Hunter wiped his palms on his shorts. “Um, yeah, I have.”
“Awesome.” Alex took the beer Lisa brought her from the kitchen. “When are you moving up there?”
He glanced back at Chelsea. She was still staring at him, and his nerves kicked up a notch. This wasn’t the way he’d wanted her to find out that he’d be moving to the next town over from her. “Um, next weekend, actually.”
“You should look up Chelsea when you get there.”
“Maybe I will.” He held Chelsea’s gaze a few more seconds before turning back to the game.
The old, familiar tension between them returned, but it had a different vibe to it, one he wanted to erase as soon as possible. But he needed to wait until they were alone. Bubba’s matchmaking efforts had already landed him in enough hot water.
An hour later, the rain let up, and Alex announced she needed to get some sleep before opening up the garage in the morning. J.T. left a few minutes later. Lisa stood and stretched. “Time to get started on this mess.”
Chelsea stopped her from picking up the empty bottles. “I’ve got it. You get some sleep, Lisa. You and Bubba are going to be busy over the next two days.”
“You heard your friend.” Bubba lifted Lisa over his shoulder, one hand placed possessively on her bottom. “Time to go to sleep.”
“I’ll help Chelsea clean up,” Hunter volunteered, anxious to have a moment alone with her to explain himself.
“Good man. In that case, I’m taking the little woman to bed.” Bubba marched toward the master bedroom. “Night, y’all.”
Chelsea watched Hunter with a wary expression for a few seconds before grabbing some empty bottles and disappearing into the dimly lit kitchen.
Shit! Whatever he’d done, it had pissed her off.
He gathered up the paper plates and napkins before following her. He searched for something to say to open the dialogue between them, but nothing seemed right.
Besides, he didn’t have to wait too long for Chelsea to initiate things. “Were you going to tell me you were moving to North Carolina?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” She tossed the bottles into the recycling bin and brushed past him on her way to the living room to retrieve some more.
“Yeah. Maybe.”
She reemerged in the kitchen and disposed of the rest of the bottles. “Why?”
“I thought the answer was obvious.”
“And what’s that?” She paused from wiping the counters down long enough to whip a dish towel over her shoulder and stand in front of him.
Now was his chance to tell her about his eight-year-long infatuation with her. To tell her he thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. To tell her how he wished she felt the same way about him. But when he opened his mouth, no sound came out.
He turned around and shook his head. “Never mind.”
“Okay, I get it. You hate me. No need to rub it in.” She turned back and resumed her scrubbing.
He caught her and whirled her around, pinning her to the counter between his arms. “I don’t hate you, Chelsea.” His gaze fell on her lips, and his voice grew raw with want. “Far from it.”
“You could’ve fooled me,” she whispered, her words shaking as she shivered against him.
He’d always heard actions spoke louder than words, and this was his opportunity to prove it. He kissed her, softly at first to give him a chance to gauge her reaction while he was still in control.
Her breath caught, and he started to pull away. Then Chelsea surprised him by grabbing his shirt and bringing him back to her. She wrestled control of the kiss from him, hesitantly delving her tongue into his mouth and kissing him back.
Now it was his turn to be shocked senseless. For a second, he wondered if he was dreaming. The hungry rattle that rose from his throat when he finally remembered to breathe told him otherwise. There was nothing sweet or innocent about this kiss. It was rough and wild and passionate, coming from a woman who had no problem letting him know how much she wanted him.
The blood rushed from his head to his dick, and all coherent thoughts fled his mind. All that mattered to him was the sweetness of her mouth and the tempting curves of her body. He spent what felt like eons committing everything to memory. The floral scent of her perfume. The faint cherry taste of her lip gloss. The silky warmth of her bare skin. The way she fit so perfectly in his arms, she could’ve been made just for him.
He lifted her up onto the counter, and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him against her. The ache in his crotch doubled. He rubbed against her to soothe it, silently cursing the layers of clothes between them.
