Chapter 39
Jade
H unter hasn’t taken his hands off me since we left the hotel. And now he’s holding me closely to him and drawing small circles on my bare shoulder while I’m completely captivated by the spectacle in front of me.
We’re in a box to the side of the stage, just the two of us, and the show’s about to end. I’ve tears in my eyes as the actress playing Violetta is about to take her last breath. It all feels real and so close to home. I can’t help but think of my mum and how she could’ve been taken from me before her time. Hunter pulls me into him, kissing my temple as I wipe the stray tears away. The crowd erupts with rapturous applause as the curtains fall. It was truly sensational. I felt every note and every emotion. My vision is blurry with tears as I turn towards Hunter.
“Oh, Hunter. I’ve never felt such raw emotion. Thank you for sharing this with me.” I place my hand on his thigh, loving the way his muscles tense under my palm.
“You’re so welcome.” The look he’s giving me right now is one I’ve not seen on his face before, one of, dare I say it, love?
He takes my hand in his as we leave, heading to a small intimate restaurant situated in the lobby of the theatre. He gives the host his name and we’re led to a table overlooking the seafront. The stars are visible in the night sky. It’s a perfectly clear night. I smile over at him as he orders us a bottle of what I can only imagine is an overly priced bottle of wine, and I can’t believe how happy I am at this moment.
“You look happy, Tink.”
“I really am. Thank you for this, Hunter. It’s all a bit much. Makes my little date to Camden seem stupid now.” My cheeks flush with embarrassment.
“I like that color on you.” He smirks, but his expression quickly becomes serious. “That was one of the best nights of my life, Tink. I haven’t spent time like that with someone, proper quality time, where money meant nothing.” He shifts in his seat and messes with his cufflinks. “People always want something from me because of who I am, but that night, you wanted to share something with me. Every moment I spend with you, you give me a little bit more and I won't stop until I have collected every little part.” I glance up at him through my lashes feeling my heart swell at his words.
“Please say something to make me laugh, so I can make fun of you. This serious Hunter has me off kilter.”
He laughs as he takes my hand across the table. “You’ve mascara down your cheek, and lipstick on your teeth.”
“What?” I grab my bag to look for my compact. “No, I don’t.” We both chuckle and just like that I feel him take a little bit more of my heart.
Hunter places his jacket over my shoulders as we walk along the seafront. I stare up at the stars, contemplating if I should bring this up, but it’s been playing on my mind.
“So, Maddison?” From the corner of my eye, I see his jaw tense as he breathes in deeply through his nose.
“I’ll be completely honest with you, Tink. She and I used to see each other, nothing serious, or at least it wasn’t for me. She worked for me and my cock decided to run the show. She quit when I broke our arrangement off, but now she has finally got the message and came to my office today to apologize for how she acted.”
“I see.” I tug his jacket tighter around me, lowering my head. “She’s very beautiful.”
He pulls us to a stop, placing his strong hands firmly on my shoulders. “Stop that right now., she’s good looking, yes. Beautiful? No. You’re beautiful. You light up a room when you walk in, everyone turns to look at you, and you’ve literally no idea that they’re doing it. You’re beautiful because you take the time to listen, making everyone feel special. People take notice of you and because of that, you aren’t easy to forget, Tink. Believe me, I tried. But Maddison?” He shakes his head. “If I could kick the old me in the balls for even thinking of being with her, I would. You’re everything she’s not. She demands attention because she thinks she deserves it. One minute in your company, I was hooked. You’re intelligent, funny, and captivating. I look forward to calling you, to hear your voice because you make the most mundane topics thrilling. Your compassion for those you love or even those you barely know is mind blowing. You’re beautiful because of who you are, not just the way you look.” My gaze drops to the ground. “Tink, look at me.” He tips my chin with his forefinger.
“I never want you to compare yourself to her. Do you understand? She’s nothing to me, and if you don’t want her to ever step foot in the office again or within ten feet of you, she won't. I’ll never put you in a situation where you feel uncomfortable. You mean far too much to me.” What feels like a thousand butterflies flutter in my stomach at his words. “You’ve taken root in my brain.” He kisses my lips softly. “My soul.” He continues to kiss me stroking his thumb slides over my jaw, and I fall into his caress. He leans his forehead against mine. “And my heart.”
It’s in this moment that I know I’ve fallen for Hunter Stone.