Page 29 of Hunter's Baby Girl

“I never thought I’d feel the way I feel,” I told him. “Hunter, this is really hard for me to say. But I think I want more from us. I don’t just want us to meet up a few times a week and play. That’s not enough for me anymore.” I felt my chin trembling, and I struggled not to cry.

“What do you want?” He reached over and took my hands in his own. As soon as he touched me, the tears spilled onto my cheeks.

“I want you,” I said. “I’m sorry if that’s too much for you to hear, or if it’s weird. I know you didn’t sign on for this, but I want you.” I looked at the ground, the tears dripping off my chin and nose.

I felt like I was asking for too much. I already had something so good with him, and now I was ruining it by being selfish. The idea made me cry even harder. I couldn’t take the words back, and I’d spoiled everything. I was such a fool.

“Why are you crying?” he asked. “There’s nothing to cry about.”

“There is!” I said. “I know the sort of pain you’ve been in in the past, and I know this is a really big deal for you. I don’t want to make you feel bad, or guilt you or anything else, but I’m still putting you in this position. I’m always doing things like this. I always ask people for more than they’re able to give me, and I end up pushing them away. It’s always my fault!”

And it was true, I had been asking for more than people were able to give me for most of my life. Friends, boyfriends, even my mother. Ever since my father died, I was needy. I was always wanting too much, and I always ended up disappointed.

And now he would leave me alone. Now that I had been so close to something good in my life, he would leave me alone the way every other man in my life had over the years. I would never find anybody else like him, but I was so selfish that I couldn’t accept our relationship the way it was. I was such a fool.

Still, now that the truth had started to come out, I couldn’t seem to stop it. It was like a weight was being lifted from my chest the more I spoke. I had to get it all out now, especially since I’d probably never see him again.

“It’s more than that, too. You’ve been so helpful to me, and I think I’ve started to rely on that a little too much. You’ve guided me and given me advice, and even taken care of me when I was sick. I think . . . I think I want you to be my Daddy for real. Not just to play with every once in a while. It’s been fun, but . . . I need more.”

The tears flowed harder now. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry if that’s weird, or if it’s too much for you. I’m so sorry. But that’s how I feel.” Now I also felt was embarrassed and humiliated. I had never been so honest, so open with anybody. Not even my best friends. Could I trust him with so much of me?

I looked up at him, and I tried to read his face. There was a lot going on there. I was so afraid that he was disgusted by me now. I looked away from him at the ground. “I’m so ashamed of myself for putting you in this position,” I murmured.

He let go of my hands. I knew it. This was a mistake. I braced myself and got ready to hear him walk away. My tears were about to turn into sobs. Until I felt Hunter’s hands on the sides of my face. He tilted my head up until our eyes met, and I was shocked to see that he was crying, too.

“You’re not pushing me away,” he said with a shaky smile. “I’m not afraid of you. I’m not afraid of us, or of more.”

I felt like I was dreaming. “You’re not?”

“I want you more than anything in the world, Hayley,” he said, his voice soft and low. I thought my heart, which had felt so close to breaking a moment earlier, might explode from happiness now.

“Really?” I asked, smiling through tears that were now caused by the joy I felt instead of fear.

“Yes! I want you as part of my life every day. I want us to be . . . us.” He stroked my face with his thumbs and wiped away the tears there. “Hayley. I love you.”

I was filled with bliss I’d never experienced, even during our most intense moments together. “I love you, too,” I whispered. A smile broke over his face, and he pulled me toward him for a long, lingering kiss. Our very first kiss. It was everything I had hoped for.

When the kiss finished, we sat with our foreheads touching. “So what now?” he asked softly.

“Now?” I asked. “Now you take me home because my butt is freezing on this slide.”

That slow, sexy smile I’d fallen in love with spread across his face. “I can think of ways to warm it up . . .”

* * *

When we got back to the house, I hardly let him get through the front door before I attacked him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. I’d been wanting this for weeks.

His arms slid around my waist and held me close as he kissed me back. Our tongues touched, and I felt a thrill run through me. I knew now that he wanted me as much as I wanted him, and I was finally free to unleash everything I’d been holding inside.

I felt his hands on my butt, and he lifted me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist. He walked up the stairs like that, with me in his arms, and sat me on the bed. He stood in front of me, and as he unbuttoned his shirt, I undid his belt and unzipped his pants. I ran my hands over his strong, muscled torso. I’d been wanting to touch him like this since I first saw him that night in the club. I ran my tongue over his skin and felt him tremble.

I ran my hands over his waist, then pulled his jeans down. I laughed when he struggled to get his shoes off, then took in the sight of his glorious body. I couldn’t believe he was mine.

There was another part of him I’d been dying to touch for weeks, and I worked his jockey shorts down to his ankles. He was erect and waiting for my mouth. I licked my lips and looked up at him, never breaking eye contact as I swirled my tongue around the head. He gasped, throwing his head back. I loved knowing I could please him this way, especially since I’d been waiting so long to do it.

I slowly took him into my mouth, loving the feel and the taste of him. I’d always loved giving head, and to do this to him made it even better. I heard him groan deeply as my mouth slid down his shaft. For once, I was in control, and I relished the feeling as I took my time.

I teased him, loving his reactions. I ran my tongue firmly up and down the underside, then flicked my tongue over the sensitive spot under the head. He shivered and gasped through his teeth, his breath making a hissing noise. I felt myself getting wet just listening to him.