As though she were reading his mind, she bunched his shirt up and lifted it over his head. The contact break was kept to a minimum before her lips were back on his, teasing him into a frenzy. Her hands roamed his bare skin with a mix of gentle caresses and demanding grips that set his imagination into overdrive. If this was just a taste of what she could offer, what lay in store for him if he continued?
He followed her lead and removed her shirt. The white lace bra underneath seemed too fragile and innocent for the woman whose kisses left him hard and wanting, but the sight of it only intensified his desire. He pressed his lips to the hollow of her neck, inches away from the delicate strap and checked his gut before proceeding.
She said his name in a longing moan that erased any doubts he had about continuing. He ground even harder against her, nibbling the warm flesh along her shoulder while fumbling with the tiny hooks on the back of her bra.
Only to jump when all the kitchen lights blazed on.
Chelsea yelped, and the first thought that entered his mind was that he was going to kill Bubba for interrupting them. He spun around, shielding her from the prying eyes on the other side of the kitchen.
But instead of finding Bubba by the light switch, it was Lisa.
“Damn it, Lisa!” Chelsea exclaimed before hopping down from the counter and retrieving her shirt. “Couldn’t you have had the decency to make some noise before coming into the kitchen?”
Lisa pointed to the counter with wide eyes. “I didn’t think I’d be walking into that.”
“Well, next time, have a little courtesy.” Chelsea pulled her shirt back on, covering up that white lace confection that covered her oh-so-tempting breasts.
Lisa crossed her arms and looked at him as though she were waiting for him to explain what had happened, but he could barely breathe, much less form sensible words. The hard-on he’d had moments before was in the process of wilting in a most painful manner, and if he dared open his mouth, a whimper of defeat might come out. He’d gone further with Chelsea than he’d ever hoped, and now he’d be left to wonder what might have happened if Lisa hadn’t come into the kitchen.
“You should be in bed.” Chelsea turned Lisa around and tried to steer her friend back toward the bedroom.
“I will be, once I grab a bottle of water.” She retrieved one from the fridge, her gaze never wavering from Hunter.
He wiped at the sweat prickling the back of his neck. Talk about being under a microscope.
Lisa then turned to Chelsea, and a wordless exchange passed between the two women. It ended with a smile forming on Lisa’s lips. “Carry on, you two, and don’t forget to finish cleaning up.”
As if he could. Any trace of desire had long since left, leaving the familiar awkwardness in its place.
Chelsea lowered her eyes, refusing to meet his gaze.
He got the message loud and clear. It was the equivalent of calling it a night and ended any hopes he had of taking this back to his bed. Well, I royally screwed that up. He grabbed his T-shirt and asked, “Should I—”
“No, I’ve got it,” she interrupted, her words sharp and quick.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She brushed past him, more interested in the floor than him. She grabbed a sponge and started washing the dishes. “Just go to bed.”
He took a few ste
ps toward the hallway, then stopped. He wasn’t going to walk away without trying one more time. “Chelsea, I—”
“Damn it, Hunter,” she said with a splash of water. “Just leave me alone.”
Leave her alone, huh? Well, that sealed the deal. He’d tried to show her how he felt, and for a brief moment, he had everything he’d ever wanted in his arms. But in the end, she’d pushed him away.
“Fine,” he said with a heavy sense of resignation. “Good night, Chelsea.”
He crawled into his empty bed and spent the better part of the night cursing his bad luck.
***
Chelsea waited until she heard Hunter’s door close before breaking down. Scalding tears rolled down her cheeks, and her body shook with silent sobs. Crying was the only way she could think of to release all the jumbled-up emotions raging inside her. Her heart and her head were at odds with each other, and her body only added to the confusion. But at the center of it all was Hunter McLemore.
Damn that man!
