I’m awake, but I don’t want to open my eyes. His strong arms are wrapped around me, keeping me close to his broad chest. I inhale, and his scent hits my nostrils, making my nipples pebble. Hunter Hale is addictive, and getting just a little taste last night piqued my curiosity to the highest. I want to know all of him. I want to see all of him…I just pray he won’t push me away.
There is an edge to him. A mystery. I was in a weird mood yesterday, and now it’s rushing back. Hunter’s words ring in my ears. I’m bad news when it comes to women, and Hayden more or less confirmed that. But what does it mean? How can my best friend say his brother isn’t good for me? I need an explanation, but I’m not going to ask Hade. At least, not now.
Banning those thoughts from my mind, I focus on more pleasant things. Slowly, I glide my palm over Hunter’s back and feel his muscles tense. His grip around me tightens, and he hides his nose in my hair. Smiling, I press my face to his chest. I don’t want to leave this bed.
“Your hair smells like cigarettes.” The low tone of his voice reverberates through my body, and tingles roll over my skin. “Lavender and vanilla suit you better.”
“I love the smell of cigarettes,” I confess, keeping my eyes shut. “The ones that smell like cherry and vanilla are my favorites.”
“Is vanilla your favorite flavor?”
“No, it’s lavender.”
“Should’ve guessed that,” he chuckles, and I hesitantly open my eyes. The room is dim because of his heavy curtains, but the sun is peeking through them already. “How did you sleep?”
“Good, but not enough,” I murmur, leaning away and peering up at his face. Hunter’s eyes radiate warmth as he looks down at me, and his lips curl into a smile.
“You were the one who woke me up in the middle of the night with my cock in your mouth,” he whispers, combing my hair with his fingers. I give him a cheeky grin, and he plants a kiss on my nose. After he let me ride his mouth, we both fell asleep. But not for long, because the second his hard dick pressed up against my butt, I was fully awake and wanted nothing more than to suck him off again. He definitely didn’t mind. He came even harder than the first time.
“Do you want to sleep more?”
“No. You?”
“I’m good.” Hunter’s gaze sweeps over my face, and then he stares at something over my head, looking lost in his thoughts. “Do you want to eat? I can make breakfast for us.”
“Yes, please,” I tell him and wiggle out of his embrace. Sitting up, I glance at Hunter and catch his gaze on me. His eyes travel over my body so slowly that my heartbeat instantly takes off. “Do you want me to cook?”
Hunter quirks an eyebrow at me and then shakes his head. “I want to treat you to something delicious.”
“Sounds incredible.” I hop out of bed and then just stand there, doing nothing. I need to go to my room for my clothes, but it gives me a weird feeling. Like I’m breaking the magic of our moment. “I’ll go change…in my room.”
“Okay, I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” He sounds so normal, and it starts to gnaw at me.
I take a few steps forward and collect my clothes from the floor. Pressing them to my chest, I zip out of the room without looking back. In the hallway, I quickly pick up my jacket and purse from the floor and head to my room. Closing the door, I don’t hesitate for even a moment. I just keep moving and moving and moving. I’m a grown woman, and I’m not ashamed of my weaknesses or my desires. Stepping into his house last night, I knew there would be consequences. Whatever happens after breakfast, I’m ready.
The kitchen is full of sounds and smells, and I can’t help but smile. I can safely admit the man knows what he’s doing when it comes to cooking. Most of the days, his food is delicious. Except for a few times when he suddenly decided it was time for fish and neither Story nor I wanted to eat it. But he’s pretty good at everything he does.
Hunter’s near the oven, stirring something and not paying any attention to his surroundings. He’s fully dressed, wearing gray sweatpants and a white tee. I edge to the table and sit down. He hears me and looks over his shoulder, meeting my gaze in an instant.
“Sit. Don’t even think about doing anything. Today, I’m in charge of your meals.”
“You’re bossy.”
“You didn’t seem to mind it last night.” He smiles, and I roll my eyes, making him laugh. “I know you can be in control too. Just not today, okay?”
I hold his gaze and then nod, adding a little disobedience to my words. “Not now, you meant to say.”
Hunter keeps silent for a moment, and then shakes his head, smiling. “Not now.”
