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I shrugged into my own shirt. “I’m leaving. I can’t do this. I can’t let myself get hurt again. I won’t.” I waved my hand around in the air. “I’ll help you with Tani. I know you can’t lose her.”
“Haven’t you been listening? I can’t lose you either.”
He looked like he really meant it. But then again, what the hell did I know about men?
“You say that now. But you’ll win custody back and then what? I haven’t even told my family about this. I’m living a lie and you want me to give up my home and my life.”
He shook his head but didn’t have anything else to say. I slipped off the ring and placed it on the table besid
e the bed and walked away.
For someone who wasn’t letting me go, he did nothing to stop me.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - HUNTER
I’d let her go. I’d kicked myself for it all night, too and I was on my fourth attempt at calling her this morning and stopping myself. Then, her car pulled up outside. I could see it through the window in the kitchen where I stood at the stove cooking breakfast. I cracked another egg and added it to the pan, but I didn’t go to the door. She’d left on her own without my help so she could come back the same way.
I heard her key in the lock and then the door opened slowly and she came in and put her handbag on the table. The room was quiet all but for the sound of eggs frying.
“I’ve been up all night.”
Me too, I wanted to say. I wanted to turn around and chew her up and spit her out and tell her to get out of my life. But I didn’t, because I wanted even more to pull her close and kiss her and never let her go.
“This is hard for me, Hunter. It’s hard to trust again.”
“I thought we got past that already.” Though I’d spoken, I was determined not to face her.
“It’s easy to declare things when we’re naked and horny, Hunter. But I’m scared that’s all this is to you. I’m scared when things settle down and you don’t need my help, I’ll be out the door.”
“So better you walk out now before it gets too rough for you, right?” I pulled the eggs from the pan and plated them but kept my back to her.
“Would you look at me? Hunter, I’m trying to work this out.”
I spun around so fast she flinched. “And then what? We’ll fuck and then you’ll take the rest of your shit and go?”
“That’s not fair.”
“Bullshit. What is not fair is me declaring my love to you and you freaking out like I’m trying trick you.” I closed the distance and backed her against the counter. “If you’re just here to fuck let’s get it done so you can be gone by the time Tani comes home. I don’t want to confuse her even more.” I pressed my hips into her and she glared at me her chest heaving. “It’s what you said right? Business with benefits?” I tugged at the front of her pants and she looked away as tears glistening in her eyes.
“That wasn’t you declaring your love. That was you posturing and putting me in my place.” She took a deep breath and wiped a tear that threatened to betray her.
“That was me trying to convince you that you feel the same damned way about me, Sarah. You’re so fucking hung up on getting hurt you’re hurting yourself. I’m not going anywhere. When I’m with you it’s not some perk from our agreement, it means something to me. But I guess that’s what I get. I fooled myself into thinking a woman who turned me down twice for a date would actually start to like me.”
“Are you done?” She pushed me away and then took a few steps around the kitchen to put some space between us. “As I was saying I was up all night. I did a lot of thinking and if you’re really serious about wanting more, then I want to try.” She glanced up at me with those big blue eyes filled with worry. “If you still want me.”
My head fell back and I let out a sigh. “Of course, I do. I’m falling in love with you, Sarah.”
She smiled and her lip quivered. “That’s how I feel too. I think I’m just terrified it won’t work out because I want it to so much.”
“No more worries. But I want you moved in. I need to know you’ve got nowhere to run. And I want you to promise you won’t leave like that again.”
“Promise if I try that you’ll stop me.”
I pulled her closer, kissing her soft lips and cupping her face with my hands. I wanted to make tender love to her and show her how much I missed her. I worked my way from her lips down to her breasts and she melted against me, pulling me close and slipping her hand along my hips to my ass.
“I’m sorry I didn’t.” I lifted her up on the counter and she raked her hands through my hair.
“If I hadn’t come back what would you have done?”
