Within seconds our hands are all over each other. Hunter kisses me with so much passion, and so much ferocity, I feel like he’s a hungry lion and I’m his prey.
“I need to be inside of you,” he whispers in my ear.
“Oh, God, yes,” I moan.
I’m so wet and so ready for him that he slides right inside of me. I love the way he fills me, like my body was made for him.
He puts his mouth on mine as he thrusts inside of me, muting my cries. Soon our bodies are moving together in a rhythmic dance. I’m lost in the sensation until he grabs my ass and lifts me slightly off the bed so he can plunge into me even deeper.
I cry out, but I’m not even sure if I’m forming words I’m so deep in the moment, in the frenzy of our lovemaking.
Then I feel myself clench tightly and I claw on Hunter’s back as I climax like I’ve never climaxed before. It takes everything I have not to scream, but I know that Gracie is trying to rest in a room down the hallway.
Then Hunter gives one final push, hard and deep, and he lets out a low moan as he lets go.
When he pulls me tight into his arms I feel like he’s never going to let me go. And a big part of me doesn’t want him to. I consider everything I’d be willing to give up in order to stay in his bedroom wrapped in his arms: my Hollywood mansion, the deal on my next picture, those things don’t seem that important at the moment.
But I know it’s not realistic. There are fortunes to be made. Studios are counting on me. I’m this year’s It Girl and I need to smile and do what I’m told.
“What are you thinking about?” Hunter’s question brings me back to the here-and-now.
I shake my head. “Nothing important.”
He runs his thumb down my cheek. “You look so sad.”
“Did you ever just want one moment to last forever?”
He grins. “You mean besides this one?”
“Remember when there were rewind buttons? When we were kids?”
He nods.
“Sometimes I want a rewind button for my life. But knowing what I know now.”
“You have a perfect storybook life. What would you change?”
“I’d go back to right before I graduated high school and moved to LA. I’d come to Old Town first and get you. I’d talk you into moving to LA with me. Then I never would have been with Devon. There would only be you.”
“But what if you never became famous because you were with me? What if being with me completely changed your destiny.”
I smile. “I think I’d still be happy because we’d be together.”
He doesn’t say anything in response. He just places a soft kiss on my forehead and gets up from the bed.
“I want to take a quick shower. Care to join me?”
“Maybe after you’re done. Do I have time for a quick nap maybe? You wore me out.”
He laughs. “I’ll be right back.”
Hunter throws on some sweatpants before he heads out into the hallway. I know I should probably check my phone, but I just want to pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist for a few more minutes.
I snuggle on Hunter’s pillow and breathe in his masculine scent. I try to relax, but I can’t get my mind off the missed calls and messages.
I heave a sigh then reach over to the nightstand to grab my phone from my purse. My eyes grow wide when I see I now have thirty missed calls and messages. And an emergency text from Elsie: PHONE ME AS SOON AS YOU SEE THIS MESSAGE. ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE.
Shit balls…not again.
Everyone in Hollywood seems to be panicking and leaving messages on my phone. I’m not sure how much PR damage my career can take. I was already demonized by Devon when I supposedly broke his heart. God only knows what kind of misinformation is now circulating online.
I cringe as soon as I see the lead headline on the Chatter, one of the most popular online entertainment magazines: KATIE LAWRENCE ALREADY HAS NEW MYSTERY MAN.
And there’s a photo of me and Hunter in his truck. I know it’s only a matter of time before they figure out who he is. I realize if I stay here, if I stay with Hunter, his life will be ruined and it will be my fault.
I google cab companies in Old Town and I’m surprised to see the small town actually has one. I quickly dial the number.
“I need a cab.”
“Address?”
I have no idea what Hunter’s address is, but I have the feeling everyone in Old Town knows the Wilde brothers. “I’m staying with Hunter Wilde.”
“I can be there in five minutes,” the raspy voice says.
“Would you meet me at the end of the driveway?”
“Then I’ll see you in four and a half minutes,” the voice says.
I dress as quickly as I can and gather up all of my stuff. Luckily Hunter still has a few notepads and several pencils on his desk, probably from when he was in college.
I tear a page from one of the notebooks and write:
I don’t want to completely ruin your life. You deserve to be happy, and I have no idea how you’ll ever have a normal, happy life with me. I’ll never forget you and your crazy amazing kisses. You’ll always own a piece of my heart…Kat
Fifteen
Hunter
A note…
All she left me was a fucking note.
I read the words over and over again until they finally make sense. Part of me wants to hop in my truck and race to the airport to try and stop her. But shit like that only happens in chick flicks not real life.
I can only assume this means that the photographer did get some photos of us and they were already leaked to the media. My stomach knots at the thought of Kat being under scrutiny again. And I feel like it’s all my fault.
She deserves better. Someone who won’t be fodder for the tabloids. I should have done more to protect her. I should have known this could happen and prepared for it. I feel like I let her down.
***
I don’t realize I’m staring at my juice until I feel a hand on my shoulder. When I glance up Tucker is staring down at me.
“You okay?”