I watch him, feeling content. Usually our mornings aren’t like this. They are filled with Story’s chatter and laughter. And I love it. She’s an adorable girl who likes to share her plans and her wishes. She tells us about school and her classmates, about her teacher and her favorite subjects. But that’s nothing compared to how she talks about dancing. In those moments, she reminds me of my sister so damn much, I can easily close my eyes and imagine it’s Riley talking. Their passion and enthusiasm are remarkably identical, along with their talents. I was the one who took my sister to dance class when she was a little girl, and now I’m the one who brings Hunter’s daughter to hers. Full circle.
“A penny for your thoughts?” I jerk in my seat and focus my gaze on Hunter, then lower it to the table. Two plates with bacon and fried eggs, toast with ham and cheese, and two cups of steaming coffee. I didn’t even notice when he set all this down.
“I was thinking about Story and Riley. Their love of dance is pretty similar, and I often feel like I’m going back in time when I take your daughter to Ms. Martinez. I did it for Riley for at least five years, till my sister was ready to go on her own, with her friends. It brings back a lot of memories.”
“I get the feeling you grew up way too soon. You were taking care of your sister, doing things that moms usually do. Am I right?” He slides into his seat and peers at me. I sigh, taking a fork from the table and toying with it. “If you don’t want to talk about it, I totally understand.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it. I just don’t like to dwell on the past.”
“The past is what shapes our personalities. It makes us who we are.” He falls silent, chewing his food and keeping his gaze trained on me. “If you ever want to talk, I’m here.”
“Duly noted,” I mutter and dig into my food. We’re getting way too personal for my liking, and it’s not something I want to do with him. At least, not for now. I want to know where we stand. “About last night. Can we talk about it?”
“Sure. But maybe we should finish our breakfast first? It’s more comfortable to talk about things when your mouth isn’t filled with food.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“Stop saying you’re sorry. You haven’t said anything to warrant forgiveness or an apology. You want to know what last night means, and that’s totally normal. I want us to talk…just after breakfast.”
We finish eating in silence, constantly glancing at each other and smiling. I couldn’t have imagined things would ever be like this between us. There’s no trace of awkwardness, no shyness. It’s as if everything is exactly how it should be, and it makes me nervous.
“Can I start by stating the obvious?” Hunter asks as we sit on the couch in the living room. “I like you, Piper. A lot. That’s not something I expected when I agreed to hire you, nor when I saw you for the first time after all these years, but it’s my reality now. I like my daughter’s nanny, and I’m not ashamed of it.”
“When I agreed to work for you, all that mattered to me was Story, and you were like…a bonus,” I say, making him chuckle. “When I saw you in the hallway half naked? I honestly considered saying no.”
“Why is that?”
“Apparently I didn’t just agree to work for my best friend’s brother.”
“No?”
“No. I agreed to work for one of the sexiest men I’ve ever seen, and I regretted not googling you beforehand,” I confide.
“I’m glad you didn’t. Google remembers everything, even things I’d love to forget.”
“Such as?”
“Piper, you’re not the only one who doesn’t like to dwell on the past.”
“You got me,” I confirm, eyeing him intensely. “I like you too, by the way. And I’m not ashamed to admit it either.”
“Good to know,” Hunter murmurs, and my clit aches. This neediness is becoming irritating. He’s just a man. Why the hell am I so infatuated with him? “Um, I’m risking sounding awful here, but I want to be honest with you. I think you deserve it.”
“Okay?”
“I don’t want a relationship. I don’t need a girlfriend. And I have no plans to settle down in the future. Marriage isn’t for me,” he states. I keep a straight face watching him. “Football and my daughter are the only things I’m interested in, and I plan to dedicate all of my time to them both.”
“Where does that leave me?”
“All I can offer you is sex,” he says calmly. “No strings attached. If you meet someone, I’ll step back and not bother you again.”
Well, I’ll be working for him till next August. That’s what my contract states. I also plan to go back to college and finish my degree, so the next few months are all we have. He can be my friend with benefits…or, considering our circumstances, my boss with benefits. Am I up for it? When the time comes, will I be able to walk away and not be heartbroken? I can only hope I will, because I have no desire to say no to him.
“Should we set some rules?”
