Without a word to my cousins, I march over toward Taylor. “Hey, you okay?”
“Kids are expensive,” she mumbles.
“Yes, well, I have heard that before.” I chuckle.
“Your family wouldn’t let me buy anything, not that I could have afforded it right now. They said it was a post-baby shower shopping trip. Whatever that means.”
I tug her into my arms and I try not to feel the sense of relief when she relaxes in me. “Just remember what I said, let people help when they offer.”
With her face pressed against my chest, I can faintly hear her grumble, “Fine.”
“Well,” I begin as I place my hands on her cheeks and tilt her head back so that I can get lost in her eyes. “I, for one, cannot wait to see what you picked up. Is there anything that I get to put together?”
“Yeah, almost everything.”
“Fucking awesome. Let's go!” I exclaim with a shout, exuberant with the thought of building something.
I practically shove Taylor toward her car with a few bags and begin loading up the trucks with my cousin’s help, then we’re off toward my house. For the first time since I purchased it, I’m afraid of what Taylor will think. I’ve never had a woman in the place before, despite what she and my cousins may think.
The caravan of vehicles pull into my driveway with Taylor coming up on the rear, a theme I’m noticing more and more today. My family all starts piling out of their vehicles, loading their hands and arms with bags, but I shake my head and ask them to wait on the front porch. I want Taylor to be the first one in the house and I make it a point to not give her the chance to turn away. Just as she steps from her car, I grab her hand and escort (or yank her behind me as Taylor suggests) and bring her to the front door.
“You know,” I tell her, “if we’re engaged, I should probably practice carrying you over the threshold.”
It’s soft, almost muted, but I hear the faintest of giggles from her and my chest expands beneath her praise. Turning my head in her direction, I wink before opening the door wide and ushering her through.
I walk her through the living and dining room and then the kitchen, which she stares at in awe for a few moments before following me to the three bedrooms.
“I have the third bedroom set up as an at home office and I thought the second bedroom could be for Tabitha.”
“What about me?” Taylor asks fearfully, her brows arched and raised on her forehead.
Without a word, I tug at her hand and proceed to walk her toward my master bedroom. It’s small, but the perfect size for me, and it’s decorated in grays and blues. No soft colors here, but I’m sure that will change soon.
“This is our room.”
“Your room,” she argues as she steps over to the closet door and peers inside before moving around the space.
“Our room,” I repeat, approaching her as she stares out the window overlooking the backyard. “There are no other bedrooms and if we’re going to play this part of an engaged couple we should probably make it as believable as possible,” I tell her as I rest my hands against her hips, her body instinctively leaning toward me.
But just as quickly as she let her guard down, it quickly rises back up, and she steps out of my hold.
“It’s fine, I’ll sleep on the couch, Lord knows I’ve slept on worse.”
“Okay, hold on. One, what does that mean ‘that you’ve slept on worse?’ And two, it’s ridiculous of you to sleep on the couch when I have a huge king-sized bed. Believe me, we won’t even touch each other while we sleep.”
Unless you want me to touch you, I think to myself.
“I didn’t mean anything by it.” Taylor shrugs and I know she’s lying, but after everything she’s been through today, I know not to press it. I’ll bide my time and wait for her to let that armored guard down.
Turning around, she exits the room and leaves me standing there watching her trail of dust dissipate into the air. I can’t explain what has me fighting so hard for her attention, something I’ve never had to do before. I’m used to women fawning over me and always having a willing partner for my bed, but Taylor is the complete opposite. I’m having to work for it. Maybe it’s that I didn’t fully get her out of my system, maybe it’s the chase, maybe it’s just her. I can’t explain it, but I’m drawn to her like a moth to a flame, I just pray that I’m not scorched in the aftermath.
“Hey, man. You going to help or what?” a deep voice shouts from down the hall and I shake myself free from my inner thoughts.
She’s just playing hard to get, of course she wants me.
Chuckling, I join the crowd outside and get to work hauling all of the items into the house, reminding myself that I’ll have Taylor again sooner rather than later.
***
“It looks like the store threw up all over my house,” I muse. I must have spoken out loud because Jackson slaps me on the shoulder with a laugh.
“Welcome to being a parent. Your house will be overrun with kid shit for the next ten years.”
“Great,” I grumble as I toss another handful of toys into a bin before sliding it into a storage unit against the wall.
The furniture in the room is a pale gray color, which actually looks great against the plain white walls that haven’t been painted since I moved in. We aren’t sure if Tabitha still slept in a crib or a toddler bed so the girl’s picked out one that we could easily adjust. The cradle rests against the wall and a chair is nestled in the corner beside it. A striped canvas tent sits in the other corner, filled with stuffed animals for her to snuggle with.
I’ll never tell the women how much I like the room, it’s not over-the-top or too girlie for my taste.
Walking out of the bedroom, I steer toward the living room where I find Taylor, Sara, and Elle huddled around a pile of just washed clothes. Taylor holds up a pair of pink pants, and with a smile on her face, I watch as she neatly folds them then places them in a pile beside her. Since this morning, it’s the first time that I’ve seen a genuine smile cross her face. I make a promise to myself to bring that smile to her lips as much as possible in the time that she’s here.
