Sizzling Desire

by Kayla Perrin

  “Absolutely not. In fact, I’ll just go—”

  “No. Don’t leave. Not yet.”

  Lorraine opened her mouth to protest, but she decided against it. Instead, she made her way to her car and got inside. She waited, as he’d asked her to do.

  Though a huge part of her wanted to drive away. She was spending way too much time with Hunter.

  The more she spent time with him and got to know him, the more she wanted to. She couldn’t deny the chemistry between them, which only made her remember how good they’d been in the bedroom. And that was exactly the problem. Hunter was supposed to have been a one-night stand. Things had gotten complicated because of the fact that he was Douglas’s son, and she wanted to uncomplicate them by giving him back the store and moving on with her life.

  And yet, as she looked in his direction where he once again was on his haunches at the graveside, she felt a little tug in her heart. And if she were honest with herself, she knew that she wasn’t really ready to be rid of him yet.

  Chapter 14

  Hunter’s throat was clogged with emotion as he looked down at the dirt patch beneath which his father’s body was buried. He felt cheated. All these years without his dad, and now there would be no more time.

  He told his dad how he felt. That he was angry that he hadn’t been a good father to him, and that he wished most of all they’d had this conversation while he was alive. “You needed to hear me tell you how hurt I was. Because maybe then you would have had the guts to tell me to my face what you wrote in that letter. Because that’s what I needed to hear from you, more than anything.”

  Hunter was silent for a long moment. He drew in deep breaths, regaining his composure. Even though his father was gone, it was still hard letting his feelings out.

  Hunter jerked when he felt the hands on his shoulders. He whipped his head up and saw Lorraine there, looking down at him. Her eyes were filled with tears, and compassion was evident on her contorted face. She got down onto her knees beside him. “I’m sorry. I know you said for me to stay in the car, but I could see you were in pain. And...”

  Hunter drew her into his arms and hugged her. He held on. He held on as the emotion roared inside him. He held her tightly as he thought of his dad and the regret. He wanted this to be it, right here, right now. No more grief over his dad and the losses in his life. No more grieving over unresolved pain. After today, he wanted to be able to think of his father and remember him fondly.

  He finally released Lorraine. Shakily, he got to his feet, then helped pull Lorraine to a standing position. His emotions were raw, overwhelming in a way he didn’t expect. But amidst the chaos of the anger and the regret and guilt and grief he felt a spark of hope.

  A seagull squawked as it flew overhead at that moment, and Hunter quickly looked up. The tension left his shoulders as a laugh bubbled up in his throat.

  His sign?

  “Are you okay?” Lorraine asked him, wiping at her eyes.

  “I think I just got a sign that all’s going to be okay,” Hunter said.

  Lorraine narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

  “You’d have to know the story,” Hunter said, the memory filling him with warmth. “There used to be this seagull in our backyard. Decided to make our yard its home. Built a nest there and everything. My dad tried all he could to get the bird to go away without hurting it, but it kept coming back. He’d spray it with water, he would chase it until it flew away. But the darn thing kept coming back. And then one day there were babies in the nest. For a moment, my dad contemplated getting rid of them. But my mother pleaded with him not to, so he didn’t. And now a seagull just flew overhead as I thought to myself that I want to finally have a sense of peace about my dad. It feels like a sign. The kind of sign my dad would send to make me smile.”

  Lorraine’s face twisted with emotion at his words. “That’s the sweetest thing I think I’ve heard.”

  He pulled her into his arms again and held her. He didn’t know why she felt like a rock to him at this moment, but right now he needed her.

  “Will you go back to my place with me?”

  Her eyes widened, those beautiful eyes that had caught his attention in the bar. Bright. Hopeful and yet wary.

  “Not for long,” Hunter went on. “We can watch a movie maybe. I don’t know. I just don’t want to be alone right now.”

  Lorraine didn’t answer right away, and he could see the discomfort in her eyes. She’d gone from being a one-night stand to suddenly being something else to him. A friend?

  “I don’t really have any other friends in Ocean City,” he told her. “There are a few guys from the station, but no one...close. If you have something else to do, it’s fine. I just thought... I can even make some dinner or pick something up. It’s the least I can do to repay you for being here for me.”

  “You don’t have to repay me. I was happy to come here. I wanted to see where your father was buried. I really did like your dad,” Lorraine said, her voice cracking slightly. “I’m so sorry he’s gone.”

  Hunter slipped an arm around her shoulder. “Yeah. Me, too.” He paused. “Come by. Let me cook you dinner.”

  “All right,” Lorraine agreed. “I’ll come by for a little while.”

  * * *

  Why did I agree to this? Lorraine asked herself after Hunter handed her a green smoothie. This is a mistake.

  Already she was looking at Hunter differently. She was seeing him as the sexy, irresistible man she’d met at the bar. And remembering their explosive passion once they’d gotten to his place.

  “Kale, mango, pineapple and a bit of spinach,” he said. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “It’s fine,” Lorraine said, and took a sip. “It tastes great, thank you.”

  She watched Hunter walk back into the kitchen, checking out his behind. His strong thighs. She quickly drank more of her smoothie.