She swiped her tears away and focused on finishing up the dishes. Losing herself in some mindless task had always saved her in the past when life threw another curveball at her. This was no different. So what if Hunter claimed he never hated her? So what if he kissed in a way that made her toes curl with excitement? So what if she’d been all too ready to strip him naked right there in the middle of the kitchen for a moment of temporary insanity? It still didn’t change the fact that it would be nothing more than a fling.
The center of her stomach clenched, and she paused to press her hand against it. It broke her stream of negative thoughts and allowed a new set to enter her mind. Hunter was moving to Durham, which meant he’d be only a few miles away from her for the next five years. He’d held back on the kiss, which told her he was willing to be patient and let her take the lead. And even when they’d been interrupted, the first thing he did was act like a gentleman and conceal her half-naked body from the person walking in on them.
God, if he’d been some stranger she’d met two days ago, she’d think she’d found her dream man. But this was Hunter. The man who’d gone out of his way to avoid her all through college. The man who’d publicly humiliated her on graduation night. The man who had her insides turned in every which way until she had no idea who he really was.
All she knew for certain was that she liked kissing him far too much for her own good.
She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. This was not the time to sort this out, especially considering the number of beers she’d had tonight. Maybe that was what had lowered their inhibitions and led to the spontaneous make-out session on Lisa’s kitchen counter.
She finished rinsing the last plate and reached some level of peace with the resolution she’d come to. If it was nothing more than some drunken horniness, then she’d know it in the morning. If there was still some level of heat between them, then maybe she’d allow herself to explore the possibility of letting Hunter into her life.
Chapter Six
Bubba added a handful of damp wood chips to the smoker and asked Hunter in a nonchalant manner, “Did you and Chelsea finish what you started in the kitchen last night?”
Hunter cursed under his breath. Of course, Lisa would blab to her fiancé about catching them in a compromising position. And of course, Bubba wouldn’t miss the opportunity to rib him about it.
J.T.’s head snapped up from the game he was playing on his phone. “Excuse me? It sounds like I’m missing out on something.”
“No, you’re not,” Hunter replied, his voice barely above a growl. He’d tried, and he’d been rejected once again. No need to reopen those wounds to his pride.
Bubba chuckled and stocked the coals, sending a plume of sweet hickory-scented smoke into the chilly morning air. “Seems like the doc got caught giving Chelsea a very personal examination.”
J.T. let out a low whistle and tucked his phone into his back pocket. “How far did you get?”
Hunter crossed his arms and glared at the two of them. “None of your business.”
“Lisa said they were both topless,” Bubba answered.
“Now, that’s not true.” He was never the type to kiss and tell, but he could at least defend her reputation. “She still had her bra on.”
“Only because you were in the middle of getting it off, right?” Bubba gave him a playful nudge and laughed some more at his expense. “Yes, sirree. Dr. Romeo here has finally gotten over his shyness when it comes to the Princess,” he continued, using Chelsea’s old nickname from college.
J.T. slapped him on the back. “Way to go, Doc. So, back to Bubba’s original question…”
Hunter shook his head. “Not happening, guys, so stop asking.”
“Ouch!” J.T. said with a wince. “Sounds like he got served with a cock-block.”
“And a set of blue balls.” Bubba snickered and closed the lid on the smoker containing the seven Boston butts they’d gotten yesterday.
Blue balls didn’t begin to describe it. Yes, there had been the physical ache from her rejection, but that was nothing to the sense of defeat that kept him tossing and turning until the wee hours of the morning.
He turned around and started to walk away before they found something new to tease him about, but both men corralled him and kept him from making a clean getaway.
“So, bring me up to speed here, Bubba.” J.T. draped his arm over Hunter’s shoulders. “What exactly is going on here between Hunter and Chelsea?”
Bubba looked to Hunter first, giving him a chance to explain, but when he kept silent, Bubba took over. “He’s always had a little crush on her.”
J.T. jerked to a stop, halting Hunter with him. His eyes widened like he’d finally put two and two together. “Wait a minute. Is that why you beat the crap out of Lewis Abrams sophomore year?”
