Page 39 of Shades of You

I bit my lip, thinking of my own family. “Speaking of Ben. My brothers…” My stomach tightened at the thought. “Hunter, there’s a good chance they’ll want to kill you.”

That slow smile I loved so much stretched Hunter’s full mouth, and a devilish glint shone in his eyes. “Is that right? I’d like to see them try.”

And at the thought of any of my brothers, all tall, solidly built men who never shied away from conflict, taking on this gigantic Special Forces Marine, my own smile rose. Laughing, I shook my head.

In the dim light that filtered through the curtains, I saw not the fearsome former Marine or the tormented man scarred by war and loss, but Hunter—the man whose resilience was woven tightly with vulnerability, whose strength was matched by curiosity. The man who could quote Hemingway, Shakespeare, and Sun Zhu with ease.

“Maybe I’d better try to talk them out of picking any fights with you.” I nudged him playfully with my foot.

We settled into a comfortable silence. As I snuggled closer to Hunter’s warmth, my mind wandered back to his harrowing tale, to the woman who had been more than just another soul caught in the crossfire. The schoolteacher… a widow with two children. My heart ached at the memory of the sorrow that had laced his voice. “Ayesha. Was she the one? The woman you said you were once in love with?”

He exhaled a long breath, and for a moment, I thought he might refuse to answer. But then he met my gaze, his eyes back to being a guarded fortress. “No,” he said simply, and there was a depth to his denial that begged for no further questions.

I nodded, letting the subject drop, though part of me wanted to delve deeper into the mystery. If the woman from his story wasn’t his lost love, then it made me wonder even more who had captured his heart.

And why she wasn’t by his side now.

Chapter Eighteen

Hunter

I lay still,not yet willing to open my eyes and let go of the dreamy haze between sleep and wakefulness. That’s when I noticed the difference—the gentle weight of an arm draped over my waist, the soft press of her body against mine. After a week of being together, I still wasn’t used to it. My senses sharpened as the sweet scent of citrus and vanilla filled my nostrils. Brenna’s hair was like a cloud of tropical paradise fanned out across my pillow.

A smile tugged at my lips, involuntary and utterly genuine. It was a smile born of a gratification so deep that it settled into my bones. A contentment borne from baring my soul to her and finding acceptance. Understanding and compassion. I wasn’t convinced her faith was justified or wise, but I felt too damn good to worry about it. The warmth from her skin seeped into me, an itch I still couldn’t believe had been scratched—though not enough.

I wasn’t sure it would ever be enough.

The thought sparked heat in me, eagerness to reignitethe passion we’d discovered within the tangled sheets. But then again, if memory served, yesterday—and last night—had left us both more than a little spent. I couldn’t help but laugh silently. We’d settled into a new routine, getting used to each other. Knox hadn’t made any appearances, increasing my gut feeling he was out of the picture and out of the area. Good riddance to the bastard. Our separate workdays transitioned to evening hours in each other’s arms and long nights full of whispered words and fevered touches. Incredible didn’t even begin to cover it.

Now, with morning light filtering through the blinds, her chest rose and fell, her hair a wild tangle of chestnut waves across my pillow. I shifted slightly, pulling her closer, feeling the need to keep her near.

“Morning,” Brenna murmured, her eyelids fluttering open. She stretched like a cat before cozying up to me again.

“Hey.” My voice was hoarse with sleep and something deeper. I looked into her eyes, filled with a mixture of affection and a hint of playfulness. “How are you feeling this morning?”

She smiled as she shifted slightly, the warmth of her body against mine making me never want to get up. “Absolutely wonderful.”

Her response was like music to my ears, and a surge of warmth spread through me. I reached out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, my touch lingering as I murmured, “I’m glad. I want you to feel good, always.”

“Well, you’ve certainly shown you know how to do that.”

We had been existing in a sort of secret limbo for the last week, not proclaiming our new passion or status to anyone. She’d even managed to duck out of my place before Myles or Garrett showed up. But it couldn’t last forever. “We have to figure out how this is going to work with our families.”

Brenna shrugged and nestled back into my embrace. “Yeah, I know. It’s just been so nice having our own forbidden secret. Let’s worry about everyone else some other time.”

“Have you forgotten we live in a small town?” I poked her side lightly.

Giggling, she nodded, her eyes alight with mischief. “I know, but let them mind their own business for a little longer.” Finally exiting the bed, Brenna slipped into her clothes from yesterday—her movements deliberate and unapologetically sensual. She shot me a long side-eye to let me know she could feel my gaze on her.

I gave her a deep, approving rumble in return, then reluctantly rose to pull on clothes for my own day ahead. I looked across the room at the empty pet bed, then at the door I’d left slightly open. “I wonder if Pedro slept in the living room last night.”

“Maybe we made too much noise, and it bugged him.” She laughed, the sound like music, and teased me about not being as tough as I looked. “Let’s go check on your baby.”

I refused to rise to the bait and padded out of my room. We entered the living room and found Pedro sprawled on the sunny windowsill, his green eyes fixed on some distant point only he could see. But his relief was immediate when he bounded over, his purrs filling the room as he greeted us both with headbutts and figure-eights around our legs. Refusing to admit to the warmth filling me as I greeted him, I merely grumbled that at least he hadn’t shredded anything out here.

Brenna bent down and picked him up, then pressed her cheek to his side. Pedro purred, stretching out to maximizethe pleasure of her touch. “You keep an eye on this guy for me, okay?”

“Are you talking to me or the cat?” I asked with a smirk.

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