Page 177 of Between Hate and Desire

I swallow down my heart that lodged its way into my throat as butterflies settle in my stomach, but I can’t get the words out like I should.

“Are you nervous?”

“What do you think?” I snap with a teasing glare.

“DoImake you nervous?” he asks in all seriousness.

“Sometimes.”

“When I’m close to you?”

My throat goes dry. “Yes.”

Hunter cups my cheek, narrowing the gap between us, and I focus on how close his lips are to mine. “What about now? What do you feel?”

My breathing increases, and I blink to clear my vision. I can’t think.

“My heart’s pounding,” I admit. “Like it’s gonna burst right out of my chest.”

Hunter appears a bit surprised by that response, then looks down as if he’s staring directly into my soul. “It’s how I’ve felt since you came to the bar that night, asking for a drink, taunting me with your gorgeous blue eyes. Nothing’s changed for me, Lennon. I just had to get better at disguising it.”

“You mean being an asshole,” I quip.

“Would you rather I said something that night I found you bent over in my kitchen?”

“No, I guess not.” I already feel guilty enough for him having to go through that. Though we’ve already talked about it, part of me wonders what would’ve happened had I stayed with Hunter that night and waited for him.

Would we have been here three years later?

We’ll never know.

“If you want to kiss me, you’re gonna have to be the one to initiate it this time, Lennon,” he tells me.

I don’t know what to say or how to react, especially when my head’s still throbbing.

“What am I to you?” he asks when I stay silent.

“You’re my best friend. The person I trust more than anyone. The person I can’t see my life without…” I smile gently, meaning every word.

Hunter leans in just enough so our lips aren’t quite touching. My eyes flutter closed as I wait for him to press them to mine.

“Kiss me, Lennon,” he roughly demands in a whisper. “Kiss meforrealthis time.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

HUNTER

Just when I’mcertain she’s backing out, Lennon grabs my face and crashes her mouth to mine.

Thank fucking God.

Honestly, I was two seconds away from dropping to my knees and begging her to kiss me. I’ve been deprived of her lips for too damn long.

Starvedfor them.

Lennon grabs my shirt and pulls me closer, fisting her fingers in the fabric, and when she slides her tongue against mine, I lose all my restraint. I wrap my hand around her neck and sink into her, deepening the kiss as our bodies mold together.

Holy shit.

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