Page 81 of Hunt Me

‘I know.’

Mellie waves at us a moment later, and our sandwiches come out in small disposable baskets. He slides them across the counter and then points to the drink menu.

‘Want?’

I shake my head. ‘I have water.’

Archie stares at the menu and then back at Mellie. ‘Iced tea. Plain.’

Mellie salutes him, and a moment later, a glass bottle appears. Archie nods his thanks and then grabs the baskets, stalking away toward an empty bench. I’m left to follow, leaving Mellie with his customers. I’m glad he’s doing well here and that he’s found his place.

I can’t wait to find mine and to really feel like I belong. And I can only hope that when I do, it’s with Archie still at my side.

20

ARCHIE

I spentmost of the afternoon marveling at what a good teacher Denver is.

He’s better than most I’ve had. When I was a kid, they tended to grow frustrated with me and with the way I thought and how I made sense of the world around me. It didn’t fit their nice and tidy worldview. It ended up with my father pulling me out of the public school system and homeschooling me until he also got annoyed with the way I learned.

It got a little better when I had private tutors, but not by much.

Denver, however, has been effortlessly patient, even with the students who struggle with what seem like easy concepts. My obsession with him was already bone-deep, and now it’s in my marrow. He’s a part of me now, and there’s no way I’m letting him go.

Even if he tries to leave me, I may find it impossible to leave him alone. My little rabbit…I’ll always be on the hunt for him.

In the courtyard, we finish up our sandwiches, my eyes scanning the campus as Denver chews slowly beside me. He’s a bit of a noisy eater, but that’s not his fault. He can’t hear the way his mouth moves, and instead of being annoyed by it, I find itendearing. Normally, the sound of chewing would grate on my nerves, but with him, everything else is eclipsed by how much I want him.

When we finish, Denver stands up and stretches. My eyes move to his ass, and I’m almost violently reminded of what it felt like to be buried inside of him. I would like to tie him up again and fuck him once more. Only this time, I’d like him to be face down, splayed out for me.

It makes my cock twitch in my pants as I move toward the trash can and toss our garbage inside. I don’t look at Mellie again. I don’t like the angry feeling that welled up inside of me when I thought he and Denver had been together. I have a feeling that if I ever met anyone he’s actually fucked, I may end up committing murder.

‘Okay, I hate that you were right, but I do feel better,’ he signs as I walk back to his side.

I smirk. ‘I’m right,bing.’

He rolls His eyes and then lets out a laugh. ‘Yes, yes, whatever.’

Fighting the urge to touch him, I squeeze one hand into a fist for a moment, then ask, ‘What’s next? More classes?’

He heaves a heavy sigh. ‘Just office hours, but you can’t be in there for that.’

When I start to protest, he places a hand on my chest. It’s a firebrand against me, imprinting me with his touch.

‘I know. I know. You can hang out across the hall in Fayid’s office.’

I repeat the name sign twice before asking, ‘Who’s that?’

If it’s another person he’s friendly with but might have fucked, it’s going to make for an awkward afternoon. I don’t tell him that though.

‘A friend. Deaf,’ he adds. ‘Quiet. He is working on a project, so no time to chat-chat. You can sit alone and stare across the hall at my office all you want.’

I’m happy to hear his solution, and although I’d rather sit in his office, I’ll accept being close enough that I can take care of him if I need to.

And frankly, Fayid sounds like a good time. I’m not in the mood to talk to anyone after such a long day of being around too many strange people. My social battery has been depleted, but his safety is more important, so I ignore the itch in my skin and follow him when he stands up and points to a building not too far away from where we’re sitting.

The offices are up an elevator on the fourth floor and then through a set of double doors, which lead to a lobby. There’s a student receptionist who doesn’t blink twice at us as Denver waves at her, and then he leads me down a short hallway with several closed doors adorned with name plaques.