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"I just –"

"Ah, fuck, come on," Hunter interrupted. "We're drowning out here." With his hand pressed to my lower back, he hurried us back to his truck. Yanking open the passenger door, he waved his hand and growled, "Get in."

Grateful, I climbed inside and watched him run around to the driver's side. "Someone should have warned me about you," Hunter grumbled when he was sitting inside. "You've got a goddamn death wish." He reached forward and switched on the heater full blast, causing me to groan in relief when the warm blast of air hit me in the face. "Do you know how stupid that was?" he demanded, turning in his seat to face me. "Running around in the dark on your own when that bastard is still on the loose?"

"I didn’t think," I admitted, mortified now.

"You never think," Hunter hissed, eyes flashing with fury. He blew into his hands then and rubbed them together in a fast movement. "That's the problem."

He was mad.

Really mad.

"I couldn’t let you leave again," I explained, feeling a flush of heat on my face.

"You had no problem letting me leave last time," he shot back, unyielding.

"That's not fair," I shot back. "You don’t know my reasons."

"Here's what I know, Hope," Hunter replied, tone heated and angry. "I've been straight with you from day one. When I told you I liked you, Imeantit. When I told you I wanted you, Imeantit. And when I fell in love with you and told you, Imeantit." Releasing a huge, pained sigh, he shook his head before adding, "Istillmean it. You should know by now that I mean what I say, and I say what I goddamnmean."

"Yeah," I strangled out. "I think you are the definition of that particular statement."

"But you?" he countered. "I never goddamn know where I stand with you. You love me today, but you'll turn right around and love him tomorrow."

"Hunter, that is not true," I cried. "Maybe it was in the beginning, but notanymore."

He turned his face away and stared straight ahead at the darkness. "It's always the same."

His words fell from his lips in a pained whisper and it broke me.

Cracked me clean open.

"Iloveyou," I told him, and prayed that he wouldhearme. "I am sitting here in this truck like a drowned rat because I was so fucking scared of losing you, that I ran!Ran, Hunter. Me." Blowing out a breath, I steadied my nerves and said, "You are the only person I want to be with," I choked out. "You. Not Jordan or anyone else. Justyou." Shrugging helplessly, I reached over and placed my hand on his jean-clad thigh.

He tried to pull away, but I wouldn’t give in.

If he left now, he was going to have to take me with him.

"Please believe me when I tell you that I love you…when I tell you that you are theonlyperson I want to be with."

Shaking his head, Hunter ran a hand through his hair and roared, "But it's never gonna be enough for you because I'm nothim!"

"You're wrong." I shook my head, vehemently denying his words. "He's never going to be enough for me because he's notyou!"

"And tomorrow?" he shot back, tone laced with hurt. "Will he be enough for you then? When I'm driving you back tohim?"

"Iwon'tbe going back."

"And if you do?" Hunter pressed, jaw clenched. "What happens then?"

I felt him tense beneath my touch. "And if you change your mind in the morning?"

My heart broke for him.

He didn’t believe me and I didn’t blame him.

I'd messed him around too many times in the past for him to take my words for face value.

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