Holding On

Chapter 12 - Quiet Moments

Hunter's POV

To me, the morning came all too quickly. The sun was shining through the window brightly, only furthering the excruciatingly painful headache I now felt. My eyes remained shut tightly as I tried to block out the light. I let out a soft moan.

Drinking, it's always fun until the next morning. I grinned slightly at the thought and tried to shift a bit until I felt my arm underneath something. I was holding something close. I opened my eyes slightly, blinking through the sunlight, and the sight before me confused me to the max. "C-Courtney?" I murmured as I looked at the blonde that I now found in my arms. 

I felt her shift in my arms, drawing a breath as she woke up. She turned to face me, blinking her eyes against the sunlight a few times, before shutting them once again. "Yeah," she muttered with her voice thick with sleep. "What is it?"

I paused for a moment and looked around, worry growing momentarily in my chest. I notice my shirt and shoes on the floor, but nothing else. Well, good sign then. I looked back at Courtney, feeling a slight flare of heat rise to my face at how close I was holding her.

"What happened last night?" I asked as I brought my free hand up to rub my face. All I could recall, even if it was a bit fuzzy, was going to the bar and having some drinks. Then after that I left with a nagging redhead only to make my way back to the bar. Finally I came home and... Oh no! My eyes widened now as I looked at Courtney. "Did...Did I kiss you?"

I was almost fearful of her answer. However, it was kind of stupid to have even asked seeing as I had obviously fallen asleep beside her. She shifted her face up so when she opened her eyes she was looking right at me. Blinking through the light, the look of surprise was very evident on her features.

"Wow you must have really been wasted," she murmured teasingly. This brought a smile to my face and she continued. "Yes, you kissed me. You came up here after you came home and said that you liked me, hated the idea of me leaving, and that you couldn't stop thinking about me. Then you kissed me."

A faint pink spread across her fair skin and she twirled one of her curls in her fingers. "Being wasted is the understatement of the century," I said and let out a chuckle, only to wince at my pounding head. "I remember the redhead that I ditched was pretty upset with me," I said as I remembered her nagging once more.

"But looking at things now," I continued as I looked down at Courtney. "It was worth it." Leaning down, I pressed a quick kiss to her lips which she returned. "I love that I can do that now," I said as I pulled away, grinning as she blushed.

"I do too," she murmured softly with a small smile. However, the smile didn't last long. "Hunter, there's something that I need to tell you." Her voice dropped and she looked away from my gaze.

I was beginning to worry, but before I could say anything, she continued. "I was able to talk to Daniel last night and he sent half the money." She slowly brought her gaze back to mine, but it held uncertainty. "John tried to call you and, as far as I know, he couldn't get a hold of you. Daniel said he would send the rest of the money, but he also said that he would have the police with him." I watched as the uncertainty changed to worry. "I wanted to tell him no but I didn't have enough time."

My happy demeanor and grin now faded with the mention of Daniel's name. "No, John didn't call me last night," I muttered. "I actually kind of dropped my phone in my beer." I was trying to joke around, but I could tell it wasn't working. She wore a slight frown still as she searched my eyes, and I knew that I wasn't feeling any better by it.

It was then that I realized just what I was doing. The idea of me and Courtney was just ridiculous if it wasn't anything else. She didn't belong to me, didn't belong with me, didn't desire the life I would give her, and I sure didn't desire to have her. She needed a life that she could feel safe and secure in with no chance of any danger occurring. She deserved a life where she could have anything she wanted and I knew that I would never be able to give that life to her.