Page 51 of One Night Years Ago

“You’re beautiful,” he said and held her to him.

She let out the breath she’d been holding.

“You make me feel beautiful.”

She brought her hand to the front of his trousers. His sharp inhale told her she was doing something right. She opened the zipper carefully, sliding the jeans and boxer shorts past slim hips. His generous erection stood to attention.

“I think I want to be on top again tonight,” she whispered.

“You can be on top anytime,” he promised, kicking off his jeans and boxer shorts and lying back on the bed. His hands went behind his head, making his arm muscles bulge. This time, she didn’t feel any fear. She knew Hunter would never hurt her, no matter what.

She ran her hand down his chest, past his belly and the dark curls below, wrapping her hand around his erection. She let her hand move up and down his smooth shaft.

“Please do that again,” he begged, his eyes burning. He didn’t move or thrust but held himself very still as if she might actually stop, though stopping was the last thing on her mind.

She found a condom in her night table and sheathed him then moved herself to straddle him. The feeling as his cock slid against her clit was exquisite, so she did it again and again. Hunter groaned as if in pain. Eventually, she gave in and let him inside. She’d planned to move slowly, but the orgasm built and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. Her sex milked him as she came, bringing him to his own orgasm.

She fell on his chest, their bodies still joined together.

“That was …” he panted.

“It was,” she agreed, kissing him on the lips. She watched drowsily as he went away to dispose of the condom. He climbed back into bed wordlessly and pulled her towards him. She let him, laying her head on his shoulder. For once, when sleep came, she didn’t fight it.

She wasn’t even that surprised to wake up and find it was already morning. She dressed herself quickly, careful not to wake up Hunter. When it was time for her to leave, she leaned over the bed and kissed his full lips.

“Good morning,” she whispered.

“Very good morning,” he agreed, opening his eyes.

“I’m sorry I have to run, I’m going to be late to a meeting. Let yourself out, will you? Oh, and do we have ourselves a deal for Saturday? Pick you up at eleven a.m.?”

He laughed, sitting up in bed. “It’s a deal. As long as your friends don’t try to beat me up.”

Chapter 21

Hunter

He hadn’t realized when he uttered them how prophetic his words would turn out to be. The morning had started out great. Natalie wasn’t wearing her usual khaki pants, but a tight pair of jeans that left her ankles bare and did great things to her ass. Seeing her ankles and those little ballet flats did something to him, but he held himself in check. He knew she wanted to make it to the barbeque.

Saying her friends welcomed him warmly would be pushing it, but at least nobody had said anything to his face. Helen’s fiancé, Jake, was perhaps the friendliest of the bunch. A city guy, he either didn’t know of Hunter’s reputation or else Helen had convinced him it wasn’t true.

The man was quick to offer him a beer, which Hunter thanked him for but declined. He was going to keep his wits about him until the day he died.

“Suit yourself, man, but it really hits the spot in this heat,” Jake said, chugging his own bottle of Budweiser. Hunter realized his own throat was parched. He eyed a large table decked out with multiple glass jugs, each one containing water and some kind of colorful summer fruit. He picked up a glass, unsure of quite what to do with it.

Choose one and open that little tap, you idiot.

A petite blonde approached him. He tensed up, searching his mind for her name. He didn’t recognize her from his “before prison” time, but had seen her once in town since his return and knew she was one of Natalie’s best friends.

“No summer party is complete without a beverage station. Which one do you fancy, Hunter?” she said, reading the handwritten tags. “Mint-infused lemon water or Watermelon Surprise?”

“Uh, I was just looking for some water, I guess.”

“You’re not going to find just water at this party. You’re going to find more unique things.” He tensed up, knowing she was speaking in code but not understanding a word she was saying.

“I really am just looking for a glass of water.”

She smiled at him brightly. “You might think I’m nothing to worry about, but if you hurt Natalie I will make sure prison is the least of your concerns.”