Fields of Clover - THE SPECTER SERIES [book two]

Chapter FORTY SEVEN

Yevette Feilds

After a much needed hot shower has you feeling a little better, you throw on a cozy pair of sweatpants and a halter crop, that leaves your stomach and shoulder wounds bare, then you join Honey and Hunter in the kitchen for dinner..

Its nice to be home and it's nice to have company, but after dinner you send Honey home to her beautiful baby daughter and her smoking hot man.. If you didn't force her to leave, she never would and the last thing you want right now is to be coddled.. Hunter stays, helping you to re-dress your burn with a clean bandage, before giving you a hand to clean the mess you had insisted Honey leave in the kitchen..

Now, as you stand on bare tiptoes to place a plate back in the high cupboard, stretching upward, you can feel his solid muscle move behind you as he takes the plate from your hand and easily returns it to its place on the shelf above you.. "Oh.. Thanks.."
You spin around, bumping into his hard chest.. He looks down at you with a curious expression on his face.. You look up at his perfectly cut features, dark tattoos creeping up his neck, peeking out from beneath his collar, a light scruff on his square set jaw..

Your breath catches..
He is like a beautiful blonde Norse God..

"I can stay.. If you want me to, sweetheart.." His voice is low and husky and he smells so good, like sea breeze and sunshine.. There is no denying how devilishly handsome he is.. In a different life, you could definitely see yourself falling for a guy like this..

"Hunter, you're sweet.." Your hands slide over his taught pecs and his hands lift to your waist, as he leans down, pressing a lingering yet chaste kiss to your lips.. It's the kiss of a reserved man, with a blazing passion locked away beneath the surface .. You don't pull away, instead you allow your mind to run wild, imagining what it might be like, if you could re-write his name on your heart instead..

But you can't...

When he pulls back, you see the glimmer of hope in his eye.. You lean your forehead against his and sigh.. He's the perfect guy.. You can see that.. But he's not your perfect guy..

His smile doesn't make your heart skip a beat, and his kiss doesn't weaken your knees.. Not like Patrick does.. "In a different life, huh?" You sigh softly..

He smiles, twisting the ends of your hair in his fingers softly.. "I doubt there's a version of my life where I ever get that lucky.. But I get it.. It's fate right?" He chuckles..

You squeeze his shoulders and he straightens, letting his hands fall away as he takes a small step back.. "Still, can't blame a guy for shooting his shot, can you?" He gives you a sexy smirk..

"No, I definitely can't.." You giggle as he lifts his jacket from the back of the chair.

You follow him to the door, where he leans down and kisses your cheek.. "I'll always be here for you Yevie.. I know I can never repay what you've done, but I'll spend my life trying.."

You shake your head, smiling.. "You can repay me by not being late for our picnic on Saturday.."

....

After Hunter leaves you decide it's time to take those painkillers you forewent while you had company. The pang of your injuries returned a few hours ago and now that you're alone, you cross to the kitchen and swallow half a tablet along with half a glass of water before settling on the sofa to watch your favourite chick-flick..

Just as you press play on the remote control, your phone begins to buzz as it vibrates on the coffee table in front of you.. You lean over and check the name on the screen, butterflies fluttering in your belly when you see who it is.. You press the green accept button and lift the phone to your ear.. "Hey, you.."

Patrick's smooth rumbly voice sends shivers down your spine, even over the phone.. "Hiya, princess.."

Your nerves thrum with excitement... "I wasn't sure if you would actually call.."

He hums.. "I've.. Learned my lesson there.. Would it help if I apologised again?"

You pause in thought for a second.. "When did you apologise in the first place?"
You don't see the harm in making him sweat, just a little..

"I.. Jeezuz.. Didn' I? I'm sorry Yevie.." He sounds so sincere and already your heart had begun to thaw..

"Well, that's a good start.. So what are you doing?" There is a pause on the other end and you check the screen wondering if he hung up.. "Patrick?"

His voice is quiet and hesitant.. "I'm.. I'm outside.."

You sit bolt upright.. He's outside?
You think back to the night of your first kiss.. How he had waited outside your apartment for hours after you had gotten in a ridiculous argument.. How you had willed yourself to leave him out there but couldn't resist letting him back in.. Into your apartment.. Into your bed.. Into your heart..

The exchange from that night plays in your mind, and you repeat the same words you had said to him all those weeks ago.. "You cold?"

He chuckles.. You know he remembers, because he responds exactly as he did that night.. "You still mad?"

Now you laugh.. The ache in your chest easing.. You stand up and cross to the living room window and look down at the moonlit street.. Sure enough there he stands, leaning against his parked BMW, his gaze cast upwards towards your apartment..
"Wanna come up?"

You watch him push off his car and set off, striding with purpose across the front lawns of your apartment building towards the entrance... "More than anythin' princess.."