“It’s quite an event with so much to see.”
His eyebrows shot up with realization. “This is your first time.”
She nodded. “I was told, by more than one person, that the festival was one thing I absolutely had to experience.”
“There’s a restaurant down the street,” Hunter said. “We could get a table. While we walk, we can have our awkward silence while we try to think of things to talk about.”
Oh, she liked him, and showed it with the smile she gave him. He extended a chivalrous arm in the direction of the restaurant to let her take the lead, but she stood still. He looked at her, a little confused.
She gave a slight laugh. “While I appreciate the ladies first gesture, I don’t know where we’re going. I’ll follow you this time.”
***
They sat across from each other in the back of the restaurant with a half-eaten plate of appetizers between them that had been sitting there for at least four hours. Surprised at how comfortable she was talking with him, Chloe caught herself starting to be a little too honest about who she was and had to stop herself. She could tell Hunter was nervous by the way he would clear his throat and run a hand though his hair when he wasn’t sure what to do or say next.
They started with easy topics like where they grew up and their families. Hunter was the oldest of three boys, born and raised in New Orleans. One of his brothers, two years younger than Hunter, was career military and currently stationed in Germany. The other brother, five years younger, was a professional burden on society, happy to feel the world owed him and mooch off whoever he could to avoid taking on any real responsibility of his own. His dad took off when he was eight and had no idea where he was. He briefly told her about Amy but didn’t go into too much detail.
Chloe had made up a somewhat imaginary world about her past, some false information mixed with a little bit of carefully worded truth—dead mother, only child, privileged childhood, Michigan winters were cold and she didn’t miss them, business school, she and her father didn’t see each other often but she would try to get together with him when she was in the area. She told him about her friends growing up, omitting that they were her employees, who were paid for giving sexual favors to the elite, as well as acting as couriers of illegal contraband and whatever else they were ordered to do. It wasn’t exactly like she could come out with the truth that she had run away from a sadistic father, changed her identity, and paid for a new life.
“I like the puzzles,” he told her when she asked what he liked best about his job.
“Puzzles?”
“You know, every story has clues. Like the first time I go to a crime scene. It’s not all neat and orderly. I go in, look at the clues, and try to piece everything together.” The way he smiled and sat up straighter when he started his explanation showed this was obviously a subject he was passionate about and she found it endearing. “See, the thing is nobody ever tells the whole story. Everybody lies. It’s like there are six different jigsaw puzzles scattered all over the floor and I have to try to sort them out and put them all together in a few hours. I’m good at filling in those holes.”
“So you’re the type of guy who always believes everyone is hiding something and you’re going to be the one to find out what it is.”
“I am sorry to say that I am that guy.”
Chloe nodded and looked out the window, noticing the sun would be going down soon and the swarm of people participating in the celebration outside was getting bigger. “So, you come to the festival every year?”
“Every year.”
“To stalk women?” she teased.
“Naturally.” He smiled at her and she knew the attraction was definitely mutual. “We have festivals in New Orleans too, but every year I take the opportunity to get out of the city for a few days.”
His smile made her want to reach across the table and touch him just to make sure he was real. He made her feel the same way Christopher once did and she wasn’t sure what to do because that was the feeling she had been wanting and dreading for too many years. Her stomach was in knots—she wanted him, knew he would be temporary, and she was okay with that.
“I’m sorry,” the waitress they didn’t see approach said, a little embarrassed, “but my manager says he needs the table because you guys have been here for hours and haven’t ordered…” The glare Chloe was beginning to give made the waitress forget what she was trying to say.
Hunter watched silently, surprised curiosity on his face. The daggers in Chloe’s eyes were gone as fast as they appeared and she pursed her lips together and smiled. The waitress started shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, waiting for some kind of response—either for them to order something or leave the restaurant. Something in Chloe’s mind clicked and she decided she didn’t like being asked to leave, especially by a man who was too much of a coward to come over and do it himself.
Her features once again hardened, but her voice was casual as she reached into her purse, producing a hundred-dollar bill and holding it out to the waitress. “Who’s the manager?”
The waitress looked over her shoulder at a group of coworkers and one middle-aged, overworked, and underpaid manager staring back at her, curiosity steaming off their heads like water over hot coals. Chloe locked eyes with the manager, narrowing her eyes and daring him to come over to their table. Hunter watched in awe as the manager stood paralyzed in Chloe’s glare. The waitress was obviously confused and looked to Hunter for some kind of clarification, but all he could do was shrug his shoulders and wait to see what happened.
“If you wouldn’t mind,” Chloe said to the waitress, “would you please tell your manager we’re not ready to leave yet? This will cover our bill, and your tip, until we do.”
Hunter looked on with rabid curiosity as the waitress locked eyes with Chloe, debating what to do, until Chloe raised her eyebrows to indicate she needed to make a choice quickly.
The waitress snatched the money out of her hand and smiled. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
The waitress walked away and Chloe smiled as she reached for her glass, catching Hunter watching her out of the corner of her eye, his mouth slightly agape with surprise and approval.
