Page 110 of Back in the Saddle

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Caroline

‘Do you want to do anything on Friday?’ Hunter asked, walking back into his bedroom in nothing but a pair of boxers.

‘Why?’ Caroline flipped to the next page of the book. It was one of those reads she had thought of not finishing but decided to push through; two chapters later it got so good she didn’t want to put it down. Even though it was 7 a.m. on a Monday morning and she had to get up for work.

A wet towel landed at the foot of the bed, and she felt the mattress go down a bit as Hunter got back in.

‘No reason.’ He pushed himself up, peeking over her shoulder. ‘Any good?’

‘You know it’s good,’ she responded, feeling a warm smile on her lips. ‘You read it first.’

‘Ah.’ He pushed the cover down, letting his hand rest on her left thigh. ‘But our tastes sometimes differ.’

She held her breath, desire rising within her as his fingers lazily drew circles on her skin.

‘Don’t you agree?’ His hand slowly climbed up, reaching the fabric of her underwear. He paused there and looked at her, eyes filled with lust.

She bit her bottom lip, as his hand sneaked up half an inch further. ‘I think you know my taste better than anyone.’ Without looking, she closed her book and threw it on the floor. Her hands reached for Hunter’s head, sinking her fingers into his dark hair, still damp from the shower.

‘I agree,’ he said in a raspy voice. Without a warning, he pushed past the material and stroked her.

Caroline took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

‘Right now, I think we both want me to go down on you. I know how much you like that.’ His playful, unarticulated question hung in the air.

Her cheeks were already hot, her heart rate already up … She opened her eyes, just a little bit. When they gazed into his sparkling grey ones, she let out a loud sigh which resembled a moan.

‘Hunter …’

‘I’ll take that as a yes.’ He didn’t waste time on any further foreplay, hungrily pushing her down on the bed. Untying her pyjama top, her mouth found his and their lips commenced a delicious dance of quick, uncontrolled passion.

Before she knew it, he had pulled her underwear off.

She opened her legs, and he got up to kneel on the floor. She shuffled her bottom further down the mattress, stopping only when his hands steadied her sides. He looked up and their eyes met again. A shiver ran down her spine. Legs wrapped round his back, one hand in his hair …

When his tongue touched her, it was like a lightning stroketo her insides. Before she knew it, she couldn’t think. All she was able to do was focus on the building pleasure – then, to cry out in a release so powerful it felt like the earth shattered beneath her. She wished she could stay lying here. She wished she could bottle up that relaxed feeling after.

It never lasted long enough.

‘I’d better go, otherwise I’m going to hit the rush hour traffic.’ She bent down and placed a quick, soft kiss on Hunter’s lips.

As she turned on her heel, he caught her wrist and tugged on it.

‘Hunter.’ She tried to put on a stern expression but couldn’t stop her mouth from curling up.

He smiled and kissed her again, ardently. When they separated, she felt a little bit dizzy. He smirked, satisfied. ‘I’ll see you on Wednesday.’

‘Are you sure you can last that long?’ She shot him an exasperated look on the way to the bathroom.

Half an hour later, Caroline was stuck in roadworks just outside the city centre. The digital clock on the dashboard stated she still had twenty-five minutes. Agitated, she turned up the radio and started drumming her fingers on the wheel to the music. A wave of warmth washed over her as the next song came on. Her fingers went still, and her mind flicked back to New Year’s Eve.

‘That was a song from this week’s spotlight artist. Very romantic, don’t you think? Just the right tune to put you in that mood for Valentine’s Day on Friday. What are you up to that evening? Text—’

Caroline froze, switching off from the rest of the radio presenter’s talk.Valentine’s Day.That’s why Hunter had askedher if she wanted to do anything on Friday. He was so casual, sohimthat she didn’t even think about it. Until now.

How could she not have realised? An instant wave of anxiety rose in her chest, speeding up her heartbeat. They weren’t close, in that way. Were they?

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