  It had been the plea in his voice, the clear fact that he’d needed her after he’d read his father’s letter that had her saying yes to this time together at his place. Her relationship with Hunter had been like a roller coaster ever since they’d met, and she was still on the ride.

  The first night, they’d connected sexually in a way that had excited her more than anyone before him. Unexpectedly, loss had brought them together again. Today had been especially draining, but Lorraine couldn’t bring herself to leave him when he needed her.

  Hunter joined her in the living room with his own green smoothie. He offered her a small smile. “Thank you. For being with me today.”

  “No problem,” Lorraine said. “I’m glad I got to see your father’s grave. You don’t mind if I visit it some time, bring some flowers?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Great.” She finished off her smoothie. “I know I said I’d hang out for a bit, but I really ought to get going.”

  “Already?” Hunter asked. “I offered you dinner, remember? We can even watch a movie, escape reality for a while.”

  Lorraine bit down on her bottom lip. “I don’t know, Hunter.”

  “Besides, it’s my dad’s birthday today.”

  Lorraine’s mouth fell open in surprise. “It is?”

  Hunter nodded. “Yep. Would have been sixty-three.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?”

  He shrugged. “Because it’s always been a bittersweet day. And even more so now that he’s gone. You being with me today...you helped me get some perspective and some closure. I don’t know. It suddenly seems appropriate to mark the occasion with some dinner, maybe a drink to toast him. I’d like to turn the tide and end the day smiling. It seems fitting that you be here with me to do that, given how close you and my father got.”

  If that wasn’t an emotional tug on her heartstrings, nothing was. Lorraine literally co
uldn’t find a reason to say no.

  “You know how to twist a girl’s arm.”

  “I can order pizza. There’s a place nearby that makes it with a gluten-free crust, and I get it margherita-style, with no cheese and lots of veggies, a good dose of basil, and some olive oil. They also make pasta from brown rice, which is healthier. But it’s up to you. You want something else, we can do that, too. I typically try to eat a very clean diet, but I allow myself some cheat days.”

  “A cheeseless pizza with veggies is your idea of a cheat day?” Lorraine asked, a smile touching her lips. “That sounds pretty darn healthy if you ask me.”

  “Cheat days is a big, juicy cheeseburger with all the toppings. You know that burger chain, Jordan’s Burger Shack?”

  “I’ve never been in there,” Lorraine admitted. “But I know they’re popular in California.”

  “And Nevada. They make the best burgers. Huge, greasy, tasty. And a ton of calories, which is why I only have one there maybe twice a year. I love the meathead burger. A full pound and a half of beef, topped with cheese, bacon and onion rings. I get it with a side order of sweet potato fries. I wash it all down with a Coors.”

  “Sounds like quite the meal.”

  “Tastes amazing at the time, but, man, the aftermath.” Hunter made a face. “I never feel good the next day. I typically stay away from red meat. Like I said, I try to eat clean.”

  “For me, it’s potato chips. Salt and vinegar, ketchup, dill pickle or just plain. I crave salts for my comfort foods.”

  “So I just have to pick up a couple of bags of potato chips for dinner?” Hunter asked, grinning.

  “I’ll need more than that,” Lorraine told him. “The pizza you described sounds delicious to me. And gluten-free pasta in plain tomato sauce?”

  “Works for me,” Hunter said. “Are you into suspense? I brought a box of DVDs from my dad’s place, and those ones were his favorite. We can pick one.”

  “Sure,” she said. Though the truth was, a lot of good suspense movies scared her. “If that’s what your father liked, why not watch one for his birthday?”

  Hunter smiled. “I’ll order the pizza. You pick a movie from the box beside the TV. Any veggies you don’t like?”

  “Nope. I’m good with them all.”

  * * *

  An hour and a half later, the mostly eaten pizza was on the coffee table in front of them, along with two empty wine glasses.

  And now a thriller starring Liam Neeson was playing on the television. The scares seemed even more intense with Lorraine watching them on a fifty-inch screen. She almost felt as though she were a part of the terror.

  “Oh, God,” she uttered when a gun battle began. The surround sound only made things worse. It literally sounded like bullets were whizzing by her ears.

  She put a hand over her eyes, splaying her fingers to peek out at the horrifying action.

  The feel of the hand on her leg caused her heart to slam against her rib cage. Jerking her leg away, she screamed.

  “Hey,” Hunter said. He looked at her with concern. “You’re really scared.”

  “I—I should have told you that I can get freaked out during suspense movies.”

  Hunter shuffled his body across the sofa, filling up the space Lorraine had deliberately left vacant. “You want me to turn it off?”

  She felt silly. She knew these movies weren’t real, but the scares were so real, she couldn’t help reacting. “I’ll be fine,” she told him.

  He slipped his arm around her shoulder and drew her close. “Come here.”

  He pulled her against his body, and despite herself, Lorraine immediately felt safer in his strong arms. Not only was she a wimp when it came to scary movies, she was a pathetic cliché, needing a man to make her feel better.

  “I can turn it off,” Hunter said.

  On the screen, the gun battle had just ended, and Liam Neeson was victorious. “No,” Lorraine said. “Let’s watch it.”

