Chapter 8

8

Hunter

I lower my head to hers, slowly, slowly, giving her enough time to move her head. I’m holding her hands so she can’t move, but I’m giving her the freedom to turn her face away from mine. I pause with my lips so close to hers that our breaths mingle. We’re so close I can make out the golden flares that jump deep in her eyes.

"I’m going to kiss you now."

I’m not sure why I warn her. It’s not like me to announce my intentions. I want something, I take it. But with her, somehow, it’s different. I need her with me every step of the way. And maybe I say it aloud because I expect her to take advantage of the choice I’m giving her and turn away. Instead, she tips up her chin and rises up on tiptoe so her lips brush mine. A jolt of lust zips down my spine. My balls harden. She must feel it, for a groan slips from her mouth as she pulls back.

The next moment, we move toward each other. I open my mouth over hers. I suck on her lips. I hold her gaze as I deepen the kiss—as I swipe my tongue across the seam between her lips, as I nip on her mouth, as she thrusts her breasts further into my chest, as her hips cradle the column that throbs between my legs. The blood drains to my groin. Those golden sparks in her eyes lighten until they seem to resemble flickers of static. The hair on the back of my neck rises. I release her, only to grab handfuls off her butt cheeks. She moans, and the sound arrows straight to my cock. I squeeze the soft flesh and she yelps. Color flushes her face. Her eyes resemble pools of liquid gold, and fuck, if that isn’t the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.

I hoist her up and onto the pool table. She winds her arms about my neck, and I plant my bulk between her knees, forcing her legs further apart.

"Wait, my skirt?—"

There’s a ripping sound, and suddenly, I’m standing between her thighs.

"My skirt?—"

"Fuck the skirt." I close my mouth over hers and swallow whatever it is she’s been about to say. She freezes for a second, and I take advantage of her temporary complacency. I sweep my tongue between her lips, and when she parts them, I swoop inside. I dance my tongue over hers, tilt my mouth and deepen the kiss. I suck from her, swallow her breath and knead my way up those gorgeous thighs of hers, the sight of which has been driving me crazy over the past fifteen minutes. I bring one hand up and wind my fingers about the nape of her neck. With the other, I coax her to wind those spectacular legs of hers about my waist. A shudder grips her. I nip on her bottom lip, and with a groan, she melts into me. She swings her legs up and locks them about my waist. I release my hold on her neck, only to cup the back of her head. I deepen the kiss and lean forward and into her. She resists for a second, then allows me to guide her onto her back on that damn pool table which I had been so jealous of earlier when she’d leaned over it. I ensure my palm cushions her head, then with my other hand pinch her chin to hold her in place. Still holding her gaze, I kiss her deeply. And she kisses me right back.

She digs her fingertips into my hair and tugs. My cock jumps. Her chest rises and falls, and she squeezes her thighs pulling me even closer into the valley between her legs. I’m so hard now, my dick is going to stab straight through my boxers and my pants. I release my hold on her chin and cup her breast. I squeeze, and her entire body jolts. I tug on her nipple, which stands to attention, outlined by the fabric of her silk shirt. I pinch her nipple, and she tightens her hold about my waist. And still, she hasn’t closed her eyelids, but neither have I.

If we could talk without speaking, then surely, that’s what is happening now. My body is communicating with hers, my eyes holding hers, my breath mingling with hers, my lips fused with hers, and my cock aching to be inside her. My heart stutters; that warning beat is back, pounding in my chest. For a second, I stay where I am with my palm cupping her breast, then I tear my mouth from hers.

We stare at each other, my blood pounding in my temples, my throat dry, a ball of emotion forming in my chest and growing until it seems to weigh me down. I step back and pull her up with me. She blinks and looks between my eyes, then lowers her legs. I hold her shoulder until I’m sure she’s stable, before I move away from her.

"That shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry."

"Excuse me?" Her voice is soft, her expression open. The look in her eyes is one filled with lust. I feel myself leaning toward her and stop myself. I am doing the right thing.

"It was a mistake. A moment of weakness, which I allowed myself to be overcome with. It won’t happen again."

"Wait, hold on—" She raises a hand. "You’re calling what we just did a mistake?"

"Yes."

"You bastard." The lust clears from her gaze. Her features harden. Her eyes snap golden fire, and goddamn, she’s a sight to behold.

She glances around, then snatches up a pool ball.

"What are you?—"

She lobs it at me. It’s thanks to my quick reflexes that I duck. The ball grazes past my cheek. I straighten in time to see her sling another one, and another. I weave to the left, then right. I close the distance to her and wrap my arms about her, holding her captive. "Let me go," she snarls.

"Not until you calm down."

"Calm down? I’ll show you how calm I am." She straightens up and sinks her teeth in the side of my throat. Goddamn, my cock twitches. Pinpricks of heat radiate out from where she’s bitten me. She leans back, and I spot the blood that coats her teeth.

"Fuck!" I bend my head and fix my mouth on hers. She struggles in my hold, tries to kick out, but I don’t let go. I kiss her and keep kissing her, absorbing the taste of my blood from her mouth until she stops trying to escape. Muscle by muscle, she relaxes in my arms. I soften my kiss, draw on that drugging taste of hers that swirls on my palate. A groan wells up. I loosen my hold on her. The next second, she’s pulled free. She pulls back, flattens her palms on my chest and pushes. She’s not strong enough to move me, but I pause. We stare at each other. I see the same confusion in her gaze that I feel.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that." I murmur.

She opens her mouth as if to say something, and I press a finger to her lips. "Don’t, baby."

