Faith changed her clothes five times before she settled on a red sweater, black wool skirt, and knee-high lace-up boots. She spent extra time fixing her makeup and curling her hair, and still she was ready thirty minutes before Hunter was supposed to arrive.
She pressed a hand to her stomach, trying to calm her nerves, and headed into her kitchen to pour a glass of wine. Her phone buzzed with a text message, and she frowned, hoping that wasn’t Hunter texting to cancel. She grabbed the phone and let out a sigh of relief. It was Brian.
Sorry it didn’t work out yesterday. Maybe we can reschedule for some time this week.
Guilt washed over her, and she felt terrible. She’d tried to call him twice to cancel but kept missing him, and on the third try she’d finally left a message letting him know she couldn’t make it. She just couldn’t lead him on knowing that she really wanted to be with Hunter. Now though, she felt she owed him an explanation.
She texted back, Coffee Tuesday after work?
Make it dinner. I’ll pick you up at 6.
She stared at the phone and shook her head. It looked like he was going to get that date after all. Not knowing how to get out of it without creating drama, she texted back, 6 it is. Besides, she liked Brian, and there was nothing wrong with having dinner with a friend. She just needed to make sure he knew that upfront.
Her wineglass was half empty when her doorbell rang. Her insides turned to mush as she practically skipped to the door. When she opened it, she found Hunter leaning against the railing of her porch, a single red rose in his hand. She stepped outside and smiled up at him.
“You look… incredible,” he said, slipping one arm around her waist and pulling her to him.
“So do you.” She leaned in and kissed him, his pure male scent engulfing her.
“That was one hell of a hello,” he said, his eyes glinting in the porch light.
“It’s not every day a handsome man brings me a rose.” She took the flower from him, grabbed him by the hand, and led him into her house. After placing the rose in a slim vase, she turned and tilted her head at him. “Wine? Or should we head for the restaurant?”
He glanced at the bottle on the counter and then back at her with a wistful expression on his face. “As much as I’d love to stay here and have you all to myself, I think we should probably head to the Cozy Cave.” He pressed his hand to her cheek, stared into her eyes, and in a low, gravelly voice said, “Otherwise you’re going to go to bed hungry.”
His tone of voice made her skin tingly, and she was tempted to say the hell with dinner. Instead she gave him a wicked little grin and said, “I doubt that, but it would be a shame to miss out on the crab-stuffed trout the chef added to the specials menu.”
“You already know the specials?” he asked with a chuckle.
She shrugged as she took him by the hand and led him to the door. “Katie, the chef, came into the spa for a massage this morning. I got the inside scoop.”
Hunter pressed his hand to the small of Faith’s back as they walked out to his truck. It was a small thing, but his touch and his attention as he opened her door for her made her feel special, as if she really mattered. And when he climbed into the truck after her, it was the most natural thing in the world when he grabbed her hand and held it all the way until they parked in front of the Cozy Cave.
Although it was obvious to Faith that their mutual attraction was off the charts, their dinner conversation turned out to be surprisingly easy too. Hunter amused her with stories about the client who had a pet blowup dinosaur and would move it around his house on a daily basis. He’d found it sitting on the toilet, lounging in the pool, once even poking out of the fireplace wearing a Santa hat. She spoke of her sisters and their new obsession with golf cart races, and she had him doubling over with laughter when she described how Xena, the eight-pound shih tzu had managed to destroy three power cords, half a dozen shoes, four dog beds, and Faith’s favorite sweater.
“I swear, she’s the devil dog. I’ve taken her to every puppy training class within fifty miles, and she’s failed every one of them,” Faith said, throwing her hands up in defeat.
“But you love her,” Hunter said knowingly.
She sighed. “Definitely. When she isn’t destroying everything in my house she is the cutest little thing ever. And a great snuggler.”
“You’re the cutest thing ever,” he said, grinning.
She leaned one elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. “Go on.”
He laughed, and when the waiter arrived he ordered coffee and the flourless chocolate cake.
“I’ll have the same,” Faith said.
He raised both eyebrows. “I’m impressed. You don’t share dessert.”
“Nope. After growing up with three sisters, a girl learns to get her own.” She winked and took another sip of wine. “Did you have any siblings?”
“No. Just me.”
When he didn’t offer any more information about his childhood, she turned serious. “You said before you lost both of your parents when you were young. Do you mind if I ask where you ended up? With your grandparents?”
