Page 40 of The Offside Rule
“Because Hunter kind of walked in on me mid…you know. . .because he needed to use the bathroom,” I winced.
“Holy shit,” Liv practically screamed. “Were you mortified?”
I shook my head and watched everyone’s eyes widen. “I was turned on. I kept my fingers between my thighs like I was frozen. Hunter didn’t move either. He didn’t apologize. We just stood staring at each other. I was worked up and breathing hard. Then he realized what was happening, and he started apologizing and backing up.”
“That is so hot,” Wren said, picking up a napkin and fanning herself.
“Seriously,” Billie Rose agreed. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“Neither did I,” I confessed. “Something about Hunter has me very worked up.”
“Clearly,” Taylor said. “Wow, that is super hot, but my dad would disown me if I dated a hockey player. It’s his one rule.”
“My dad always felt bad about how hard it was for my mom since he couldn’t be around as much as he wanted to. My parents were young when they had me, so my dad has always pushed the idea that I should find someone stable who would be around and give me the attention and life I deserve,” I explained. Daddy and I were close. Crushing on his good friend was so inconvenient. And Mom would be freaked out too.
“Okay, things are getting heavy. You sleeping with Hunter sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. You know Hunter’s grandma is a sex guru. We can get advice from her about your vagina,” Liv explained.
Wren was mid-sip and spat her drink across the table. “I’m sorry, but did I hear you right?”
“Yeah,” Liv replied. “She’s unique. Aunt Sloane loses her mind around her. She tried to keep her away from us kids, but she was always around over the holidays. My mom tried to shield us from her as much as possible growing up, but she didn’t really get inappropriate with us. It was only when we all turned eighteen that she inquired about our ability to orgasm one day at Thanksgiving dinner. Dad almost lost it on her, Aunt Sloane felt terrible, and Mom started to cry. She was trained in India. My brothers run away from her when they see her, but I feel bad, so I indulge her,” Liv explained.
“That’s over the top,” Taylor said.
“Tell me about it. How do you think Hunter feels?” Liv asked.
“Shit, I forgot you and Hunter were basically cousins,” I said because I was more than tipsy.
“It’s fine. Your secret is still safe with me. Sister code,” Liv assured me.
“Thanks,” I said with relief.
“Okay, so we need to get Catherine laid, but it can’t be Hunter. Although I wonder what his sex guru granny taught him growing up,” Billie Rose laughed.
“Gah, no more Hunter talk,” I said.
Taylor lifted her glass. “To all of us needing to get laid.”
Billie Rose guffawed and lifted her drink to clink glasses, so we all did.
By the end of the night, I was relaxed, tipsy, and warm all over from laughing. Billie’s Uber came first because she had an early hospital morning. Taylor and Wren shared one. Liv said her brother was picking her up. I got into my Uber alone and leaned my head against the seat, smiling like an idiot. For the first time in a long time, I felt light. The building lobby was quiet when I got home. I thanked the driver, stepped inside, and immediately stopped. Hunter was there. He stood near the elevators with one hand in his pocket, his dress shirt rolled at the sleeves, black pants fitting him unfairly well. His hair was a little messier than it had been earlier, and the faint shadow along his jaw made him look even more dangerous than he had in the lobby before we left. He turned when he heard my heels. His eyes moved over me, and even tipsy, I felt the hit of it.
“Catherine,” he said.
“Hunter.”
We were alone in the lobby except for the concierge at the desk, which meant we were not alone at all. He seemed to remember that at the same time I did. His posture stayed easy, his expression calm.
“Good night?” he asked.
“Very.”
“Good.”
“You?”
He gave a small shrug. “Max talked too much.”
“So, normal night,” I giggled.