She swallows, glances between my eyes, then flicks out her tongue and licks my digit. A flash of fire coils low in my belly. My thigh muscles bunch. "Jesus, Fire, this is crazy."

"You can say that again." Her voice comes out hoarse, and she clears her throat. I bring my finger to my mouth and suck on it. Her gaze intensifies.

"You’re right, we shouldn’t be doing this. It was a mistake." She swallows.

I nod. "A temporary insanity."

She glances away, then back at me. "It won’t happen again."

"It can’t," I agree.

We glance at each other, and the air between us grows thick. Sparks seem to shoot out from our joined gazes. The blood in my veins pumps harder. We move toward each other when— "Hunter, good to see you here." A voice I recognize as JJ Kane’s calls out.

I jump back; she stiffens, then smooths down her skirt.

I stay where I am, hoping I’ve blocked her from the line of sight of the door. She brushes the hair back from her face, then smooths her features into what I’ve begun to realize is her 'media face.'

"If you know what’s good for the both of us, you’ll stay away from me." She turns and heads to where I’ve hung her coat over the back of the chair. The rip in her skirt is barely noticeable, and the confidence with which she walks deflects from the flaw in her outfit.

She shrugs into the coat, then turns to JJ. "I was just leaving."

He looks from her to me, then back to her. "It’s nothing urgent, I can come back."

"No, really, we’re done here." Without another look at me she marches toward the door. "Nice place you have here. Can’t say the same about the members you’ve opened it up to though." She brushes past him and leaves.

"Ouch." JJ winces. "What did I interrupt?"

"Nothing." Everything. I bend and retrieve the fallen cue stick, then walk over to the case and stow it next to mine. At least our cues get to spend the night together. I shake my head. Did I actually think that? Clearly, I’m going out of my head. I need a change. Need to do something different. Maybe call one of the models I’ve been out with recently—and all of them were dull, boring, perfectly turned out, and completely vapid.

"Hunter?"

I shut the door to the case and pivot to face JJ. "You were saying?"

"That you need to unwind, you’re wound too tight."

"Exactly what I’m thinking." I head past him when he speaks again.

"I thought I couldn’t be with her, but then I realized the only thing stopping me was myself."

I pause and glance at him over my shoulder. "I assume you’re speaking about you and your girlfriend?"

"Lena, she was my son’s girlfriend before we got together."

I’d heard so but hadn’t really concerned myself with the details.

"I thought we were all wrong for each other. I’m twenty-six years older than her, you know?"

"There a point to this conversation?" I scowl.

One side of JJ’s lips kicks up. "Humor me." He slides two cigars out of his jacket pocket and offers me one. I hesitate, then walk back and accept it. He heads for the bar on the far side of the room and picks up a cigar cutter from the corner top. He snaps off the cap end of his cigar, turns and takes my cigar and does the same before handing it back to me. He picks up a lighter, leans over and lights my cigar, then his own. We puff for a few seconds. Then he raises his cigar in my direction. "I tried to give her up. God knows, I did, but each time I tried to leave her behind, it’s as if a part of me shriveled up and died. I realized then, the most important part of me was her. Living without her was like living without air…or water…or any of those things that are life-critical. Know what I mean?"

"If you mean you seem to have a romantic core that, I admit, surprises me, then yes."

He chuckles. "You remind me of myself when I thought sharing my emotions was a sign of weakness. I didn’t realize how ballsy it was to share what was on my mind with her. I didn’t realize how life-changing it would be to go after her. The moment I stopped fighting my instincts and embraced my reality, everything flipped on its head. I knew I was going to find a way to be with her, no matter what it took."

"You didn’t have the media spotlight on you. You weren’t going to embark on a campaign for the top leadership spot in the country."

"You’re right, I didn’t." He places the cigar between his lips and takes a puff, then blows out a cloud of smoke. "I only had the relationship with my son at stake. She and Isaac were living under my roof. Of course, they were already having problems, but still… She was, technically, his girlfriend. I was also her boss. The relationship was forbidden on so many levels. Of course, she found out later that he’d cheated on her, but still…" He glances at the tip of his cigar. "All the external signs indicated even thinking of having anything to do with her was so wrong."

"But you couldn’t stop yourself."

He barks out a laugh. "Everything within me insisted she was it for me. That I couldn’t let her go. That I was going to fight for her any which way, even if I had to play dirty."

"With your own son?"

"There was that. I’d been estranged from him. A possible relationship with Lena meant I might lose him…” He winces. “But that didn’t happen."

"It didn’t?"

He glances up at me. "Turns out, we found our way through it, after all. Isaac and I are far from the best of friends, but at least he stays in touch with me. It’s more than I could say about the state of our relationship before. I wouldn’t have found my woman, and gotten my son back, if I hadn’t put aside my doubts and focused on what my heart said was right for me."

I take a drag of my own cigar, and the sweet cherry-laced scent reminds me of Zara. Hell, everything reminds me of her. Which is crazy. We don’t have a future together. I’m going to become the Prime Minister of this country. That’s where I need to focus my attention. Nothing can come between me and the goal I’ve held for so long. Even if it wasn’t my dream to begin with, somewhere along the way, I adopted it for myself. I’ve internalized it enough that it’s a part of me. One I can’t cast off. And if I have to bury thoughts of her deep inside to fulfill my ambitions, so be it. I place my cigar on the lip of the ashtray and straighten. "Good talk." I turn and head for the door.

"Hunter?" JJ calls after me. "Sometimes, you only get one chance at finding real happiness. Don’t screw it up."