Baked (Love Burns #3)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

H unter was the happiest man on the goddamn planet. Rachel loved him. Actually frigging loved him. How had he gotten so darn lucky?

And the sex, Jesus, it was always freaking amazing, but tonight it was out of this world. He had a feeling he’d be recovering for days.

She was the one. There was no doubt about it. He knew it deep down to his soul. They connected on every single level, and he would do anything in his power to keep her, to make her happy. He just hoped that he was enough for her.

“Why did you and your wife break up?” Even Rachel’s soft voice didn’t manage to cushion the impact of those words. Or stop him flinching.

He’d known this was coming. She’d given him time and space after finding out he was married, but after tonight, she must have been just as aware as him that something had shifted. Their relationship has been solidified. Which meant it was time to talk.

Rachel’s naked body snuggled deeper into him, her hand resting on his bare chest. They’d been like this for a while now, catching their breath after hours of loving on each other.

“She cheated on me.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep. Not just once either. A hell of a lot.”

After spending a day with Luke and an evening declaring and demonstrating his love for Rachel, by all logic, he should be emotionally fucked by now. But he wasn’t. He was actually fine, and talking about Madison felt all right. Maybe it was easier to leave the past behind when the present was so damn good.

“Wow. What an idiot. I bet she’s kicking herself now.”

His chuckle was out before he had time to check it. “Why would she be kicking herself now?”

“’Cause you’re the whole package. There aren’t many Hunter Campbells floating around, trust me. Not only are you hot, you’re kind and funny and ... you know ... have a lot of other talents too.”

“Oh yeah? What talents are you talking about, honeybun?”

He knew without even seeing them that her cheeks were burning as she giggled into his chest.

“You know ... cooking. You’re really good at cooking meals and stuff.”

Her head bopped up and down as his stomach vibrated. “Cooking? That’s my talent, huh?”

Pulling Rachel’s small frame onto him, she was quick to arrange herself until she was straddling his thighs. He was right, even in the darkness he could make out tinges of pink on her face.

“What else am I good at, baby?” Hunter asked, his eyes roaming over her supple body.

By the time his eyes reached hers again, a devilish smile had lit up her face. “Uh, let me think.” He watched as her index finger tapped her lower lip as she pretended to ponder. “You’re good at lifting stuff, I guess. Oh, and let’s not forget growling ... you’ve got that down to a fine art. Hmm, what else?”

Naughty little fairy. Flipping them both, he reversed their positions until he was in between those luscious legs again, their faces just inches apart.

“You can’t think of anything else, honeybun?”

He knew exactly where to position himself as he rocked against her, slowly dragging his length up and down her most sensitive spot.

Rachel’s head tipped back, her eyes fluttering shut as she let out a moan.

“Can you think of something now?” he asked again.

No response. Just a whimper as he felt wetness soak his skin.

As his gaze dropped to her rosy lips parting, a sense of satisfaction washed over him. He couldn’t tell anymore if he was torturing her or himself. Either way, it felt good. Almost too good. And there was no way he was ever going to forget the sound of those sexy mewls she was making.

She was yet to answer him though. Which meant only one thing. He stopped. Stopped rocking and stopped dragging. And waited.

Rachel’s eyes immediately flew open, and he was faced with the sight of wide blue orbs, which were practically begging him to move.

“Please,” she breathed.

“Please what, baby?” Hunter didn’t hide his smugness.

“Please don’t stop.”

“You know what I wanna hear.”

“Oh my God,” she whined, her head thrashing against the pillow. “Fine. You’re amazing in bed, Hunter. You’re hung like a donkey and you’re king of sex. Now, please, sugar, I need you.” She squirmed beneath him, trying her best to get some relief.

How was it possible to make him laugh and turn him on at the same time?

Apparently Rachel wasn’t about to wait for him to figure that out. Her head was up, and her mouth was on his, nipping and sucking and driving him to insanity until it was his body making all the decisions.

It was time to grant his fiery fairy her wish.

***

O ne week after they had declared their love, Rachel was making good on her promise and had planned them a date. She’d also announced earlier that it was perfect timing because technically it was their one-month anniversary.

She’d timed it from the day of their first kiss, but Hunter wasn’t so sure about the accuracy. That kiss had been a long time coming. His feelings had been very real and very obvious way before that. But who was he to argue? As long as she was happy and they were officially together, that was all that mattered.

Rachel wanted to take his truck but wouldn’t tell him where they were going, so she was currently driving, and he was trying his best not to be one of those backseat drivers, even when she underestimated how big of a parking space she would need as she pulled into the lot outside of Steak and Bake.

“You’re taking me to get steak? Awesome.”

