Page 46 of Embraced at Seaside
He was right behind her and folded her in his arms. “A reception area, huh? I was thinking that this was the make-out lobby.”
She went up on her toes and wound her arms around his neck. “Mm. I like that.”
“Wait until you see the get-down-and-dirty kitchen.” He slanted his mouth over hers and clutched her butt.
“Hunter,” she whispered. “Why didn’t we start there?”
He nibbled her neck as they moved toward the doors in the back of the building. She was walking backward, stopping every few seconds as he sucked or nipped at her skin.
“Baby, I’ll start anywhere you’d like.” He lifted her into his arms and she wound her legs around his waist. How did she do this to him? Take him from a walk through a building to wanting to tear her clothes off in a matter of seconds? The rosy flush on her cheeks and lust in her eyes as her mouth met his in a hungry kiss always pulled him in.
He pushed open the door to the kitchen and lowered her onto the counter. “You’re wicked sexy. I swear, Jana, you totally own me.” He crushed his mouth to hers.
As the tension in her body eased and their lips parted, he said, “Want to see the naked stockroom?”
HUNTER. OH, HUNTER.He was turning her inside out. He’d taken care of her in so many ways over the last week. Sex had become the icing on the cake instead of the cake itself. She never thought she’d meet a guy who was as sexual as she was. Yes, guys were all sexual, but most had no imagination. Hunter had no inhibitions. He took and gave in equal measure, and she loved that about him. He wasn’t put off when she was aggressive, and he was constantly surprising her in other ways, like texting just to say he was thinking about her. Sometimes they were sexy texts; other times they were so sweet they turned her mind to mush. When they’d argued last night, he’d taken out her boxing gloves and held up a pillow for her to work out her aggression. And probably the sweetest thing, which no one would ever believe if she told them, was that before bed, he’d begun rubbing her feet.You’re on these babies all day long. They need attention, too.Even now he took care of her, fixing her skirt and putting her shirt back on, making sure she was properly covered.
She looked around the small break room as she tried to remember why they were there. The space would work well, but the idea of mixing business with pleasure still made her uneasy.
“You like?” He kissed her again.
“What you just did? Do you even have to ask?” She knew he meant the space, but she could still feel his touch, and she became too distracted to think about anything else.
“Mm. That’s a great answer.”
She hooked her finger in one of the belt loops on his jeans and tugged him through the only other door she saw. “Show me the naked stockroom, please.”
The door clicked shut behind them, surrounding them in total darkness.
“I feel like a teenager sneaking into a closet to make out.” She was whispering, even though they were the only ones there. “It’s my turn,” she said as she tugged his shirt over his head.
“Come here.” He pulled her close and kissed her.
His skin was hot, and the muscles in his back bunched as he deepened the kiss.
“I could kiss you all night,” he said against her mouth.
“Please do.”
A million steamy kisses later, while he stroked her hair, whispering about how incredible she was, she touched her forehead to his chest, savoring the feel of being close to him.
“Let’s finish looking around, go home and clean up, and then let’s go out to Race Point and watch the sunset.” He lifted her to her feet, tucked her hair behind her ear, and kissed her tenderly.
As they drove back to her place, she wondered when it had become his home, too.
Chapter Twenty
THE NEXT MORNING Brock took Jana through a grueling workout. They worked the heavy bag, the speed bag—her least favorite, because she wasn’t very fast—and then he had her jumping rope and sparring for four rounds.
“You don’t have as much steam as usual,” Brock said as she took a drink from her water bottle. “Anything going on you want to talk about?”
She shook her head. “Not really. I just have so much going on right now.” She’d been thinking about the exhibition match. As much as she loved to fight, she knew she wasn’t up to par. She simply didn’t carry the same level of aggression as she had a week ago, and she knew it was the change in her and Hunter’s relationship. Maybe giving up the fight, easing up on her need to do absolutely everything, was the slowing down that she needed.
“Hunter told me about the exhibition match, but would you be upset if I don’t fight in it? I’m just so crazed with trying to decide about the studio and everything right now. I feel like one more thing might push me over the edge.”
He handed her a towel and she wiped her face.
“Not at all. Listen, fighting was your idea, and if it’s causing you stress, or you’re not enjoying it, don’t continue because of me. Take some time off if you need it.”
