The Baby Between Them

Prologue - Four Years Earlier

"Nash you asshole! I wasn't ready to get wet yet!"

"Language Raegan!"

"Sorry Sylvie." Raegan stopped glaring at Nash and gave his Mum her puppy dog eyes.

"Don't even young lady! Those eyes stopped working on me years ago." Raegan pouted and Sylvie laughed. "Nash... Don't be an asshole." She added, giving her youngest son a pointed look before she walked back into the kitchen through the back door of their house.

"You're her favourite and you're not even one of her kids." Nash said, rolling his eyes. Raegan shrugged and laughed.

"Not ready to get wet hey?" Came a husky voice from behind her, before she was picked up and dangled precariously over the side of the pool. "Are you ready yet ReRe?"

"Hunter no! Put me down!"

"Throw her in!"

"Lily you traitor!" Raegan yelled at her sister. Hunter moved his arms slightly, acting like he was about to toss her in and she squealed, grabbing at his arms.

"Hunter put her down!" Sylvie called through the kitchen window. Her eldest son went to throw his victim into the cool water in front of them. "And onto the ground, NOT into the pool!" She added, quickly clarifying.

"You're such a spoil sport Mum!" Hunter laughed and then when he was sure he wasn't being watched from the kitchen, pressed Rae against his chest and slowly lowered her down to her feet, knowing full well that she had a little crush on him and would turn beet red at the contact. "She saved you." He whispered into her ear, still holding her around the waist. "This time..." He felt her shiver and smiled coyly before letting her go.

Rae knew she would be bright red from feeling every single inch of his bare chest, as he'd put her back down on the ground. Her breathing was also way too fast. She swallowed hard and kept her eyes trained on Nash, who was thoroughly enjoying the fact that his brother was tormenting his best friend.

As Hunter finally moved his arms from around her waist and turned to head back to the chair he'd been lounging on, she gave Nash a wink and a cheeky grin lit up her face.

"Hunter no!" He tried calling to warn his brother, but Rae was too fast. She spun away from him, stuck her foot behind his and shoved him hard.

The look of shock in his smoky grey eyes, as he fell backwards into the pool, sending water everywhere, satisfied Rae immensely. She didn't even care that she'd gotten splashed in the process.

"That's my girl!" Sylvie called from the kitchen, laughing.

"Oh you brat!" Hunter called, but his eyes were gleaming and he could barely suppress the smile threatening to break free.

"I'm not denying it." She replied with a shrug.

"I'd run if I was you Raegan!" Hunter's father, Thomas, called from his spot at the barbeque.

"What?" She asked, turning to look at him. It was just the distraction Hunter needed.

"Shoulda run, short stuff." Hunter said as he jumped out of the pool. Rae squealed and tried to run. "Not today!" He laughed, as he grabbed her around the waist and jumped straight back into the pool with her in his arms.

"Now who's the brat." She said with a giggle as they both surfaced. Hunter still had his hands on her waist, knowing that she wasn't a strong swimmer and didn't like the deep end of any pool, let alone theirs, that had been made extra deep for the tall Hughes boys.

Suddenly they both became aware of the fact that she was holding onto him as well, with her hands on his shoulders and the laughter died on their lips. Smoky grey eyes stared into emerald green ones and in that moment, it was like Hunter was truly seeing the girl in front of him for the first time.