  Though the scary moment had passed, Hunter continued to hold her. He moved his hand from her shoulder to her arm, where his fingers brushed her skin. Lorraine’s pulse began to race—and not because of the movie this time.

  Hunter’s fingers skimmed her skin, soft caresses. Lorraine’s pulse was thundering in her ears to the point where she could no longer register the dialogue on the screen.

  “Better?” Hunter asked.

  She looked at him, smiling feebly. “Yeah.”

  He didn’t look away. And neither did she. Lorraine’s breath caught in her throat when she felt the decided shift between them. As Hunter urged her closer, suddenly the movie was simply background noise.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered.

  Did his voice have to sound so incredibly sexy? And the way he was looking at her. Was that all it took to get her aroused? A look and a touch?

  Obviously.

  “Damn it,” Hunter uttered.

  “What?” Lorraine asked, her voice barely audible.

  “I don’t even care about the movie anymore.”

  She didn’t have to ask what he did care about.

  The way his hand was smoothing up and down her arm made that obvious.

  And suddenly, it was what she cared about, too.

  If only he would stop touching her, maybe she would be able to think clearly.

  “I...I should probably...go,” she managed to say. “You have to go to bed early.”

  Hunter’s eyes widened. “You want to leave?”

  No, she didn’t want to leave. But the part of her brain that was still working knew that she needed to leave—unless she wanted to end up naked with Hunter again. And wasn’t that the last thing she wanted?

  He was stroking her arm with one hand, and with the other one he linked fingers with hers. “I don’t want you to go.”

  Oh, God...

  Just yesterday, she’d planned to sign over the store to Hunter and be done with him once and for all. How on earth was she here with him, wanting him so desperately?

  Hunter brushed his lips against her cheek. “Don’t go, Lorraine. Please, stay.”

  The deep timbre of his voice washed over her skin like a languid caress. And Lord help her, Lorraine was powerless to say no.

  Chapter 15

  Lorraine looked into Hunter’s eyes. The desire she saw in their dark depths caused her breath to catch in her throat. He wanted her—and she couldn’t deny that she wanted him.

  Yet somehow she managed to say, “This...this wasn’t the plan.” Her voice sounded thick, and she cleared her throat before continuing. “Today is about your father.”

  Hunter nuzzled his nose against her cheek. “I think my father would approve.”

  Heat spread along Lorraine’s skin. She couldn’t even refute that. She’d known that Douglas had really liked her. She couldn’t imagine him objecting to her getting involved with his son.

  “This wasn’t in the plans...for us. I mean, things are complicated.” Lorraine didn’t even understand her own words. Was she even speaking English?

  “Were you planning to head home with me when you met me at the bar?” Hunter asked.

  “What?” Lorraine’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you asking me that?”

  “Because sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Live life in the moment. Like we did that night in the bar. I didn’t have ulterior motives in mind when I invited you here. I only wanted the company, not to spend my father’s birthday alone. But being this close to you...” He tightened his fingers on hers. “Damn.”

  Lorraine swallowed. Why was she so aroused? Just being near Hunter was an assault on her sanity. All reason fled her mind.

  “When I’m close to you, all I think about is touching you. Yesterday, when you were tellin
g me about your vision for the store, I wanted so badly to kiss you.”

  “What?” He had? But was she really surprised? She’d felt the pull of attraction between them then, too. The truth was, she’d never not felt it, no matter how angry she wanted to be with him.

  “You were telling me about your dream, and... I don’t know. I found your passion really sexy.”

  Even though her pulse was racing, Lorraine said, “Come on.”

  Hunter reached for the remote control and turned the movie off. “You’re hella sexy, Lorraine. You must know that.”

  “Not really,” she said, and wondered why she was admitting that to him.

  Hunter’s eyebrows shot up. “Your husband didn’t tell you you were sexy?”

  He had, in the beginning. But not for the longest time. In fact, Lorraine had felt more like a burden to him than anything else.

  Hunter took her silence as confirmation. “Then the man needs to have his head examined. Lorraine, you take my breath away.”

  The last of her resistance slipped away. “You win,” she whispered.

  “I win? You think this a game to me?”

  “If it is, you don’t play to lose.”

  “I’m just mad attracted to you,” he said. “Am I the only one feeling this?”

  Maybe it was the vulnerable hitch to his voice, the rawness of emotion she heard. Maybe it was the earnest look in his eyes. The look that said he was unable to control whatever it was that seemed to have him in its grip. She understood. Because she felt the same way, too.

  Lorraine repositioned herself on the sofa so that her legs were beneath her and her body was facing Hunter’s. “I feel it, too,” she admitted. He had put himself out on an emotional ledge, and she didn’t want to leave him there alone. To make him believe that she wasn’t as interested in him as he was in her would have been dishonest and cruel. God only knew why she was attracted to him, but she was. Fiercely.

  Hunter wrapped his brawny arms around her and held her like that for a long while. He stroked her back, his fingers going round and round in lazy circles. Lorraine wanted him to kiss her, and yet he was simply staring into her eyes, drawing out the tension between them.