by Jessie Cooke
“Fuck!”
“I just need the name of that bar.”
31
“Are you okay?” Claire asked Hunter for about the tenth time that evening. They’d had dinner and were sitting out back of her cottage with a fire going in her little fire pit. It was cold, but it was a clear, beautiful night and Hunter had barely said two words throughout it all. She knew that he’d gone to the prison earlier to see the man who could possibly tell him where to find his brother’s killer and she’d tried to talk to him about that, but it was obvious that he didn’t want to talk about it. He just didn’t seem like himself, and she was worried about him.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re so quiet. If you have other things to do, it’s okay. You don’t have to be here.”
“Are you serious?” He reached for her hand and she gave it to him. “You think that I don’t want to be here? I’m so sorry if I gave you that impression. There is seriously no place on earth I’d rather be.”
She smiled. “Thank you, but I want you to know you can talk to me. I can tell that you have a lot on your mind.”
He nodded. “I do. This guy I talked to today…he’s messed up in the head. He couldn’t tell me much more about the man that killed my brother than what I already knew…except…”
“Except what?”
“He said that he met this guy when he was in training to be an Army Ranger, which doesn’t make any sense to me. The guy that I’m chasing, the one that was arrested and a DNA match for killing over a dozen women, the one that shot my brother right in front of me…he was never in the military. I know his history inside and out, and there is no way that he was in the military. And then there was his tattoo…the one he described is completely different from the one the guy I’ve been chasing has.”
“So, it’s not the same guy?”
“My head is telling me it’s not, but my gut is telling me different. I’m going to Boston tomorrow to check out the bar where Jon says he last saw him and see if anyone else there knows him or where to find him. I’m also going to call Ft. Bragg and see if they’ll tell me anything about their instructors, but I doubt I’ll have much luck with that.”
“Yeah, I’m sure a military base won’t be excited about releasing information about their personnel, huh?”
“I’m sure they won’t. Hopefully I’ll have some luck at the bar.”
Claire looked at Hunter’s arm. He’d stopped wearing the sling, but he still kept it close to his body and when he didn’t thing she was looking, he rubbed it with his other hand. He wouldn’t take the pain meds anymore and he was back to riding his motorcycle, but Claire could tell that it was still causing him pain. It had not even quite been a month since he’d been shot. She worried that he was pushing it too much. “Is someone going with you to Boston?”
“Yeah, I asked Levi to go with me. Dax and Cody are out of town, checking out a lead on Josiah Miller, so he’s got some free time.”
“Is Angel doing okay?”
Hunter nodded. “She’s tough. I don’t doubt that she’s traumatized by what that asshole tried to do to her, but she and Dax have the best relationship of any two people I’ve ever known, so I’m sure that he’ll help her through it. I have a feeling she’ll be just fine in the long run. She has a lot of support, not just Dax. Her brothers dote on her and I don’t know anyone in that club who doesn’t care about her. Levi’s girl Zoe is staying with her and Susie while Dax is out of town, and security is tight on the ranch again. I just heard that Dax hired some of Trayvon’s guys to help out with that.”
“The street gang is doing security at the ranch?”
Hunter chuckled. “Yeah, imagine that,” he said. “They’re patrolling the outside perimeter, which adds an extra layer of protection if this crazy bastard Miller tries to get back at Angel or anyone on the ranch. Trayvon and his crew want Miller almost as badly as Dax does, and although I wouldn’t count on this truce holding up long after they catch the guy, for now they all seem to be getting along. I think she’ll be just fine, eventually.”
“And her brother? The one that got shot that night, is he okay?”
“He got discharged from the physical rehab center he went to after the hospital a few days ago and he’s home now. Their two older brothers, the fishermen, came home and are there with him. From what David says, he’s as arrogant and annoying as ever. I’ll bet his brothers can’t wait to get back out on the open sea.”
Claire smiled. “I guess that must be a good sign then, huh?
“Yeah, Kyle Brady’s arrogance is eighty percent of his personality, so if that’s intact, I’d say there’s hopes for a full recovery.”
