Age of Ava (Vested Interest - ABC Corp 4)

And despite what he claimed, he was caring. I ran my finger over the little petals of the flowers he’d bought me. The way he’d read to me last night, his quiet worry when he spoke of me needing help on occasion. He was correct about that. I hated asking. I hated anyone thinking I was anything less than in complete control. I worked hard—and at times, endlessly—to get the job done. I wondered what the group would say if I suddenly told them I needed help. I shook my head at the thought. I was fine. They depended on me. I would make it through the next while then take a little break and come back strong. We had a lot of irons in the fire right now, and I was simply feeling a little burned out. It had happened before, and I’d made it through fine and no one knew anything was the matter.

It seemed odd that a man who was almost a complete stranger noticed that about me when my own family seemed oblivious.

I sat down, pulling one leg close to my chest, and sipped my coffee. I thought of what Hunter had revealed to me last night. His nomadic lifestyle. Growing up that way. Never settling, never developing long relationships. Never planning to. Cash was his only concession. He had been serious, his words honest.

Yet, the man I’d had glimpses of this weekend wasn’t the same man he described himself to be. If he were, he wouldn’t care if I looked tired. He would have walked away when my brothers approached. I had expected him to take Cash’s lead and be out the back door before Ronan had even walked in the house, but he had stayed. He’d let my mother and aunts into his house and accepted their clucking and casseroles. He’d good-naturedly tolerated Liam’s teasing.

He’d bought me flowers.

I pursed my lips, wondering if I was the first person to notice those things about him. Maybe, like my family, others accepted what we let them see. Somehow, though, we had both seen something under the façade we presented to the world.

Hands on my shoulders and a set of warm lips ghosting up my neck startled me. Hunter’s palms were warm on my skin as he bent close. “You did it again.”

I turned my head. “You were sleeping so well I didn’t want to wake you. I made coffee, and I was going to bring you a cup.”

And leave before you woke up, since I’m not sure how to do this, I added silently.

He poured a cup of coffee, and I ogled his form. He moved with a sensual grace, the strength in his torso and arms evident in the way his muscles flexed and tightened. He flipped the chair around, straddling it and laying one arm along the top as he sipped his coffee and regarded me with his intense gaze.

“I call bullshit on that. You were going to leave without waking me.” He indicated my bag by the door.

I sighed. “I thought it might be easier for you if I were just gone.”

“You know what your problem is, Little Dragon? You think too much. Your brain is on overdrive every moment of every day. No wonder you’re so exhausted.”

“It’s my job to be thinking. I have no choice but to overthink. I need to be one step ahead of everything and everybody all the time.”

He nodded. “That’s your job,” he agreed.

I threw up my hands in frustration. “What are you saying?”

“You need to relax in your personal life.” He reached over and took my hand, forcing the fingers apart. I hadn’t realized until he did how tightly I had been clenching my fists. “Think about yesterday. No plans, no demands. You relaxed for the most part and just enjoyed the moment. You need to do that more often.”

“What does that have to do with me getting out of bed?”

“If you’d stayed, I would have woken you up with my mouth and my cock. Relaxed you into the day. Walked you to your car and kissed you.” He paused. “Asked if maybe we could do this again.”

A smile tugged at my lips. “Really?”

He stood and held out his hand. “Let’s try it.”

“You-you want to go back to bed?”

He pulled me to my feet. “Yes. I want to go back to bed. With you. I want to fuck you with the sun coming up and my name falling from those pretty lips.”

I let him lead me back to his room. I couldn’t deny either of us.

* * *

Later that morning, I unpacked my groceries in my quiet house. My body still felt Hunter’s possession from earlier. The way he’d touched me everywhere. Kissed me. As promised, he’d made me come with his mouth, his fingers, and finally, his cock. The power and passion in his thrusts. His low moans and satisfied grunts and curses as he shook with his release. How he soaped my body in the shower and insisted on towel-drying my hair.