“Oh, Hunter,” she claims, startled as she notices my stare trained on her. “Are you guys done?”
“We are, come take a look.”
Taylor stands up and then stretches out her arms and legs, her shirt riding high on her waist, giving me a glimpse of her fair skin. She smiles at me as she passes and then pokes her head in the room. I don’t need to be in there to know that she loves it, I hear her surprised gasp as she peeks inside.
I give her a moment to collect her thoughts and then I step up behind her, making sure that our bodies aren’t touching, but just one slight move would bring her back against my chest.
“What do you think?”
“It’s. . . it’s perfect, Hunter. Thank you,” she says as she turns around and looks up at me. For a moment the world falls away and it’s just us. No friends, no family, only two people lost in a sea of hope and fear.
She leans toward me and I desperately want to take her in my arms, but not with everyone here. Instead, I pull back hating the look of hurt that crosses her face.
“Want to go grab your stuff, sweetheart?”
“Yeah,” she whispers as she scoots past me and I know that I’m going to have an uphill battle ahead of me.
Chapter Six – Taylor
HUNTER LEFT ME THIS morning before the sun had even reached across the horizon, claiming that he had business to take care of so that he could be here when Mr. Sedgwick arrives this afternoon.
He has been faithful to his word about keeping his distance, not only in the bedroom, but in the home as I adjust to the new arrangement. But today that will all change. We need to appear like a loving couple.
We practiced our story last night, trying to keep it as close to the truth as possible. We met through Hunter’s family, specifically Elle and Jackson, from when I assisted Kerry in planning their wedding. We had a s
hort affair that blossomed into more, and that brings us to today. Pretty much, it’s our story just with a new timeline.
Unable to go back to sleep after Hunter had left the house; I force my body from the bed and head into his office where we stored the boxes from my studio. It took two days to get everything situated, including Hunter threatening my landlord if he didn’t let me out of my contract. With fake fiancé towering over the balding, pudgy-bellied man, he quickly handed me back my security deposit and we were on our way. I left all of the furniture in the space the same way I had found it.
I lift the top off one of the boxes containing my clothes that didn’t fit in my one suitcase and carry the box into Hunter’s room. He cleared away closet and dresser space for me, so I easily put my items away with space still to spare. Living on the budget I had been, my articles of clothing were few and far between.
Kerry had always paid me well, but the landlord nickel and dimed me to death and then after utilities, I barely had enough for food and a new suit or dress for events. Kerry never said anything, yet she knew money was tight for me, but I refused any of her handouts or astronomical raises she tried to give me.
Closing the dresser drawer, I look up at a small framed picture of myself and Kerry at my first event. I miss her so much and I wonder what she’d have to say about this situation that I’m in. She would probably keep encouraging me to get my kicks with Hunter while I can. I’m not naïve enough to realize that he’s quite the catch, despite the playboy reputation that precedes him, though in the two days I’ve been here I haven’t heard a peep from any admirers. Or he’s just really good at hiding it.
Maybe that’s where he went off to early this morning, I think to myself.
Jealousy surges through me at the thought of him leaving the bed to go get his kicks somewhere else. How dare he? It’s not that we didn’t have a good time that night; at least, I know that I did.
With my emotions fueling me, I sort through the remainder of the boxes, not caring if I mess up any of Hunter’s things in the meantime. Emptying out one box, I toss it over my shoulder and hear it collide with the top of the desk and hang my head in shame. I can’t believe I’m acting like this over a man that has done nothing but extend kindness to me, and I’m jealous over the fact that he’s off screwing another woman while I unpack my life in his house.
Turning around, I notice the mess of papers scattered on the floor surrounding the desk. I throw my head back in frustration and meander my way over to the chaos. I pick up each piece of paper carefully and stack them back on the desk as I believe they had been previously. Financial statements with financial statements. Bills with bills. I’m surprised to find a few drawings in my hands and as I inspect one I notice that it matches Hunter’s backyard.
Did he draw these?
Staring at the lightly colored drawings in my hands I can tell that the swing set on the far right side had recently been added, the brown and green of the structure seem much more vibrant than the others.
“Hey, what are you looking at?” a voice calls out and I hurriedly spin around and sheepishly tuck the paper behind my back
Ignoring the drawing, I ask accusingly with my voice raw and bitter, “Where have you been?”
Hunter cocks his brow at me in confusion and I can see the curiosity in his gaze. “I went to work, just like I told you.” Detaching his gaze from me, Hunter looks around the space in amazement. “You finished unpacking? I’m impressed.”
He grins at me just as I stomp forward, my finger poking at his chest, angry that he is lying to me. I can feel it. “Working? Is that what you call screwing some bimbo?” I question, my voice rising with every word. I can’t seem to shove back the hurt I feel when I think of him with someone else.
“Yes, working. I needed to take care of one of our projects.”
Narrowing my eyes, I lean forward and sniff him. A hint of grass and gasoline burns my nostrils. “You don’t smell like another woman.”