Hunter had already begun unclasping his seatbelt when a tiny hand covered his. “Actually, this isn’t our final destination, but yes, we’re having steak. I ordered ahead, so I’m gonna go grab our order. Be back in a sec.”

She was out of the truck moments later, swaying her hips in her tight little khaki dress all the way to the restaurant entrance. He watched with the biggest smile on his face. No one had planned a date for him before. He felt special.

As he waited for his sexy fairy to re-emerge, he leaned back into the headrest. He was struggling to remember exactly why he’d stayed away from her for so long. He’d missed out on months of happy just because he was too afraid of getting hurt again. He was an idiot. As soon as he’d laid his eyes on her, he should have known this was different. She was different.

His smile didn’t waver though, even as he continued to mentally berate himself for his stupidity. Because he had her now. And he wasn’t letting go.

Rachel finally returned to the truck a few minutes later, brown paper bag in hand. A paper bag that smelled damn delicious as it entered his truck cab.

“Hey,” Rachel chirped. “Right. Now to our final destination. Excited?”

He lost her eyes as she started up the engine. “As long as I’m with you, honeybun, I’m a happy man.”

“Who knew you were such a sweet talker, Hunter Campbell?”

“Not sweet talk, baby, just the truth.” He kept his head back but turned so he could stay looking at his woman for the rest of the ride.

It really was the truth. He didn’t care where they went as long as they were together. Steak was just a bonus.

The drive to where they were going didn’t take long. It was only when they took a turn at Little Rock Falls that he realized where they were headed. And his grin must have grown wider and wider the nearer they got.

He felt Rachel sneak peeks at him as they got closer, nervous trepidation clear on her face. When she pulled into a space overlooking the valley, she finally turned to him, flushed cheeks, wide eyes, and teeth clasping her lower lip.

“So, what do you think?” she finally asked.

“I think ... that if you wanted to make out with me, honeybun, you should’ve just asked.” He chuckled.

Her hand shot out and pushed at his arm. “That’s not why we’re here.”

“So there’s another reason you brought me to Woodvalley’s infamous make-out point?”

Twisting in his seat, he felt his smile stretch to painful levels as he took her in. She looked beautiful and a little shy as she tucked a strand of long, red hair behind her ear.

“Okay. So. Making out in your truck might have been on the agenda, but only after we eat steak and enjoy the view,” she admitted. “I was gonna set us up a picnic, and I brought beers for you. I put them in the cooler in the back.”

His hand came out this time and tugged Rachel into him, close enough so he could lay a soft kiss on her lips.

“Just so you know ... making out is always on the agenda.”

Her relieved smile managed to spread so far, it hit his chest, a new ache warming his insides.

“That’s why I’m one lucky woman.” She laid another kiss on his lips before pulling back. “Come on, we have steak to eat.”

You didn’t have to ask him twice.

Rachel had hidden all sorts in his truck bed under some tarp. There was a huge blanket that he helped her spread just in front of the truck; a camping lantern he recognized, which she’d obviously swiped from his spare bedroom; a cooler full of beer and soft drinks; and plates, cutlery, and two pink trays that she’d brought from Fairy Baked.

It was the classiest picnic he’d ever been to. He told her that too as she unpacked the food and placed it carefully onto their plates.

“That’s the point, sugar. I wanted to make this special.” She passed him over his pink tray, plate now filled to the brim. “I know we could have gone to an actual restaurant and eaten there, but then you wouldn’t get this view. And we wouldn’t be alone. And ...” She trailed off, spiking his curiosity.

“And what?” he prompted.

“And ... I wouldn’t get to make out with my man at Woodvalley’s infamous make-out point.”

A throaty laugh erupted as her smile turned audible too. “I knew it!”

“Well, I haven’t been to an actual make-out point before, so I figured we should check it out, you know, now we’re going steady and everything.”

So fucking cute.

“Is that what we’re doing... going steady?”

She gave him an adorable little shrug. Even that made his heart pound and his blood heat.

Placing his tray on the blanket, he took Rachel’s and did the same. Scooting closer, he gently cupped her soft face with his rough palm.

“This is more than going steady. This is the real thing, Rachel. This is what people spend their whole lives looking for ... you know that, right?”

Shut the fuck up. You’re gonna scare her off.

And she did look scared.

Goddamnit. This is why I don’t, and shouldn’t, talk.

Just as he was thinking about what he could possibly say to wipe that deer-in-headlights look off her face, she spoke.

“I know.”

Relief flooded him. “You do?”

“I do,” she confirmed.

Thank fuck.

It was a good job they were already in a designated make-out spot, because that’s exactly what they were about to do. The steak could wait. There were tastier things on the menu tonight.