The Hunter's Angel

Epilogue

Two Years Later...

I watched the sun slowly set over the waters of Positano, my belly full from all of the pasta and my cheeks glowing red from the combination of sunshine and wine.  

Hunter placed a gentle kiss against my knuckles as we walked around the beautiful Italian city hand-in-hand, and I gazed up at him with a soft smile. 

It had become a tradition for us, to travel to Italy every summer and explore the stunning cities and coasts. Ever since two summers ago, when he surprised me with a trip to Italy, Paris, Greece, and a handful of other incredible places in Europe.  

The trip was certainly well-deserved this year. Hunter's organization for underprivileged children had expanded cross-nationally, with several locations in almost all major cities. 

The work he was doing to prevent children from being forced into a life of crime and give them the future they deserved was nothing short of incredible. He never failed to amaze me with the passion and devotion he held for helping others, and I couldn't have been more proud of his success. 

He always insisted that he couldn't have done it without me, but I knew that was just him being humble. 

After graduating from UCLA, I had been promoted to the brand management division at Hawthorne Media, where I coordinated all marketing operations. When the CEO mentioned that Hawthorne was falling behind in philanthropy, I suggested we do a fundraiser for Hunter's organization. 

It ended up being a huge success, with thousands of philanthropists, executives, and celebrities showing up and donating so much more than Hunter and I could have ever dreamed of. The CEO was so happy with how the event turned out that she made me the head of Hawthorne's corporate foundation, where I planned and oversaw our charitable grants, events, and philanthropy. 

The work I did now couldn't be more rewarding. 

And, if it was possible, each year with Hunter had been better than the last. 

The man just never failed to surprise me with how incredible he was. How sweet and gentle he was, despite the hardships he had faced. How thoughtful and loving he was, how tender and playful he could be, despite the darkest parts of himself that he had trusted me with. 

And, even after two years, we still hadn't lost that playful spark, the burning desire that kindled between us. In fact, our love, our passion, our need for each other only grew stronger with each year that passed. 

Hunter treated me like I was his whole world. And he was certainly mine. 

It was our last night in Italy, and my heart was warm and fluttery as Hunter led me down a cobblestone path, the Amalfi Coast coming into view. The sight of the colorful domes arching over the cliffs, the warm lights glittering against the deep, blue ocean, was breathtaking.  

From the second we had stepped foot in our villa in Positano, Hunter and I hadn't been able to keep our hands off of each other. 

On the terrace, in the hot tub, on the beach, on a boat, ... 

I wasn't sure if it was the charm of the city or the fact that we had fallen deeper and deeper in love with each season that passed, but the passion and yearning we felt for each other was at an all-time high. 

And now, here we were—Hunter encircling me from behind as we swayed against each other and watched the orange sky glow over the soft waves of the coast. 

God, life was good. 

Hunter grasped my chin, gently tilting my head back as he pulled me in for a kiss. His mouth moved tortuously slowly against mine, and my pulse fluttered against my neck as he playfully pulled my bottom lip between his teeth, earning a breathless sigh from me.