“So, the love part,” I said.
“Yeah. That happened, didn’t it?”
“Yes, it did. You’re not the only one who said it.”
“I realize that. So what are we going to do about it?”
“Pretend it was a fluke during the heat of the moment?”
He thought about that, making a circle around my navel. “Nope, still love you.” He kissed the spot right where my heart beat.
I thought about it, running my hands over his short hair. It prickled against my palm. “Yeah, still love you.”
He looked up with the biggest smile on his face. He rolled over until he was on top of me again and rested his chin on my stomach. “When I used to say I loved my mom, she’d always tell me she loved me more than the stars. I love you more than the stars, Taylor Caldwell.”
I didn’t have a good enough response to that, so I just kept tracing hearts across his back.
He kissed my stomach. “Guess that means I’m moving out.”
“Guess so,” I said, shrugging.
“I’m going now.” He didn’t make a move. I ran my fingers over his head, enjoying the feel of him. “I swear, I’m going to get up and pack my stuff.”
“Okay.”
“You’re supposed to wail and clutch at me and beg me not to go.”
“I don’t beg.”
“I could make you,” he said moving his hand lower.
“No,” I said, grabbing his wrist. My poor, destroyed body couldn’t take it again.
“So here I go.” He moved just a little, and I grabbed him. “That’s what I thought.”
“You said you wouldn’t leave me.” If I’d been terrified of him leaving me before, I was even more terrified now.
“Aw, Missy, I wouldn’t leave you right now. I’m gonna be stuck to you. Just like this.”
“It’s going to be hard for me to go to class.”
“Just throw a towel over me, no one will notice.” I rubbed my thumb over his bottom lip, and he flicked his tongue out and licked it.
It was official. I was in love with Hunter Zaccadelli.
“I love you. Even when you’re an ass.”
“I love you, even when you’re kicking me in the balls.”
“How romantic,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Hey, I could sing to you. All you have to do is ask.”
“Honey Come Home,” I said.
He started the song, singing it a capella. He slowed it down and kissed me during the pauses. He finished pretending to play chords on my belly. It ticked.
“My personal rock star,” I said.
“Only yours, baby.”
“What’s up with that? You abandoned Missy as my official nickname?”
“Baby sounds more girlfriendy.”
“Is that what I am?”
“Well, I assumed, given the love exchange and the hay rolling.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s what it means.” Huh.
“Don’t look so excited about it.”
“It’s not that. I just never thought it would be a thing I’d be into.”
“You’re not alone in the no-commitment zone. I’ve never really done it either. That’s one of the things I love about you. Everything is new.”
“Yay for virginity.”
“I’d give it a round of applause.”
I rolled my eyes again.
“Yeah, it’s great. I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.”
He shook his head, running his lips over my skin.
“Doesn’t matter. You can learn.”
“You gonna teach me?”
“Oh, I’d like to see what you can pick up on your own, Missy girl.”
“You’re not into anything weird, are you?”
“What would you call weird?”
“I don’t know. Like bondage and leather and crap like that.”
He laughed. “Sometimes I have no idea where your mind is going. When it comes to sex, it’s always different. Most of the girls I’ve been with have been a quick f**k just for the hell of it. I never wanted to stay around them long enough to do other stuff.”
“The feminist in me is really offended right now.”
“They knew what they were getting into. Two consenting adults having a sexual experience. I told you, you’re different.”
“So you don’t want me to wear a cat costume, or kiss your boots or call you Sir or anything?”
He laughed even harder, burying his face in my navel.
“Stop it; that tickles!” I squealed.
“God, I love you. I know I’ve said it a ton of times today, but I can’t stop.”
“I’m waiting…” I said, tapping his head.
“We’ll do whatever you want to do. If you want to hang me upside down by my toes, I’m all for it. I would like to try a few different positions to find which one you like. It’ll come in time. Let’s just get the basics down first.”
“Have you always been this open about sex?”
He shrugged one shoulder.
“Why be closed? Sooner or later, most people in this world will have sex. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Being ashamed of it only leads to people doing dumb things.”
“So, you think you want to do it again?” I managed to keep my voice at a normal volume.
“I’d say that’s a yes.”
“Good. …So it was good for you?” I said, voicing one of my anxieties.
“Baby, it was more than good. That blew good up. I would never use good to describe being with you.” He ginned at me, and I smiled back.
“What time is it?”
“Um.” Hunter squinted at my clock across the room. “Midnight.”
“Jesus. I had no idea.”
