9. Hunter
Chapter 9
Hunter
The warmth of Alice’s body against mine is the first thing I notice as I wake up. Her head rests on my chest, her arm draped across me, and I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips.
Then her thigh shifts, just enough to brush against my hard cock. I bite back a groan.
I glance down at Alice and she’s stirring. Her fingers flex against my chest as her eyes flutter open. When she looks up at me, all sleepy and soft, I want to beg her to be in my bed every morning.
“Morning,” I say, my voice low and rough.
“Morning,” she whispers back, her lips curving into a small smile.
Her fingers start tracing patterns on my chest, lazy and absentminded, but every stroke sets my nerves on fire. I take a deep breath, trying to focus on literally anything else, but then her leg moves again, and I lose the battle.
“Alice,” I murmur, my voice full of need. “What are you doing?”
She glances up, blinking innocently, but there’s a hint of mischief in her eyes. “Hmm?”
“What are you doing?” I ask, wrapping my hand gently around hers to still it.
Her cheeks flush pink, but she doesn’t look away. “I thought it was obvious,” she says, her voice teasing.
I laugh softly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “You’re dangerous, you know that?”
“Am I?” she asks, tilting her head like she’s genuinely considering it.
“Definitely.” I lean down, kissing her softly, but I keep my movements controlled, careful. “Tell me you’re sure,” I murmur against her lips.
She nods, her fingers curling into my chest. “I’m sure, Hunter. I want you.”
Those words undo me.
I lean down and kiss her, deep and slow, letting her set the pace. She melts into me, her hands sliding up to tangle in my hair, her body pressing closer. My hands roam over her back, and her waist, feeling the softness of her curves beneath my touch.
Rolling us gently, I hover above her, breaking the kiss to look down at her. Her lips are swollen, and her eyes heavy with desire.
She grins up at me. “Is this what it’s like to be examined by a vet?”
I chuckle, pressing a kiss to her jaw. “Yes, gentle and effective.”
She laughs, a sound that’s half breathless and half delighted. “Is that your motto?”
“Maybe. Should I put it on my business cards?”
She snorts, and I take advantage of her laughter to kiss down her neck, my hands sliding beneath the hem of her shirt.
Her laughter fades into a soft gasp, and I pause, looking up at her. “You okay?”
“More than okay,” she says, her voice steady and full of anticipation.
“Good,” I murmur, trailing kisses lower. “Because I’m just starting to work.”
She groans, covering her face with her hands. “Hunter, you’re so corny.”
“Yeah, but you love it,” I tease, kissing along her stomach, taking my time.
“Debatable,” she shoots back, but her voice catches when my lips move lower and her whole body tenses under me.
“Still debatable?” I ask, glancing up.
She peeks at me from between her fingers, her face flushed. “Less debatable,” she admits, her voice breathless.
I grin, taking that as permission to keep going.
She arches into my touch, her breaths coming faster, and I press kisses lower, down her collarbone, over the curve of her breast, worshipping every inch of her. When I reach her stomach, I pause, looking up to make sure she’s still with me.
Her eyes are locked on mine, her cheeks flushed, and she gives me the slightest nod.
I continue lower, spreading her legs gently, and when my mouth finds her, she gasps, her hands gripping the sheets. I take my time, learning what she likes, listening to the way her breathing changes, and the little sounds she makes. I run my tongue through her wet folds and around the tight bundle of nerves. When she shudders beneath me, a rush, unlike anything I’ve ever felt before zooms through me.
I move back up her body, kissing her softly as I settle over her. She pulls me closer, her legs wrapping around me, and I pause again.
“You’re annoyingly good at that,” she says, her voice teasing but warm.
“Annoyingly?” I raise an eyebrow. “That’s the word you’re going with, my little librarian?”
She laughs softly, threading her fingers through my hair. “Fine. You’re amazingly good at that. Better?”
“Much,” I say, brushing my nose against hers.
I settle my body between her thighs and she wraps her legs around my hips, pulling me closer. “Are you ready?” I ask softly, my voice serious again.
“Yes,” she says, her hands tightening on my shoulders. “I’ve never been more ready.”
I kiss her deeply as we come together. She exhales sharply, her fingers digging into my back. I enter her slowly, carefully, giving her time to adjust. Her hands grip my shoulders, her body arching into mine. She’s so tight and it’s so hard not to just thrust into her heat. I keep my eyes on hers.
