Page 58 of Bloom

He was?

My mouth opens, definitely so something super intelligent and eloquent can come out, but an abnormally high-pitched voice beats me to it. “And who's this?”

Internally, I recoil at the predatory look on Marcy’s face as her hungry gaze devours the man behind me. God, I’m surprised she doesn’t slip off her wedding ring and hide it behind her back.

Something possesses me momentarily. Something silly and preposterous and another thing I won’t,can’t, name makes me set a hand atop the one on my waist, has me leaning back. Something that blooms and grows when I’m gripped a little tighter. “This is Hunter.”

He works here, I could add.He’s my friend, I could clarify.

But I don’t.

Marcy is all but drooling as she reaches out a hand for Hunter to shake. I want to laugh when he hesitates for a long second before taking it. I watch as she flicks her hair and gigglesher way through an introduction, but I don’t pay a whole lot of attention.

No, my focus is solely on the warmth emanating from the palm resting low on my stomach. The thumb stroking in slow circles, tracing my hip bone. On how Hunter shifts so he's even closer, an undeniably solid presence against my back—mirroring what happened in the barn with the dogs except now I'm protecting him from a vicious newlywed.

“Line, can I steal you away for a sec?”

I jump as warm breath tickles my cheek, reeling back slightly when I turn and almost knock noses with Hunter. I didn't realize how close he is, head dipped so we’re almost eye-level, so we’re practically sharing breath.

Being able to see the green flecks in his eyes rattles me. I tear my gaze away, looking back to Marcy, and I purse my lips to stop from cackling maniacally,pettily, perhaps a touch righteously, at the look on her face. Hunter must've interrupted her because her mouth is a little agape, her eyes narrowed indignantly.

I try not to nod too eagerly, but I must fail because a quiet chuckle brushes my cheek. Half a second later, Hunter is whisking me away, barely allowing a rushed goodbye to leave my lips before we’re practically sprinting from the bride.

When we stop a safe distance away at the bar, our hands are still entwined. I stare at our laced fingers, marveling over his much bigger ones engulfing mine, memorizing the sight. I squeeze once before reluctantly letting go. “Thank you for saving me.”

“I think I saved her more.” Hunter casts a quick glance behind him, his eyes twinkling when they return to me. “What were you gonna do to her?”

I scoff. “Nothing!”

His mouth twitches. “It looked like you wanted to slap her.”

“I was just thinking about it.”

His husky chuckle goes straight to my chest, lodging behind my ribcage and pulsing in time with my heartbeat. Shaking his head, he flags down the bartender and orders us drinks—two sodas, although I swear I saw him drinking beer earlier.

Taking a sip, I let my gaze wander to the dance floor overflowing with people. It looks like Marcy has found her husband again, the two of them swaying and spinning and dipping, looking blissfully happy despite the fact she was ready to flee the scene with a hot cowboy mere moments ago.

“So?”

My attention returns to the man beside me. “What?”

Hunter nods towards Luna and Jackson, the movement a little stilted. “Does itkill you?” Teasing as his tone may be, there’s an underlying edge of sincerity, and I find myself eager to erase it. But when I shake my head, he doesn’t look like he believes me. “No?”

I chew on my bottom lip as I search for the right way to explain myself. “I’m not gonna lie, when he started dating her, I freaked out. She’s kinda every ex-girlfriend's nightmare, y’know?”

Raised, inquisitive brows imply he doesn’t know.

“She's perfect,” I clarify. “There's literally nothing wrong with her. You want the first girlfriend after you to be worse than you, right? Not Malibu Barbie.” I sigh as I pick at the hem of my dress, avoiding the gaze burning a hole in the side of my face. “I don't know, I think I'm more jealous of the relationship than of who's in it, if that makes sense. I miss it. The companionship and all that. But short answer, no. It doesn't kill me. It hurt me, yeah, but it never killed me.”

Silence settles between us, bringing incessant anxiety with it. I fear, no, Iknow, I might have said too much, and I'm about to apologize for making things uncomfortable, when Hunter's hand brushes mine. “Line?”

Staring straight ahead, I brace myself for... I don't know. Something bad, probably. “Hmm?”

“Wanna dance?”

I'm dancing.

With Hunter.

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