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“I guess I can wait.” With a reluctant groan, he lifted his head away from her, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips.
As she preceded him back into the tavern, he rubbed his hand over her ass. She smiled to herself. She loved his surreptitious little caresses. Steve had used his physicality to intimidate and control her, not to assure her he was there and to show her how much he liked and appreciated her.
They crossed the dining room to an empty table. As Hunter pulled her chair out for her, Aria was acutely aware of Grant’s suspicion, even from halfway across the room. To his credit, he brought her drink and took their orders without further comment.
“Did you get your flight straightened out?” She pushed the basket of sourdough bread toward Hunter.
He nodded. “The meeting is Wednesday at ten, so I’ll take the seven a.m. flight from SJC tomorrow morning.” The glow of the table lantern carved his face into planes of shadows and light. “Gives me a day to get some work done.”
“Do you know what the meeting is about?”
“Oceanview, probably.” His mouth compressing, he reached for his water glass. “I wish I didn’t have to go.”
She shrugged. Though she wished the same thing desperately, there was no use pretending that one day soon he wouldn’t have togofor good.
“Aria?” Callie’s cool voice broke through the air.
Oh, shit.Aria’s heart plummeted. Fixing a smile on her face, she looked up at her older sister. “Hey, Callie. What are you doing here?”
“Rory and I were just grabbing a bite.” Callie’s gaze slanted to Hunter, her eyes frosting over.
“Hello, Callie.” He stood and extended his hand. “Good to see you again.”
She didn’t respond, but shook his hand in return. Rory approached from the bar. In an almost identical manner, she shifted her eyes from Aria to Hunter.
“Rory.” He held out his hand to her. “Hunter Armstrong.”
“Yeah, I know.” She grasped his hand briefly. “Didn’t expect to see you two breaking bread together.”
Aria frowned. Last week, Rory had picked up on her and Hunter’s attraction, but she hadn’t seemed to think it was a bad thing. But now, her sister both looked and sounded wary.
“We’re just talking.” Aria sipped her drink, schooling her expression into one of casual indifference.
She and Hunter had established that phrase as their “code” for what to say in the likely event that they ran into someone Aria knew. She hadn’t considered it might be both of her sisters at the same time.
Not for a second did she think they didn’t see through her flimsy comment. Or her. She’d never been able to hide from her sisters. If she hadn’t moved to Denver with Steve, they’d have known immediately that something was wrong in her relationship with him.
Was it possible they’d also recognize that her feelings for Hunter feltright?
“Did you get my text?” Rory fixed her sharp blue eyes on Aria.
“Yes. Sorry I haven’t responded. I was…”Too busy thinking about Hunter. Too busy being with Hunter.“Busy.”
“We need to talk.”
“Fine. I’ll call you later.”
“How about now?” Rory put her hands on her hips.
Irritation prickled Aria’s skin. The last thing she wanted or needed was a lecture from her big sisters about what a bad idea it was to be romantically involved with Hunter. Rory and Callie could probably tell just by looking at her exactly how many times she’d slept with him. They probably knew she had his whisker burn on her breasts and a love bite on her shoulder.
“As you can see, I’m busy now.” She gripped her napkin. “I said I’d call you later.”
“Soon.” Rory’s features hardened.
“Fine.”
Grant, bless his heart, chose that moment to arrive with their food. As if sensing the tension in the air, he glanced at Rory, who met his gaze with a slight shake of her head. He deposited their food on the table and returned to the bar.
