I bit my lip. “Um. I’ll just be a second, okay?”
I opened my purse and dropped the test inside, sight unseen. I couldn’t look at the results, then look Hunter in the eye and pretend everything was fine. I shoved the other unused test under the sink before I unlocked the door.
Hunter walked in, crushed his lips against mine and smiled. “I got you something.”
“What is it?”
Hunter led me out to my room where a brand new party dress waited for me. It was a silver V-neck that looked as if it’d fall just above the knee. The spaghetti straps shimmered like diamonds. “Hunter, it’s gorgeous.”
Hunter slid his hand up my back and growled into my ear. “Try it on.”
I was about to when he bumped my purse and my mission came flooding back to me. “You’ll have to wait for the party, just like everyone else.”
“No sneak preview?”
I gripped the handle of my purse. “No. Now get out of here so I can change.” I shoved him toward the door. “You need to get dressed too.”
“Yes, boss,” he teased.
Finally, I was alone. I sat on the bed and tore my purse open.
My life was about to become a million times more complicated.
I was pregnant.
Chapter Eleven
I wished I’d bought some antacids while I was at the pharmacy. I didn’t need to take the second test. I slid my dress on, did my hair in a loose bun at the nape of my neck and went downstairs. Some of the guests had already arrived so I shook hands, smiled and made pleasant small talk.
Hunter had a huge family, but in amongst the strangers there was a face I didn’t want to see. Mitch’s. He found me just as I found the refreshment table. I helped myself to a sparkling water and pretended I didn’t see him. I hoped that if I ignored him, he’d take the hint and leave me alone. Of course I could never be that lucky.
I scanned the room, searching for Hunter as Mitch came up behind me. “Summer, you look wonderful.”
“Thanks,” I clipped as I caught sight of Hunter across the room. Before I took a step, I found myself face-to-face with Mitch.
“Summer, please.” He grabbed for my hand, but I pulled it away.
“I don’t want to talk to you, Mitch. We’re done. It’s over.”
He leaned in. His face was pinched in pain. “Summer, please. Can’t we just talk somewhere? I’m sure we can work it out.”
I’d had enough of his begging. “No, Mitch.”
“Tell me why. Why can’t you talk to me?”
“Because there’s nothing to say.”
He reached for my hand again. This time he captured it in his. “Then just listen. That’s all you have to do.”
“Don’t you understand the word no when you hear it?” I asked as I pulled my hand away.
“Summer, I love you. I need you. We have to work it out.”
These were all words I’d heard before. That was all they were. Words. They’d never be true. They’d never be real, but for some reason he thought he believed them. Maybe he did sometimes, but I didn’t. Not anymore. I spotted Hunter across the room and smiled.
“Mitch, there’s nothing to talk about.”
“Just five minutes, please.”
The words tumbled out before I could stop them. Maybe I thought it would stop his relentless pursuit of me. Maybe I wanted to hurt him as he’d hurt me. Maybe I just wanted to tell someone and the first two reasons justified my actions.
“Mitch, I’m pregnant.”
His eyes widened and his arms went limp at his sides. “Summer, are you sure?”
“Yes.” I held up my hand as he took a step toward me. “It’s not yours, Mitch.”
His face fell, and for a moment, I almost felt sorry for him. “I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true.”
Mitch took a step back. “Who’s the father then?”
“That’s not your business. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like you to leave me alone.”
Mitch nodded, then vanished into the crowd just as Hunter showed up at my side.
“Are you okay?”
I nodded, but I wasn’t sure. Hunter took me by the arm and guided me away. He pulled me into a study and shut the door.
“What happened out there? You look rattled.” Hunter tensed. “If he said something to upset you, I’ll kill him.”
I leaned against Hunter and breathed him in. I loved the musky scent of his cologne. “It’s fine.” I snaked my arms around his waist. “Mitch can’t hurt me anymore.” My gaze flicked up to his. “You’re the only one with that power.”
Hunter tilted my head. “I won’t hurt you, Summer. I’ll never hurt you.”
He kissed me slowly. He was soft and tender at first. He took his time and explored my lips with his before he teased his tongue into my mouth.
I thought of the tiny life growing inside me and kissed him harder. I wanted to tell him, but not like this. I’d wait until after the party when we could be truly alone. Through sheer determination, I pulled away.
“We should go back out there.” I didn’t move.
Hunter slid his hand down my back and over my ass. I felt his long, thick erection through his pants. “I have a better idea.” He reached down and locked the door. “We hide out in here for a while.”
“Won’t they miss us?”
Hunter bent and kissed my neck, just below my ear, before he trailed kisses down to my shoulder. “My family is huge, and most are half drunk. No one will even notice we’re gone.” He sank his teeth into my flesh. I tilted my neck to give him better access to devour me.
I needed him in the worst way. Finding out I was pregnant was a shock, and it would shock him too. Everything was about to change. Our whole worlds were about to be rocked. I wanted him one more time before I turned them on their ears.
Hunter moved me step by step. He kissed me, grabbed me, touched me as he backed me against the door. He brushed his fingers against my nipples, and I bit off a moan. My hands trembled as I undid his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. He ran his tongue along my lower lip.
“We shouldn’t do this here.” My protest fell on deaf ears as he sank to his knees.
He slid his hands up my legs, under my dress. I placed mine on his shoulders for support as he slipped his fingers into the band of my panties and pulled them down. He looked up at me.
“We should do this everywhere.” He slid his hand up my inner thigh. He brushed his fingers against my clit and smiled. “I need to taste you, Summer. I need to taste you, then I need to fuck you.”
My head thumped against the door when Hunter leaned in and took my clit into his mouth. He sucked it, flicked it with his tongue, let it slide out of his mouth as slow as he could manage.
“I need you too, Hunter.”
Chapter Twelve
I dug my nails into his flesh as he ran his tongue along my clit.
“Open for me, Summer.”
He spoke the words into my mound, and I widened my stance, opening myself for him. I moaned as he ran his tongue through my folds. He traced it along the edges of my pussy, teasing me. I wanted to climb the wall to get away from him and push his mouth closer at the same time.
Hunter winced when I dug my nails in. “I don’t mind when you mark me, Summer, but if you draw blood, I’m going to make you pay.”
My fingers left his shoulders and travelled up into his hair. The soft strands slid through my fingers as I urged him closer. “You talk too much, Hunter.”