Page 50 of Highland Getaway
A shadow of emotion flickers across Hunter’s face, and I worry I’ve broken the spell we’ve been weaving together by saying something I’m not supposed to. But then he looks me in the eye and smiles softly.
‘No, nothing like that,’ he says, rubbing the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. ‘And she never forgot anyone’s birthday, either. Hannah’s mum’s the most organised person I know; it’s why she’s so good at what she does, I suppose.’
‘What does she do?’ I ask, relieved that he hasn’t just shut me down, like he did the last time I tried to bring up the topic.
‘She’s a corporate event planner,’ he replies. ‘Which means she’s constantly travelling for work. That’s why it didn’t work out between us: she was just never there for us to make a go of it. She was married to her work.’
He laughs without humour.
‘She must miss you both, though,’ I say, thinking of this super-organised, jet-setting career woman, who sounds like the exact opposite of me, in every way. ‘If she’s travelling so much.’
‘She misses Hannah.’ Hunter shrugs. ‘Takes her on amazing holidays every chance she gets, to make up for not being here for her the rest of the time. I’m not sure she misses me, though. She doesn’t really know me well enough to miss me.’
‘She . . . she doesn’t?’
I reach for my wine glass again, wondering how this can possibly be the case.
How can she not know the man she shares a child with?
‘Hannah wasn’t planned,’ Hunter says, grinning at my confusion. ‘Sienna and I had only been seeing each other for a few weeks when she got pregnant. We wanted to keep the baby, but we both knew by then we didn’t want to keep each other. And Sienna wasn’t ready for a family. She loves Hannah – I know she does – but she loves her work too. I told you some people do.’
That shadow crosses his eyes again, and I put my glass back down and reach for his hands, the way he took mine a few minutes ago, when I was talking about Adam.
‘Well, Hannah’s lucky to have you, then,’ I say, squeezing them gently. ‘Because I happen to think you’re pretty great; even when you keep mentioning my, um, wardrobe malfunctions.’
‘I happen to think your “wardrobe malfunctions”, as you put it, are pretty great too,’ he replies, his voice a little hoarse all of a sudden. ‘Especially the one in the sauna.’
I cringe at the memory.
‘Oh God, that was so embarrassing,’ I say, letting him go so I can cover my face with my hands. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.’
‘I know I’ll neverforgetit,’ replies Hunter, chuckling softly. ‘I hope I never do, anyway; it was easily one of the best sights of my life.’
‘Really?’ I blink at him through my fingers.
‘Really,’ he confirms, pulling my hands gently away from my eyes. ‘You’re glorious, Rosie. Absolutely glorious.’
His eyes flicker down to my lips and, all of a sudden, the room feels smaller, and far too warm. My pulse quickens as he shifts closer.
‘Rosie,’ he says, his voice barely above a whisper.
‘Yes?’ My thoughts are a jumbled mess as he leans in, his face just inches from mine.
‘If you don’t feel the same, tell me now,’ he says, his forehead almost brushing mine. ‘Because I really want to kiss you, and if I wait any longer, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself.’
I hesitate for the briefest of moments. Then, instead of pulling back, I close the gap; my lips meeting his in a kiss that’s every bit as surprising to me as it is to him.
Hunter freezes for a split second before his hands slide up to cup my face, deepening the kiss with a tenderness that makes my knees weak. His thumbs brush over my cheekbones, slow and deliberate, as if he’s trying to memorise me by touch. His lips are soft, and they taste like red wine; the sensation so intoxicating I barely notice the way my hands have found their way to his chest, my fingers tracing the taut muscles that lie just beneath the thin fabric of his shirt.
‘I’ve been thinking about this ever since I saw you in that sauna,’ he murmurs huskily as he breaks the kiss for a fraction of a second. ‘You have no idea what you do to me, Rosie.’
His lips find mine once more, and I sigh with pleasure as he pushes me back against the cushions on the sofa, completely abandoning myself to the moment, until .?.?.
‘Dad! Daddy, can I get a drink? I’m really thirsty.’
I’m so wrapped up in Hunter and what’s happening between us that it takes a few seconds for Hannah’s voice to filter through, but when it does, Hunter and I jump instantly apart, both of us looking instinctively towards the – thankfully still closed – door.
‘Um, I best be going,’ I say, getting reluctantly to my feet.
