20 Questions

Chapter 15

I hastily close the door and attempt to calm myself down with deep breaths. I can only imagine what Hunter is thinking, but I am in not in the right mindset to talk to him yet. This is exactly what I feared with him. I didn't want to be that girl. I wasn't trying to interfere with the boys' trip, I wasn't trying to steal anybody's attention and I damn sure wasn't supposed to be brought in the middle of any drama.

How dare he come at me, making accusations like that?

I should have just stuck to my original plan of solitude. I don't regret these past couple days with Hunter, but I don't want to be the cause of any of his problems or get in between the friendship that he has with these guys. Maybe I should just pump my brakes with him and not let it go any further than it already has.

The thought of that sickens me and I push the idea out of my head quickly. Screw that guy. If Hunter wants to spend time with me, it's his decision. And who the hell takes a guys' trip every year at Christmas time? Do these people not have families? That hurts me for Hunter if that is the case. I begin to ponder what Hunter's life is like beyond cedar lodges and hot tubs. I guess I really don't know that much about him. I was hoping to get some answers tonight on our date, but now I'm not so sure that is going to happen.

I need to go get dressed and put together in case I get any other unwanted guests. I grab a pair of black leggings and a long cream sweater. I slip on a pair of black boots and head to the bathroom to dry my hair. The hair dryer in this lodge is much nicer than mine and it makes my hair feel soft and smooth. I plug in my curing iron and wait for it to heat up while I put on my makeup. I had just finished curling my hair when I hear a loud beating on my door.

Great, Bryson the bully has come back for round two.

I'm across the room in three quick strides and I fling open the door, ready to reconstruct somebody a new asshole. My mood quickly changes when I see a very frustrated Hunter standing before me. He looks angry and I would be lying if I said it didn't kind of turn me on. I could go for some rough, angry sex right now.

But I digress.

"What the hell was that?" he demands. His eyes are piercing and his mouth pulls in a straight line. His body is tense and his jaw is twitching. He doesn't intimidate me, but he does cause my stomach to flutter.

"What was what?" I reply, equally as aggravated, crossing my arms across my chest.

His eyes pour into mine as he opens his mouth to speak. "I come down the hall to see if you are ready to eat breakfast and I see Bryson storming out of your room with you half-naked. I follow him to ask him why the hell he was in here and he won't give me an answer. Is there something going on between the two of you? So help me God, if you two are hooking up...."

I am shocked and utterly pissed off. Is he out of his mind? Did we not just spend an amazing night together in the hot tub? Did I not just agree to go on a date with him tonight? I take a deep breath before I begin this conversation with him, holding up a hand and motioning for him to stop talking nonsense.

"I'm gonna go ahead and stop you right there. First of all, there is nothing going on between me and that pompous asshole. Sorry, I know he is your friend, but that's how I feel. I had just stepped out of the shower when he started beating down my door. I was hoping it was you. When I opened the door, he started verbally attacking me and saying that I was fucking everything up. I told you before that I am not that girl who is going to interfere with your guys' trip and he proved that I am doing just that."

The anger in him that had dissolved momentarily comes back out to play. His jaw tenses as he starts pacing the room, as if wearing out the hardwood will magically solve the world's problems. I'm not sure exactly what to say and I don't know if his frustration is going to be directed at me. I didn't mean to speak ill of his friend, but he caught me off guard with his asinine idea of me being interested in Bryson. That guy is a total douche canoe, from his toes to his tiny shirts.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what I said about Bryson. I know he is your friend and I was just mad. I'm sure that he's a great guy- "

He cuts me off, "He's not a great guy. He's a prick and I am sorry for what he said to you. He's jealous of me. He always has been. This has nothing to do with you. This has everything to do with him. Over the past couple years, the rest of the guys and I have discussed putting an end to these trips, but Bryson kept whining about the tradition, so we continued to go along with it. The truth is, I'm ready for Christmas with a real family."

My heart beams at his confession, although I can't help but get stuck on the words real family. What did he mean by that? Another mystery that is Hunter. I need to get some answers soon and I hope I still have that opportunity tonight. I'm hoping the situation that occurred too damn early this morning doesn't derail our plans.

"By the way, you look really nice today," he says with his crooked smile. I missed that smile, but I'm perplexed at how his mood can change in the blink of an eye. Either way, I hated seeing the worry and the anger in his eyes. "I'm sorry for how I reacted just now. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions and made myself look like a fucking caveman."

"I'm not upset with you. I'm glad you came here and we got everything clarified. So, does that mean that we are still on for our date tonight?" I know my eyes are pleading. I need to hear him say that he still wants the evening with me.

Hunter walks over to me, pushes a lock of hair behind my ear and plants a small kiss on my forehead. "Yes of course we are still on for tonight. After I left your room last night, I stayed up, looking for good places around here to eat. There's a little Italian restaurant not far away that I thought we could try out."

The way his hand caresses my cheek as he speaks to me leaves me longing for more. I motion for him to lean down since he is so much taller than me to plant a kiss on his lips. He pulls me in close and wraps his arms around me. He holds me tight and every worry, every doubt and every bad memory washes away.

"The guys and I are going to do some skiing. You are welcome to join us if you want."

Ugh. I'd rather bang my pinky toe on the couch twenty-five times a day than hang out with Bryson after his childish meltdown this morning. When I politely decline, the disenchantment on his face hurts my heart. I don't like to disappoint him, but I feel like the wounds between Bryson and me are still too fresh. Honestly, I'd rather be wide awake during a colonoscopy than hang out with that dude.

"I am actually going to check out this spa I found around here. I haven't been to a spa before, but then again, I haven't been on a vacation alone or let a random guy give me an orgasm in a hot tub either. I guess I am experiencing all kinds of firsts this week." Hunter drops his head and shakes it.

"You are something else, Jenna. Try not to wear yourself out before our date tonight."

"Oh, I'll be in rare form. You can count on that. Try not to smash your face on a tree," I tell him.

With that suggestion, he drops his head so his lips graze my ear. My stomach drops and my eyes close as his warm breath heats my neck.

"The only thing smashing my face today will be your dripping wet pussy. Be prepared."

He softly kisses my lips and casually strolls out the door like he didn't just word-fuck me into oblivion. I stand there speechless, my mouth gaping open and salivating like Pavlov's dogs.

Damn him and his panty-dropping vocabulary.

Hyperventilation is not a sexy thing, as it turns out. Neither are weak knees or shaky hands, but I seemed to have hit the trifecta. I need to find a laundry mat soon because I am quickly running out of clean underwear.