Page 54 of The Spider Queen
He sighed and then he was in bed next to me, taking me into his arms. I rolled into the side of his body and pressed my lips to one of his collarbones.
His fingers attempted to plow through my hair but they got caught in the snarls.
“Thank you. For being there when it really counts.” I lifted my lips to his, but he turned his head, so I grazed his cheek.
“What the hell, Poppy?” he growled.
“What?” I asked.
“What are you doing?”
“I thought it was obvious.”
Somehow he disengaged from me and moved onto his back to stare at the ceiling. “I’ve got some pride, you know.”
Whatever energy I had stored up, I exerted all of it so I could drape myself across his chest, forcing him to stay.
“I need you, Hunter. You’re real and tangible, and you care—”
“You didn’t want me,” he interrupted. “I came to you and I apologized, and still you shut me down. Shut me out.”
I looked at him, my head resting on the pillow next to his. I stared into his ear when I admitted, “I always wanted you. I was just too scared to admit it.”
“The timing of you and me… It’s not going to work.”
“I don’t blame you for thinking that. I’ve put up roadblocks every step of the way. I’ve pressed start and stop so many times that I… I understand that you don’t want to take another chance on me.” My hand reached under the covers and found his. “But if you let me, I’ll prove that I want you. That I’m ready.”
Hunter was silent for a long time. Finally, he said, “You mean it?”
“Actions speak louder than words, right?”
“Right.”
I snuggled against him. After a moment, his arm came around me, hauling me into his side. “I’m gonna seduce you Hunter Jones. Just you wait.”
Chapter 18
“Poppy,” Hunter whispered.
“Hmm.” I snuggled closer, wanting to breathe him in, wanting to take the feeling of his security and wrap it around me like a blanket.
“My arm is falling asleep. And I’m starving.”
I opened my eyes and slowly moved a leg. It worked, and there was only a lingering soreness.
No pain.
My mouth was dry and I wet my lips. “What time is it?”
“Mid-morning.”
I rolled away from him and stretched.
“For the love of all that is holy,” he muttered.
“What?”
“You’re going to be the death of me. I can feel it.”
