Rather than respond to the agent he’d been using to follow Dani around since she’d miraculously reappeared in town several months ago, Hunter tucked his phone into his pocket. Although sneaking out the back door was ideal, he managed to remain motionless, pretending not to be affected by the determined chick who was making her way across the room toward him.
Truth time. He knew it. She knew it.
He hated it. Based on the extreme look of discomfort on her face, she did, too.
Good. At least they were on the same page.
Fuck.
But why did it have to be here? Now?
Even from across the room, he recognized that resolute gleam in her golden eyes. She was on a mission, and those sexy legs were carrying her right to her intended target.
Maybe he should run.
Though it was long overdue, Hunter suddenly didn’t want to talk to her, didn’t want her to share with him the reason she’d fucked his world beyond repair years ago. He didn’t want to know the truth. Her version, that was. He didn’t want to know anything at all. He simply wanted to continue pretending to be blissfully ignorant, drinking his Corona, talking to his brother, and acting as though he didn’t know the sinfully beautiful woman whose attention seemed to be focused on him. The same sinfully beautiful woman who’d left him at the altar five goddamn years ago.
The same one who had crushed his heart into fucking dust.
Danielle Davidson. Max Adorite’s fucking cousin.
Yeah. She thought no one knew that little secret, but he certainly did.
“You’ve got incoming, bro,” Conner muttered in warning before turning away from Hunter and leaving him standing there, completely vulnerable.
Asshole.
“Hunter.”
The sound of his name on her lips was very much as he remembered. For fuck’s sake, he still heard that raspy tenor in his dreams.
Not by choice.
Opting for polite—this was his sister’s home, after all—Hunter met her gaze. “Danielle,” he replied, tipping his beer bottle to his lips as he peered down at her. “Surprised to see you here.”
“No, you’re not,” she countered hotly, her eyes belying her frustrated tone.
What he saw in those glittering gold eyes wasn’t animosity. If he didn’t know better, Hunter would be inclined to believe she actually felt bad for what she’d done to him, leaving without ever looking back.
Too bad he did know better, and he wasn’t falling for it again.
Setting his empty beer bottle on the tray of a passing waiter—a waiter, for chrissakes, at a family dinner—Hunter grabbed Dani’s arm, pulling her deeper into the corner. Even in those four-inch heels, he towered over her and he needed that. Anything to give him the advantage. Bending down, he went nose to nose with her, refusing to inhale, not wanting to be reminded of how fucking good she used to smell.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
Her eyes widened, but she didn’t flinch. “We need to talk.”
Hunter was tempted to laugh in her face, but he managed to refrain. “Talk? You’re a few years too late for that, aren’t ya, sweetheart?”
Dani frowned, and Hunter could feel that vise on his heart tighten.
She was the very reason he’d spent the last few months out of the country again, working any assignment that would keep him as far from here as possible. Here being anywhere she was. He’d known she was coming back, known she was planning to seek him out, and no matter how hard he tried, he hadn’t been able to avoid the inevitable. Hence the reason he’d assigned Kye Sterling to keep an eye on her for the past few months. Hunter had been apprised of her whereabouts for three very long, very painful months.
And here she was, ready to chat.
He wasn’t going to be her goddamn whipping boy this go-round. He didn’t give a shit about her trying to get out from under the weight of her conscience, either. And damn it all to hell, seeing her now, the anger was boiling in his veins. But along with that, there was something else.
Longing.
He felt like his heart had been pierced with an arrow. And it damn sure hadn’t come from fucking cupid.
Stupid fucking bastard.
Yep, he was, and arguing with that stupid-ass voice in his head wasn’t going to make a damn bit of difference.
“Whatever you have to say,” he began, keeping his tone hard, “I don’t wanna hear it.”
“I think you do,” she said simply.
Hunter stood to his full height, glaring down at her as he studied her face. “Why here? Don’t you know this is supposed to be a family event, Danielle?” A family she’d decided she didn’t want to be part of. “Don’t you have even a little respect for my family?”
Another frown creased her beautiful face, and he almost felt a measure of remorse. Almost.
“You’re not an easy man to track down,” she replied.
No, probably not. But that’d been on purpose. He didn’t bother telling her as much; he assumed she already knew he’d spent the last couple of months avoiding this exact scenario.
“Get on with it,” he urged. “But first, I need another beer.”
Without worrying about social etiquette, Hunter walked away from Dani, making a beeline for the bar. No one other than Max Adorite would have a fucking bar in his house, complete with hired help to man it. After placing his order, Hunter stood there, resting his forearms on the sleek wooden top while he tried to calm his nerves. Part of him wished he’d simply invited Kye to be here with him tonight. It would’ve made this a little less painful.
Or maybe not.
After nodding to the bartender when he delivered his Corona, Hunter downed half of the beer, wondering just how many of them he’d need to make it through this conversation without wanting to put his fist through the wall.
A quick glance behind the bar and Hunter figured there wasn’t enough liquor in the place to make this easy on him.
No matter how much he wished there was.