I shake my head. I’m not sure I’ll ever really be okay again.
“Where’s your girlfriend?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” I snap. I know I shouldn’t be pissed, but I am. Tucker has someone who loves him to the moon and back. So does Cooper. And Jake does even though he doesn’t deserve it.
All I have is a shattered heart.
But I guess it’s my own fault that I willingly gave my heart to someone knowing our chances of ever having a relationship were nil. It’s a heart crushing of my own making.
“I finally have my head on straight,” Tucker says. “Don’t bite it off, okay?”
I nod.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks.
I shake my head. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
He eyes me like he doesn’t believe me, but he also doesn’t push.
“You look like you’re ready for the gym,” I say trying to change the subject.
“Gracie wants me to go. She says it calms me down.” He heaves a sigh. “I’m really worried about her. She’s so sick. What if there’s something really wrong with her?”
Gracie’s younger than I am. She’s always seemed quite healthy to me. Then something occurs to me. I’m surprised Tucker didn’t think about it. I’m not sure how to bring up the subject without my brother hitting me, but I think he needs to at least consider it.
“Don’t get pissed, okay? I’m really not in the mood for a fight.”
He narrows his eyes at me in a way that is so intimidating my stomach actually knots. I know my brother won’t seriously injure me, but he wouldn’t hesitate to kick my ass.
“Have you and Gracie ever…um…not used protection.”
He tilts his head slightly and I can see that his wheels are spinning. Then to my surprise he actually smiles slightly. Most people probably wouldn’t even notice, but I know my brother well en
ough to recognize his grin.
“Do you think she might be pregnant?”
I nod.
Tucker’s face actually lights up and he’s smiling wider than I’ve ever seen him smile in my entire life.
“You can’t tell anyone about this.”
“Don’t you think they’ll figure it out eventually?”
He shakes his head. “Not until after Cooper and Riley’s wedding. I don’t want to steal any of their thunder. Cooper would never forgive me, and I don’t want them to have any hard feelings against Gracie.”
“I doubt they’d feel that way.”
“You haven’t been around that much. You haven’t seen how excited Riley is, and how happy that’s making Cooper. Please—don’t say anything—okay.”
“Sure, whatever you want.”
He pats my shoulder. “I’ll pick up one of those pregnancy tests on my way home from the gym. Would you look after Gracie while I’m gone? It’ll only be an hour or so.”
I nod.
“I need to bring her some ginger ale. I’m hoping it will settle her stomach a little.”
***
When I go back upstairs I can hear Gracie in the bathroom. She’s throwing up again. I give a soft knock on the door.
“Gracie? Are you okay?”
When to door finally opens she looks more fragile and tired than I have ever seen her. She’s a tiny person to begin with, but she looks like a child who hasn’t eaten in weeks.
“You need to eat something.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t seem to keep anything down.”
“I’ll make you some soup and crackers.”
“It’s okay.” Gracie looks away. She’s always had a hard time looking people in the eye, but today seems even worse.
“Tucker asked me to take care of you while he’s gone and I don’t really feel like getting my ass kicked today. So you’re getting soup and crackers.”
At least that elicits a small grin.
I walk as close to Gracie as I can without touching her. She’s a little unsteady on her feet, and I don’t want her to fall. But I also don’t want my brother to kill me if he sees me touching her. He doesn’t allow anyone with a dick to get within arm’s length of his woman, even his own brothers.
I breathe a small sigh of relief as she makes it down the stairs without intervention and when we get into the kitchen I urge her to take a seat at the breakfast table.
“You don’t have to wait on me,” she says.
“I do. You’re almost too weak to walk. You need soup and crackers. Lots of crackers.”
“I’m sure this flu will pass soon.”
I sit down at the table with her. “I know you don’t have the flu.”
She blinks back tears. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to ruin Cooper and Riley’s wedding. I’m supposed to be a bridesmaid. Everything is supposed to be perfect.”
Tears are now streaming down her face. Shit. I didn’t sign up for this. I was just going to give her soup and make her eat something.
“I don’t think you’re going to ruin anything. The wedding is a few months away.”
She shakes her head. “Riley’s always wanted the perfect fairytale wedding. She says she’s dreamed about it since she was a little girl. I don’t think a pregnant bridesmaid is what she dreamed about. And I know Cooper wants Riley to have everything she’s always wanted.”
“I’m sure Riley and Cooper will be happy for you and Tucker. They won’t be mad.”
She shakes her head. “You can’t say anything until after the wedding. Promise me.”
I feel like she and Tucker are putting me in an awkward position. I don’t want to have to lie to anyone, but she looks so upset.
“Fine. I won’t say anything. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think you should.”
She shakes her head again. “I can’t. I won’t do that to Riley. She deserves to have the wedding of her dreams.”
“What about you, Gracie? What do you deserve? Don’t you want to get married? Maybe have a nice wedding?”
“I never dreamed about having a wedding like that. I’m just happy that I have someone who loves me and cares about me. Tucker and I will probably just sneak down to the courthouse one day. You know, before the baby comes.”
