Taking the Fall (28 page)

The minutes ticked by as he held her slowly drawing circles on the arm she had stretched across his chest. With one hand behind his head and his ankles crossed, Hunter laid in naked heaven. His mind was going a mile a minute with all the things he wanted to share and all the things he still had left to learn about her.

No time like the present.

But before he could ask just one of the slew of questions dancing on his tongue, Molly shivered.

“Baby, are you cold?”

Not waiting for an answer, he used his foot to maneuver the throw at the end of the bed, but without much finesse, it fell to the floor.

“Shit! I’ll get . . .”

But Molly patted his stomach and offered to get it. Much to his chagrin, she went the other way and walked around the bed. He enjoyed the show she gave but desperately missed her in his bed.

She bent down to retrieve the throw and as she stood up, her face changed, causing him suddenly to become concerned.

He watched as she used the throw as a shield covering her body from his view, but her face scanned his room. The only emotion present was one of shock, and he was suddenly on complete alert.

Sitting up quickly, with one foot on the floor, he reached for her. “Beautiful? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

She didn’t say anything but walked out of the room and into the hallway.

Completely confused as to what could have happened to spook her, he was on his feet and right behind her when she stopped in his bedroom’s doorway.

With a hand on her arm, so she now faced him, the throw fell to the floor, and her eyes followed.

“Molly! Talk to me!”

Her eyes looked right out into the hallway then back to his to the bed they just vacated.

He wanted to shake her for keeping mum about what transpired, but then she looked at him and suddenly he didn’t care. She was somewhat smiling and reaching for him. Burying her head against his chest, she rested her hands on his waist.

“Beautiful, your silence is killing me. What happened?” he spoke against the crown of her head before placing a kiss there.

Molly grabbed for his hand and pulled him back to the bed, forgetting the throw altogether.

They both sat down on the edge of the bed as Molly’s eyes continued to look around the room. When she looked back at him, he had no idea what was coming but the anticipation felt like a rock in his stomach.

Then she began to speak and he felt himself clinging to every word, “Remember how you said something about Deja vu? Well. I’m kind of experiencing my own version right now.”

His shook his head as he searched her face finally finding a slight amount of relief at the smile that played on her face. But it was hardly enough to stop his concern completely.

“I’m not following . . .”

“Your room.”

Confusion continued to be his friend of the moment.

Thankfully, Molly continued to fill him in. “I’ve been in this room before.” She shook her head, obviously fighting with how to explain what she meant correctly. “Your bed, your hallway, even the floor is almost exactly the same as a dream I had.”

Sudden relief overtook him and he audibly let out the breath he had been holding.

But Molly took it to mean something other than relief it was intended. “Look, I know it sounds crazy . . .”

He lifted his hand to grab hold of her chin to ensure her eyes met his. “Not crazy. Come on, get under the covers with me and you can tell me all about this dream of yours.”

She followed his suggestion, snuggling into the pillows and covers with him, as he held her in his arms. He listened as she echoed her dream, finding great comfort in the expressive and embarrassed blush that overtook her cheeks. When she finished explaining how she froze at the sight of the elaborate similar design and positioning of his bed, then added in the parallel coloring of the walls and woodwork and the hardwood floors, it left her staggering.

Within the secure embrace of his arms, she spoke softly against his chest. “What do you think it could mean? I mean, obviously, I have never been in your bedroom before.”

He couldn’t help but smile as he pressed his lips to her forehead, the all in fun mocking statement couldn’t help but cross his tongue, “Well, you are either a Peeping Thomasina, or . . .” he feigned contemplation, “it was just fate’s way of telling you it is where you should have been all along.” Sliding downward so she came with, he reestablished their earlier position of where she nuzzled into his side. He kissed her head before saying, “Me, personally, I’d go with the second choice.”

“You really think so?” she asked now resting her chin on his chest so their eyes could meet once more.

Raising his hand so the back of his fingers could stroke her cheek ever so gently, he replied, “I do.”

“Now that we have that all out of the way . . .” Hunter chose to ignore the eye roll she gave him, and he once more shifted her easily enough, so she covered him. “My turn to ask a question.”

She squinted her eyes, but the smile that played across her beautiful face told him that she was with him moving on.

“If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go?”

She stared at his face, pondering her answer, and then couldn’t hold in her laugh. “Really? Of all the pillow talk irrefutable questions you could ask, you are going with my dream vacation?”

His smile reflected hers. “Indeed.”

He could see the moment the playfulness took hold, and he loved it.

“Before I answer, why don’t you answer and I will see if our choices are compatible.”

He too held her gaze, and with a spirited smile on his lips, he replied, “I think a week or so with you in Jamaica, perhaps Montego Bay.”

She shifted herself closer, pressing her breast against him as she let her fingers trace his moving lips. “Yeah, definitely, I think that would give me the perfect opportunity to enjoy the sight of this beautiful,” he raised her even higher so their faces aligned and her still wet core rested over his lower abdomen. He kissed her chin, “mouthwatering,” he kissed one cheek, “sexy,” he kissed the other cheek, “glorious,” he kissed her lips, “body of yours. I envision you in an indecently skimpy bikini where your delicious skin will glisten in the sun from the tanning oil I will so mercifully rub all over you. The only agenda will be you and me enjoying the sound of the heaven touched blue waves hitting the white as clouds sand. Then at night, we will take in all that the island has to offer. Five-star restaurants, all the shopping your huge heart can endure, and dancing. You know the kind of dancing where I get to hold you close and feel your body’s heat mix with mine. I’ll lay your head on my shoulder and I’ll lower mine so that my face touches your soft neck. I’ll inhale your wonderful scent mixed with the coconut of the oil from earlier. Then when you tell me your feet have had too much, we will go back to our villa.”