Hunter looks at me for a moment, and then his lips break into a coy smile. “Definitely. What’s rule number one?”
“No one needs to know. It’s a secret.”
“Agree. What else?”
“We have our own beds, so we’re not allowed to sleep together.”
“Ugh, I thought you liked cuddling with me,” he whines, and I hit him with my leg—unsuccessfully, because his fingers circle my ankle and he yanks me to him, making me straddle his legs. “Jokes aside, I totally agree with rule number two.”
“What if rule number three is about exclusivity?”
“I don’t plan on hooking up with anyone else.” Hunter dismisses me, cupping my ass with his palms. “I don’t need a rule for that.”
“Okay, then what should rule number three be?”
“If you meet someone, you tell me, and we stop this.” He holds my gaze; his hands are firm on my body.
“And if you meet someone, you tell me, and we stop this. I don’t want to be the other woman.”
“There won’t be anyone. Do we need more rules?”
“I don’t think so.” I lower my head; my lips are an inch away from his. “I just hope you’ll keep your promise about not disappointing me.”
Hunter roughly grabs the back of my neck, his hot breath on my face. “I always keep my promises.” A second later, our lips collide, and we lose ourselves in this moment.
“Uncle Hayden, it’s not fair,” Story huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. She’s frowning, looking down at the Monopoly board. “I wanted to buy this factory.”
“Sorry, kid. Luck isn’t on your side.” Hade laughs, winking at her and then glancing at me. “It’s not on your nanny’s side either. Stop being a sore loser, Pip.”
I roll my eyes and stand up from the couch, catching Hunter’s gaze on me. “I’m going to the kitchen. Do you want anything?”
“Cocoa and toast with Nutella.” Story’s no longer sulking. Instead, she looks at me with a big, radiant smile on her lips. “Pretty please.”
“Okay. What about you guys?” Hunter and Hayden both shake their heads no, and I continue to the kitchen. I want to be anywhere but the living room. Things are weird.
Hunter left to pick up Story around four, after we spent two hours making each other come over and over with our fingers and our tongues. He definitely has a mouth on him, and he knows how to use it and make a woman lose her mind. I was floating on cloud nine after that, happily singing along to my playlist while cooking dinner and waiting for them to come home. Then I saw Hayden step into the house with his brother and his niece.
Hade caught me in the kitchen when Hunter and Story went to change their clothes. He gave me a long lecture, peppered with apologies and reassurances. He promised to do better, to stop being so overprotective and manipulative. To give me space and not bother me about my love life. He said he’d be there for me no matter what, even if that means mending pieces of my broken heart. I was happy he decided to say all that. The problem was, he was watching me like a hawk once his brother entered the room. My best friend wanted to make sure there was nothing between Hunter and me.
Story is sound asleep in her bed. I slowly close her bedroom door and saunter back to the living room.
“Can I stay here tonight? My first class is at ten, so I’ll have plenty of time to get to campus before it starts,” Hayden asks, and I freeze in the doorway.
“Sure. There’s a guest room upstairs. You can take that.” Hunter shrugs. He hasn’t noticed me. I clear my throat, and they both look at me. “Story is asleep, and I’m going to turn in too. Do you need anything before I go?”
“No, thank you, Piper. I’ll just show Hayden to his room, and then I’ll go to bed too.”
“See you in the morning, Pip.” My best friend walks over to me and kisses my cheek. “Night.”
“Night,” I mumble as he starts to climb the stairs, humming one of Sabotage’s songs under his breath. I don’t know how I feel. I’m happy they’re bonding and spending more time together. But at the same time, it feels like he’s staying to keep an eye on me.
“He’s here because of you.” I bore my gaze into my boss. “He’s been watching you all evening.”
“He wants to make sure there’s nothing going on between us.”
“So far, I think you managed to convince him.” Hunter nudges me and takes a few steps toward the stairs. “Night, Piper.”
“Night, Hunter,” I answer curtly and hurry to my room. “Nice to know you’re going to keep your promise.”
“Piper,” he groans as I put a hand on the doorknob.
“Fuck me if you can, Hunter, or go to bed.”
I don’t expect him to do as I say, but I can’t ignore the opportunity to tease him out of his mind.
