Page 6 of Tempt Me

Sighing, I admit, “I’m sick of waiting.”

“Then stop waiting.”

“What if I unleash my charm and she’s crushed under the sheer weight of my need?”

“Is that a real concern?” Carys asks and changes her position on the lounge chair. “Tack, just ask her out to the movies or dinner. Act like it’s a normal thing. If you make it weird, she’ll think it’s weird.”

“I know you’re right. I’m cockblocking myself at this point, but I don’t want to botch this thing.”

Carys stops fiddling with her maternity top and pats my cheek. “Do you think Pork Chop was suave when he won my heart?”

We glance at my club brother who has shoved the basketball under his shirt and pretends to be Carys. When my gaze returns to her annoyed face, I smile.

“Why him?”

“I was bored.”

“No really.”

Carys smiles. “With the right people, it doesn’t need to be romantic. It just needs to happen. Your problem is you think Hunter shut things down because of something you did when it’s really because she has hangups. If you wait for her to make a move or give you the green light, your dick will fall off from sadness.”

“I’m going to take your advice.”

“Good. You deserve to be happy, and I’ve always liked Hunter. I get the sense she’s lonelier than she lets on. You could make her very happy, Tack.”

As I leave Carys to watch Pork Chop play basketball, she orders him to remove his shirt. I don’t know if she wants him to stop faking a belly or if she’s hoping to admire his chest. Either way, the bald, buff bitch obeys his wife.

The familiarity they share is what I crave with Hunter. I want to be able to speak without fearing anything I say will send her running. We’re friends, but I can’t let loose around her.

The curvy redhead owns my thoughts as I rub one out during my after-game shower. Her skin is so soft and her lips are naturally rosy. I try to imagine her bare tits. Will her nipples be as red as her lips? Imagining the answer helps me find relief.

I’m soon dressed in a clean black T-shirt and jeans. My boots are getting worn and need replacing, yet I just can’t get around to shopping for new ones. I’m a man waiting for the next stage of his life to begin.

I could buy a little place for myself. I saw a small house near Sync’s for sale. I’d have a yard for my dog, Sleepy. I might talk Indigo into moving with me. We could free up space at the farm. No reason for men in their thirties to be still at home.

If we don’t want to live in suburbia, we could build a house on the farm. I have plenty of options, but I’m waiting for Hunter and me to start our life together.

Restless as usual, I end up at the clubhouse. The club girls flirt with me, still certain I’ll give up on my infatuation with the rich redhead. They understood how Bear was off the market, even after Natasha ran off. Like Indigo, he never hid his unhappiness. Meanwhile, I don’t cry in my beer, so people figure I’m fine.

Tonight, though, I’m noticeably miserable. I look at the pool tables, where I met Hunter. Her hair was a little longer then yet still cut in a boyish pixie cut. She wore a gray tank top, a blue-and-black flannel shirt, faded blue jeans, and brown boots. Women rarely dressed down at the clubhouse. They were there to party and be seen.

Hunter owns a confidence I’ve only really seen with the O’Malley sisters. Like them, she understands her place in the world. Wealth and power aren’t new toys to play with but a constant in their lives.

When Hunter smiled at me, I knew she was saying yes. She’s a straight shooter. Does that mean she’s truly saying no now?

Before I can drown my sorrows, I receive a text from the guy tailing Hunter tonight. Jay worries someone is following her.

“Hunter’s been sitting in her car in the parking garage for ten minutes.”

“Do you see anyone?”

“There are people around. I saw a car at the casino. I saw it again at the coffee shop where she got mugged. I saw it at the condo when she first arrived. I don’t see it now.”

“Where are you?”

“In the garage. I ran inside when a car was leaving. I’ve got eyes on her. What do you want me to do?”

“Stay put. I see Noble here at the bar. I’ll let him know something might be going down. Then, I’ll ride in your direction,” I text back before adding, “And, Jay, don’t let anything happen to my woman.”

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