Page 19 of Load Bearing
Helpmate, his bear agreed.Mate.
“Sorry about the shower,” she said, with a merry sideways glance as Hunter dressed. “It’s a little tight in here.”
Hunter gave a grunt, only thinking afterwards that he ought to say something polite about how it wasn’t. But Trixie didn’t seem to expect all the conversational lies and fillers that most women did. Maybe because she worked in a traditionally male field? Maybe because she was perfect for him, and that was only one of the many ways.
Dressed, he sat down at the table.
Trixie drained the noodles and plated the spaghetti. “I figured you’d be hungry. I certainly got a workout today.” She slipped into the dinette across from him.
“Where would you live if you didn’t have a job site like this?” Hunter asked, once the edge of his hunger was dulled.
“I have an apartment in Fairbanks,” Trixie said with a shrug. “I kind of hate it and resent that I’m paying for it, but it’s my safety net, and I don’t have space for all of my stuff here. It’s mostly books in boxes because I never got around to building shelves.”
“You going to live here in the winter?” Hunter wanted to know. The trailer was cozy right now, but he knew that winters could be bitter and wasn’t sure how well insulated it was.
“Until the house is finished,” Trixie said. Hunter caught a hint of something wistful in her face.
“You ever think about living in a house like that?” Hunter jerked his thumb towards the frame that was looming in the twilight outside.
“That’s way more house than I’d need,” Trixie scoffed.
“If you had a family, though…”
Trixie stopped chewing. “Are we having thefamilytalk?”
“I’m good either way.”
Trixie stared at him. “I never really thought about it,” she said softly. “I never had anyone I’d think about itwith.”
“Well, now you do.”
Trixie was adorable when she blushed, but Hunter found her beautiful when she went white and then almost blue because she forgot to breathe. After a moment, she remembered to blink and exhaled slowly. “That’s a lot, Hunter,” she whispered. “I’d need some time.”
“Not suggesting you skip the condom next time,” Hunter said, honestly a little pleased that he’d evoked such a deep response in her. “Just a thing to keep in mind. I’d buy you a house like that if you wanted. I’d buy youthathouse.”
“That house isn’t even built yet,” Trixie reminded him. “And I’m not in the habit of letting people buy me things.” She stared down at her spaghetti for a moment and Hunter had a moment of worry that he’d overstepped before she looked up, shaking her head and smiling. “You’re really something.”
Hunter shrugged.
What are we?his literal bear wanted to know.Is it a riddle? What are we??
That was what Hunter wanted to know, too.
16
TRIXIE
Once the idea was in her head, Trixie could not stop thinking about a family with Hunter. What would that even look like? Was he seriously offering tobuy her a house?Was it wrong that she actually wanted him to? She prided herself on being a strong, independent woman. She didn’t need to define herself by her role in a man’s life, as a mother or a homemaker. Surely, the idea should fill her with reservations and feminist dread.
But she kind of liked the idea of having kids with this man.
What would he look like with babies tugging on his beard? Would he shave off the beard? Would Trixie want him to?
Trixie shook her head. “Let’s start with simpler decisions. Are you staying the night here? The bed’s a king.”
Hunter frowned. “I thought I’d head back to the hotel. I didn’t bring a change of clothing, and there are some things I need to do.”
He didn’t volunteer what they might be, and Trixiedidn’t want to pry. “Work starts at eight, if I decide to hire you back.”
