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Ending the call quickly, she doesn’t give me time to respond. And that’s fine because I’m not sure she’d like what I had to say. Because truthfully, something tells me Sutton isn’t like her parents. And that maybe I’ve been reading her wrong all along.
Sutton
As much as I don’t want to do it, I suppose it’s my turn to show up at Hunter’s and set up a time to practice. Despite that he was a bit of a dick a few days ago, I feel bad for him because I know Paige is stringing him along. And that’s got to suck ass. I might be cold at times, but I’m still human, and I do have empathy for those in pain. It’s pretty clear Hunter is.
Rounding the corner, I walk along the sidewalk at Brooks until I reach his road. I’m not sure if he’ll even be home, but I guess there’s only one way to find out.
I see his truck in the driveway, along with two others, and I swallow. I’m aware that this will probably look like I’m one of his puck bunnies, and that kind of annoys me. I’d be anyone else’s bunny, but not Hunter’s.
Spotting a doorbell, I press my finger to it and listen to the sound. Moments later, I hear feet heading toward me, and the door opens. A shirtless Cade Huff gives me a boyish grin, and he looks like he literally just rolled out of bed.
“Well, hello there, beautiful.” He looks me over. “I’d better get my phone to let heaven know one of their angels got out, huh?”
Rolling my eyes, I scrunch my nose up. “Do those crappy pickup lines ever actually work?”
“Every. Single. Time,” he says, as serious as a heart attack. “What can I do for you, sweet cheeks?”
“I’m looking for Hunter.” I force the words out. Words that taste like acid. “Is he home?”
He smirks before opening the door wider. “Sure is. Come on in.”
“No…thanks.” I shake my head. “I’ll wait here. I don’t want to catch chlamydia or something, walking in there.”
“Suit yourself.” He shrugs. “Thompson! You’ve got a visitor.” He gives me a wink before sauntering away.
Hunter steps outside, looking surprised to see me. “Hey, what’s up?”
I allow myself to look him over. When he’s in his athletic shorts, backward hat, and no shirt on…it’s hard not to. And I fumble a little, trying to get my tongue to allow me to speak.
“Well, seeing as you showed up at my place last time, I figured it was my turn to put my big-girl pants on and come to yours.” I pull in a breath. “If you’re free tonight, we could practice our routine and finalize it.”
“I was going to go to Club 83 to grab dinner with the guys—” he starts to say, but my pride cuts him off.
“That’s fine. I have homework I can do anyway. No worries—”
“But I’ll let them know I won’t make it,” he drawls slowly, and my damn eyes betray me, floating back to his abdomen. “Come in, and I’ll get ready.”
I look around, shifting on my feet. “Oh…that’s all right. I can wait here.”
“Wasn’t asking, Little Bird,” he says sternly, holding the door open. “Come inside.”
Folding my arms over my chest, I glare. “Fine. But just so you know, it’s only because I don’t want to be seen outside of the hockey house. It has nothing to do with the fact that you’re basically forcing me to do it. Got it?”
“Whatever you say,” he mumbles, grinning softly as I follow him through the house.
Cade is lying on the couch, looking completely lost.
Watson steps out of a side room. His eyes widen as he sees me, but he quickly holds his hand up and smiles. “Hey, Sutton.”
“Hi, Watson.” I wave. “Did you do that assignment yet for Business?”
“Hell no.” He laughs before his face grows serious. “Wait, did you?”
I nod. “This morning actually. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d suspected it would be. Though for just a few weeks into school, I didn’t think the professors would already be such hard asses!”
Hunter clears his throat just as Watson opens his mouth. And when he looks at Hunter, they seem to exchange some secret message. Watson quickly says good-bye, and Hunter leads me into his bedroom.
I gaze around, not at all shocked by how insanely clean and organized it is in here. Growing up the way that Hunter did, there was no room for clutter.
