5. HUNTER
5
I place myself next to her on the log with amusement, registering the rough texture of the wood before bumping my shoulder against hers. She stifles her smile by biting her lip, her gorgeous eyes sparkling at me like the stars in a clear sky.
“Your friend ditched you?”
“I look that desperate, huh?” She grins, running a hand through her dark blonde wavy hair, making me want to do the same. Instead, I keep both my hands wrapped around my red cup, then take a drink of the lukewarm Coke.
“Nah, but I think you’d rather be at home reading.”
“Or sitting by my tree at the creek,” she murmurs, boldly plucking the cup out of my hand and taking a drink. I turn my head toward her in amusement, watching how she takes a big gulp before I realize what she’s saying.
“No beer?” Her eyebrows lift, seemingly pleasantly surprised.
“Nah, the world is hard enough sober. Don’t need to fuck with my head anymore.”
She examines my face, her green eyes fearless as fuck even though she seemed nervous ten seconds ago. It seems like there are a lot of thoughts going through her head, and I expect her to pry again, but instead, she takes another sip of the cup.
“Wait,” I say, steering the conversation back again. “Please tell me you don’t go there at night by yourself? ”
“I would take my dog if I had one. But I don’t have one because my mama won’t let me.”
“You want a dog?”
She nods with a beaming smile that hypnotizes me, and I slightly shake my head to stay focused. “Oh, yeah! A Leonberger or a St. Bernard, you know? Those big fluffy ones?”
“You basically want your own bear?” I tilt a teasing eyebrow.
“Yeah! They are very protective of their owners. I’d love to have one of those fluff balls one day. It would be like having my own bodyguard.”
I laugh, enjoying her enthusiasm. “You’re serious.”
“Dead.”
“I can be your bodyguard.”
Her narrow eyes find mine. “Pretty sure you’re a busy guy.”
“I’d make time for you.”
“Are you flirting with me?” The surprise in her tone has me chuckling.
“Maybe?”
A ghost of a smile trails her plush lips before she bumps her shoulder against mine. “I’m sticking with the dog.”
I laugh. “Well, until you have one, don’t go there by yourself in the middle of the night.”
“Why not?” Her lashes lower a tad, with a daring expression peeking from underneath that sucks the air from my lungs.
Damn, she’s hot.
“Babe, you’re killing me.” I look up to the sky in despair, then move my focus back to her bright blue-green eyes. “Give me your phone.”
She sends me a glare, not moving a muscle as I hold open my palm.
“Come on,” I press, while pulling my red cup back from her grasp to free her hands .
She reaches into the back pocket of her jeans, pulling out her phone and placing it in my hand, her fingers softly brushing my skin. I ignore the somersault in my stomach as we touch while I call myself with her phone.
“When I text you, you better respond. I don’t want to wonder where the fuck you are,” I grumble, then save her number in my own phone.
“You sound worried,” she mocks, an amused look on her face.
“I fucking am.” The thought of her being there by herself at night makes me shiver, as this feeling of wanting to protect her forms inside my body.
“Also, real smooth how you just got my number without asking.”
“I know, right?” I proudly flash her a face-splitting grin.
“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” She plucks the red cup out of my hand once again, taking a sip as if she’s been doing it forever. I love this. Her sass settles my nervous system in the most satisfying way. Her vivid eyes make me feel more alive than I’ve felt in years.
“I don’t do girlfriends. Besides, you’re my friend. I’m allowed to be worried about you.”
“We’re friends now?” she asks incredulously.
Fuck no. Yes. Maybe. It’s the only thing I can come up with to make sure she doesn’t walk out of my life as quickly as she entered it yesterday. I’m not going to let her walk back into a world where we just pass each other in the halls of school.
“I sure as fuck hope so.” I pull the cup back from her grasp, looking into her eyes.
The moonlight illuminates them in the most hypnotizing way, and suddenly I understand what people mean when they speak about eyes they can get lost in .
Without hesitation, she grabs my chin, gently forcing my face away so she can look at the scratches on the other side of my neck.
“How did things end with your mom yesterday?” Her touch feels like a warm bath after a long day, and even though I literally just said I want to be her friend, I can’t help wanting more. My fingers itch to pull her into my arms, and my eyes land on her kissable lips, wondering what those soft pillows would feel like against my mouth.
Friends, huh, Hunt?
I pull myself together when she lets go of my chin, and a cold breeze instantly snaps me out of my daydream. My hand reaches up to turn my snapback backwards, preventing myself from giving into the temptation to touch her.
“She was out of it when I got home. So I was lucky,” I confess.
Her face morphs with a troubled frown, worry dripping from her that melts my stone-cold heart.
“I doubt your mom being ‘out of it’ can be considered lucky, Hunter.” Her tone is serious, and the concern that’s etching through it warms my insides in a way I had forgotten existed. I understand what she’s saying, but this is just what it is. I wish I had good memories with my mom after the accident, but I don’t. Now the good memories are the ones she’s not in.
Like this one.
“It’s life, babe. It’s okay.”
She holds my gaze with urgency, fire flaring in her eyes.
“Say what you want, but it’s not okay.” The fierceness in her voice makes me smile.
A strand of her hair falls in front of her face, and without hesitation, I bring my hand up to push it behind her ear. My fingers briefly connect with the soft skin of her neck as I take back my hand before holding it open for her .
Now that I have her attention, I don’t want to let it slip. I might not deserve everything she has to offer, but I’ll be damned to not grasp on for dear life to the scraps she’s offering, regardless.
“Wanna get out of here?” I wait for her to lay her hand on mine.
Something glitters in her eyes as the corner of her mouth rises.
“Go where?”
“Wherever you want.” I shrug, meaning every word of it.
I’d drive her to the end of the world right now if she asked me right now and I realize how weird that is. Normally, I’d get a girl in my truck for an hour before I drop them off at home, but with Charlotte it’s different.
I don’t want to drop her off.
“Sure.” She nods, and my heart stops for just a split second when I feel the heat of her hand as she places it in mine.
Yeah, I’m keeping her.
At least for tonight.