Page 78 of Hunter

Before deciding to show my face to her, I had worried that she would take one look at me and know who I was, but what I saw in her eyes that day wasn’t recognition but heat and interest.

But that didn’t mean my name wasn’t what caused that nightmare in the first place.

She would have run away screaming if she knew the man pursuing her was the one who had spent the last two years in prison wanting to hurt her.

She shifted slightly on the bed, the covers coming down a little and showing those cute little tops she liked to wear to bed.

I didn’t think.

I climbed on the bed next to her and carefully pulled her into my arms.

That seemed to help some, and I let my hand float up her body, settling the palm of my hand between her tits.

Her nipples came in contact with the sides of my hand, and I fought against the urge to take one tit and mold it in my palm.

Soon.

So fucking soon.

And I couldn’t wait to see her tomorrow for ourdate.

I could laugh out loud at the word.

I had probably been on a date a handful of times, and it had all happened when I was in my early twenties.

I hadn’t put much effort into just one woman, looking for a relationship, not when I realized I didn’t want the complication of a relationship in my life.

It wasn’t like my parents were outstanding role models for Micah and me.

Not with an abusive asshole for a dad and a doormat for a mom.

Hell, even Dominic had been married once to Kai’s mother. They had been young, but the club life got too hard for her, and she left everyone and everything behind soon after Braxton was born.

I shouldn’t want to date.

But looking at Ryleigh now…

She looked like the kind of girl who would want all the efforts of dating her.

And I could do that.

I could make her fall in love with me.

It wouldn’t be any hardship, and I found myself almost excited over the prospect.

17

RYLEIGH

I woke up feeling strange.

I could still remember the nightmare that plagued me the night before, but it seemed not to have affected me as badly as it usually did.

I almost felt… well-rested, which was such an oddity that I didn’t know what to make of it.

I squinted my eyes when I turned them toward the window, even though it wasn’t that bright out yet.

My mind raced as I thought back to the dream.

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