Page 93 of Strut

“I will. And just so you know, Rhys has been manning the shop while I’ve been working on this. He’s blown the point-of-sale machine up twice already.”

“Fuck off.” Rhys’s voice floated in the background making me smile.

“So, are we good to go?” Kip paused. “It’s your call, Alec. And yes, Rhys made me say that.”

I took a slow breath and steeled myself. “Yes. Do it.”

“Great. Now I suggest you keep off social media for a bit and let Hunter do that for you. I’ll be monitoring everything.”

I breathed through the panic in my chest. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll be posting soon. Try to stay off your phone and get some sleep.”

“Okay.” My voice sounded shaky even to me. I pocketed my phone, pulled my collar up against the misty rain that had suddenly appeared, and battled my way back into the heaving throng of stony-faced workers scurrying home. It was a relief to turn onto Hunter’s somewhat quieter side street and take a breath that hadn’t just come from somebody else’s lungs. Two minutes later I put my key in the lock of his apartment door and the relief of almost being in his arms washed through me.

I pushed the door open and... froze.

What the—My heart skittered as I scanned the dimly lit room.

The curtains were closed, leaving just a few lit candles to illuminate the space, their flickering flames casting dancing shadows on the ceiling above. Adele sang in the background, something about why it had taken her so long to let her doubts go—and wasn’t that the truth—and the coffee table had been set for two people, wineglasses at the ready, with a single rose in a cordial glass taking pride of place in the middle.

I was still staring, gobsmacked, when Hunter appeared from the kitchen with damp hair and a nervous smile. He was showered and looking all kinds of delicious in soft worn blue jeans and a white shirt hanging free with the arms rolled up to show off olive skin wrapped tight over muscled forearms all covered in scrumptious dark hair.

I raked my gaze from his head to his bare feet and lingered there.Blue jeans and bare feet. There was just something so damn sexy about that.

“I, um, thought we could eat in tonight.” He sounded more unsure than I’d ever heard him. “I take it you’ve heard from Kip?”

I nodded wordlessly, still staring between him and the room.

“Right, well I picked up a tagine and one of those couscous specials from that Moroccan place you talked about on West 10th.Figured we could try and shut out the world for a bit before all the madness starts.” He hesitated, a deep flush creeping up his neck. “We don’t have to, of course. I mean, if you’re not hungry, that’s fine. We can just watch TV or something... Fuck. It’s too much, isn’t it? It was a stupid idea. I’ll clear it away.”

He headed for the coffee table and it occurred to me I was still standing there like a complete fool having not said a word. I dropped my coat and bag on the floor and rushed over to grab his hand.

“No, leave it.” I pulled him around so I could wrap him in my arms. “I love it, Hunter. I do. It was just the last thing I expected when I opened the door.”

He relaxed and slid his cool hands under my jersey and over the hot skin of my waist. “Are you sure?” His gaze drilled into mine. “I wanted to surprise you. But I get it if you don’t feel in the mood.”

I pressed my lips to his and sank into the sweet taste of his mouth. “Oh, I amdefinitelyin the mood.” We made out lazily for a while, still on our feet, no rush, just soft groans of pleasure and reconnection, and I was struck by how much I’d missed him after just a few hours. Last week seemed a lifetime ago. Things were different now. We were different. We were closer. In love.

Hunter moved his hands from my waist to cradle my face and stared at me like I’d been gone a lifetime. A cute as hell cowlick hung wet, plastered to his forehead, and his brown eyes shimmered with sparks of gold in the candlelight. “I’ve missed you.”

And I was grinning like a fool, again. “I missed you too.” I rolled my eyes. “Seven hours, Hunter. We’ve been apart seven hours. We’re gonna have to last a lot longer than that. Weeks, maybe months.”

He continued to stare. “And I’ll miss you every second. But I’ll survive.”

“Me too,” I said softly, then nodded over his shoulder to where a blown-up image of me stretched over our bed stood on a dining chair. “Thatwasn’t here this morning.”

He turned and followed my gaze, a red stain creeping up his neck. “I wanted you to remember how I see you, how you really are—open, sexy, honest, at home in your body and in charge of your life. That image says all of that to me, and no one can take that away from you if you don’t give it to them.”

I studied the photo for a few seconds and realised he was right. Itwasme. And it still was. At least it was me when I was with Hunter, and that told me a lot about what we had and how much I trusted him. “Is that really how you see me?”

He never blinked. “Yes. Every inch.” Then he threw in a wink. “It’s not bad jerk-off material either, if I’m honest. For those times you’re travelling.”

“Idiot.” I kissed him on the cheek. “But you’re my idiot. Although now you’ve mentioned it. I’m thinking I need one just like that of you.”

He flashed a wicked smile. “That can be arranged.” He pulled me to him and I tunnelled my fingers through his damp hair, pulling him in for a kiss before resting our foreheads together.

“I’ve never felt like this, Hunter. You do things to my heart I can’t explain. I want this with you, a chance for everything, but I’m so fucking scared this whole Darcy thing will fuck things up. I don’t want—”

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