“Wow,” was all he could say.
One side of her mouth curled in a grin. “I know we’ll probably be leaving soon, but that was fun. Don’t you think?”
“I have to say you certainly seemed to enjoy that. What now?”
“We both know the answer to that question but you need to know this isn’t the beginning of anything.”
She studied the reaction on his face and saw that he not only understood what she was saying, but he also wasn’t a one-night stand kind of guy and the decision he would make in the next few minutes wasn’t easy for him. She needed to let him know that whatever his decision, she wouldn’t hold it against him.
“You don’t seem like a casual sex kind of guy to me,” she stated.
“Not usually, no,” he confessed.
She smiled and thought, Not only a gentleman, but a gentleman with morals. If I fall for him, I’m completely screwed. Whether it was passion or lust, she wasn’t prepared to break any of her rules and poke a hole in the protective bubble she had built around herself.
Hunter forced the final decision. “Your place or mine?”
“You paid for a hotel room,” she said with a flirtatious smile. “Wasting money is a terrible thing.”
Chapter 25
Before the door could close behind them, Hunter had Chloe pinned against the wall, his body crushing hers, holding her hands above her head, wanting to take complete control of her. They kissed each other hard and deep, tongues hungrily exploring with want for more from each other. He let go of her hands to wrap his arms around her and Chloe took the opportunity to embrace him, pulling him into her, grinding her hips against his.
Through the partially opened curtains, the lights of the city, in conjunction with the moon, were their only i
llumination. They kicked their shoes off and tugged at each other’s clothes, desperate for what they had been waiting hours for. When Hunter reached for the light switch, Chloe instinctively batted his hand away, gave him a mischievous smile, then let out a soft moan as Hunter lightly circled her breast with the palm of his hand.
Sparks seemed to shoot from every nerve in their bodies. Hunter lifted Chloe’s arms above her head to remove her shirt and threw it on the floor behind him. The half second they had to part lips was a half second too long for Chloe. Once the shirt was clear of her head, she took Hunter’s face between her hands to kiss him deeper.
Hunter broke the kiss only to move his lips across her body, slowly savoring every bit of her—her face, neck, shoulders, the curve of her breasts. His hands stroked over her at the same time, and with each touch she would release a moan, letting him know she didn’t want him to stop. Permission had been granted to taste every inch of her that he chose to.
Gooseflesh rose all over her body as he very slowly and softly ran his hands down the side of her body, almost like a feather being lightly brushed across her skin. His hands moved up and his fingers traced the swell of her breasts, round, full, and wanting. She let him take control of her, desperately wanting him to take in all of her. Her eyes jerked open, suddenly aware that she could no longer feel his tongue caressing her skin, but instead felt his arms wrap around her, his hands working the clasp on her bra.
She pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on the floor to accompany hers. Her palms glided over his chest, hard and muscular, rippling with every trace of her fingers. She buried her head in the curve of his neck, inhaling deeply to capture the scent of him, a mixture of musk and sweat radiating off his skin. She kissed his neck and moved her tongue toward his jaw, tasting him and taking him into her senses.
He was staring at her, hunger and wanting dominating every feature. His stare penetrated her like the fire of a thousand suns. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes begged him to finish whatever he intended to start. He kissed her hard and deep, rough with wanting, as she reached down and took hold of his jeans, unbuttoning them and taking them off with her feet. He kicked his jeans behind him and threw her bra across the room, once again crushing her against the wall, locking her in place with his hands on her wrists and his mouth over hers.
She could feel him harden against her stomach and her body instantaneously responded with a jolt of lightning shooting through every nerve. She gently took him in her hand, and with each stroke, the harder and deeper he kissed her, his grip tightening on her wrists. She liked it and he knew it. A moan escaped his throat and she shivered, feeling like her legs would give any instant.
Hunter finally pulled her away from the wall and they managed to take three steps closer to the bed before Hunter took Chloe to the floor where they were. Protected underneath him, Hunter reached up and hooked a corner of the bedspread in his fist, then pulled. The bedspread billowed as it caught air, bringing a pillow with it that landed at their feet. Once they had somehow managed to maneuver themselves on top of the bedspread, Hunter pinned her arms above her head, holding her down as he hovered over her, staring intently into her eyes. She wrapped her legs around his back, urging him to enter as her lips met his once more. He bent his head and kissed her, this time softly, slowly moving his tongue around the shape of her lips, letting her know he would be taking his time to make her remember this night.
She greedily returned his kiss as she reached down to take him in her hand once more, but he began to slide down her body to show her that he had other plans. He traced kisses down her neck and chest until he took one of her breasts in his mouth, her nipples hard in anticipation of his warm breath bringing them to life. He was taking his time and her body was screaming for release. She sucked in a shuddering breath and held his head to her as he made her feel tingling in places she didn’t know she had.
Arching her back in response, he wrapped one hand around her back while his other hand began to caress the length of her body, only to stop between her legs. She opened her legs, granting him access, inviting him—begging him—to take her. He teased her with his fingers until she couldn’t hold back a scream of pleasure.
