. Is he going to break up with me because I didn’t tell him about deferring?
He sits first, and I take the spot next to him, instinctively reaching for his hand. Hunter looks at our hands before his gaze travels to meet mine. “I’m sorry for how I reacted. I was talking at you without listening to what you had to say, and it wasn’t fair. You were right. There’s been a lot going on, and I get why you waited to tell me. Obviously, you had a reason to wait, especially with how I handled the news.”
“Hey, it’s not all on you. I made a mistake by not talking to you about it first, and I’m sorry.”
Hunter flips his hand over, entwining our fingers together to squeeze mine. “Babe, it is on me. I-I haven’t been myself since Bailey came back. He’s going to leave again, and I’ve been trying to prepare myself for when he does, so I’m not blindsided this time. I know I’m not good with change, and hearing that you were staying . . .” Hunter shakes his head, trailing off as the dots connect in my brain.
“You were blindsided,” I finish for him.
Hunter chews on his lower lip, hurt showing as clear as day on his handsome features. “Yeah, but it’s not an excuse. Russell invited me and a couple of other guys from the team to his family’s place in the Ozarks. I’m not saying it was right to leave town without notice, but I needed space to think. I should have communicated that with you, and I’m sorry. I’m not proud of it, but I’m jealous of Bailey because you told him before you told me.” He pauses to rub his face, and I try to keep my jaw from falling open in shock. “I know you guyswere friends before everything went down, but I think I might be feeling a little insecure if that makes sense? I hate feeling this way, especially because it’s about my twin.”
This . . . is a lot of information at once. Hunter’s jealous of Bailey? It doesn’t make sense because I never told him—oh my god.
Does he know?
I only ever told Henry, and he promised he would never say anything to anyone, including Mira.
I move to straddle Hunter’s thighs, wrapping my arms around him tightly in a hug. “I’m sorry,” I say, breathing in the familiar scent of mint.
“I’m sorry too,” Hunter whispers, resting his chin on my shoulder.
A million thoughts are racing through my brain, and I don’t know how to make this better, but I have to try.
When I pull away, cupping Hunter’s face in my hands, his pale green eyes are trained on me. “I love you, Hunter. You don’t need to be jealous of Bailey. I know it’s easier said than done, but I loveyou. You’re my calm in the storm,” I tease, happy to see his lips quirk upward into a smile. I’ve always called him that because it’s the truth. He and Bailey have always been two sides of the same coin—Hunter is peaceful, and Bailey is fiery. “We don’t know what Bailey will do, but I’ve missed my friend, and I know you have too. I want to be there for him while he’s here, but I also missed my boyfriend the last couple of days. I don’t want to upset you, but is there anything I can do to make you feel better about it?”
“I missed you too. The guys gave me so much shit because I spent the whole time sulking around,” Hunter says, his thumb distracting me with the way it strokes back and forth. “I think it’s just something I’m going to have to work on because it’s not fair of me to tell you who you can and can’t befriends with. If being friends with Bailey makes you happy, I’ll figure it out.”
“Thank you,” I say, leaning forward to press a sweet kiss to his lips.
Hunter responds by cupping the back of my neck, pulling me more firmly against him. Even before we got into our fight, it feels like it’s been forever since we’ve been able to find time alone, and I feel guilty for my part in that.
His mouth moves against mine, and I rest my hands on his shoulders, feeling the heat of his skin through the fabric of his shirt. His hand on my hip tightens as Hunter angles his head back. “I love you,” he whispers, and my eyes flutter to look at him.
“I know,” I say, brushing a sun-streaked blond lock back into place from where it fell on his forehead. It feels familiar to be in his arms again.
Hunter smiles, and it makes it a little easier to breathe. “Can I show you how sorry I am?” he asks, brushing his lips over mine again.
“What’d you have in mind?”
I chuckle when he takes control of our positioning by lying us back to cover my body with his. He kisses me again, and all other thoughts slip away as I cling to the moment with Hunter.
Hunter’s lips trail down the slope of my neck, and his name is a soft plea for more. I slip a hand up the bottom of his shirt, feeling the ridges of his abdomen. I can feel his erection pressing against my thigh, and my heart thuds in my chest.
“You’re beautiful, Kait.”
“So are you,” I say, and he laughs, his eyes crinkling as he looks at me.
“You think I’m beautiful?” Hunter asks, tilting his head.
I feel my cheeks flush, but I’m not sure why. Is it a weird thing to say? “I mean, you don’t need me to tell you how hotyou are, but you’re beautiful on the inside too. You have a kind heart, you’re loyal, and I really admire how you’re always there for the people you love.” It’s one of the traits I love most about Hunter.
There’s a look that flashes across his face, too quick for me to make sense of it, and then it’s forgotten as his mouth finds mine again—rougher than before, like he’s trying to tell me something.
Our hands move in a frenzy, desperate to touch each other. Hunter pulls his shirt off, and his warm body burns like a furnace. He whispers sweet nothings to me as he kisses his way down my body, pushing my shirt up to meet my bare skin.
I know his body nearly as well as I know my own, and vice versa.