“You deserve more than that, Gracie. Tucker will give you whatever you want.”
“I know,” she says softly between sniffles. “But I just want him.”
I know I shouldn’t touch her. I know if Tucker ever saw me do it, he’d break my hand and ask questions later. But I touch her anyway. It’s just a small, very brotherly gesture, a small pat on the arm, but I can see by the way her face lights up that it means a lot to her.
“Thanks, Hunter,” she says.
I nod, and then get up to make her soup.
***
Going back to work after a short break is always hard, but this time when I walk back into the station tension fills the air.
As I pass by my fellow officers they give me strange looks and some even snicker. Even Teko turns away from me as I pass by his desk.
By the time I get to my cubicle all I want to do is hide, but I’m greeted by an enormous poster of Katie Lawrence instead. I haven’t watched any of her movies yet, but the poster implies that she’s playing a prostitute. I cringe when I notice that someone has replaced the actual title of the movie with the words: HUNTER’S NEW RIDE.
My stomach knots when I think about anyone thinking that of Kat. I rip the poster down from my cubicle and tear it to shreds. Whoever did this better hope I never find out his identity.
Just as I’m about to take a seat at my desk I hear my name being called behind me.
“Wilde, in my office. Now.”
It’s my boss, Sargent Rick Mead, who we affectionately refer to as Sargent Dick Weed.
If I didn’t think my day could get any worse I was wrong. It’s never good news when the Sargent wants to see you in his office.
“Have a seat.” He motions toward a stray, metal chair near his desk.
I sit down and wait for him to say something. He’s staring at his laptop and shaking his bald head.
Sargent Mead is in his mid-fifties, close to retirement, but about ten years overdue. He’s long past jaded and well into cantankerous.
“Care to explain this?” He turns his laptop so I can see the screen. It’s a photo spread of me and Kat in my truck. The way the photos are laid out, and taken at the moment when Kat decided to duck to avoid the photographers, make it look like she’s going down on me while I’m driving. And the caption doesn’t help to dispel that perception: Is Katie Lawrence Going Downtown with a Rookie Cop?
I rub my temples to try and stop the pounding in my head.
“It’s not what it looks like,” I mutter.
The way Sargent Mead is staring at me I get the distinct impression he doesn’t believe me.
“This may be considered conduct unbecoming a police officer.”
“But I was off duty. It was a vacation day.”
“You’re named in the article as is the Old Town Police Department. The phones haven’t stopped ringing and it’s not because there’s been some kind of sudden crime spree. It’s the media wanting information about our newly famous Rookie Cop.”
I heave a sigh. I have no comeback. There’s really nothing to say.
“You’re on desk duty until further notice.”
“Why?”
He points to the website. “Do you really need to ask that question? How do you expect anyone to take you seriously as an officer of the law?”
“For how long?”
He doesn’t reply right away.
“For how long?” I repeat.
“Indefinitely.”
I shake my head. “This is my life. The only thing I’ve ever wanted to do was be a cop.”
“If you really cared about being a cop you wouldn’t have allowed that to happen.” He points at the photos one final time. Every time
he points to the things it’s like another spike in my heart.
I feel like my entire world was turned upside down and I don’t even have anything to show for it. It doesn’t sound like I’ll ever be taken seriously as a police officer again and Katie left me without even saying goodbye.
I stand up and ready myself to do something I never thought I’d do in my life. “I quit.”
As the words float in the tension filled air there’s a brief moment when I wonder if I can take them back.
When I see the reaction on Sargent Mead’s face I know it’s too late. He’s actually smiling at me. “Good choice.”
The asshole wanted me to leave, but didn’t have the balls to fire me. I guess indefinite desk duty is just their way of getting officers to quit.
I don’t bother to wait for anymore small talk. I turn and walk out of his office and head to pack up what few personal items I have on my desk.
***
I don’t feel like going home, and I don’t feel like going to Haymakers. Both places will include people who will try to cheer me up. I don’t want to feel better. I want to wallow in despair. There’s one place I can think of where despair is mandatory: Izzy Grant’s place. Besides I still owe her a thank you for baring her breasts so Kat and I could escape.
Izzy works at The Old Town Antique Shop, which is right across the street from Haymakers, and she lives right upstairs. Her grandmother has owned the shop for as long as I’ve been alive, and from what I’ve heard, years before that.
If you had to look for a filming location for a creepy ghost movie, you’d have to look no further than The Old Town Antique Shop. The place has dust that’s older than I am and has a real haunted vibe to it.
Izzy is seated at the front counter reading Fire in the Twilight. She glances up from her book when I approach.
“What do you want? Are you planning on arresting me for indecent exposure? I’ve heard there’s plenty of evidence against me already uploaded to YouTube.”
I shake my head. “I can’t arrest anyone. I’m not a cop anymore.”
She frowns. “Not a cop? That’s the only thing you ever talked about when we were kids.”
I shrug. “I quit.”
She actually gives me a smile. For Izzy that’s saying a lot. She maybe smiles once or twice a year.
A Wilde Night (Old Town Country Romance Book 3) Page 14