Page 107 of Only the Hunter

“What about me?”

“Are you into flirts?”

My hand roams her side, over the smooth skin, the ups and downs of the slight divots of her ribs.

“Or do you prefer Scott’s type?”

My hand stills. “I’m not going to even ask what his type is. I haven’t paid attention and don’t plan to.” I tug on a dark, silky strand. “If you’re asking about my type, it’s you.”

“See, you are a flirt.”

I flick the tip of her nose playfully. “Nope. I tell it like it is.”

“I really know very little about you.”

“How do you figure?” That’s ludicrous.

“I mean, Scott never mentioned you dating anyone, and I couldn’t ask without raising suspicions.”

“Ah. Yeah.” I managed to ask about her, but I’ll let that slide. “Are you asking about my dating history?”

“Yeah.”

“No one serious,” I tell her, honestly. “There was one person, years ago, that might’ve become serious. But a friend told me she hooked up with a mutual friend when I was deployed. Seems I was the only one who thought we had potential.”

“That’s awful.”

Her emotional response brings out a grin. “No,” I say, shaking my head slightly. “Not really. I wasn’t that cut up over it. Better to learn that early.”

“I suppose.” She lifts up on one elbow and with her free hand traces my jaw line.

“And you?” I don’t really want to hear about Evie with another guy, but she’s the one who brought this up and I suppose the historical conversation is a part of the dating cycle.

“A couple that might’ve been.”

She sounds almost wistful. “What happened?”

“They ended things.”

“With you?” I don’t believe it. “Fools.”

“Not really. I’m not that easy to date.” Now she looks sad.

“Their loss, my gain. I’m not a fool.”

I can imagine what happened. Those guys probably fell for her hard, and she kept them at a distance. They might’ve ended things, but she likely pushed them away first. Not that I blame her. Evie’s never told me about what her father did to her mother, but her mom and my mom were close. I heard a lot back in the day—probably more than a kid my age should have. Somehow he won sole custody—mom blamed it on high powered lawyers. But she got to see Evie and Scott every other weekend.

If that’s what she expects from relationships, no wonder she keeps men at a distance.

I almost let it go. But some things are worth risking a strange segue for.

“How’s your dad these days? Other than worrying about you?”

She goes still against my chest. “That’s a random pivot.”

“Not as random as you’d think.” I press a kiss to her temple, giving her a beat before I continue. “I was thinking about your mom. About what you must’ve grown up watching. It’s not exactly subtle, where the distance comes from.”

“You’re not wrong.” She’s quiet for a moment. “He’s good. He has someone he calls a lady friend, but I don’t know much about her,” Evie says against my chest. “I don’t think he’ll ever marry again.”