Casting a glance at Dani over his shoulder, he noticed she seemed deflated. As though she was lacking the bravado she’d had moments ago.
“What is it?” he questioned roughly, turning to face her.
“You know what?” Dani shook her head. “Never mind. This was a bad idea. A really bad idea. No matter what I say, you’re still going to hate me.”
He considered probing her for details, but she was right. He didn’t need to hear them. It wouldn’t change a thing, so he admitted as much. “You’re right. Nothing you can do or say will ever change the way I feel about you. Nothing.”
Her eyes widened, and this time Dani flinched, as though the heat of his words had been a physical blow. As with her excuses, he didn’t care how he affected her. She’d earned his anger, his disdain, his … hatred.
Dani’s mouth opened but then closed quickly. Hunter forced himself to stay rooted where he was, glaring back at her, daring her to say something.
With a nearly imperceptible nod, Dani squared her shoulders, spun around on her heel, and left the same way she’d come.
Hunter should’ve been relieved, only he wasn’t. However, he had to remind himself that Danielle Davidson was his past, and he damn sure didn’t have room for her in his future.
No matter how much … he really didn’t hate her.
Chapter Four
TRACE KNEW HE should probably take his wife home, but he couldn’t resist the temptation before him. The thought of sneaking off with Marissa and finishing what she’d started in the bathroom earlier was too great. He wouldn’t make it home before he stripped her and buried himself in her heat, so it only made sense to take her somewhere they could get a few minutes of privacy.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Garage.”
“My present’s in the garage?” She didn’t sound happy about that.
“Not exactly,” he told her, grinning to himself. “But it will be.”
Trace found the small
storage closet he’d been going for. He knew Max’s home like his own because he always made a point to check things out and he’d gotten familiar with the garage/car showroom the first time he’d been invited to his sister’s house. He also knew the storage closet in the garage held very little in it, plus, like the rest of the garage, the damn thing was air-conditioned, which meant it would be relatively comfortable.
Not that it would be for long. Once he got his hands on this woman, he was going to make her go up in flames. Or that was his intention anyway.
“Trace…?”
“Trust me.”
Marissa harrumphed, making him chuckle.
He opened the closet door, then tugged her inside, pulling the door closed behind him. There was no lock, but the risk of someone finding them in there was one he was willing to take. Trace doubted anyone would come looking for them for a good twenty minutes or so.
Which meant he had to work fast.
Marissa peered around as though searching for something. Trace took her wrists in his hands and turned her to face him, pulling her close. He didn’t waste words, pressing his mouth to hers.
“Is this my present?” she whispered against his mouth. “If so, I’m thinking you might have to brush up on your choices. What could possibly be in here that I’d want for Christmas?”
“Me,” he mumbled, letting his hand drift beneath her sweater, sliding higher until he found the warm weight of her breast. He hefted it gently, raking his thumb over her nipple.
“Ahh. Well, in that case…” Marissa leaned into him, smiling.
“It’s a little more than this,” he told her, pulling back to look into her eyes.
Marissa was staring up at him, so much love reflecting back it made his heart twist in his chest. It didn’t seem to matter that he’d snuck her into the closet of her best friend’s garage or that he was currently groping her; the woman still looked at him as though he were the only man on the planet. He loved that shit.
“More than this?” She giggled. “What in the world are you up to, Trace Kogan?”
He grinned, giving her his best seductive smirk.
She didn’t say anything.
Trace took a deep breath. He’d been thinking about this nonstop for a couple of months now. Now that their lives had settled down, he was ready for the next phase. So, he decided to tell her so.
“I want to have a baby with you, Marissa.”
Her eyes widened and her lips curved up in a sweet smile. “Well, this is a good start.”
“I’m serious,” he explained. “I’m ready, Marissa. Ready to start a family with you.”
He knew she’d been ready for some time, and they’d talked about it. They were both in agreement that they wanted kids—several, in fact—but they’d been holding out, wanting to make sure it was the right time. As far as Trace was concerned, there was no better time than right now.
“Me, too,” she replied softly. “I want that more than anything.”
He cupped her cheek. “Then no more birth control?”
She nodded, giggling. “Done. Well, not technically done, but tomorrow … I won’t take any more.”
Trace slanted his mouth over hers, pulling her closer, tightening his hand around her breast, needing to feel more of her against him. He was hard and aching for this woman. Every single thing she did turned him on. And the thought of her pregnant with his child… Damn.
“So this is my gift?” she questioned, a sweet smile on her face.
“It’s one that keeps on giving,” he told her, an answering grin on his face. “After all, I’m gonna have to work for it. But I’m up to the task.”
“So endless sex until I get pregnant?”
“That’s how it works, right?”
Marissa chuckled. “You’re a mess, you know that?”
“I’m your mess.”
“True.”
Her fingers curled into the waistband of his jeans, and he felt her fingertips slide over the head of his cock. Trace sucked in air, then fastened his mouth to hers once more. He took all that she was willing to give and gave back just as generously.