“Good,” she said with a laugh. “Speaking of people you find annoying, I spoke to my father today.”
Hunter felt a rush of heat to his face. He felt badly that she knew how annoying he found Larry, but he had a hard time hiding it. “How’s Larry doing?”
“He’s great. He loves the hotel and he seems to be taking full advantage of all the amenities. He called me as he was soaking in a bubble bath.”
Hunter groaned at the visual that gave him and Claire laughed again. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, anything.”
“After you went through that…trauma…in Italy, because of a man, what made you stick with Larry once you got here and realized how messed up he was? Didn’t it worry you that he’d take advantage of you too?”
“Yeah, I was worried. It’s hard to explain. My whole life I convinced myself that things would be better if my parents were together and I had a real family. After everything that happened, I just had to find him and know for sure.” She laughed and said, “Obviously, I figured out quickly that things probably would have been almost as bad if they’d actually stayed together. But there was just something about Larry that was so endearing…” Hunter looked like he was trying to control his facial expressions, but on that note, he lost it. Claire folded her arms and waited for him to finish laughing. When he did, he apologized and she raised an eyebrow at him and went on, “Anyways…what I discovered about my father is that for whatever reason, he’s more child than he is man and that gets him in a lot of trouble. But he has a good heart, and he loves me. I used to have these horrible dreams, nightmares, about what happened to me. Larry heard me screaming one night and he broke into the cottage to check on me. When he found me shaking and crying, he sat and held me until it passed. After that, I let him stay in the guest room and any time I had a bad dream, I woke up to him holding my hand and telling me everything was going to be okay. He never even asked what the dreams were about, and I never told him. I didn’t honestly think he could handle those emotions, but I don’t think people give him enough credit for what he can handle. He does his absolute best when it comes to me and he would never hurt me, not on purpose anyways. Knowing that is important to me, and although our little family is an odd one, I finally feel like it’s complete.”
“What about your mom?”
“What about her?”
“Have you talked to her? Is there any chance the two of you can work things out?”
Claire nodded, slowly. “My mother has always wanted to work things out. She says she never blamed me for what happened, and I believe her, now. At the time I was too messed up to see it. The way she acted and looked around me wasn’t because she blamed me, it was because she blamed herself. She told me that so many times…but until recently, I wasn’t ready to process it, I guess.”
Hunter squeezed her hand. “You’ve come a long way. I hope you’re proud of yourself and all you’ve accomplished.”
“Well, the truth is, I’ve gotten lucky in a lot of ways. It was lucky that I found Larry at all, and lucky that I took a job here at the Inn. It was lucky that the owners took such a liking to me and made me their manager when they retired…”
“Oh, stop it. I’m a firm believer that people make their own luck. If you hadn’t been smart and capable then the people who own t
his inn would have never given you so much responsibility. You do a fantastic job here.”
Claire smiled. “Thank you. I love it here and now that I don’t have to worry that my dad is going to get shanked in jail, I’m happy.”
He laughed. “That’s the only reason you’re happy?”
“Sure,” she said with a devious gleam in her eye, “What else is there?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I was wondering if maybe there was someone special in your life? Maybe a guy who sets your world on fire…”
“No, nothing like that…” She squealed as Hunter reached over and wrapped her up in his arms. He started tickling her and she howled as he told her he wouldn’t stop until she admitted that he set her world on fire. “Okay! I give!” she screamed. “You set my world on fire!” He stopped tickling her, but didn’t let her go. With a fake pout of his lip he said:
“You know a compliment isn’t really a compliment if you have to beg for it.”
“Aw, I was just kidding,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing the side of his face. She ran her lips across his, which he still had set in a pout, and said, “Forgive me?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “It still hurts.” Claire kissed her way down the side of his chin and across his neck.
“Forgive me, yet?”
Hunter’s breaths were shortening as he said, “Not quite…”
Claire slid off his lap and took his t-shirt between her hands. She pushed it up underneath his arms and kissed her way across his chest and down his stomach to the top of his jeans. She felt his body convulse as she dragged her tongue along the waistband of them. She could see his cock already hardening underneath them. With her lips pressed into his hot flesh she said, “I just don’t know what else to do. Maybe you could tell me what it would take?”
