Page 5 of Between Hate and Desire

Because she is.

“From the bar,” Lennon quickly explains.

I can’t seem to form words at the moment. The air in the kitchen grows thick, and I wish it were only my nuts that felt numb right now. I look back and forth between them, watching them together, and know deep down inside that Brandon isn’t going to let her go after tonight. He’s not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am type of guy. He fucked her senseless and claimed her as his. Brandon has the ability to give her everything she could ever need or want, but me, on the other hand…

“He made me a special drink,” she adds, pulling me from my self-deprecating thoughts.

The Leg Spreader.

How fitting.

“Oh, right.” Brandon smiles, having no fucking clue what this is doing to me. Of course he has no idea. I didn’t even get the chance to say anything or make it known I was attracted to her. But this answers my question as to why she never came back.

Fuck my life.

“Certain he makes all the pretty ladiesspecialdrinks. That’s how he gets the big tips.” Brandon chuckles, tilting Lennon’s chin up until their lips collide. And I’m out.

“I gotta get up in a few hours, so I’m gonna head back to bed,” I say casually, pretending my heart isn’t being gutted.

I turn to walk away when Lennon calls my name. “Hunter.” The sound of her voice makes my jaw tighten and my hands ball into fists.

When I turn, she’s behind me and smiles when I look into her eyes. Goddammit, why does she have to be so gorgeous?

“Water?” She offers as if she’s trying to make peace.

Blinking, I look down and see she’s holding a bottle.

“You said you were thirsty,” she confirms.

As I stare at her, my lips move into a firm line, and I ignore her offer. Is it possible she didn’t feel what I did? Was it all a figment of my damn imagination? She came up to the bar at least a half dozen times, and I never asked for her number.Fucking moron. Did she thinkIwasn’t interested and then found someone who made it clear he was? My roommate, to be exact.

Without another word, I walk away with my bruised nuts and defeated dick between my legs.

CHAPTER ONE

LENNON

PRESENT DAY

The annoying buzzingcauses my eyes to pop open, and I reach over to turn off the alarm on my phone. My boyfriend, Brandon, stirs and pulls me close to his warm body. We fit perfectly together like puzzle pieces, and even after all this time, I can’t get enough of him. If I didn’t have a meeting at the school with the principal this morning, I’d stay in bed a little longer and enjoy his hard body pressed against mine. He hums against my neck, and I smile. Since I moved in eight months ago, me waking up early and him trying to lure me to stay longer has become our morning routine. There’s never enough time.

Brandon holds me tighter, and I’m tempted to stay but still need to shower and dress. I turn around and face him, brushing a soft kiss against his lips as he throws an arm over me. “I have to get up. I can’t be late for work. Principal Orson will have my ass, and I’m still trying to get on her good side,” I whisper.

“I know, I know. You’re so warm and comfy,” he quips in a husky tone before I slip from his hold with a smile. Waking up next to him is the best start to my day.

I lean over the bed and place another kiss on Brandon’s lips before I rush into the bathroom and turn on the shower.

A smile fills my face as I think about how far we’ve come these past couple of years—well,almosttwo years. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long already, but at the same time, it feels like only yesterday when we first met.

Though it started with a friendly hello and flirty banter, I instantly knew he’d be more than a random hookup. After we danced a few times, he asked for my number, which I willingly gave to him. Brandon knew what he wanted—me—and I couldn’t deny I wanted him too. There was something electric between us, something that pulled me to him and made my heart race. Though I’d shown interest in Hunter earlier, the way Brandon gave me his full attention drew me closer. Random women walked up and tried to steal him away, but he politely told them he wasn’t interested, and he never took his eyes off me. The way he looked at me that night made me feel so damn special.

By the following morning, we’d shared so many personal details about ourselves that I felt like I’d known him a lifetime. He understood me on a deeper level than some of my closest friends. I’d never felt a connection like that with any other man before, and Brandon still holds that record.

Although we didn’t take things slow right away, my feelings for him were almost immediate and have only grown stronger. I wasn’t the type of girl who went home with a random guy, and I’m not one-night-stand material, but with Brandon, it was different. Hell, I’d only ever had one serious relationship before him, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

Since I still had one year of college left and lived three hours away, we dated long distance, staying exclusive and taking turns traveling back and forth as much as possible. During my final semester, I applied at elementary schools in Sacramento and some of the suburbs. I wanted not only to be close to him but close to my older sister, who moved here as well. As soon as I was offered a position as a music teacher at Hillsong Elementary, I moved in with him and his roommate, Hunter. The apartment is small and quaint, but we make do with the space since it’s within all of our budgets. Eventually, Brandon and I will get our own place, but until that happens, I’m forced to tolerate Hunter and all his asshole antics.

I hop in the shower and wash my body and hair. As I scrub, I sing the Beatles songs I grew up listening to. Considering the Beatles released over three hundred songs, I have an almost unlimited morning repertoire. Just as I finish up the chorus to “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” hard banging echoes against the door.

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