“Can you believe we have to go to class tomorrow?” he said.
“Not really. Can’t we just do this for the rest of our lives?”
“I’d be content, but we need food and I think after a few days our roommates and my cousin would wonder where we were.”
“Then let’s move to a private island and live out our days there.”
“Can we bring Harper? I’d miss that kid like crazy.”
“Only if she doesn’t interrupt us during lovemaking,” I said. My stomach growled, and we both heard it.
“Hungry?”
“If I say no, you’ll know I’m lying.”
“Here,” he said, reaching over me to grab one of his shirts. “It’s only so you don’t get grease from the stove on your pretty skin.”
I put the shirt on, and he donned his boxers. I grabbed his ass as we trooped to the kitchen.
“Hey!” he yelled.
“Now you know how it feels.”
We made chocolate chip pancakes, with the dark chocolate chips Hunter had bought last week. It was messy, and we both ended up needing another shower, but we just kissed most of the pancake batter and melted chocolate off. I never knew how much fun it could be, being with Hunter. He chased me around with the spatula and tickled me into submission.
I hadn’t thought about Travis, or him coming after me, for hours. I shoved it aside. I wasn’t going to let it invade our sexy little bubble.
Hunter and I got nak*d again and finally fell asleep with bellies full of pancakes. He hummed little tunes, and I pulled myself as close as I could get. It wasn’t enough. I wanted every night to be like this. Forever.
*****
I woke up in the morning to lips kissing mine and a male body pressed against me. Warmth swirled through my body, settling several key places.
“Good morning,” he said, kissing my nose.
“Good morning to you, too, and to your little friend.” I reached my hand down and gave him a little squeeze.
“Hey, hey. Careful with that.” He kissed me again and snuffled in my neck. “How are you feeling?”
I tested my body.
“Sore. Nothing worse than bad PMS. I’ll live.” I took my retainer out and put it back in the little case.
“Good, because I’d like to do that again in the not-so-distant future. Just tell me when you’re ready.”
My alarm clanged, reminding us that the real world was calling.
“Nooooo…” I said, hiding my head in Hunter’s shoulder.
“Come on, Miss. We’ve got human sexuality to learn.”
“Haha.”
We got up and had toast, with him sitting in his recliner, me in his lap, feeding each other bites. I had about a million messages and voicemails and so forth, but I ignored them. I’d deal with them later. I did message Tawny and my mother back, saying that I was fine. I listened to the voicemail from the assistant district attorney, but I couldn’t absorb the details. Maybe I’d get Hunter to do it for me.
He had class first, so I walked him down and decided to hang out in the Union for a while until my class. He took my hand, and we walked like a regular couple.
“Another date tonight?”
“Maybe. We should probably, you know, do homework and socialize with other people though.”
“Other people are overrated.”
“Aw, they’re not that bad. We’ll have all the time we need tonight when we’re alone. I’ll tell Renee to wear her earplugs.”
He shook his head slowly.
“Cruel, cruel woman. I’ll be thinking about the possibilities all day.”
“Then I won’t tell you what color my underwear is.”
“White, with little pink polka dots.”
“Damn.” We’d watched each other get dressed this morning. “The mystery is gone.”
“Why don’t you go back to the room, change and then it will be a surprise.”
“Maybe I’ll do that.” We stopped in front of his building, and I gave him a long, steamy kiss. “Just something to remember me by.”
“See you later, Miss.”
“Bye, Hunter.”
We walked until we couldn’t hold hands anymore, and I watched him walk inside.
Damn. How had I not noticed how effing sexy he was, even when he was opening a door.
I stumbled to the Union and called Megan.
“Hey, where are you?” I said.
“Union. Why?”
I glanced around and found her flaming hair. “Oh, never mind. I see you.” I hung up and walked toward her, wondering if she would notice, if anyone would notice, that I looked different.
“Hey, how are you? I texted you a bunch of times yesterday. Where were you —” She saw my face and the stupid grin that was plastered all over it.
“Oh my God. What happened?”
“Um, well. Hunter and I are… um… together.”
“Holy crap,” she said, grabbing at my hand. “You did not get engaged.”
“Of course not. Oh, I switched it to the other finger yesterday. Long story.”
“We have some time before class. Get to the good stuff!”
I sat down, leaning forward so no one would overhear. “I turned in my V card.”
Megan gaped.
“So you really, really forgave him.”
“Yeah. He’s one of the good ones. I told him about Travis. He’s up for parole, by the way.”