Page 73 of Now and Then

So much for subtlety, Joe.

Hunter chuckles. “If you mean, did this woman finally agree to give me the time of day?” He pulls me closer to him, burrowing his face in the crook of my shoulder. “Then, yes, one of us finally pulled our heads outta the sand.”

“For the love of god.” I roll my eyes.

Joe belts out a harsh laugh. “The writing’s been on the wall for years. Glad you finally see it too.”

“Me too,” Hunter says against my neck, his breath warm against my already heated skin.

We get drinks and secure a table near the dance floor, taking stock of the crowd tonight. Hunter and I aren’t professionals by any means, but we’re not half bad at country swing dancing. Shortly after my dad died and I lost the baby, Hunter invited me to join him at swing dancing one night as a means to get “out and about,” as he put it, and we simply never stopped going.

“Crowd looks good tonight,” Hunter says, sitting on the barstool and pulling me between his legs.

“Thank goodness,” I say. “I really didn’t want to turn into pseudo dance teachers tonight.”

He smiles and turns me to face him. “Why’s that?”

“Because.” My heart gives a soft squeeze as I drape my arms around his shoulders. “I just want it to be me and you.” I run my fingers up the back of his neck and into his hair.

He narrows his eyes and pulls me closer, his hand slipping beneath my sweater. “Dance with me, baby girl?”

My pulse stutters at the nickname. “I thought you’d never ask, cowboy.”

Hunter stands, crowding my space, and pushes back his barstool. He spins me and, with his hand on my spine, leads me to the dance floor. He twirls me out into a spin and back into the embrace of his frame. I laugh, knowing he’s purposely putting on a show to notify everyone around us that there’s been a change in our relationship. I’m sure people are already using their phone trees to alert the town.

The music swirls around us, a slow country song that has our feet moving in sync without thinking. Hunter’s hand is firm at my back, guiding me through the steps, but his eyes—those molten chocolate eyes—haven’t left mine for the last few minutes. The floorboards thud beneath us, every movement drawing us closer, the heat between us building with each turn and twirl.

I laugh, a light sound that echoes in the quiet space between us, and my fingers brush against his chest. We’ve danced together a hundred times, yet here I am finally letting my feelings for Hunter take the lead.

I don’t know how I couldn’t. There have been so many moments of wanting him and pulling away, keeping this from myself, from him—afraid to let go, to truly give in. Now, here in his arms with the music wrapping us in its rhythm, it feels like our atoms are finally remembering where they belong.

George Strait’s “I Cross My Heart” plays softly in the background, the lyrics slipping into my mind like they’re meant just for us. The words echo everything I’ve been too scared to admit, everything I’ve buried away in my heart for so long.

Hunter’s voice is a low murmur just for me as he sings the lyrics in my ear. He pulls away, suddenly quiet, and looks me in the eye. His thumb traces the curve of my jaw, and he repeats the last line of the chorus. His voice is a low rumble in his chest that makes every part of my body tingle in anticipation.

My heart skips a beat, the weight of the lyrics settling over me. “I . . .” The word catches in my throat, tangled in the heat of the moment as I hold his gaze.

And then, the sharp realization that I don’t have to hold back anymore hits me. This is Hunter. The boy I grew up with, the man who has always been there for me. I reach for him, fingers trembling as they grip the front of his shirt, and pull him closer. I tiptoe higher, closing the space between us, and press my lips to his.

Our kiss is not slow or tentative. No, it’s fire. A kiss that steals the breath from my lungs and makes me forget everything. My worries, my fears, even the ground beneath my feet. My hands wrap around his shoulders, pulling him closer, like I can bury myself in this kiss, in him, and never let go. Hunter responds just as fiercely, his hands anchoring me to him, pulling me flush against his body.

There’s no hesitation, no more questioning, no more fear. It’s just us, locked in this moment, everything else fading away. His lips are demanding but tender. Hunter deepens the kiss as his hand smooths up my back, caressing the back of my neck in that way that always makes me feel anchored.

Our bodies sway to the rhythm of the music. The want in his every touch ignites something wild inside me.

“Get a room,” someone hollers, and the room erupts into massive applause.

We break apart, each of us panting. I bury my forehead against his chest, my breath mingling with the warm air. The music still plays in the background, but it’s distant now, unimportant in comparison to the fire that simmers between us. I can barely think straight.

“I can’t believe I get to kiss you whenever I want now.” His voice is barely a whisper.

I exhale, breathless, and whisper back, “Me either.”

The moment feels endless until a vibrating buzz breaks the spell. Hunter’s brows furrow as he pulls his phone from his back pocket and glances at the screen. “Sorry, babe, it’s Chief. I’ve got to take this.” He lets out an exasperated sigh and slowly pulls away from me, his eyes still dark with desire.

I follow him outside, the chilly air cooling my heated skin. He dials back, stepping away to talk to his chief. His shoulders drop, frustration evident in the way he rubs his face.

When he hangs up and walks back to me, I ask, “Everything okay?” I wrap my arms around his waist.