Page 14 of Tempt Me

Tomorrow, we’ll look at the situation with fresh eyes and the same longing we’ve been nursing for years.

TACK

I can’t relax in the guest room despite the mattress being far better than mine at the farm. My mind replays everything from today, fixing mistakes I made and editing shit I said.

If I had been tailing Hunter instead of Jay, she’d never have gotten hurt. Those assholes might also be alive to rat out their boss.

I wake up late, missing breakfast with Hunter. One of Suzanne’s assistants brings a huge meal to the dining room, where I eat alone and look over the hundred messages left overnight by my crew.

Eventually, I stand in the foyer like I did last night, willing Hunter to find me before I leave. My silent powers of persuasion work. Hunter pokes her head out of a doorway and guides me toward a billiard room.

As I join Hunter, I notice how her red hair looks almost pink in the sundrenched room. Her blue eyes are lined by smoky eyeliner and a hint of green shadow. She wears a dark blue blouse revealing just enough cleavage to get my blood flowing to my dick. Her beige khakis do little to hide her curvy ass.

When her fruity scent hits me, I’m trapped between lightheaded bliss and an aggressive arousal.

“Before you head out, do you want to play a game?” Hunter asks, offering me a welcoming smile. “We can put on music and pretend we’re enjoying a quiet night at the clubhouse.”

Joining her at the slick, high-end table, I take the pool stick. Hunter turns on grunge music like we often hear at the clubhouse. She’s replicating a time when we were at our most comfortable.

After a perfect shot leaving two balls in separate pockets, Hunter says, “I got word about Jay. He’s expected to make a full recovery and is currently enjoying his hospital suite.”

“Your mom shouldn’t pamper him too much. He’s a dickhead. That’s why he obeys me. If he fails, I’ll have no qualms about ending him.”

“That’s nice,” Hunter murmurs and pats my forearm. “Dickhead or not, he still kept me in the garage long enough for you to save me. This might be the only time in his life when he gets to be a hero. Let the man enjoy his reward.”

I almost mention how I ought to get a reward. Except Hunter let me stick around last night, and she’s agreed to a date. I’ve got no reason to whine about wanting more.

After sinking another ball in the pocket, Hunter says, “A part of me feels like I should go home to the condo and live my life rather than running away and hiding.”

“That’s a mistake.”

Hunter’s soft expression instantly hardens. “You’d never hide away. Why should I?”

Fatigue clouds my internal edit button, so I blurt out, “I shoot people. Isn’t that why you won’t date me?”

My words stump her. She just shuts down.

Allowing her space to think, I line up my first pool shot.

Hunter finally mumbles, “I can shoot people, too.”

“You said you weren’t comfortable with guns.”

“I can learn.”

Smiling at her stubborn nature, I reply, “Well, I’d love for you to become a badass, gun-toting bitch. You could stay in Banta City and go on that date with me. But I’d rather you stay alive, even if it means I can’t see you for a long while.”

Hunter’s blue eyes narrow until they’re the thinnest slits. “How long do you expect me to hide?”

“Well, this shit happened yesterday. So, I don’t know but more than a single day.”

Stepping back, she looks ready to walk away. Instead, she inches forward and explains, “You don’t know what it’s like to be smothered by a powerful person’s concern. My sister got stuck in that suffocating comfort for half her life.”

I absolutely, without a fucking doubt, should shut up. I’m pissing off Hunter for no damn reason. She’s on edge today, feeling powerless after living her life at the top. What she wants is to play pool and flirt. I just need to go along with whatever she says, so I can enjoy our time together before she’s gone.

However, I feel out of sorts in this house. I’ve long been insecure about my place in Hunter’s life. Her mom is loaded in a way that boggles the mind of a guy like me. Suzanne could lose half her fortune and still be richer than most people in the world.

I’m a simple guy. I’ll spend money on my motorcycle or a decent pair of boots. Otherwise, I think small.

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