Page 82 of Tempt Me

“So, what do you suggest?”

“Get used to hiding out for a few years. The good thing is you get to hide with Hunter.”

I smile at the thought of Hunter and I hunkering down for a long time in the way we’ve done for the last week.

“She seems happy here,” I state, even if my words come out sounding more like a question.

“If she misses dealing cards, we could have a poker night at the clubhouse or the farm.”

Indigo’s suggestion makes me realize how much Hunter will need to give up now. I haven’t looked at the media attention, but I know Natasha and Bear have kept a low profile since the attack on the convoy.

Indigo and I return to the front yard where Pork Chop is showing off a picture of Carys holding Ripley.

“She looks like you,” Golden says, winning a snarl from Pork Chop.

“Don’t be a dick. She’s beautiful like Carys.”

Golden laughs at our brother’s annoyance. “I meant she’s bald like you.”

“Well, yeah, she’s got no hair,” Pork Chop says and rubs his shaved head. “But neither did Hicks or Hudson when they were born.”

“She’s gorgeous, Pork Chop,” Noble says, getting the man’s head back on straight. “You did good. How is Carys?”

“Tired but relieved. Is it safe yet? The boys want to get outside.”

“Let them play in their big basement,” Zoot mutters. “No one should be out here until we’re sure.”

“How will we be sure?” Elvis asks, walking out and patting Pork Chop’s back.

“The dogs don’t seem bothered,” I offer as I inch closer to the house. “They were whining and staring at the woods earlier. Now, they’re cool.”

“That means nothing,” Zoot snarls, refusing to calm down. “They might have backed away from the houses, but they could still be in the woods.”

“Okay,” I reply and ditch them so I can go inside.

As soon as I enter the house, Hunter launches herself at me and holds on tight. “I saw you walking toward the woods behind the farmhouses and nearly came out of my skin.”

“We were checking if the dogs got spooked like earlier. They were more interested in smelling each other’s butts.”

Hunter’s panicked gaze brightens at the thought. She’s gotten attached to the dogs over the last week. I can’t believe I hid Sleepy from her for years. The Hunter I loved back then wasn’t the Hunter I’m holding right now. I was seeing her wrong. I still do sometimes, mostly because I’m afraid to trust I can finally have what I want.

As the afternoon wears on and the farm remains locked down, Hunter and I entertain children and help in the kitchen.

At one point while I’m playing Go Fish with the kids, I see a flash of my future. All these people, the party atmosphere, the sense of belonging will be taking place in my big house. I’ll be past my initial unhappiness over leaving the farm. Hunter will have adjusted to her new life under a microscope. We’ll invite everyone over to make the mansion feel like a home.

That future feels within reach now. I’m not stupid, though. I know the next months or even years will be stressful. Hunter and I won’t be allowed the easy life we had before.

We’ll be starting over in many ways. Hunter will have to strip down her routine and rebuild it with privacy in mind. I’ll need to give up the ease of the farm, something that’s kept me sane for decades.

Together, we’ll face the unknown and forge our new path.

HUNTER

Holding Ripley gives me the worst case of baby fever. I literally feel like I’m on fire inside as I cradle her in my arms. When her tiny mouth stretches into a yawn, my heart races. I hate handing her over to Siobhan.

“You’ll have your own soon,” she promises. “Then, I’ll be the one with baby fever.”

The atmosphere in the house is so relaxed all evening. Even Zoot settles down, though I catch him constantly checking the security feeds.

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