Page 22 of My Mail Order Valentine

I fill the bathtub with hot water and add some salts and bubble bath gel, then I get in and start crying all over again. I need to leave Hunter. I am a complete menace to him, his daughter, and this entire town.

From my spot in the tub, I can hear Hunter's car arrive. When he comes in, he calls out to me, and I shout, "I'm here!" I don't really want to talk to him, but I guess it can't be avoided. When he opens the bathroom door, he looks relieved.

"You shouldn't have left like that."

I start ugly crying again and want to sink deep into the bathtub so he can't see me making a fool of myself. I almost do it when he puts a hand on my shoulder. The spark doesn't happen this time. Maybe it's the humidity.

"It was an accident." He squeezes my shoulder. "It's okay, Elena."

"Not after everything that's happened, Hunter. It's too much."

"How long have you been in that tub?"

"Not nearly long enough."

When he leaves the bathroom, I become despondent. I should get out of this tub and start packing, but I can't move. I'm surprised when Hunter returns. He has a big, fluffy white towel in his hands. He walks up to the tub and opens the towel.

"Come on, that water is probably cold by now. I took a while to talk to everyone at the restaurant, and then my coworkers showed up and started giving me grief. Otherwise, I would have been here sooner."

I eye him warily. I'm stark naked here, and he expects me to walk into that towel? What if he doesn't like my curves?

"Maybe you should turn around?"

"Let's compromise. I'll close my eyes."

He scrunches his eyes like he's making this big effort, and I can't help but giggle. I step into the towel and try to yank it from his hands. He has other ideas in mind and closes his arms around me, securing me in a terrycloth burrito.

I bite my lip. This feels nice—being taken care of, I mean. I try to move around him, but he doesn't let me. Then I'm in his arms, bride-style, and he's walking towards the bedroom. I expect himto plop me on the bed, but he keeps walking and sits down in that cozy chair in his bedroom with me on his lap.

He looks fierce and handsome—all the good things I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to have.

"No more tears."

His harsh tone startles me, but I watch his face, and I know he's not angry. I don't know why. He should be after everything I've put him through. I give an involuntary sob and cover my mouth with my hand.

"I need to find another place to stay."

He pulls me closer and rests my head on his shoulder. I'm exhausted, so I let myself relax a little in his arms.

"You're right where you need to be, Elena Peters."

"I'm sorry, Hunter. I think I've proven that I'm a danger to you and everyone around me."

"We'll go through the safety precautions again tomorrow."

"You don't…"

"This time, I was at fault as well. I got carried away with how hot and delicious you tasted and wasn't listening for anyone coming in. Plus, we were too close to the table. It could have happened to anyone."

"Did the fire department show?"

"Yeah."

He sounds funny when he says it, and I lift my face to look at him. The face he's made tells me precisely how much his coworkers must have teased him. I let out a deep sigh and rest my face against his shoulder again.

His fingers keep twirling up and down my arm, and I feel safe and loved for the first time in my life. I don't want this moment to end. Once more, I lift my head, but this time, I place a kiss on his beautiful chiseled jaw.

I swear this man looks like an Adonis. Unfortunately, I can't stop at one kiss and start a trail of kisses from his jaw all the wayto his mouth. When I reach my destination, he turns to me and takes my lips with his. The kiss disarms me, and the fact that I'm naked with just a towel around me sends currents of desire throughout my body.

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