Hunter curled his hand into a fist at the memory. If he had to do it all over again, he’d gladly suffer the busted chin that he’d gotten from that fight.
“Among other things.” Bubba gave him a sly grin. His friend may’ve had a tendency to blab too much, but he also knew when he’d said too much. “Let’s just say Hunter’s been Chelsea’s knight in shining armor on more than one occasion.”
“And she still went off on you like she did on graduation night?” J.T. backed away. “Brutal.”
Bubba shook his head. “No, that’s the kicker. She didn’t know about any of it because the doc didn’t have the balls to tell her.”
Hunter shook off J.T.’s arm and turned around. “And I’m not going to tell her, either. That’s all ancient history.”
“Fine, if you want to look at it that way,” Bubba said with a shrug, “although I think you’re missing out on a major ace up your sleeve when it comes to winning her over.”
“Who says I want to win her over? Maybe I just want to have a little fun while I’m here.”
“Fine, if that’s what you want.” Bubba reached into his pocket and pulled out a square foil packet with a little bow tied around it. “But here’s something for you, just in case.”
J.T. dissolved into snickers, but Hunter snatched the condom out of Bubba’s hand just as Lisa and Chelsea came out of the house. He thought he’d been able to hide it in time, but the two spots of color that bloomed on Chelsea’s cheeks told him she’d seen it. She turned away and hurried into Lisa’s car.
He kicked the wet grass and cursed. “Thanks, guys. Now she thinks I’m just out to fuck her.”
“Well, didn’t you just say that a moment ago?” J.T. asked.
Hunter watched Lisa’s car disappear down the gravel road, and a sinking feeling hit the pit of his stomach. He wanted more than just sex, although if that was all she’d offer him for the time being, he’d take it. But more than anything else, he wanted a chance to prove to her how great they’d be together.
He glanced down at the condom and curled his fingers around it. So far, every time he thought he’d gained some ground with her, he found himself being pushed t
wo steps back. “Fine. I need all the help I can get if I want to convince her to see me as something other than a conceited prick.”
“Are you certain?” Bubba asked, his expression uncharacteristically serious. “’Cause this might require us to pull out all the stops, and once we get going, there ain’t going to be any turning back.”
Hunter closed his eyes and remembered how perfect she’d felt in his arms last night. How every kiss, every touch, confirmed that she was the only girl for him. It would be a gamble, but she was worth it.
He opened his eyes and replied, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
“Woo-hoo!” Bubba pulled out his phone and started texting. “Now, to call in the reinforcements, starting with Lisa.”
***
Lisa’s phone buzzed as they pulled into the parking lot of the day spa. “Oh, good grief. What does Bubba want now?”
Her phone had been buzzing since they’d left Jackson Grove, but Lisa hadn’t peeked at her phone once on the drive up to the spa.
“How do you know it’s him?” Chelsea asked.
“I gave him his own tone.” As if to prove her point, the phone chirped. “That’s from Alex.” She scrolled through her messages, her jaw dropping at first, followed by her hand covering her mouth to smother a laugh. “That boy is crazy.”
“And you’re going to marry him tomorrow.” Chelsea got out of the car, anxious to enjoy the day of pampering she’d arranged at the day spa. Massages. Wraps. Facials. Manis and pedis. All to be topped off by a nice, relaxing stint in the sauna.
Hopefully, it would help get her mind off Hunter. There was no mistaking the foil square that he’d yanked out of Bubba’s hand. She’d watched the men joking around from the kitchen window this morning, but when Bubba made no secret he had handed Hunter the condom, her cheeks burned. They had to have been talking about last night, and Hunter had no doubt told them all about how eager she’d been to jump his bones. Why else would Bubba be giving him one?
And then there was J.T.’s comment last night about them making bets about her and Hunter. What if they were making another one that involved him getting her in the sack?
Summer on Main Street Page 5