On the Rocks (Last Call #1)(35)

After staring at Hunter for just a moment, Steve says, “If it’s all the same, I’d rather hear it from Gabby.”

Hunter shrugs his shoulders in that “whatever dude” sort of way and steps past us. “Fair enough. Gabby, when you get done crushing his heart, do you mind if I talk to you in the kitchen… about the remodel?”

“Sure,” I say, completely ill at ease that Hunter would take it upon himself to turn down a potential date for me. I mean, I was going to turn him down anyway, but his alpha tendencies are a little annoying.

Hunter walks into the kitchen, and I turn to Steve with an apologetic look on my face. “I’m sorry. But I’ll have to decline.”

He gives me an understanding smile. “No problem. Never hurts to ask, right?”

“Right,” I tell him, relieved he took that gracefully.

I start to turn away when he asks, “When did you and Hunter start seeing each other?”

“What?” I say loudly as I spin back to look at him. I’m sure my eyes are wild with fright that he would say that out loud. “Why would you think that?”

Steve tilts his head to the side and smirks. “Seriously, Gabby? After he just practically lifted his leg up to pee on you, so he could mark his territory?”

My face goes beet red, and I start babbling. “No… joking… just Hunter… not serious.”

Steve just snorts at me and heads back out to the deck. Leaning back against the wall, I bang my head against it a few times, cursing inwardly that Hunter would do something so stupid.

Asshole.

Which I think I’ll give said * a piece of my mind right now.

I stomp into the kitchen, and he’s waiting for me as I turn the corner. I open my mouth to lay into him but he grasps the back of my head and pulls me in for a hot kiss, causing all of my thoughts to scatter.

My hands come up to his chest to push him away, but he feels so damn good in my mouth that my fingers curl into his t-shirt and pull him closer. He gives me a murmur of appreciation and kisses me harder.

When he pulls away, he places his forehead against mine. “God, I’ve been dying to do that all afternoon. This is killing me having you near but not being able to touch you.”

I smile inwardly, because I know exactly what he means. “You looked like you weren’t suffering out there.”

“How so?” he asks quietly as he nuzzles against my neck.

“Your fan club,” I say simply.

Pulling back slightly, he looks at me in confusion, and then understanding washes over his face. “You’re jealous?”

“No way,” I assure him. “It was just slightly nauseating to watch.”

Hunter throws his head back and laughs, then brings his eyes, which are crinkled in amusement, back to me. “Who would have thought it? My girl’s skin is tinged a little green.”

I push away at him, angry that he’d throw that at me like it’s a weakness. “I am not jealous. You can go screw all three of those girls hovering around you for all I care. In fact, I’m thinking that date with Steve is looking mighty fine right about now.”

My efforts are futile because Hunter doesn’t budge, managing only to pull me in closer. His other hand comes up and strokes my cheek. “Gabby, I don’t want those other girls. I only want you, and I’ll break Steve’s legs if he so much as gets near you. And that, baby, is jealousy. At least I own up to it.”

My lips curl up, so warmed am I by his admission. I even decide to throw him a little bone. “Okay, so maybe I was a little jealous, too.”

Hunter gives me a satisfied smile and then leans down to kiss me again, wrapping his arms around my waist. His mouth is like heaven against mine, and I immediately submerse myself into the pleasure of it. His lips are so soft, as is the scruff of his beard when it rubs against me. It makes me want to shout out in joy, but yet I can’t because then everyone would know that Hunter and I were seeing each other.

That actually makes me jerk away from him at the thought. He looks down at me in confusion.

“We need to stop,” I tell him. “Someone could walk in and find us.”

Understanding crosses his face, but he gives me a devilish grin and pulls me back in. “So what? Let’s just tell everyone. Then we don’t have to hide our feelings or let jealousy swamp us.”

He bends down and runs his lips up my neck, giving a slight bite to the corner of my jaw, which has me melting against him. I push back against him again, only halfheartedly this time, and say, “No. I’m not ready. It’s too soon.”

There’s no relenting and Hunter moves his mouth over mine again, murmuring against my lips. “It’s silly, Gabs, keeping this a secret.”

Then he slips his tongue in my mouth, deepening his kiss with burning need and causing me to moan in response. No longer am I thinking about getting caught, but just that easy, I’m wondering if we could slip away to his bedroom without being seen. I’m just about to suggest the crazy notion, when I hear a gasp from the doorway.

As if zapped with an electrical current, I jump back from Hunter and turn toward the noise. Alyssa is standing there with her jaw hanging open, looking between the two of us. I sneak a peek up at Hunter and he has a satisfied smirk on his face, which makes me want to slap him.

I look back to Alyssa with urgency, even as I push Hunter’s hand off my waist and take a step away from him. “I can explain.”