“We can stop, baby. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re not hurting me,” she lies as I watch tears gather in the corners of her eyes. I start to pull back and she wraps her legs tightly around my waist. “You aren’t! You’re just a lot to adjust to, Hunter. It doesn’t hurt, I just feel so full.”
We begin to move together, slow and steady at first, then faster as our rhythm builds. It’s more than physical— it’s connection, trust, and emotion all tangled together. Every look, every touch, every kiss feels like coming home.
Finally, I feel her walls tighten around my cock and see the flush spread down her body.
“Hunter…”
“Come for me, baby.”
Alice bites down on my shoulder as she finds her release and I can’t hold back anymore. I thrust into her and hit my peak. It’s the single greatest moment of my life so far.
When we finally collapse against each other, breathless and tangled in the sheets, she curls into my side, her head resting on my chest. I run my fingers through her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask her.
She laughs softly, her voice muffled against my chest. “Reviews.”
“Reviews?”
“Yeah, you know how we write reviews for everything now. Books, rideshares, restaurants… I was thinking about what I would write in a review of what just happened.” She closes her eyes as if the words will disappear if she can’t see my reaction.
“Well, I hope I would get a good review.” Yes, I’m fishing for compliments.
“Five-star, perfect, wouldn’t change a thing.” She smiles up at me.
“I aim to please.” I give her a quick kiss. “How about we have breakfast and then see if I can get an even better review?”
She laughs, “I don’t know. I think it’ll be hard to beat five stars.”
“What if that breakfast is served in bed?”
“That might get you some bonus points.”
“You’re a tough reviewer, Alice,” I laugh, pulling her close.
She smiles, her eyes fluttering close as she snuggles into me. “You love it.”
She’s not wrong.
Alice
I sit up in bed, pulling the sheet up to cover me, though there’s no one here to see me and I certainly wasn’t shy earlier. Hunter’s gone to the kitchen to make me breakfast in bed. He kissed my forehead before he left, murmuring something about eggs and toast.
I exhale and lean back against the headboard, running my fingers through my hair. Everything’s fine. This is fine. It felt like coming up for air after holding my breath for too long.
And yet, the longer I sit here, the more that certainty starts to slip through my fingers.
It starts as a small whisper in the back of my mind.
You know how this ends. You’re being reckless and someone will get hurt.
I shake my head to try and push my inner thoughts away. Hunter is thoughtful, caring, and patient. He makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. I feel safe with him. Before I hurt myself with my fear. I can’t do that again. It wouldn’t only be me who gets hurt. I would be hurting Hunter too.
But then it hits me. I’ve already been reckless.
We didn’t use protection.
The thought barrels through my chest like a freight train. I suddenly feel cold despite the warmth of the morning sun streaming through the window.
I trust Hunter. I trust him completely, but trust doesn’t change biology. And I’m not on the pill.
The room suddenly feels too small. The air is too thin.
This is exactly what I wanted to avoid, why I’ve kept myself out of relationships. My reckless behavior could have ramifications forever. This isn’t a car accident where I’m the only one affected. This would be my life, Hunter’s, and a child’s.
I pull my clothes on in a rush, my hands trembling as I fumble with the buttons on my jeans. As soon as I’m dressed, I look around the room, my heart hammering in my chest. I can’t stay here. I need space to think, to breathe.
And Splat.
I left him alone last night, too tired and caught up in Hunter to even consider how he’d feel waking up to an empty house.
The guilt swells in my throat, making it hard to swallow.
I slip on my shoes and head for the door, calling out to Hunter as I open it. “I need to check on Splat.”
I hear him call back from the kitchen, his voice light and warm. “Alice, wait a sec?—”
But I don’t wait. I can’t.
I shut the door behind me, cutting off whatever he was about to say and hurry down the short path to my house. My hands shake as I unlock the door and step inside, the silence pressing down on me like a weight.
Splat meows from the couch, his head lifting as he sees me.
“Hey, buddy,” I whisper, dropping my bag on the floor and sitting beside him. I scoop him into my lap, burying my face in his fur.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur, my voice cracking. “I’m sorry for leaving you alone. I’m sorry for all of it.”
His purr rumbles against my chest, but it doesn’t ease the ache inside me.
I glance toward the window, the curtains drawn tight. Hunter is probably wondering what’s going on, maybe even worrying. Part of me aches to go back to let him tell me everything is okay.
But it's not okay. It never is.
It’s safer this way. For both of us.
For now, I’ll just stay here, with Splat.
Alone.
Where I can’t hurt anyone and no one can hurt me.
Right?