Page 71 of Tangled Up In You
He was almost asleep by his even, slow breaths.
“No,” she said before yawning. “I’m sure my prince is on his way, but I don’t mind kissing a lot of frogs in the meantime. Especially if they can kiss likethat.”
We talked for another hour, but we were exhausted from the long day. Around midnight, we agreed it was time to say goodnight. I gently shook Hunter awake, and he rubbed at his eyes. He wasn’t used to wearing his contacts, and having fallen asleep with them still in had irritated his eyes.
“Damn these things to hell,” he groaned before getting off the loveseat.
I rested my hand on his lower back, suppressing a smile. He was too adorable when he was grumpy. He said goodbye to Veronica, and she gave him a huge hug.
“It was amazing meeting you,” she said.
“You too,” he replied. “I have a feeling this won’t be the last time we see each other.”
His words touched my heart, and yeah made me all mushy and shit. He knew how close me and V were, and he respected that. I wanted him to be included in all aspects of my life—career, friendships, and everything in between.
“I miss you already, Corby,” Veronica said, hugging me. “I’ll let you know when my plane lands tomorrow.”
I guided Hunter back to our room because he was still pretty drunk, and I hated how I kept checking our surroundings to make sure no one was around. He deserved more than what I could give him at the moment, but I’d make it up to him one day.
Once we were in our room, I stripped him out of his clothes and put him in bed. Lying beside him, I pulled him to my chest and held him. I moved my hands through his brown hair, loving the short waves that were becoming more apparent the longer he went without cutting it.
He snuggled against my neck, finding his favorite spot. “Cor?” he asked in a sleepy voice. “Sorry I was a sourpuss about Veronica. She’s nice. I like her.”
A sourpuss. I grinned.
“It’s okay, Hunt,” I said, still brushing my fingers through his hair.
“Cor?” he asked again, cuddling more against me. “I love you.”
Fuck he was too cute, and maybe it was because I was a little buzzed and sleepy, or maybe it was just because I was in love, but I tilted his chin up and softly kissed him, fighting the surge of emotion trying to spill out.
“I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is that not strange?” I said, quoting another scene fromMuch Ado About Nothing, one said by Benedick. If Hunter could quote the good ol’ Shakespeare, so could I. That was the one play, other thanRomeo and Juliet, that I knew a lot of.
“Benedick had a good way with words,” Hunter pointed out, laying his arm over my stomach.
“Yeah. I’m not as awesome as him and not nearly as poetic, but here are some words from me.” I moved my hand to his back and glided my fingertips up and down his spine. “I never stopped loving you. Even after one year passed and then two. Five more years and all the way up until I saw you again in that hospital waiting room…I loved you. And I always will.”
Hunter didn’t respond. Then I heard his soft snores and knew he was out like a light.
I tightened my hold on him, feeling both afraid and like I could rule the world. Sad but also happy. All differing and conflicting emotions that didn’t quite make sense.
But love never did.
***
When two days passed and I hadn’t heard anything else from Will, I relaxed and put it out of my mind. He was all talk and no action. Hunter and I were enjoying our mini-vacation for Spring Break, and I didn’t like wasting time worrying over William and all his bullshit.
That Thursday, we were at the beach. Hunter had loved Cape Florida so much that we decided to go back to spend the day. We’d only gotten to enjoy it a little when I had my photoshoot, so it was nice being able to be there without all the hassle.
The warm, but not too hot, temperature made it the perfect beach weather.
After swimming for a while, Hunter and I laid out a beach towel and were soaking up some sun. We’d stopped at the grocery store and bought an ice chest, bags of chips, and some stuff to make sandwiches, and I grabbed a Gatorade.
“Want one?” I asked.
Hunter lay on his back, wearing his sunglasses, and he didn’t answer me. He was either sleeping, ignoring me, or he hadn’t heard me. Being the devil I was, I got a piece of ice from the cooler and tossed it on his bare chest.
“What the hell?” he exclaimed, sitting up and lifting his shades to glare at me. “Do youwantan ass whoopin’?”
