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There’s a pause that lasts an eternity, then so shutters closed in Hunter’s eyes "No," he says softly He squeezes my hand, just once, then drops it and takes a step away froht"
My heart drops I look up at him in confusion He said he wanted entleman" Hunter slowly refastens a button I’ve pulled loose, and adjusts his jeans I can see hiet hi to live up to that"
"But…" I can’t find words, or sense, or anything in his denial I’, breathless fro with desire
"I thought you wanted this" I finally e to stutter "Me"
Hunter reaches out, and softly tucks a stray lock of hair back behind my ears "I do But not like this"
I blink at him How else is there?
His lips curve, as if he’s heardto want it"
I try to interrupt, but he presses a finger to et carried away, and one thing leads to another," he correctshis ainst my cheek "Because you want me Because I’m all you think about"
His voice is low and thick with desire, whispering relentlessly inwhat I’ll feel like inside of you Touching yourself, i out s weak I’e of desire he’s painting with his words
"I’ to take you there And then, when you want me so much, you think you’ll die without ht in the eyes "I’asp, ertip slips into my mouth, and I instinctively close h oing to feelto own you, every part of you Even your heart" His lips curl up in a heartbreaking smile
"Especially your heart"
As I try ht there on the porch, Hunter drops a kiss onthe front yard in long strides This ti to hold er I stu down so I’le on the floor
Even your heart
He wants more than just a fuck, I realize in a daze He’s not like all the other guys who only want to use ht Hunter wants sotogether He wants all of me, even the dark, bruised places I never let anyone see And he won’t letinto , body and soul
And that’s when I know I’ I can pretend I’m immune, and in control, and I can walk away any time I choose But the truth is, I realize, I don’t stand a chance
Because Hunter Covington is the eous, sexyin love with hiainst the door, the truth crashing over asm that just left olden boy of Beachwood Bay… I would laugh at how crazy it is if I wasn’t so anting him Deep down, I still know he can’t be mine, but it doesn’t matter anymore I’d break my heart a hundred tiain; taste the perfection I’d sas just for one night, all those years ago
My phone buzzes with a text
Sleep tight Dreaets his wish I fall asleep to theof the waves against the shore I fall asleep, and I drea the shoreline, Hunter keeping pace with long strides next tothe whole tiet the hell away froo back now, not with him so close, his sweater wrapped around ht That’s the only way this ork One night, as Susie, and Bob, or whoever else we’re pretending to be Just a gaame
Hunter reaches out, and casually takes h me at his touch, an inferno I trip on a pebble with the shock of it, and alhs, pullingnow: lacing his fingers with mine
"Thanks," I whisper I can barely hear the crash of the waves overif he can hear it too
Hunter catches olden confidence, it ain
What the hell are you doing, Brit? Once you do this, there’s no going back
"So, Susie, tell s you to Beachwood Bay?"
"I’ up a different life for myself "I’m… really fro fashion school soon"
"Oh yeah?" Hunter asks, like he hasn’t heard a thing about the infaner, too," I lie, ignoring the sudden ache of sadness in uy He works in an office, but he’s always ho breath "My parents are pretty regular too They’re teachers," he adds "We live in theand a ’s naeek, huh?"
"Yup"
Hunter falls silent, and I realize for the first tiured he was taking pity onme a way around my reputation here in Beachwood--a way to pretend I’ the wistful expression in his eyes when he talks about a regular old life in suburbia, I can see, this ga too