Page 178 of Always You

“Are you kidding me?” I gasp when it hits me that it’s all the places we used to come together. “Why?”

He steps into my space, grabbing my hips as he jerks me against his chest. His lips come awfully close as he peers down at me, my heart purringin delight.

“I didn’t know how hard you were going to make it for me. But I knew you’d never leave this place. So, I set down my roots by buying property all over town. This way, you had no choice but to talk to me at some point.”

“What about your career? The fights?”

He shrugs. “I’m not going back to LA. If they want to fight, I’ll do it right here. I’ll train here in North Carolina. I’m not leaving you again, Charlotte.”

Forget my heart purring. It’s screaming at me, as if she’s at a Taylor Swift concert.

“You’re crazy,” I muse, breathing the same air as we look into each other’s eyes.

“No, baby.” His breath feathers over my lips, the heat of his body messing with my brain. “I’m in love.” My lips part, and for just a split second, I think he’s going to throw all the hesitation away and kiss me, but instead, he grips my neck, moves his lips to my forehead, pressing a scorching kiss on my skin.

“Come on, baby.” He tugs me with him as we enter the store, the warmth of his kiss still burning on my head.

I look at Hunter ordering for us with a smile that I can’t seem to wash off my face.

This all feels better than it should. In fact, when Hunter is around, I feel like me, and I haven’t felt like me in a long time. My mind keeps telling me to keep my distance, but I can’t say no to Hunter Hansen. As soon as he throws that boyish grin in the mix, and shoots me a wink—I’m gone.

A druggie hooked.

He’s looking handsome as fuck, wearing some dark jeans and a navy-blue t-shirt that hugs his broad shoulders, showing off his tattooed arms. His snapback is on his head, backwards, and I breathe in this woodsy cologne every chance I get.

“Clementine vanilla, and cookies and cream for my girl here.” He shoots me another wink, clearly oblivious to what it does tomy heart, handing me my ice cream before he throws a ten on the counter. “Thanks, Moira!”

“My pleasure, Hunter!” The old lady giggles, with a spark in her eyes. This is probably the highlight of her day, and it’s cute he gives her some attention, making her feel special.

Because that’s who he is. Deep down, his cold, stubborn heart has so much love to give to the people around him. I think it’s why I fell in love with him in the first place. Because underneath all his rough, calloused exterior, he’s one of the good guys. He just never shows it unless you earn it.

He offers me his arm, and I softly graze the tattoos on his skin with one hand, then link my arm holding the cone with his as we start to walk down the pavement.

“Does Jason have a thing for Jules?” I think back to the banter that went down between the two of them, wondering if that might mean more.

“I honestly don’t know. Does Julie have a thing for Jason?”

Shaking my head, I bring my cone to my mouth, licking the cold sweetness. “Not that I’m aware of.”

“I don’t know,” he quips, a smile creasing his handsome face. “I thought I saw a few longing looks coming from Jules at the bar. And I know what those look like.”

“Oh, please, hold up, everyone! It’s Hunter Hansen, the master of longing looks,” I mock with a deep voice. “Julie sure as fuck doesn’t look at Jason like your groupies do.”

“I wasn’t talking about my groupies.”

“No, then who?”

“You.” His tone is one of triumph, making my jaw drop with an incredulous look.

“What? I don’t give you longing looks.”

He taps his cone on my nose, making me squeal, then presses me against the wall of the hardware store, his eyes roaming my face.

Abort, abort, my head yells at the same time my heart wants to break through my ribcage.

“I don’t know, Charls.” His breath fans my face, a tingly feeling developing between my legs. “You look prettylongingright now.”Oh, shit.

“Stop flirting with me,” I huff, dying to taste him as I try to ignore the ice cream on my nose, dripping onto my lips. When he’s on my shit list, his hot and cold behavior pisses me off something fierce, but fuck, when he’s this close, all up in my space, I never want him to leave. I want to wrap my arms around his tattooed chest and never let go. I want to show him all the love I’ve always had for him, even when he didn’t think he deserved it.

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