Within minutes, they were practically clawing at one another, clothes hanging off them as Trace turned her so that her back was to the wall, her breasts crushed to his chest. Knowing they were short on time, the foreplay was limited, but she didn’t seem to mind any more than he did. Drugged by her kisses, he pushed inside her, feeling the warmth of her body clasp him.
“Oh, yeah,” he groaned. “Your pussy feels so damn good.”
Marissa’s hands slid down to his ass, her fingernails digging into his flesh as she pulled him closer.
Trace didn’t need to be told twice. He began rocking into her, pushing as deep as possible, retreating slowly. His tempo increased as he kissed her, his tongue in tune with the rhythm of his hips.
“More.” Marissa’s body quivered around him as he continued to drive into her, trying not to make a sound, not wanting to bring someone running out to see what they were doing. “Right there … Trace … right there.”
He drove into her, giving her what she asked for, allowing her body to drag the pleasure from him. It didn’t take long before he was riding the fine line between heaven and hell, desperate to send her over.
When she cried out his name, her body gripping him like a vice, Trace let go, following her over. He came for what felt like an eternity, his breath lodged in his throat. When his sanity returned, Trace helped his wife right her clothes and did the same with his own before leading her back into the house. She snuck into the bathroom while he darted up the stairs to the game room. He was all for a quickie but definitely didn’t want to take on Marissa’s brothers. They were still a protective lot.
And as he settled in with the others, he found himself already thinking about the next time he could have her.
MARISSA COULDN’T HELP herself. After she cleaned up, she went in search of her best friend. She knew Courtney was waiting to find out what her gift was, and Marissa was more than excited to tell her. She found Courtney in the living room, sitting beside Max, listening to Casper and Bryce tell stories of their early days at Sniper 1 Security. Ashlynn, one of Max’s sisters, as well as Ashlynn’s husbands, Jase and Leyton, were also there, hanging on every word. Marissa had heard all the stories before, more than once, in fact, as had Courtney, so she didn’t feel bad stealing her away.
“Did he buy you a car?” Courtney whispered as Marissa tugged her into the kitchen. “I saw him take you to the garage.”
Marissa chuckled, peering around to make sure no one was watching. “Not a car.”
“Well? Don’t keep me hanging.”
Marissa’s heart swelled. “He wants to have a baby.”
“And he’s giving you one for Christmas?” Courtney clapped her hands together.
“Well, probably not for Christmas. But we are gonna start trying.” And if they did get pregnant by Christmas… Her heart swelled in her chest, filling with hope.
“So no more birth control?”
“No more,” Marissa confirmed.
Courtney threw her arms around Marissa, hugging her tightly. Marissa hugged her best friend back, feeling the excitement welling in her belly.
A baby.
Part of her couldn’t believe that this was really happening. Sure, she and Trace had talked about children, but neither of them had been sold on the idea of starting a family just yet. At twenty-six, Marissa was still a little worried that she wouldn’t be a good mom. She was young and her marriage was in its early stages. Admittedly, it felt like the right time to her now, though.
“I’m so happy for you. I knew y’all would decide to have a family soon.”
Marissa nodded. “We’ve talked about it. We agreed we would know when the time was right.”
“And this is what you want?” Courtney’s concern was reflected in her eyes.
“It is. Very much so.”
“Well, then, what the hell are you doing hanging
out here? Shouldn’t you be at home, naked?”
Marissa giggled, feeling like a teenager again. “I’m sure that’s coming.”
“You mean you. You’re the one who’ll be coming.”
“Oh, hush.”
“What’s goin’ on in here, ladies?”
Marissa spun around to see her brother standing beside his husband, their eyes scanning the room. RT and Z were both watching them intently, likely trying to figure out what they were plotting. She didn’t want them to think too hard on it because the pair of them were probably going to figure it out if they did. Marissa knew she couldn’t hide the excitement on her face.
“The real question is, what are y’all doin’ in here?” Courtney asked, clearly changing the subject.
“Dessert,” Z stated, as though that made perfect sense. Of course, it kind of did. This was the kitchen; it was Thanksgiving.
“Is everyone ready?” Marissa inquired, turning toward the pies on the counter.
“I’m not sure about everyone else, but I am,” Z stated. “That’s all that matters.”
Marissa chuckled. The guy did not shy away from food. It was a wonder he managed to keep his physique with the way he ate. As it was, Zachariah Tavoularis didn’t have an ounce of fat on him. “If you say so.”
Courtney offered a quick wink before disappearing and leaving Marissa to help dish out pie with her brother and brother-in-law. She knew they were watching her, knew they saw the smile permanently imprinted on her face.
As much as she enjoyed spending time with her family, Marissa was eager to get home. She wanted to get Trace alone for a little while. After all, she fully intended to hold him to his gift. It didn’t take much for him to seduce her on any given day, but now…
God. A baby.
Marissa wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep from jumping him every chance she got. Smiling to herself, she wondered if he even knew what he’d gotten himself into.
Chapter Five
Thursday, December 1st
“TRACE?” MARISSA CALLED out from the other room.
“What, baby?” he called back from his office, peering up at the door when he heard her footsteps coming toward him.
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