32
Hunter shuddered again and stroked his fingers through her hair, sending goosebumps skittering down the back of her neck and along her spine. Claire was wearing a soft cotton dress and Hunter ran his hands from her hair down her back and back up her sides, bring the dress up with him. “You could start by taking this off.” She smiled and sat back on her legs and pulled it over her head. Hunter whistled through his teeth. “Damn, you’re gorgeous.” Claire had never felt pretty and after what happened to her in Italy, she’d struggled with feeling as ugly on the outside as she did inside. But Hunter made her feel beautiful and she loved it.
He pulled off his shirt and her fingers reached up of their own accord and traced the muscles in his chest. His left arm was still bruised, and the bruise was big and black and ugly. The bullet hole was covered with a thick flap of skin and still had staples holding it together. Despite that, as the light from the flames danced across his taut chest and arms, he was still the most incredible sight she’d ever seen. She leaned in and kissed his chest, and Hunter took hold of her arms and pulled her up into a kiss. It wasn’t just any kiss. It was a long, slow, passionate, panty-melting kiss that was hotter than the fire she could feel at her back. Claire returned the kiss with as much passion as it was given, and she could feel her heart beginning to slam into her chest. Hunter kissed her until neither of them could breathe and then he let his mouth slide over to her cheek and up to her ear. He licked the inside of her ear and then blew his hot breath into it, causing her whole body to shake. Then, he took her face into his hands and tipped her head back slightly so that he could kiss her neck. He started out with slow, sweet, steady kisses that became harder and more intense before turning into his sucking her sensitive flesh into his mouth and nipping at it with his teeth. Claire moaned as his hands moved down from her face to her shoulders and then her breasts. He continued to kiss and suck on her neck while he fondled her breasts through her bra and then used his thumbs to flip it down out of his way before moving his face down from her neck to the mounds of flesh that he was caressing.
“Oh, Hunter,” she breathed out. She felt him smile into her flesh before bringing his tongue out and licking across one of her cold, hard nipples. The combination of the cold air and his warm breath was almost too stimulating, and she cried out. Hunter spent some time sucking and licking each one while her panties became more and more drenched, and then he took both of her hands in his and pulled her to her feet. Almost like they were dancing, he changed positions with her and lowered her down to the chair. He kneeled in front of her then and nudged her legs apart. When he took hold of the top of her panties she said, “I thought I was supposed to be making up to you.”
He grinned. “You still are, but this is what I want.” He pulled her panties down to her ankles and she helped him pull them off. Then he reached up and unhooked her bra and Claire let that fall down her arms and to the ground. Her nipples were as hard as rocks, and Hunter returned his attention to them with his mouth while his hand traveled up the inside of one of her thighs and his fingers found the wetness there. He began to trace her juices across the soft flesh of her legs and then, sending shock waves racing through her, he traced it across her swollen lips. As he dragged his fingers up through her wetness, he skimmed across the hood of her clit and she squealed. She felt him smile into her breast as he did it again, and then once more. She felt on the verge of orgasm already before he let go of her breast and kissed his way down to the top of her mound. Claire groaned and opened her legs wider, and Hunter’s tongue licked her sensitive clit just as she did so. She grabbed his head and cried out, “Oh, fuck! Hunter!” That seemed to fuel his desire and he dove in between her legs. Lips, tongue, teeth, and fingers began to torment her pussy so sweetly that Claire could barely breathe. She was covered in a fine sheen of sweat and each time the cool breeze blew across her damp skin, she shuddered, hard. Hunter kept up what he was doing between her legs and Claire felt the orgasm take over her body and begin to rise from her toes. She pressed his face harder into her as her body stiffened up and got ready for it. Hunter felt her excitement and just before she hurtled out into space on the wings of the orgasm, he bit down on her clit. He didn’t bite hard. It didn’t hurt…but it sent a sensation unlike anything she’d ever felt before rushing through her. She screamed as she came with an orgasm that left her shaking and gasping and rasping out his name. It took her a long time to work through it, but when she finally had, Hunter looked up at her and grinned.
