“There is never one moment of any given day that I don’t care about you, Riley.”
I nod, sliding my hand up his chest and caressing his hard jaw. “I believe you. And, like I said, you didn’t do anything wrong this time. But next time I tell you no, I need to know you’ll listen. Whatever it’s about—even if you’re mad—when I say no, I mean it.”
Hunter takes my hand and kisses it. “I promise. I’m sorry I put you in a position to make you feel like if you told me no tonight, I wouldn’t have listened.”
“It’s okay,” I tell him, resting my hand over his toned abdomen and cuddling him again.
He’s quiet for a moment, both of us just enjoying being together. Finally, Hunter breaks the silence. “I can’t stand seeing you with other guys, Riley. It makes me crazy.”
“That won’t happen again.”
“No, I know, but… I need to know you’re mine.”
Oh, crap.
Uneasiness gathers in my chest. “Hunter, I know tonight has been intense, but… nothing about our situation has changed.”
Silence. Then, “What do you mean, nothing has changed? We love each other, we can’t stand seeing one another with anybody else… Come on, Riley. There’s an easy fucking solution to all of our problems. You stop driving me crazy and just let us be together. Simple.”
“Hunter…” I sigh heavily. “Look, I love you. I do. And you’re right, I don’t want to see you with anybody else, but it’s selfish and I don’t know how to even ask that of you because I can’t do it. I want to, and I think about it, and I try to get there, but I can’t get past knowing that you willfully betrayed me. I just can’t.”
“Jesus Christ.” He pushes me off him and sits up, running his fingers through his hair. “I wanted to hurt you that day.”
“Well, you did. Good job,” I tell him. “These are the consequences.”
“You have to know I would never do anything like that to you again,” he says seriously.
“No, I don’t believe you would.”
He cocks an eyebrow expectantly. “And you want to be with me.”
“Yes, I do.”
“And you’re still gonna say no?”
I nod. “Yes, I am.”
“You are the most stubborn fucking person I have ever met.”
“I’m not going to sell myself out because you had a temper tantrum,” I tell him, unable to muster much apology for that stance.
Hunter growls, digging his fingers through his hair. “You’re going to drive me fucking crazy.”
I shrug. “All you had to do was not fuck one single girl. Out of all the girls in the whole world, I only asked that you leave one alone. And you did what you did instead. You pissed me off, you hurt me, and I’m never getting over it.”
“You’re making me understand kidnappers,” he tells me.
I shrug. “If you think you can find a way to kidnap me without me telling you no, you’re welcome to try.”
He slides me a speaking look. “Maybe I’ll ask Sherlock for some tips.”
I sit up and cross my arms over my chest. “That’s not very nice.”
“Chloroform—that’s what they use in movies, right?” he mutters.
“I think so. But then I’d just come out of it and tell you to let me go. You’d have to listen, so it would be a waste of time.”
“Why can’t you be easier?”
“I could’ve.” I flash him a smile. “You fucked up the easy road for us. If you still want me, you’ll have to be more creative.”
“I’ve never had to work so hard for anything in my life,” he mutters.
I roll my eyes, turning in the bed so I can pull back the bedspread and slip under it. “That’s the most spoiled rich boy thing you’ve ever said.”
“What are you doing?”
“Going to sleep. It’s late and I have to work tomorrow. Some of us aren’t spoiled rich boys,” I tease.
Hunter shoves back the blankets and settles in behind me. Wrapping his arms around me and pulling me back into his warmth, he says, “I’m glad you’re not a spoiled rich boy. I would have conflicted feelings about that.”
I grin, settling in and wiggling my butt against him until I’m comfortable. “Would you still like me?”
“Probably,” he mutters. “Pain in my ass.”
I giggle. “Actually, you’d be the pain in mine. I’m fairly certain I’d be a bottom.”
“This is a ridiculous conversation.”
“I’m tired,” I tell him. “It’s been a long day. I’ll be a better conversationalist tomorrow, but I’m about tapped for tonight.”
His arms tighten around me. I sigh contentedly and close my eyes.
“I have a question,” he asks a second later.
“What’s that?”
“I have a pass for tonight, right? I’m allowed to fuck you tonight, even if I don’t get to call you mine in the morning?”
I open my eyes as his big hand slides across my breast and he cups it. “I’m not sure that pass was good for the whole night. I think it was more of a onetime thing.”