Page 111 of Animal's Reformation
Chapter Twenty-Four
The place RenaWalsh found for her rendezvous with Hunter Lewis was the Ramble Hotel, nestled in the mountains among the pine trees, studded with balconies overlooking the valley. To the north was the Colorado River meandering through the valley. In the distance, lights from the town twinkled like fireflies against the darkness of night.
The first thing Rena noticed when she entered the hotel room were the chocolates on the overstuffed pillows on the bed; each of the truffles were brightly covered in pink, orange, blue, red, and purple shiny wrappers. She placed her overnight bag down on the mahogany dresser and then walked over to the bed. Picking up one of the chocolates, she unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth. Rena slowly walked over to the balcony doors and stepped onto the terrace. A light wind had begun to blow, and with it came the fragrant scent of wild roses growing along the gravel roads.
A twinge of guilt wove through her as Animal’s opinionated eyes flashed across her mind. Her son was the last person who should judge her. Over the years, she’d heard plenty of stories, and watched enough documentaries on television to knowexactlywhat went on in that outlaw club of his. Animal had a lot of gall to think she was a slut. Oh, he didn’t say it, but Rena knew he thought that about her, and she hated like hell that her son had found out about the extracurricular activities she’d been engaging inwithher husband’s permission.
Rena inhaled the clean mountain air and blew out a long breath. The truth was, she hated hooking up with different men, and she and Jay had agreed upon no more than two dates with the same man. She gripped the railing on the balcony. Rena loved her husband, but he couldn’t satisfy her needs. For the first few years after his injury, they’d tried different things, but the reality was that Jay had lost the feeling for sex. He knew that and it killed him, so he’d proposed that she find pleasure outside their marriage. At first Rena had balked at the suggestion, but after a couple of years of celibacy, her body craved release, so she took the first step. Now, years later, Rena still wished she and Jay could go back to the way they were before the war, but that would never be. At fifty-five years old, she still looked damn good—people thought she looked forty at the most—and she still loved sex.
Rena sighed and pushed away from the iron railing and went back into the room. She’d have to turn the lights way down before Hunter arrived since she’d fudged her age and had sent him a photo of her when she was twenty-five. Animal had only been five years old then, and Rena remembered that she couldn’t wait until he was in school full-time because he was a handful. If she were being completely honest, Rena really wasn’t very good mother material. She’d never wanted children, but Jay had so desperately wanted a family that she decided one kid wouldn’t be too bad, but Rena had been so wrong. She just wasn’t into the whole maternal thing—some women weren’t—and that was just the way it was. When Jada came along ten years after Animal, she’d been devastated. The whole baby-cycle had started up again, and it had been years until she was finally free.
Jay always got along great with both of their kids, but from very early on, she had locked horns with Animal and still did. He was so hardheaded and just didn’t try to understand her. And what did he know about relationships anyway? The man never had a girlfriend who Rena knew about, and she rarely saw him twice with the same women, when shedidhappen to see him around town.
Rena glanced at the clock on the nightstand and her heart skipped a beat. Hunter would be here soon, and she was pretty sure he’d love the look of the room with the midnight blue velvet headboard and the antique rug spread over dark wood floors. The look and feel of the space was luxurious and elegant, and from their many conversations, Rena gleaned that it was something Hunter would appreciate.
The man intrigued her, hence the reason for the lies. Normally, she’d never rendezvous with a man who seemed interested in a relationship rather than a hookup, but the way Hunter talked, his sophistication and boyish charm had reeled her in enough that she was willing to meet up with him for a romantic night of lovemaking. She hadn’t made love in years, not since Jay had been injured. All of her meetings with men were strictly sex, nothing more. This night with Hunter would be very different, and while they enjoyed each other, Rena could close her eyes and pretend she was with her husband again.
A slight jiggle of the doorknob pulled Rena out of her reflections, and she rushed over and switched off the floor lamp and dimmed the small one on the nightstand. She drew in a ragged breath and waited. She’d left the keycard under the door, barely visible just as Hunter had instructed. He’d been very detailed with what he wanted: she was to find the hotel; it had to be away from town and not a big place; she was to check in alone without any mention of him, and she was to pay for the room with the prepaid Visa card he’d sent her in the mail. When she’d read all his instructions, Rena had laughed and figured he was married, but she didn’t judge him because she didn’t know anything about his home life.
The door swung open and a small rush of air from the hallway curled around her legs.
“Rena, my sweet?” His deep, sexy voice washed over her.
Without turning around, she nodded.
“Why is it so dark in here?” he asked. She heard his footfalls approaching.
“I thought it was more romantic,” she replied.
“Turn around, my sweet … I want to look at your pretty face.”
Rena hesitated. “I wasn’t 100 percent truthful about my age.”
The footsteps stopped.
“How old are you?” The edge in his voice was clear and sharp—like a knife.
“Thirty-nine,” she lied, hoping that in the dim light she could get away with it.
The sound of his shoes on the wooden floor echoed behind her. A shiver rippled through her, but it was from fear, not excitement.
“That isn’t too old, my sweet. You could have told me the truth.”
His words should have sounded reassuring, yet they made her skin crawl. A chill ran up and down her spine and she shuddered. Rena had to get out of there—something was off-kilter with this man. Before she could do anything, Hunter was behind her with both hands on her shoulders, pulling her until her back tucked against his chest. There were no thrills from his touch, instead, she found it repulsive.
“Sweet Rena,” he whispered. He draped a hand across her upper chest. “You shouldn’t have lied to me.”
She swallowed and licked her dry lips. “I was afraid to tell you the truth because I liked you so much.” Rena was now cursing herself for even agreeing to meet up with Hunter.
“Love—you love me, right?” His arm inched up toward the base of her throat.
“Yeah—I love you. Let’s sit down and talk.”
“I haven’t forgiven you for lying to me. Your lie has spoiledeverything.”
Rena stiffened, not daring to move a muscle. “What do you mean?”
“I love a certain type, that’s all. Age is very important. Now my mindset has been altered, and I don’t like that.”