“God, I love you,” she said. She hadn’t said that to him, except when she admitted she “might” be falling in love with him. His pussy-eating grin turned into a soft, sweet smile and he moved his lips up to her face. He kissed her so softly on her lips and then barely pulling back he whispered, “I love you too.”
Claire reached down and began to grasp and pull at his belt. She suddenly felt a driving need for him to be inside of her. Hunter grinned again and stood up. She watched impatiently as he undid his belt and then unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. As soon as they were loose, she pulled them down, taking his shorts with them. She got them as far as his boots before moving her head back up and sucking his thick, rock-hard cock in between her lips.
“Jesus…fuck, Claire,” Hunter grunted out as she started licking and sucking the shaft and the head of his throbbing cock. She sat back down in the chair and held onto the cheeks of his ass and bobbed her head up and down on him, taking him into the back of her throat and reveling in the way he was breathing, moaning, and saying her name. He let her suck on him for quite a while as he pulled and tugged at her hair and thrust his hips in and out, fucking her mouth and moaning. At last he used his grip on her hair to pull her mouth off him. He looked down at her and smiled. “Stand up, baby.”
While Claire was trying to stand on her shaking legs, Hunter finished stripping off his boots and pants. Once he was nude, he kissed her again and this time he took her body and pulled it into his. It felt so good to have their naked bodies pressed together. He was so warm and she could feel his heart racing against her chest. Once again, as if they were dancing, he moved her backwards until her back was up against the smooth wall o
f the cottage. He used his knee to nudge her legs apart and then reached down between her legs and played with her pussy while he kissed her. She’d just finished having an earth-shattering orgasm, but she could feel another one pressing into his fingers and dying to get out already.
Hunter felt her tensing up again and that was when he pulled his fingers back and used them to grip onto his own cock. He gave it a couple of strokes and then, bending his knees so that he could line himself up with her pussy, he pushed forward into her hot, wet tunnel. He moaned and then wrapped his right arm around her butt and lifted her up. Claire wrapped her legs around his waist and Hunter pressed her tighter into the wall. Using a steady pace then, he moved his hips forward and back, burying himself as deeply into her as he could each time. Claire was gasping and panting and she could feel the muscles of her pussy gripping onto his hard cock tightly each time he tried to pull back. Her body wanted him as much as her head and her heart did, and as they made love next to the fire, near the ocean and under the moon, everything was right in her world. Hunter was gasping and panting himself when he hit that spot that sent her into another quaking, shaking orgasm before he let himself go as well. He held her so tightly that she was sure she’d have marks on her skin from his grip, but she didn’t care. If there was ever a man that Claire would want to be branded by, it was Hunter. She’d never imagined that she could love someone so much, especially after her earlier experience. But God, she loved this man and she wanted to keep him, forever.
33
Hunter was exhausted as he and Levi made their way on their bikes down I-93 toward Boston. He hadn’t slept much the night before. First, he and Claire made love outside and then they made love again in the bed. She started talking about her life again afterwards, and he wasn’t even sure what time it was that she finally fell asleep. He smiled as he remembered lying there, holding her and listening to her talk. He never realized what a great feeling intimacy like that could bring. He listened to every word she said and when she did fall asleep, he missed her voice immediately. He watched her sleep for a while before finally falling asleep himself, and he was woken up at eight a.m. by the sound of his phone. He had asked Chase to use any contacts he had to find someone at Fort Bragg that would be willing to get them a list of their Ranger School instructors. No way Robert Potter was a Ranger instructor…but he had to follow every lead. Chase was calling back to let him know that he’d found someone willing to “work on it,” for a fee. Chase wasn’t in a good mood. Hunter’s personal business was eating into his. He snapped out the information and then ended the call before Hunter could say a word. The rude phone call had him wide awake, but Claire was still sleeping. He smiled down at her and thought about how he couldn’t wait until things settled down and he could start pursuing an actual relationship with her, and those were words he thought he’d never think, speak, or act on.