42. Hunter

Ifound myself drifting around Tyler’s body in the kitchen, following his directions carefully as he walked me through what to do. I had zero skills in the kitchen, so I soaked up every word, trying to commit them to memory.

“You don’t eat carbs?” I questioned, noting the lack of any in the meal. I was fully aware of his strict diet, but it only unveiled another layer of his need for control.

“I try to avoid them. I don’t want extra shit to work off if I can avoid it. I don’t really drink either but there’s something about certain hockey parties that always gets me sloshed.”

I chuckled. “Sloshed?”

Tyler shot me a smirk over his shoulder. “Uhm, you know, drunk, hammered, smashed?”

“You have the weirdest sayings.”

He playfully pointed the spatula at me, wearing his favorite fake frown that I found adorable. “Don’t get me started on American slang.”

I raised my hands in surrender. “Alright, baby.”

He hummed, his gaze flickering to my lips before he peered over my shoulder to make sure his brother was still engrossed in the book he was reading.

I inched closer, trailing my fingers over Tyler’s firm ass in his sweats. A muffled moan escaped him as he shuffled on the spot, doing little to appease my growing desire.

“What are you doing to me?” he whispered. I bit my lip to suppress a happy chuckle. I glanced at Jamie—who was either oblivious or intentionally ignoring us—then edged even closer, blowing a breath across the back of his neck. He leaned back into me, his head finding a resting place on my shoulder.

“Miss me, baby?” I murmured, evoking a whimper from him. It had been over a week since we last had sex, and it seemed the craving was mutual. I wrapped my arms around him, grazing my lips over his neck. He carried a scent of earth and oceans, a combination that never failed to clear my lungs. We stayed like that while he continued to cook, his body enveloped by mine. I only looked up with the distant notes of music playing in the background.

Jamie stood by a record player, seemingly unfazed by our canoodling. “Mum loved records,” he simply stated, returning to his book without another word.

I sensed Tyler’s uneven breaths and held him tighter. I felt him move against me, and as we began to sway over the simmering dinner, I rested my chin on his shoulder, choosing not to acknowledge the wet tears that landed on my arms. “Mum and Dad always did this,” he explained. “Dad was the cook, so Mum would put a record on and hug him from behind. They would sway to the music as he cooked.”

He didn’t have to tell me that it was something he always wanted for himself. I kissed his neck, letting him know without words that as long as I was around, he’d have it—even if I did have two left feet. I would die to give him anything he wanted.

We stayed that way for a couple of songs until he turned off the stove and began to dish up the plates.

We ate in a circle on the floor. Tyler explained that it was his dad’s favorite meal, and I watched as Jamie closed his eyes with the memories that came with the flavors on his tongue. Eventually, we sat in silence, watching hockey on mute as my mind swirled with memories of the day. Jamie eventually dozed off, snoring softly from the bed while Tyler rested his head on my shoulder. I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling of him nuzzling into my neck. I couldn’t even find the energy to mock him for taking in a deep breath to inhale my scent—because I did the same thing to him any chance I could get.

We stayed like that for so long that my ass began to hurt. I pulled away, only for him to lay me down on the hardwood floor. His weight had the same effect I’d imagined from those overpriced weighted blankets. Tyler’s breath was like the soft, summer breeze off the coast of the Hamptons, sweeping away a lifetime’s worth of anxiety.

We didn’t talk. It was almost like there was too much to unpack. Instead, we chose to sit in comfortable silence.

My lip twitched every time Tyler grunted or let out an annoying huff at the game, but I couldn’t bring myself to focus on it. I found peace in my fingers going through his still hair, the strands turning more auburn as it grew. The golden hues sparkled in the lamplight as it fell from my fingertips.

There were many moments the word love popped into my mind when it came to Tyler Riley, many moments where I tried to deny the fact that I was falling for him.

But it was all in vain. And it was such a bittersweet feeling.

Because come summer, I would be gone.

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