Page 68 of The Hunter’s Affection

Chapter 19

“Ithought you said your stepdad works for the Army Depot?”

She and Torr had just pulled up the circular drive. Her mother, of course, had hired attendants to park the cars. She was in for quite a surprise. Charlotte never, ever took boyfriends home to meet the parents. But she knew Torr would not judge her for anything her mother said, or did.

“He does. But comes from a bit of money too.”

Two weeks ago, she’d dreaded coming to the fundraiser. And while she couldn’t say an evening of rubbing elbows with the state’s top politicians was exactly her idea of an exciting Saturday night, the fact that Torr had wanted to come along made it much more palatable.

More than palatable, actually.

Yesterday was the first time she hadn’t seen him in a week. The crisis with Annabel Walsh and the journal, on top of the imminent opening of The Vault and some matters there, had demanded his attention. But it had let her pause for a moment after a whirlwind few weeks to think.

About Torr. Her job. Life.

The department chair position she thought she wanted but now, surprisingly, cared little about. Purpose. Was hers perhaps bigger than serving as an English chair at Stone Haven High School?

Her startling conclusion wasn’t something Charlotte was prepared to share with Torr just yet. She’d never felt so alive than when she was with him. He’d likely go running for the hills if she told him that, and yet it was true. When she showed him the dress she’d originally picked out for tonight—or rather, the dress her mother had chosen for her—he’d laughed.

“That, my dear, is the dress the perfect princess would wear. What would Charlotte wear?”

He’d taken to referencing her alter ego as “the princess,” and he wasn’t far off the mark. She’d been coddled in her former life. Then, in an effort to cleanse herself of her parents’ mistakes and sins, she’d played it safe. A safe job. Safe clothes. Safe goals.

Something she’d only realized after meeting him.

Granted, Torr tended toward the opposite extreme, but there was something to be said for his devil-may-care attitude. Something so appealing that Charlotte simply couldn’t resist a few turns of boldness she might not have otherwise allowed herself.

“That,” Torr said as he pulled to a stop, “is the smile of a woman up to no good.”

Grabbing her clutch, she feigned innocence. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”

The passenger door opened. Not one attendant, but an army of them. Good gracious, her mother had gone over the top with this one.

Torr came around to her side, and she took his arm readily enough. She’d had time in the car to adjust to the frankly stunning sight of him in his tux, but she nevertheless took advantage of the opportunity to eye him from head to toe.

Leaning down and whispering in her ear as they approached the marble staircase, Torr said, “I’ve changed my mind about staying the night.”

He’d agreed to stay the night only because they would have an entire wing to themselves. “Why?”

He boldly looked up and down her sequin shift dress, not even attempting to disguise his perusal.

“I want to make you scream without worrying about whether or not you’ll be heard.”

With that he continued, as casual as can be, up the stairs. But Charlotte stopped, needing a moment to herself before she could follow. She pictured him on top of her, fulfilling that promise.

He really was a cad and knew it. Joining him, they entered the house together and were greeted at the door by her parents, the house already half filled.

“There you are. Finally.”

“Mother.”

Other people might greet their parents with a hug, or perhaps a kiss on the cheek. But they weren’t the sort to appreciate shows of affection, so instead, she presented Torr.

“I’d like to introduce you to—”

“What exactly is it you’re wearing?” her mother hissed.

She’d expected that reaction, of course. Time to put on her big girl panties.