CHAPTER 12
Perfect Just The Way You Are
Gabriela
Hunter chose a beautiful location for our walk, near a popular canal in the city with a vantage view of the Basilica, which was nestled at a high altitude amongst the darkened sky like a beacon.
Gothic revival architecture surrounded us and the cobblestone path we walked on bore vintage street lamps, food vendors, and buskers.
A group of opera singers belted out a haunting rendition of “Caro Mio Ben” that had us doing a double take to watch the performance.
Luna’s head peeked out of the tote carrier, mesmerized by the magnificent melody.
A peaceful moment of silence befell us as we strolled and ate our donuts, observing the city’s arresting landscape.
Hunter stopped at a stall to grab us caramel apple teas, taking a minute to converse with the jolly old fellow making our drinks.
You could tell a lot about a person by the way they treated those in customer serving roles and I really liked how nice Hunter was with everyone he encountered.
I hadn’t realized they still made men like him. Kind. Sweet. Gentlemanly. It felt like they were scarce, or perhaps it was just my bad luck that I had the tendency to encounter the Lord’s most diabolical creatures.
“What’s got you smiling?” Hunter asked, handing me my tea after giving one to Oscar, who thanked him before retreating back a few paces to give us privacy.
That every man I’ve met before you has probably been a gremlin.
“Nothing.” Still smiling, I mouthed, “Thank you,” since I wasn’t allowed to say it aloud, courtesy of his silly rule.
He playfully narrowed his eyes at me in a scolding manner and mouthed back, “You’re welcome.”
We continued walking. “I’m glad you asked me out tonight. I really needed to get some fresh air after the day I’ve had.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
I shrugged. “Academically, everything is fine. Personally? This whole”—I shot a glance over my shoulder to reassure myself that Oscar was still there—“paranoia stemming from the break-in is really doing me in.”
“I get it,” he sympathized and tried to give me an encouraging look. “I hope they find the culprit soon and deal with them accordingly.” Then he frowned. “Please tell me you’re carrying protection when you step out of the house.”
My head swivelled around to make sure no one could hear us before I inserted slyly, “Don’t worry, pretty boy. I’ve come prepared.”
Hunter smirked. “What have you got on you, huh?”
“My Luna, my trusty gun, and my latest read about a centuries-old werewolf who finds his witchy mate in a treasure hunt and is currently going feral for her.”
Hunter let loose a throaty chuckle. I loved that sound. “Are you serious?”
“Mhm.” I skipped a little to keep up with his long-legged strides. He slowed his pace to match mine. “A girl’s got to be prepared for anything.”
“So your cat to scare away the intruder, your gun to kill him if he gets too close, and your book to read after you finish the job?”
I tilted my head and pretended to jokingly ponder it. “I mean, when you put it like that…that was my logic, yes.”
His broad shoulders shook with his laughter. “You’re something else, Gabriela.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment, Hunter.”
“You should.” He grinned. “It is.”
I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow and peered up at him. “How am I doing on mending your broken heart? Am I forgiven yet?”
“That depends on whether or not you’ll come to my next game?”
I nodded eagerly. “I’ll do my best. And if I can’t come, then I’ll try to make it for the one afterwards. I promise.”
He extended his pinky finger towards me.
I hooked mine with his and squeezed.
“Good.” Hunter didn’t let go of my finger, our hands swinging between our bodies as we walked. “I’ll be sure to get you a jersey with my name on it.”
A burst of colourful confetti shot inside of me when he finally released my pinky, just to fully weave his fingers with mine. I’d been intimate with men in the past—partaken in some of the raunchiest activities—but something as simple as holding hands with Hunter was making me blush.
I felt breathless, similar to the moment right before the swift drop on a roller coaster, my pulse skyrocketing high.
We were friends.
But now I was harbouring a crush on him and it felt forbidden.
He felt forbidden, akin to the fruit in the tree of knowledge. And just like Adam and Eve, I wanted to bite into him, sink my teeth into his flesh and unravel all of his secrets and taste all of his desires, while avoiding punishment for breaking my own rules.
I blew on my tea and took a sip, trying to ease my nerves and collect some composure. “How was your game today?”
Hunter squeezed my hand and drew an invisible half-moon on the back of it, like he was unable to help himself. “I scored two touchdowns.”
My eyes widened. I knew enough about football—mostly through hearing Josh talk about his games whenever I hung out with him and Layla—to understand that touchdowns were coveted. “Wow. That’s like twelve points, right?”