He let go of her breast and moved down her body, replacing his hand with his tongue. She arched her back as much as she could in need, her hands pressing against the back of his head to keep him where he was, begging him not to stop. He was slow and meticulous, making sure she remembered every area he touched. She moved her hips to his rhythm, and it wasn’t long before she could feel the wonder of release, then suddenly he had her, and her body shuddered with every contraction of her muscles, moaning while whispering his name at the same time.
As he kissed his way back up her body to meet her mouth, she flipped him onto his back, letting him know it was now her turn to be in control. Chloe took her time, savoring his body, tasting every inch of him with insistent kisses on his inner thighs, using her tongue to trace the way to her destination, teasing him until she lowered her head, her mouth enveloping him slowly, savoring every second, making sure to give him the same exotic pleasure he had just given her. He collected her hair in his fists, and as he pulled, guiding her, showing her what he liked and what he wanted, he quietly moaned with desire.
He stopped her and lifted her head, wanting to take her the way he had been dreaming of since he first saw her. She straddled him and gently lowered herself onto him, moving to his rhythm. His grip was fierce as he held her in place, guiding her hips with his until they moved together as one, each thrust progressively stronger and harder, burying himself deeper, knowing each other’s exact desire with every moan of pleasure. One final thrust and his grip on her hips tightened, forcefully holding her in place as he spilled into her. Slowly, she slid off of him and stretched out next to him, taking his hands in hers and smiling with the knowledge that she had been right about the correlation of his hands and passion at first glance.
The light of the moon illuminated them as they lay facing each other, both trying to catch their breath, smiling at each other with awe. After a few minutes, and completely out of habit, Chloe pulled the comforter around her, twisting her body until her tattoo was covered.
Energy and stamina were quickly leaving their bodies and Chloe closed her eyes. She couldn’t stop the thoughts running through her mind about how she was not just physically, but emotionally feeling. There was a definite emotional connection with this man that she had never felt with anyone except Christopher. There were no warning bells and she quickly began to realize that with Hunter, she might be willing to run the risk of those intense feelings once again. She also knew that with those feelings came the possibility of loss, and she refused to let herself be exposed to that kind of tragedy ever again. That’s completely ridiculous. We’ve known each other less than twelve hours, she thought in an attempt to move away from any emotions except tired and content. You don’t know what you’re feeling. Just enjoy the moment while it lasts.
He had a deep, gravelly tone to his voice. “What are you thinking?”
She slowly opened her eyes and gave a satisfied chuckle. “I’m having a hard time thinking of anything right now.”
He pulled her closer and gave her a gentle kiss. When he pulled back, he looked deep in her eyes, brushing her hair out of her face. “You are so beautiful.”
She knew he meant it and the butterflies in her stomach started fluttering again. She didn’t know how to respond so she said the first thing that came to her mind. “Thank you for stalking me.”
***
Hunter woke up on the floor, where they started and finished their night together, as the sunlight burst through the window, threatening to blind him if he didn’t move out of the way. He rolled over, expecting—hoping—Chloe would be next to him, sleeping or watching him, waiting and wanting to have him one more time as much as he wanted her. Instead, he found himself alone. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked toward the door. Her things were
gone and so was she.
Disappointed, he lay back down, scooting over an inch or two so the sun wouldn’t be hitting him directly in the face. He had fallen asleep foolishly confident she would still be with him when he woke up. He let out a sigh knowing that Chloe was gone, and he doubted he would see her again.
Chapter 26
Hunter almost felt like he was betraying Amy by having feelings for Chloe, a woman he would probably never see again but hoped he would. He often thought if he were able to solve Amy’s murder, he would be able to get some closure and allow himself to pursue another woman, guilt free. The only problem was that he had been trying to solve the Black Rose Murders for years and was no closer to finding the suspect than he was on the first case.
Hunter had files and photographs strewn on his desk, trying to put the puzzle pieces together, trying to find the meaning behind the black rose tattoo. Dennis walked into Hunter’s office and took a seat in front of his desk, sipping coffee and watching him with curiosity. Hunter let out a frustrated sigh, leaned back in his chair, and ran his hands though his hair.
“How was your weekend?” Hunter asked. “Did the missus finally get you to the farmer’s market?”
“Hell no,” Dennis said. “I’ll tell you, this gardening thing is starting to drive me a little batty. She came home from the market and asked me if I would help build her a greenhouse. Can you believe that?”
Hunter smiled, knowing that Dennis would build that greenhouse on the moon if his wife asked him to. “Her honey-do list is going to be enormous when you retire.”
“Tell me about it. I would rather buy an RV and drive across the country. Alone. That’s enjoying retirement.” He was joking, of course, and let out a laugh. “So, did you go to the festival?”
Hunter nodded as he thought about Chloe’s piercing blue eyes and the way they drilled a hole right through his gut. He quickly shook off the thought and cleared his throat. “Yeah, I went.”
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