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A tiny little moan escaped and I capitalized on the moment to capture her lips in mine. I tipped her head back slightly and used my finger to tip her jaw down, opening her mouth wider to let me in. Oh God, how I wanted in so badly. I had waited years for this, eons and decades to conquer this pretty face, and she was giving it to me so sweetly I’d get cavities if I wasn’t careful.
My hands were on a journey of their own as I claimed her mouth. My fingers found the edges of her panties under the bunches of her poufy skirt. I grabbed them like handles, pulling them tight. I could have ripped them off, but she would have kicked up a fuss, so I just used them to hold on.
“Dude, take her on!”
I pulled back, groaning and leaning my forehead against hers. Our breaths were ragged and uneasy. Part of me wanted to go over there and knock some sense and manners into them. They were ruining my night with Taylor Jane.
“Ignore them.” She kissed my lips with hooded eyes and clutched
me tighter to her, locking her ankles around my back.
“I’ll kill them,” I told her, meaning I would beat them senseless.
“I know.” She half smiled, looking up through her sooty lashes. In that moment, I knew I would give her the world.
After I got my breathing back under control I released her and hopped inside the truck next to her. Side by side, I pulled her over to the blanket I had set up and held her next to me. The new Captain America movie didn’t help my blood pressure and the loudness of the punks next door to us tried my patience. This wasn’t a situation I could get up and leave either. This was a date and the more I thought about those idiots the more I got fired up unable to concentrate on the movie or the beautiful girl next to me.
By the time intermission came, I was gritting my teeth trying to keep things together. There was only so much soda one could drink without crossing one’s eyes and so much idiocy from the dumb hicks next to us who made comments loud enough for the drive-in to hear the entire movie
Washing my hands, I noticed the ancient bathroom, besides being a throwback to another generation was stocked with one of those condom dispensers that no one trusted anyway. Damien probably needed some, and I considered bringing him back a half dozen to shut him up when I heard yelling outside. Exiting the bathroom I ran into those idiots harassing Taylor Jane. My blood boiled.
“Hunter!”
Taylor Jane’s eyes were wide when I turned lunging for the asshole closest to her. She dodged out of the way and I tossed him back letting him knock over a cart of souvenirs causing a scene.
I could hear her call my name, but I didn’t listen. I went after him dragging him to the ground and punched the other one who jumped on my back flipping him over. Taylor Jane was yelling again for me to stop as security finally reached us rushing over to interfere.
I’d beaten them up pretty bad, but the security guard didn’t like the guys recognizing them from before at the concession line. He went easy on me, asking us to leave for tonight, and that was fine with me. The whole ordeal was exhausting and I wanted to be home, alone where I didn’t have to interact with anyone.
“Hunter, what happened?” Taylor Jane hesitated before touching a cut on my forehead that must have come from the fight. I moved away and she flinched.
“You know, I would never–”
She interrupted me holding her hand up “Stop, I know you wouldn’t. I was scared watching you fight them.”
Taylor Jane brought her arms around her middle in a protective gesture I hadn’t seen since my dad hit my mom. My actions were unforgivable in my mind, and I had all the evidence I needed to know that I was no good for Taylor Jane. This was simply inevitable.
I looked down at my hands. They had a history that built houses and drafted delicate wood carvings, but all I saw were appendages that hurt others and broke things. “I should take you home. I don’t think I can do this.” I needed space. I needed to be far away from her so I didn’t hurt her.
“Hunter, whatever you’re thinking, you’re not like that.” She tugged at my arm and pleaded with me, but I couldn’t hear her. I’d already made the tactical retreat for her safety and my mental wellbeing.
“We’ll go back to being the friends we were before. It has to be that way.” I didn’t want to lose her, but I couldn’t be with her if I could explode like that. The rawness was too close to the surface.
“You don’t get to make that decision for both of us.” Her hands grabbed for me, but I caught her wrists holding her back. I would break if she touched me.
“Yes, I do sweetheart.”
“Hunter, don’t give up on us. Don’t you dare give up.” Her face scrunched and she muffled her tears, looking out the truck window hating me. Her hate would be better than me destroying her love.
“It’s in my blood and I would die before I ever hurt you like that or caused you to fear me. Let’s go home.” The drive home was the longest thirty minutes of my life.
And just like that it was over. I dropped her off at her dad’s house and she didn’t look back once to wave or say goodbye.
28
Hunter
“Hunter, my boy.” Alan opened the door and invited me in. His face was drawn, tired looking. He looked far more occupied in his thoughts than a retired man had any right to be.
