Page 83 of Now and Then

“Good. Me either.”

I immediately look down at his lower half. Visions of a very naked Hunter flash in my mind. He catches me under my chin with one finger and lifts my face to his.

“If you have any desire at all to make it to this party, don’t provoke me, baby girl.”

“I can’t make any promises,” I all but whisper.

I don’t know what I imagined when I pictured Hunter in the bedroom, but this level of dominance was surely not it. Granted, I’ve only been with three men, so my bedroom experience is lacking and has never been very lively. Even with Brandon, we’d had an initial passionate spark, but as the years passed, the flame fizzled, and his frustration grew the harder it became for me to reach orgasm.

Hunter swallows a visible lump in his throat and braces his hands around the column of my neck, thumbs tracing along my jaw. “Want to play a little game then?”

I place my hands on top of his. “What kind of game?”

“The first of us to deflate gets to be in charge tonight.”

“Hmm . . .” I smirk. Hunter’s a big guy, and, by the looks of traffic, there are more people in attendance than anticipated, which means less space for this cowboy to maneuver his dino tail around . . . “Deal. But no sabotaging.”

His hands still. “I would never.”

I give him the look. “Yes, you would. Am I the only one who remembers my freshman homecoming?” My date had just shown up, so my parents were being parents by taking thousands of pictures. Mom wanted one of me, Luke, and Hunter, but as my date stepped away, he ran his hand along my shoulder, and Hunter “suddenly” tripped, spilling a can of soda pop all over my feet.

“That was purely an accident,” Hunter says.

“Sure it was.” I roll my eyes. “You were just trying to ruin something I was excited about.”

“I’m pretty sure I was jealous.”

I bark out a laugh. “Yeah, right.”

I step back from him, the bulky dinosaur costume squeaking softly as my back presses against the side of the truck, but he crowds me anyway, leaving me nowhere to go.

“Yes, I was. I thought about that moment for years.” His voice is low and gruff. “I think I loved you even then.”

My heart literally skips a beat at his declaration.

“Okay,” Hunter says, “let’s get your head on.”

Hunter pulls up his own costume, and I manage to flick on his air pump even with my hands inside this ridiculous getup. Hunter gestures for me to take the lead. Together, we swish swish swish our way to Greer’s house. We’re about to turn the corner when I see Hunter and burst into hysterics.

“What the fuck are you laughing at?” Hunter turns toward me, as best as he can.

His serious tone only makes me laugh harder. I can practically see his What is your deal? look through the small mesh face opening.

Hunter shakes his head and continues toward Greer’s house. I double over in laughter. This big-ass cowboy dressed like a blue dinosaur waddling down the block is still trying to wear his damn Stetson.

My eyes tear as I point to his hat.

“You’re in so much trouble later,” he grumbles as we approach Greer’s door.

“Only if I don’t win.” I kick my foot against the door since I can’t really knock.

“Even if you do win,” he leans in close, “you’re still going to be in trouble.”

I try to contain my giggles even though he’s trying to be sexy dominant Hunter right now.

The door flies open, and we jump back from each other.

“Shit,” Hunter mumbles as his hat topples from his head. He does his best to pick up his hat, but with his abnormally short arms, it’s no use.