Hunter picked up the bottle of wine they’d ordered and filled both of their glasses. After taking a couple of swigs, he said, “No. I went to live with my uncle and his girlfriend.” He paused and glanced away before he added, “They weren’t the best caregivers.”
Faith’s heart ached for the little boy who’d not only lost his parents, but then was thrust into a less-than-nurturing environment. “I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to.”
“I don’t,” he said, frowning. “But it’s probably better that you know my background and what you’re getting into before we get too far.”
“You want me to know what I’m in for?” she asked.
“Yeah, something like that. Are you up for it?”
She met his troubled gaze, nodded, and gave him an encouraging smile. “Yes. You already know mine, I should know yours.”
“Okay.” He reached out and curled his fingers around hers. “From what I remember, I had model parents. They were loving and signed me up for all kinds of things from soccer to guitar lessons. They were mad for each other and their only son.”
“You play the guitar?” she asked. “That’s really sexy, you know that, right?”
He chuckled. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven’t touched one since my ninth birthday.”
“Damn, and here I was already planning on being the president of your fan club,” she teased.
“There’s still an opening,” he said with a glint in his eye.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He turned serious again and squeezed her fingers. “When I went to live with Mason and Gia everything changed. I’ll spare you the details, but they weren’t good guardians. Both of them were addicts.”
Faith sucked in a sharp breath, and her eyes widened. “You grew up with addicts?”
Nodding, he said, “It was pretty ugly, Faith, but at least I had Craig and his family.”
“Your friend that just passed away?” she asked, trying to make sure she was keeping up.
“Yeah. He was my best friend. We did everything together, and I spent a lot of time over at his house. His mom was an angel and without her… well, I probably wouldn’t have made it. But I did, and I moved out of my uncle’s house the day I turned eighteen.”
“Gods, Hunter. I’m so sorry. That just makes me want to wrap my arms around your younger self and keep him safe.”
“You can still wrap your arms around me,” he offered.
She laughed. “I bet.”
The waiter arrived with their coffees and flourless cakes. Faith took two bites, closed her eyes, and moaned in pleasure.
“Keep that up, and I’m going to drag you out of here in two seconds flat,” he warned.
“You wouldn’t dare.” She made a show of taking another bite of her cake while arranging her expression into one of pure ecstasy.
“Faith,” he breathed.
She giggled.
“You’re gorgeous, you know that?” he asked.
“So are you.” Faith forked another bite of chocolate and added, “So is Vivian.”
He put his fork down and leaned forward, his expression serious again. “I already told you there’s nothing going on there. Do you believe me?”
She nodded. “Sure. But I also think she wants there to be more, and that makes me a little nervous since she lives with you and all.”
“You’re right, she does,” he said, surprising her once again with his honesty about the situation. “I already told you Craig was my best friend since childhood. We were more like brothers. You have sisters, so I’m guessing you understand when I say I’d do anything for my brother, including taking care of his wife and daughter.”
“What does that mean exactly, ‘taking care of his wife and daughter?’”
Hunter drained the rest of his coffee and said, “You already know Zoey is my goddaughter.”
“You mentioned it.”
“I plan to do my best to fill Craig’s shoes for the rest of her life.”
“And Vivian?” Faith asked, already aware that she wanted more than Hunter was willing to give. “What happens when she doesn’t get what she wants?”
Hunter grimaced. “Vivian will do what she’s going to do. She thinks she wants me to step in for Craig where she’s concerned. Be her instant husband and father to Zoey. I’m more than willing when it comes to Zoey, but when it comes to me and her, I think it’s just her grief talking. She’ll get over that soon enough.”
“That must be awkward considering you’re sharing a house,” Faith said, uneasy with the situation on everyone’s behalf.
He stared her straight in the eye as he said, “I’m one hundred percent not interested in her. Is it going to be a problem between us if Vivian keeps hanging onto hope that I’ll come around eventually?”
Faith’s fingers tightened around her fork. It did bother her that another woman had her sights on him. But he’d done nothing to indicate she couldn’t trust him, and her gut was telling her he was speaking his truth. “I won’t lie, Hunter. It does bother me. She lives under your roof and now she’s working with me. It’s messy.”
“Too messy for us to move forward?” he asked.
She waited a beat and then slowly shook her head. Nothing was going to keep her from pursuing whatever was going on between them. “No. It’s not. Just don’t disappoint me.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” He lifted one of her hands and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “Are you ready to get out of here?”
“Yes. But just one last thing.” Grinning, she reached for his plate and shoveled the last of his cake in her mouth.