Page 35 of Shades of You

My heart skipped, then pounded furiously, unsure whether to rejoice or mourn. A flame of regret shot through me at the thought of some other woman letting go of him. Not returning what he’d offered her.

I cleared my throat, trying to mask the sudden surge of emotions burning through me. “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said softly, willing myself to maintain composure. “Love can be… difficult.”

His glance flickered back to me, full of something unreadable, before he quickly looked away again. “Yeah, it can.”

Seeking normalcy, I stood and stacked our plates, my hands moving robotically, while my mind replayed his words. The thought that another woman had touched his heart made something twist inside me—envy, perhaps. Or was it longing?

“Any woman would be lucky to have you, Hunter,” I said as casually as I could manage.

He turned sharply, his piercing gaze searching mine forany hint of sarcasm. His startled look cracked something open within me. How could this glorious man feel so unworthy?

“Thanks,” he muttered, but his voice was low, barely audible.

The emotion inside me solidified. I was jealous of that mysterious woman who had left such an impression on him. I wanted to put my own mark over every inch of him. Claim him as mine. And to hell with patience—I couldn’t bear the distance his quiet words put between us.

So, with a few steps, I bridged it before I could second-guess myself. I leaned down to where he sat, letting my fingers trail over his beard and feeling the heat of his skin beneath. “You’re special to me, Hunter Markham. Don’t forget that.”

He closed his eyes and trapped my wrist with his hand. He held it gently, no aggressiveness in the motion. “Brenna. Stop. You don’t want to do this.”

I moved my arm deliberately, and Hunter immediately loosened his hold. It was the arm Knox had wounded, but I felt none of that as I stood on the precipice. Opening his eyes, Hunter stared up at me. I met his gaze squarely, with intent, and neither of us could look away.

He scooted his chair back and slowly rose to his feet, unfurling himself to his full height. He’d rinsed off at the beach, but a hint of saltwater and pure male wafted from him that made my abdomen clench tight. I reached out and fanned both hands over his chest, stroking the hard, curved muscle underneath.

I said with no hesitation, “Yes, I very much want to do this.”

A low groan vibrated from his throat. Then, with a sudden movement that stole the air from my lungs, he sweptme up by the hips. In two large strides, he sat me firmly on the kitchen counter as if I weighed nothing. His gaze burned into me as he stood between my knees. The strength in his arms sent a molten roll through me, sparking an inferno that blazed through every nerve. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer, needing the heat of his body against me. And then his lips were on mine, slanting across mine with an intensity that stole my breath. This kiss was different from our last—less brutal, yet still wild and untamed.

Perfectly right.

My hands moved of their own accord, exploring the landscape of muscle beneath his shirt, tracing the ridges and planes I was dying to explore.

“I want you, Hunter.” I pressed the words against his mouth, my voice thick with desire.

He angled his kiss, teasing his tongue over the roof of my mouth. His chest rose and fell rapidly, matching the rhythm of my own lungs.

“God, Brenna,” he breathed out, his voice strained with the same burning need that coursed through me. He pushed against my open legs, the hard length of him rubbing against me. A groan wrenched from my throat.

Hunter’s eyes were a storm cloud of doubt as his hands braced on the counter on either side of me. “This is a bad idea.” His voice was a gravelly warning that rumbled through my throbbing core. “Every time I get close to someone, it never ends well.”

I reached up, fingers slipping through the dark waves of his hair, anchoring him to me. “I refuse to believe that. The past ends right here. Right now.” Closing my hand, I gripped his short hair. His eyes were wild with desire, glinting dangerously as he pinned me with them.

My heart pounded with abandon. “You’re the match, Hunter. I’m the paper. Burn me. I want you to burn me to cinders.”

For a heartbeat, there was stillness, a held breath in time. Then our mouths met in a clash of lips and teeth, a fervent dance of tongues that spoke of withheld yearnings now set free.

I was completely on fire for him. Every touch, every kiss fanned the flames, and I wanted—no, needed—to be utterly consumed. I could feel him, hard and insistent as he ground against me. I arched into the sensation, desperate for the full length of him. Craving every inch.

“Which way is your bedroom?” Hunter broke our kiss to gasp the question.

Hardly capable of speech, I managed to nod toward the hall. He lifted me effortlessly, carrying me in front of him across the living room as my legs tightened around him. Then we were inside my room, where the half open blinds threw shadows across the soft sheets. Setting me down, our gazes locked. And as Hunter drew his finger slowly down the length of my neck, I’d never been so willingly caught in the flames.

Chapter Sixteen

Hunter

Brenna’s roomwas awash in soft light that filtered through white gauzy curtains. As I tried to focus on this gorgeous woman before me, my heart thumped like a wild drum. God, I wanted her so bad.

My dream of so many years.

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