A laugh bubbles free from his chest until he’s bending over holding onto his stomach as he cackles. My frown grows as I wonder what he finds so amusing.
“Why are you laughing?” I say as more of a command than a question.
“I’m sorry. . .it’s just that I can’t believe you thought I was off with someone else.”
“Why is that so hard to believe? Your family knows you as quite the playboy. I’ve seen you at three different events, each time with a different woman on your arm.”
Hunter pins me with his stare as his cackles halt with a snap and my skin pebbles at his attention. The room feels as if it drops in temperature and I shiver in response to his cold gaze.
“Taylor, I’m not someone that goes around having to defend myself and my actions, but I’ll have you know that I haven’t been with anyone since I left your apartment three weeks ago.”
I’m shocked, speechless really. I never would have assumed a man as attractive and charming as Hunter would willingly go a day without having an eager partner.
“Why?” I whisper.
With his eyes still glued to mine Hunter steps toward me until we’re standing toe-to-toe. He reaches up and cups my cheek with one of his palms, the hint of grass even stronger than before.
“Because you’re the one I want.”
I know it’s going to happen before he even begins to lean forward, he’s going to kiss me. I swallow back my fear as I close my eyes and anticipate the softest touch of his lips, but it never comes. Cracking open one eye and then the other I find him looking down at me with a hesitant gaze.
“I can’t kiss you right now.” Embarrassment fills me as I can feel heat flood my cheeks. “Not because I don’t want to, believe me, it’s all I’ve been thinking about for weeks. But I know I won’t be able to stop there and I know that you’re not ready for me yet. Besides, when I have you again, I want you on board 100%.”
Hunter swipes his thumb across my lower lip before he takes a step back. Then notices my hand that had fallen away from my back, still gripping the piece of paper.
Reaching for it, he takes it from my grasp and sets it back onto his desk.
“That is just something I put together for my backyard.”
“It’s incredible.”
“Thanks. Anyway, we should probably get cleaned up and hide those boxes. The social worker will be here in about an hour. And I’m fairly certain that they always arrive early.”
“Right, yes. A shower sounds good.” Hunter’s eyes flame at my mention of a shower and I quickly scurry past him and head into the master bathroom where I turn the water on as cold as I can stomach. The skin on my cheek still burns and tingles from where his hand had rested.
“I am in so much trouble,” I whisper to myself as I finally succumb to the temperature and turn the hot water on with a shaking hand. I’m going to need to find a job and a new place as soon as possible because I’m not sure I can withstand my pull toward Hunter much longer, even if I want to.
Standing in my bra and panties, I reach for a pair of dark denim pants from the rack in the closet just as Hunter walks into the room wearing only a towel, a very low slung white towel that outlines his every perfection as he walks across the room toward me. Silently he leans into the closet to grab a blue polo shirt as I stare at him with my mouth gaping open. Hunter chuckles quietly and places a soft kiss on my forehead before moving to the other side of the room. I watch in wonder as he grabs a pair of boxer briefs then drops the towel on the floor, standing in all of his naked glory with his back toward me.
Please turn around, please turn around, I beg silently, but my prayers go unanswered as he reaches down and tugs on his underwear, covering up the two globes that I had been admiring.
Without turning around, Hunter says, “You may want to wipe your chin, sweetheart.” As if spellbound my hand moves toward my chin and wipes away a hint of wetness. Yes, I was caught drooling over my fake fiancé and he witnessed it.
I try to think of a comeback, but I c
ome up short, and all thoughts are forgotten when he turns around I get a glimpse of his chest and abs dipping down into the waistband of his boxers. The man has more defined muscles than anyone I’ve seen on a health and fitness magazine. It’s as if he had stepped straight off the cover.
“Shit,” I mumble as I lose my balance as I lean toward him from across the room. I catch myself on the knob of the door but not before Hunter sees and laughs at my expense.
“I’ll let you finish getting ready,” he explains as he tugs on his shirt and a pair of shorts then leaves the room.
***
Hunter and I sit next to each other on his couch and stare out the large glass pane window in his living room. I’m not sure what we had expected when Mr. Sedgwick arrived, but what we were met with at the door was definitely a surprise.
The portly man had stumbled into the living room with papers flying here and there out of his briefcase. I had expected questions, and while he did ask a few related to my job and our income, Mr. Sedgwick was most concerned with getting out of the place as quickly as possible.
When I asked if they had found my sister’s Will and Testament yet, that was the only time the man calmed down and looked at me with a hint of sorrow. I’m not sure what had him in such a hurry, but after we practically signed our life away (and we very well could have because Hunter and I barely had a chance to skim the paperwork), he had dashed out the door and said that the caregiver would be arriving within the hour.
So, here we sit waiting anxiously for Mr. Sedgwick and the caregiver to arrive at the house with Tabitha. I twist and wring my hands together as I stare at the swaying trees out in the yard with the sun beaming down on them. I’m nervous about how Tabitha will react to being in a new home with a stranger, well, two strangers.
A solid hand rests on top of mine, halting my nervous tick, and I instantly feel a sense of calm.
Stolen Hearts (The Stolen Series Book 3) Page 5