“I’m the same age I was when you decided to stalk me. Can’t put that genie back in the bottle, sweetheart. I’m out, now.”
“Congratulations on finally coming out.” She grins at me. “I’m proud of you. Be you, Hunt. Go find a nice man to date and leave me alone.”
“Oh, sweetheart. You know better than that.” I trail my fingertips down her arm again.
“How’d you get in here?”
“I used my key.” I pull out the master key and wave it in front of her. “I own this complex.”
Her nostrils flare, but she gets herself under control. She watches me as if she’s trying to decide whether I’m telling the truth or not.
“You know a lot now, Bella.” I take my place behind her again. “What do you think happens now?”
“Well, you’re not going to kill me.” There’s a playfulness to her voice, but also a tinge of fear. I don’t like that.
“I’d never lay a hand on you, unless it’s to make you feel good.”
“And I told you I’m not going to say anything, so I guess we’re at a stalemate.”
“It would seem,” I pretend to concede. She finishes her wine and saunters to her bedroom. She’s in a pair of tight jeans and a tank top. Simple, but the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I ask myself how I could have been in this town for all these years and not claimed her, but I guess I was too busy with my own life.
Besides, I’ve never been one to play the field. I don’t do drugs, drink to excess, or chase pussy. If you do those things, you’re compromised.
Like a fool, I follow her to her bedroom. She leaves the door open while she slowly pulls off her pants. I lean on the doorframe and watch. Her T-shirt goes over her head, and her bare breasts bounce.
I approach her like a hunter would their prey. I put my hands on her shoulders, pull her into me, and inhale. My hands slide down her sides until I cup her hips. I grind on her, and she moans.
“But we have one thing in common, Bella. This heat between us. We can’t deny that.” I don’t let her reply. I turn her around, and my mouth crashes on hers. I walk her to the bed and put her on her back.
I hear the loud whirring of her sewing machine, so I return to the room and watch her work. She soon sighs, stands, and rubs her lower back.
“Let me,” I say. I pick her up bridal style and return to the living room, where I drape her across my body and massage her back through her shirt. Her stomach growls.
I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve been here for hours, and after we made love on her bed, we fell asleep. We only woke up about an hour ago.
“Let me order some dinner. I’d cook, but you don’t have anything in your fridge.”
“There are menus in the drawer over there.” She points, and I reluctantly get up and look through the drawer. “I want something from that Jamaican spot in Widow’s Peak.
An hour later, we’re on her couch. Instead of sitting at her kitchen table to eat, she’s straddling me on the sofa while she feeds me jerk chicken and rice. I have my own dish, but nothing tastes better than eating from the same fork as this woman.
My hand rests on her ass. I tilt my head at the container of mac and cheese, and she feeds me some of that. I pull her shirt down and peek at her brown nipples. My mouth waters for an entirely different reason.
“How about I meet you after work tomorrow and take you out?”
“I’m seeing my friends tomorrow.”
“I think Ripley will have something to say about that. He’s really greedy when it comes to her.”
Cori does something she hasn’t done. She lets out a genuine, unguarded laugh.
“Right? And who would have thought because he’s so damn scary looking?”
“That mean motherfucker surprised all of us,” I add.
“He’s not mean, though. At least not to Eden. He treats her like she’s a princess.” She sighs wistfully. “If I were into relationships, I’d want a man like him.”
Chapter 11