“Villa?” she interrupted.

“Oh yes, beautiful, a villa because a hotel room just won’t do. I can’t have you screaming out your pleasure where everyone can hear. Because I plan on giving you pleasure over and over again every night and every morning.”

His words had their intended effect. Soon, he was latex covered once more and Molly was sliding slowly down over him. She rode him painstakingly slow, and he thought for sure his head would pop off his shoulders. The excruciatingly wonderful torture had him appreciating and indulging in her body giving and taking the pleasure that they both freely expressed.

Soon they each called out their completions, and once more, he held Molly completely sated and completely sure of the emotions that were vibrating through his body.

They laid together, and Hunter was so close to turning out the light when Molly said, “I have to go.”

“Shit!”

“You know if I could stay I would,” she apologized sadly.

“I know.”

He stood helping her exit his bed, showing her physically how much he didn’t want her to leave. He walked her back through his house, retrieving her clothes as they went. By the time they reached his front door and she was fully clothed once more, he had the most forceful feeling to pick her up and carry her back upstairs.

She must have read his mind because she touched his still naked chest, placed a kiss there, and said, “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry. You okay to drive?” he asked holding her tightly against him.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

Not wanting to let her go, but doing it nonetheless, he said with a lopsided smile, “Oh, I know just how good you really are. I’m surprised I’m still able to stand.”

With one final kiss, she walked out his door, got in her SUV, and drove off.

Hunter knew he had done a lot of tough things in his life, but watching Molly’s taillights grow smaller as she drove away from him had to be the toughest thing so far.

Saturday morning at the restaurant was quite busy. But unlike most days where she reveled in a constant flow of patrons, today was not one of them. She knew Hunter was in Vermont, picking up Leah. After their first night together, she couldn’t explain it, but she craved him. So much so that she did something she never thought she would do. She called Bob and Tracey and asked them if they would take Jess and Sammy for an extra school night so they could have a night uninterrupted and she could sleep in his arms.

And when she woke this morning, she realized what an amazing feeling it was to do just that. They had made love countless times and in countless places all throughout his home, each time more enduring and meaningful than the time before.

Lovemaking with Hunter was like nothing she could ever have even fathomed. She was completely hooked and completely and utterly in over her head.

She was supposed to be a responsible mother, restaurant owner, and upstanding citizen. Instead, now she felt like a sex-crazed maniac who wanted nothing more than to spend all her days and nights in Hunter Dennison’s bed.

Leaving him this morning had her questioning her own sanity as she thought back to the perfect early morning.

“I made you some tea, beautiful.”

He nibbled on her ear, waking her as his hand pulled the sheet lower to reveal her spine and rise of her ass. She opened one eye, not wanting to see the peek of daylight that slivered through the closed blinds of his room.

Molly moaned into the decadent and expensive pillow on which she had fallen asleep just a few hours ago.

He continued to kiss and nibble on her neck and ear until she finally gave in to opening both eyes and committing to the action.

She slowly pulled herself upward into a sitting position, not caring that she was completely naked and the sheet was pooled around her waist. Hunter sat on the edge of the bed in nothing but pajama pants which for a fact she knew he now wore with nothing underneath.

“Come on, baby, let me see those gorgeous greens,” Hunter probed as he found her lips and kissed her.

She withdrew and grumbled about him being inhuman for enjoying early mornings.

“What time do you need to be at the restaurant?” he asked as he passed her the steaming mug.

Molly turned to where his digital clock stared back and she grunted once more. “In about thirty minutes. I have some prep work to do along with some paperwork before Greg gets there.”

Hunter somehow talked her into a shower together before she left, and as decadent as it was, it was also a bad idea because they wound up making love again. The feeling of never wanting to leave now was only hammered home more.

While they both toweled dry and dressed next to the other, Molly realized what he had to do this morning.

“Oh my God, did I keep you? Do you have enough time to be where you need to be?”

He pulled the black ribbed long sleeve shirt over his head before taking her in his arms and kissing her forehead. “You can keep me like that any time you want.”

Relieved and touched by the sentiment, they walked through his garage together waiting for the automatic door to slide upward.

“So once we are back in town, the restaurant is our first stop.”

She smiled, enthralled with his promise, but she needed to be sure it was the right thing for him to do. “Just play it by ear. You don’t know if Leah will be up for it. She may want to go see your parents first or just come home.”

Turning her so she faced him, he brought her in close, possessively placing his hands at her waist and pressed his lips against hers. “Will you relax? Leah is going to love you. I appreciate your understanding that things could easily sway depending on how stimulated she is but leave it to me to worry about that, okay? You just plan on seeing us before you head out with the girls for the afternoon.”

He kissed her deeply, doing just what she knew he planned–easing her mind all the while making her legs turn to Jell-O.

“Uh, Molly, you’re about to overfill the cup,” Casey Dennison said, cutting through Molly’s internal thoughts and having her rushing to grab a towel to clean up the spill and grab a new to-go coffee cup.