Chapter 25: 25 Hunter's Secret
LILY
Colin's side of the bed was still warm when I woke.
I smiled and stretched, inhaling deeply. It smelled like him too. Like us now. Especially after what we'd done in it.
Showering quickly, I headed downstairs to see if there was any coffee yet. Hunter was usually the last to leave, but he'd taken to putting on a fresh pot for me before heading out.
I arrived in my bathrobe and stopped in the doorway. Hunter was sitting at the table, two steaming mugs laid out in front of him. He offered me one as I approached.
"Peace offering?"
I could've stayed mad. I would've been easy. Instead I mustered the best non-caffeinated smile I could and slid into the chair next to him.
"Listen," he said. "I was a total dick last night."
I took my first sip. It was glorious.
"Yeah you were."
He laughed halfway. A concession. But his expression was still full of regret, and sorrow.
"You have no idea how much that place meant to me," he said. "Three whole years with that fraternity. Doing great thing, having great times… all those brothers, in and out of the house. Graduating. Leaving…"
He was forlorn. Lost in bittersweet memories. I reached out and took his hand.
"You still have these brothers," I said. "It's not like they went away. You can still stay in touch…"
"I know," he conceded. "But this was my turn to graduate. My last year. I was finally President. And I had such cool things planned…"
He placed his hand over mine and squeezed it.
"Still, what I did last night was bullshit. I should never have taken it out on you." His lifted his head. His eyes met mine. "Brandon or Colin either, but especially you."
"It's fine," I said. "Really, I get it. I mean I don't get it get it, but I can totally see how much the fraternity meant to you."
He smiled now, this time for real. God, he was unbelievably good-looking. Storybook prince good-looking. If storybook princes had a bad boy edge to them.
"So I'm forgiven?"
"Sure," I said. "On one condition."
"Anything."
Boy was I glad he said that.
"Show me what's in your room."
Hunter blinked. I watched carefully for him to retreat, for his face to darken. Maybe he'd even get angry. Mad that I'd tricked him into violating his privacy when he didn't want to.
For a split-second I regretted it. But then I saw something else in his eyes. Something like acceptance… and even eagerness.
"You really want to see?"
I nodded. "Yes. Very much."
"Alright," he said, still smiling. He stood up and extended one hand. "Come."
"Really?" I was absolutely thrilled. I got up quickly, then my eyes narrowed. "Can coffee come too?"
He laughed. "Sure."
We took the stairs hand in hand, being careful not to spill. A minute later I stood before Hunter's bedroom. The last mystery in the entire house.
"Go on," he told me. "It's unlocked."
I opened the door… and then I saw. Surrounding his disheveled bed, the whole room was cluttered with easels. They contained all different kinds of canvas paintings, large and small. I saw landscapes, abstracts, even a portrait or two. There were palettes of paint everywhere, smeared with every color of the rainbow. Half empty tubes. Brushes…
"My God, you're an artist!"
For the first time since I'd met him Hunter actually looked flustered. He turned bright red.
"No I'm not."
I whirled on him, punching him playfully in the chest. "Like hell you're not! Look at all this stuff! Hunter, it's beautiful!"
I walked from piece to piece, admiring everything. I knew very little about artwork, but I knew enough to tell he had talent.
"It's just something I like to mess around with," he explained. "I took this bedroom because it has the best light. Lots of windows, and—"
He turned, and I was suddenly in his arms. Kissing him. Holding him. Letting him know how wonderful he was.
Hunter kissed me back, his face still red and full of heat. This is what he was hiding? It was unbelievable, really. I let him go so I could wander some more.
"Honey this is more than messing around." I stopped before a particularly beautiful painting of a nighttime forest. The greens and blacks were astounding, contrasted against the blues and whites of a star-filled sky. "You're such a jerk for locking your door!" I chided him. "This is nothing to be hiding from anyone!"
I knew how hard it must've been for him to keep this a secret. I just didn't know why.
"Colin knows," he admitted. "He's seen me with a canvas or two. But Brandon—"
"Do you really think they'd judge you?" I asked. "Come on. These guys are your brothers! And really, look at this stuff. You should be hanging this in places where people can admire it. Not squirreling it away in some crowded bedroom."
He folded his tattooed arms around me from behind. "Funny you should say that. There's actually an exhibition this weekend, and I have four or five pieces on display." He waved one hand dismissively. "It's a silly University thing, down at the—"
"Dowling mansion?" I knew what he was talking about. They did it often. "That's not silly Hunter, that's actually prestigious."
He squeezed me tightly and I melted into him. The stubble from his chin was tickling my neck.
"First time for me," Hunter shrugged. "I was going to go see it tonight. Did you want to join me?"
I gasped and spun around so quickly his eyes went wide. "YES! Yes, of course I want to go with you!"
I felt overwhelmingly special. First he'd trusted me enough to show me his work, and now he was inviting me to his first art premiere. I couldn't believe the progress.
"We'll get dinner first," Hunter murmured, his mouth so close to my ear I started tingling. "Then head over there afterward. Apparently it's fancy. I suppose we'll have to dress up."
Dressing up was something I hadn't had the opportunity to do in a longwhile. Between fixing up the house in throwaway clothes and Garrett not taking me anywhere, well… just like my sex life, it had been a while.
But also just like my sex life, things were looking up.
"Six O'clock sound good?"
He began kissing my neck. Chewing sexily on my shoulder. I sighed, throwing my hand back to sift through his hair as the arm around my waist tightened.
He has such good hands…
Hunter's palm moved lower, sliding down over my thigh. I closed my fingers over it. Tried guiding him inside… between…
"You're insatiable," he chuckled. "You know that?"
I bit my lip and nodded. I wanted to be taken by him. Our arrangement fully consummated, right here, right now, on his unmade bed.
Instead he took his hand away. He spun me around to face him. There was a look of mischief in his eyes which were planning something taking a deep breath and pouncing on my neck he made a big red mark and then firmly said.
"Six O'clock," he said sternly. "Right here. Got it?"
Damn.
"Y—Yes," I said obediently. "I'll be ready."
All at once he stepped forward, and his hand slipped between my legs. Hunter pressed his lips lightly against mine. At the same time, he pushed against my swollen mound with three firm, masculine fingers.
"You're mine tonight," he whispered. "The others might've had you, but just for tonight, you belong only to me."
The strength and authority in his voice made me instantly wet. "oh you are so wet...is it for me?" he asked me with eyes full of pride A shudder of intense desire ripped through me. My shoulders slumped in submission. "I want you this wet tonight too..!"
"yes...ah..Tonight I'm yours," I repeated.
He smirked, kissed me, then ushered me out of his room. I was still in a daze as I heard the door close behind me. So preoccupied by the idea of fucking him, it wasn't until I was downstairs again that I realized I'd left my coffee in Hunter's room.
I shrugged, grabbed the pot, and poured a fresh mug. Down on the counter, a message flashed across my phone's screen. One missed call.
I froze when I realized it was from Garrett.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone