Page 46 of The Hunt of Night

She doesn’t need to ask me again.

Undressing as quickly as I can, I slip beneath her sheets in just my boxers, and she nestles back against me.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

This is something so small, so simple, yet so fucking euphoric it leaves me breathless.

I know I’m not through the woods with her yet, but fuck, there’s a chance, and that’s all that matters.

19

ADRIANNA

Icling to the edge of sleep, desperate for it to envelop me in its dark and warm embrace. But the extra warm embrace that actually lingers around my waist quickly transports me to the present, denying the plea of my dreams.

Shifting, I quickly realize there’s an entire body pressed against mine, and last night swiftly comes back to mind. The hand engulfing my hip clenches, their fingertips digging into the sheet that falls over my flesh, and I shiver.

Groggily, I peer over my shoulder into the deep and heated eyes of Raiden. His smolder is back in full force as he strokes his thumb over my cheek.

“Good morning,” he murmurs, his voice thick and rich, like whiskey without a single drop of ice. Not that I would know, but I remember reading that in a book once, and this moment seems fitting of that exact term.

“Good morning.” I lean into his touch, acutely aware that he needs a reminder that all is not forgiven, but that can wait for the time being. My eyelids threaten to close, but the sun that drifts from my bedroom window makes me pause.

Glancing at the time, I startle, throwing him off me as I push to sit up.

“What the fuck! Why didn’t my alarm go off?” I splutter, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, and Raiden’s hand clamps down on my shoulder.

“You looked cute sleeping. I didn’t want to disturb you,” he offers, making my spine stiffen as my eyes widen.

“We’re going to be late.”

“We’re good. I picked up food.”

I gape at him, a part of me wanting to shake some sense into him, but the smell of chocolatey goodness fills my senses as he lifts a chocolate croissant in my direction.

“Thank you,” I manage, taking the pastry from his grasp, ignoring the grin that spreads across his face as I sink my teeth into the deliciousness. I groan, basking in the sweet start to my morning.

“No problem,” he rasps, trying to discreetly adjust himself beneath his pants. It’s only then that I notice he’s fully dressed. It would make sense with the breakfast in my hands, but my brain is slow to start this morning.

He reaches behind him, and a moment later there’s a hot mug of coffee being wafted in front of me. Holy fuck, yeah. I take it, gulping down the slightly too-hot gift from the coffee gods before I murmur my thanks.

“You’ve been busy,” I state, cocking a brow at him, and he grins.

“I had someone to be busy for.” He says it so casually, like there’s barely any weight to those words, but I feel them. Every ounce.

A knock echoes from my bedroom door, making me frown as I glare at it.

“Ignore them,” Raiden grumbles with a sigh, and I pause.

“Them?”

“They’re not happy that I’m in here, and they’re out there,” he offers, like it makes total sense, but my eyebrows gather even more.

“Who?”

“Who do you think?” he says with a scoff, and I’m up on my feet in the next breath.

I make sure to swallow down the remainder of my croissant before I pry the door open to reveal three very irritated men.

---