Page 56 of Reticent

“I never said I wasn’t,” he says, and I can’t say he didn’t warn me. This is about him and his needs. Not about what’s best for me.

I’m low-key irritated. “I don’t care how great we are in bed together. It’s not going to happen again.” Even as I say it, I’m not sure I believe it. Never having sex with Hunter again depresses the hell out of me and my lady parts.

“You’ve been with one other person,” Hunter says. “And I’ve been with …”

I arch a brow, waiting to hear his number.

“Others,” he says, his lip quirking. “Trust me when I say that what we have is rare.”

That’s what I’m afraid of. “You’ll be fine.”

“And you?” Hunter pulls into the driveway of a palatial brick home and kills the engine.

“I’m good.” I feel him staring at me, but I keep my focus on the HGTV dream home in front of us. “Ready?” I ask, pushing the car door open. I don’t wait for his response or for him to help me out of the car.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Inside the house, Windex and lemon-scented cleaning products permeate the air, indicating a recent cleaning. Natural light seeps in through large double-stacked windows, reflecting off sparkling wood floors and stark white walls. From where I stand in the foyer, I can see most of the downstairs layout—the kitchen, the dining room, the great room, and the stairs.

“I had it professionally cleaned last night,” Hunter says, closing the doors behind us.

“I can tell.” I raise my eyes to the details in the coffered ceiling before meeting Hunter’s expectant stare.

“What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful. I’m about to eat my words, but I love this neighborhood.”

“We can find you a home in this neighborhood, maybe on the same street even.”

“I can’t afford anything like this.”

Hunter half rolls his eyes. “Yes, you can. Think how convenient it would be if we lived within walking distance of each other.”

I’m still mad at him—I think. Or maybe I’m frustrated with myself. But I smile at the tempting idea. “I get your point.”

I wander over to the windows that overlook the massive backyard. A cabana and a pool house surround a stunning swimming pool with rock formations and waterfalls. But what really excites me is the tree house, constructed from the ground up and encased around a large oak tree. What looks like miles of green space and stamped concrete are all enclosed in a privacy fence separating Hunter’s property from his neighbors.

Hunter joins me at the window with his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry for the things I said in the car.”

“I don’t want us to mess this up.”

He drops his head with a nod before regarding me with those Caribbean-blue eyes that get me every time. “I don’t want that either. And as much as I want to bury myself inside of you, it’s not worth losing your friendship. You’ll pull back from me … You already are.”

“I don’t mean to.”

“I know.”

His eyes soften as he touches the side of my face with his palm. I lean into his touch before I think against it. He kisses my forehead, which damn near makes me swoon, and holds his hand out for me.

“Are you ready for the tour?” he asks.

With a slight hesitation, I take his hand.

* * *

The tour ends in the sixth and final bedroom. I stand in the center of the room while Hunter casually leans in the doorway at my back.

“I thought this could be Liam’s room,” he says.