“Huh, so you do know a little something about my sport.” Hunter smiled almost bashfully before mumbling, “Yeah, that is twelve points. We ended up winning thirty-five against twenty-seven.”
“Hunter, that’s really amazing.”
He shrugged like it was no biggie. “It was a team effort.”
“I bet you’re a wonderful captain.”
My compliment caused the high points of his cheek to pinken the slightest bit. He cleared his throat and took a sip of his tea. “What makes you say that?”
It wasn’t poised in an accusing manner but rather in genuine curiosity. It reminded me of his tone when he’d asked me why my choice of weapon was a gun and why my choice of nail colour was black. Almost like he wanted to learn the inner workings of my mind on a deeper level.
We came to rest by a barrier, the canal’s dark water rippling beneath us.
“Well, you have this calm energy about you that I imagine helps put the team at ease. From the short time that I’ve known you, I can tell you’re the type of person who’s always ready to help others, which means that your teammates probably feel comfortable coming to you with any issues.
Moreover, Josh is always boasting about your impressive football stats.
So in other words, you’re steady, trustworthy, a gifted player, and I’d say that all of these qualities make you a great leader. On and off the field.”
Hunter appeared stunned. “That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
My throat felt inexplicably tight with the way he was staring down at me in awe and gratitude. “I’m just being honest.”
“I know.” Something indescribable flashed across his face, hesitation maybe, before he said, “I scored one for you…A game-winning touchdown.”
It was my turn to be stunned. “What?”
He smiled wistfully and glanced at the water, almost avoiding my perplexed gaze. “I thought you came to the game—I thought you were in the crowd, watching me, and I was trying to impress you.”
This was too much for me to process. My mind raced a mile a minute and my heart clenched almost painfully from his words. He thought I was there. He scored a game-winning touchdown to impress me. Oh my God. “Hunter…”
Realizing that he’d revealed a little too much about his inner workings, he reverted to his teasing self, giving me a suave wink to downplay his admission. “No worries. I can do it again when you come to my next game.”
“Make it three touchdowns,” I rallied, but my voice was thick, unlike my usual flirtatious tone. “I’ll be really impressed then.”
“Deal.” Hunter chuckled and Luna swivelled her head in his direction. She meowed for him and he gave her gentle scratches.
“I’m surprised,” I said. “Luna barely takes a liking to anyone new.”
He looked proud of himself. “I’m flattered.”
“Do you have any pets?”
“None currently. But my dad did have a ball python from his collegiate years. He passed away from old age when I was a kid.”
“Is that why you have a snake inked on your arm?”
“Yeah,” he rasped. “I’ve always been fascinated with them and they’re revered in many cultures as symbols of protection, guidance, transformation, and eternal rebirth. I have another one tatted on my right thigh.”
Just imagining that tattoo on his muscular thigh made my insides flutter. “I know nothing about snake lore, but that sounds very interesting.”
He let go of my hand a bit regretfully, after giving it a final squeeze because Luna kept pawing at him, desperately wanting to be cradled. He pulled her out of my tote and she relaxed once she was in his strong arms.
“Do you have any tattoos?” he asked me.
“Just one.” I pushed my hair behind my shoulders and flashed him the small cursive R behind my ear.
It was the same one as Layla and Anna. Our moms were friends before our births and gave us middle names that meant Queen in our respective cultures.
Mine was Regina, Layla’s Rani, and Anna’s Reina.
“Me and my best friends got these when we turned eighteen to honour our middle names.”
Hunter bent down at the waist to peer at my tattoo. “It’s beautiful, Gabby.”
I preened. A mirthful expression twisted his features. “What is it?” I asked.
He smirked. “I’m just thinking that without the added height of your heels, you’re a tiny little thing. Like a precious doll.”
“Hey—I’m five-foot-two!” I retorted. “Not that short.”
“I’m six-three, sweetheart. I’ve got more than a foot over you,” he mused, swiping a thumb over my cheek in a featherlight caress. “You’re definitely short by my standards.”
More warmth suffused my face at the proximity and touch. “Is that a problem?”
“Nah, I think you’re fucking cute.”
I bit my lip. “Ditto.”
Hunter’s blue eyes flared wide, his full lips parting at my compliment.
My cat chose that exact moment to leap out of his arms and onto the bench next to us, spotting a butterfly. We gasped and I quickly caught her leash before she went too far, stopping her attempt at preying on the insect. “Luna!”