Page 19 of Imperfect Saint
Millie waited until she wasn’t facing the others to look up at him and whisper, “That was some story you told them.”
“It was. Wasn’t it?” He winked and she snorted.
“For a lie.”
He shook his head, “It wasn’t a lie, Mills. Not really. All of the parts that matter were true. I told you earlier, this isn’t fake for me and that story I told them? Lemon setting us up? The big party with Nashville’s elite? Dancing under the night sky? That’s not fake either because it’s happening right now. This is our first date.”
“Hunter.” She glanced away, her voice soft and he knew that he was pushing too hard.
He had all weekend to convince her to take him seriously. They’d barely been at the Turner home a few hours but there was something about being here with Millie that made him want to tell her everything he was feeling. Maybe it was the promise of the upcoming wedding; romance in the air, or maybe it was just that he finally had her to himself, away from work, where she couldn’t use professionalism as a way to keep him at bay.
He’d wanted her from the first time he saw her but it was more than that now. Every minute he got to spend with her only made him want more and he knew that meant he shouldn’t push too hard and too fast or else he’d risk losing her before he ever had her but he didn’t want to let this chance slip through his fingers either.
“You’re doing a really good job of convincing everyone that we’re together.” Millie spoke softly, finally meeting his gaze again, “You’re so good at this, you’re even starting to convince me. It’s… a lot to take in.”
“I know.” He brushed her hair back softly, “I know.”
“I don’t think you do.” Millie looked up at him, “I told you something earlier too, remember? Joshua is the only boyfriend I’ve ever had. He’s the only man I’ve ever been with. I loved him and I trusted him and…”
When she trailed off and shook her head he sighed, “You don’t have to tell me.”
“No, it’s just, I want to. You make me want to tell you things, everything, and I can’t. Hunter, I can’t. We can’t. If I did, you wouldn’t look at me the way you look at me now and I’m not sure I can stand to lose the way that look of yours makes me feel.”
God, that hit him in the gut. She knew. She’d known how he felt about her. She didn’t want to lose it, or him. And it was all he could do not to kiss her right then and there.
Instead he shook his head, “That’s not true. You can tell me anything. It won’t change how much I want you.”
“It will though.” Her bottom lip trembled slightly and she ducked her head, leaning against his chest as they swayed together under the trees, “I’m not the person you think I am.”
“You’re exactly who I think you are.” He murmured against the top of her head. “You’re perfect.”
“That’s not true. I’m not perfect. Far from it. I’m broken.”
He pulled back enough to lift her chin and force her to meet his gaze, “Millie, look at me.”
She blinked and he would have sworn that behind her glasses her eyes were wet with unshed tears. He hated the very thought of it. He hated that anything he’d said or done could have made Millie hurt this much.
He’d known even before he came here that she was keeping secrets. He’d known that the façade she showed the world was mostly smoke and mirrors. But he hadn’t known that she was holding so much pain inside herself or just how badly he would want to be the one to help heal her.
“You’re not broken.”
“I am.”
“Even if you are, so what? We’re all broken in some way or another aren’t we? That doesn’t make you any less perfect in my eyes.”
“Well it does to them.” She shot a glance back towards the tables full of people that were supposed to be her family and friends.
“Fuck them.” He muttered harshly and then forced a calming breath, “If they don’t see how amazing you are that’s on them, Millie. Not you. Maybe you are broken. Maybe you’ve got cracks, but baby, we all do. You don’t have to try to be something you’re not. Not for me. If you’re broken, I’ll be the glue that helps fix you, Millie. All you have to do is let me.”
“Maybe I’m not fixable, Hunter. Maybe I’m not just broken. Maybe I’m ruined.”
Hunter growled at the soft words. He couldn’t help himself. He had to kiss her. Right there, in that moment, not kissing her ceased to be a possibility. He wouldn’t let her believe for even a second that she was ruined, that she was anything less than perfect. Nothing she could tell him would make him want her less and if words wouldn’t convince her then maybe his kiss could.
He dipped his head, taking her mouth, and when their lips met it felt as though he’d waited a lifetime too long for this moment.
Millie gasped at the first touch of his mouth on hers and he pulled back just a breath, giving her a chance to turn away. She wanted this. He knew she did. He could feel the chemistry between them. She wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. It wasn’t her body telling her to keep him at a distance, it was her mind. He’d seen that big brain of hers whirling behind her eyes, thinking and plotting and rationalizing and he’d known that the only way to shut it off was to make her feel instead. So he’d kissed her and now he waited, breath held and body frozen, for her response.
She didn’t disappoint.
