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“Well…I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted and you still need to head over to the guest cabin.”
I nodded. “Yeah, me too. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“See you tomorrow, Hunter.”
I waited for Kipton to open the door and walk in. She turned and smiled at me as she slowly shut the door.
I wasn’t sure why I stood there staring at the door, but something inside me felt…foreign. It was like I literally couldn’t leave. For a moment, I almost walked in and asked her if she wanted to head to my parents’ den for a nightcap. Lord knows I needed one.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly let it out before I turned toward the steps—only to see Paul and Louie standing in the yard. It was a relief to note they didn’t have a camera pointed at me, at least.
“Dude, do you like Kipton?” Paul asked.
“What?” I said, immediately deflecting. “No. Why would you even ask me that?”
He shrugged as Louie said, “Because you were staring at that door like you lost your puppy or something.”
I glared at the assistant cameraman. “I don’t have a puppy, and I’m just exhausted.”
Paul let out a snort. “Must be hard to entertain twenty beautiful women.”
Little did he know.
“Why are you both still here?” I asked as I made my way back to the limo.
“Grant, one of the camera supervisors, is on his way over with some cameras and a small crew. If we all work together, we can get them installed in your place and be out in a couple of hours.”
I groaned as I made my way down the steps. “Whatever. All I want is a hot shower and a warm bed…before the cameras get here.”
Chapter Seven
KIPTON
I drew back the curtains in my bedroom and smiled. It was still dark, but I had a view of the eastern sky, and I could see the beginnings of daylight peeking up from the mountaintops. Stretching my arms over my head, I yawned and turned to make my way to the attached bathroom.
After a quick shower, I got dressed in jeans and a light blue sweater for a meeting later this morning with Jack, Travis, and Hunter. Today was going to be a long day for the camera crew, who were filming the girls’ reactions to meeting Hunter last night. What they thought about him and each other. Hunter was scheduled for a similar interview. I was so glad they’d ultimately decided not to make the entire show live; it would have been too much on everyone. Plus, doing the dates live was really the most important part.
Slipping on my favorite pair of cowboy boots, I pulled my hair up in a high pony and made my way down to the kitchen. After the first couple of nights in Brock and Lincoln’s house, I discovered ranchers are very early risers. Most likely, Hunter’s parents would both be in the kitchen when I got there.
“Good morning, Kipton!” Lincoln said in her usual cheerful voice. I forced myself to return her bright smile with one of my own. At least I was hoping it seemed bright and cheerful.
“Good morning.”
“How did you sleep?” Brock asked as he poured a cup of coffee and handed it to me.
Taking it gratefully, I said, “Thank you. And I slept like a baby. In fact, that’s the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in, if I haven’t already mentioned that.”
Lincoln grinned from ear to ear. “I’m so happy to hear it, and you might have mentioned it once or twice.” She shot a quick look to Brock before she asked, “So…last night went well, don’t you think?”
I blew on the hot coffee briefly. “I do.”
When Lincoln looked like she wanted to say more, Brock rolled his eyes. “For the love, just ask her.”
My eyes bounced between the two of them. For a moment, I wondered if they’d been watching when the limo dropped me off. That intense moment between me and Hunter was all I could think about last night before sleep finally took hold of me. Had I imagined he was looking at me differently?
I’d felt a strange connection to him when we first met, but I just assumed it was because we were both going into this whole thing with the same goal: to help out the people we loved with the money we’d receive. There was also no denying he was incredibly handsome, and I suspected he found me just as easy to look at. I mean, I’m not stupid; we were attracted to one another, without a doubt…but that was all. Right?
I felt my brows draw down in confusion. He was a friend. A friend who had the softest-looking lips I’d ever seen, and all I wanted to do was—
