“Sometimes,” he admitted and looked directly at her. “Don’t we all?”
CHAPTER TEN
LUISA DRAGGED HERSELF out of bed just before dawn and quickly showered. She was about to be late for work for the first time in years.
She ran as quickly as she could, but by the time she got there, her boss Tamati was already at the counter. Just her luck.
“I don’t need you to work this evening,” he said cheerily. “In fact, you can be done entirely, don’t worry about this morning’s shift either.” He smiled at her like he’d told her the best news ever.
“Pardon?” She stared at her boss in confusion. “But I have just over another week to work.”
She needed those shifts. She needed the money.
“My niece has returned early from her studies and can take over your shifts. Seeing you have a friend staying, I didn’t think you’d mind having a few days vacation before departing. I’ll still pay you for the week of course.”
“Wow.” Luisa faked a smile as she thought through what he was telling her. “That’s so generous.”
“You’ve been such an asset, we’re going to miss you. But you deserve a break Luisa.”
Ordinarily yes, this would be super-mega-awesome. But somehow it wasn’t. It was so unexpected. Had someone paid Tamati to do this for her?
No prizes for guessing who’d put him up for this.
White hot fury speared and she sprinted back to Hunter’s hut. She wasn’t having him interfering in her life. Certainly not this way.
He was working out already, damn him. Doing press-ups on the sand next to his plunge pool. Sweat gleamed on his golden skin and made him look beyond fine—not at all like he’d had about ninety minutes sleep all night. She was more furious than ever.
“Why did you do this?” When had he done it? Had he arranged it last night?
“Do what?” He leisurely drew up to his full height. “Why aren’t you working?”
She didn’t want to see ‘calm-and-in-control’ Hunter now. She hated how he was always so in control. She wanted him honest—not hiding behind questions or silence.
“Why would I be working when apparently my boss no longer requires my services,” she said bitterly.
“You’ve been fired?” Stunned, he reached for a towel.
“Of course. So that all my time is yours.”
His gaze narrowed on her.
“You bought me,” she hissed at him. “So you’d better do what you want with me. Seeing you paid for me.” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Shall I strip off now?”
“You’re angry with me.”
“Finally, the guy gets it.” She stepped up and jabbed him in the chest with her finger. “You don’t swoop in here and mess up my life and organize things to make your life smoother. You don’t control what I do with my time. That is unacceptable to me. I will not have you or anyone dictate what I can and cannot do.”
“I didn’t pay anyone anything Luisa,” he said calmly.
“No? So my boss’s niece just happened to come back early from college?”
“You’d better ask him.”
She shook her head. “He’s paid me off. Why would he do that?”
“Because his niece has come back early?” Hunter muttered with the first hint of annoyance. “Maybe the man was being honest with you.”
“So you didn’t…” she trailed off and took a moment to really look at him.
He was frowning, but his eyes were clear. “No. I didn’t. But in a way I wish I had, it was a good plan.”
She glared at him for another moment. He was being truthful. And damn it, she’d just ripped him out for no reason at all. Unsure of what to say she hesitated. He offered her that smile—that intimate one he reserved for only a few.
At that, she ruefully laughed. “I’m sorry. I’m so… I’m not used to factoring in other people when it comes to my plans.”
“Not used to considering other people’s lives and feelings.” He pretended to write a reminder on the back of his hand. “Duly noted.”
“You make me feel like such a bitch.” She groaned. “And I’m not usually… such a bitch. I’m a nice person. I get on with everyone. I can talk to anyone. I’m like—”
“The sunlight,” he said softly.
Silenced, she stared at him. She felt the heat of a blush warming her cheeks. It was a simple compliment but heartfelt. Is that how he saw her? Like how he’d said she was the light in the bar last night? He was wrong really. She didn’t deserve that accolade.
His smile deepened and he opened his arms. Unable to resist his magnetism she stepped close and let him envelop her in his warmth.
“I know you’re not a bitch,” he said softly. “Let me make you feel something much better.”
A hug wasn’t quite what she’d have imagined he meant. But being held like this—gently, safely…
Her heart pounded louder the longer he remained silent. Slowly she lifted her head to look up at him. For a long moment she gazed into his eyes—so dark, they were warmer, softer than she’d ever had she imagined—and she wanted to dive right into their bottomless depths.
A frisson of tension snaked up her spine. She needed to step back. But before she could he framed her face with his hands. So gently. And then the guy kissed her and she had no choice but to moan and lean closer. His kiss was pure sensitivity and gentleness. It was so different to the erotically charged, passionate kisses of before.
“I wouldn’t ever try to control you Luisa,” he said quietly. “I get that you value your independence above pretty much everything else. I get that you don’t want your wings clipped.” He shook his head. “I don’t want to hold you back from anything.”
“I’m sorry I assumed that you’d done that.” She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. “There was a time in my life when my every move was controlled by other people. I didn’t like that.”
“Possessive boyfriend or those over-protective parents?” he asked.
“The parents,” she admitted softly. “They thought they were doing the right thing for me.”
“But it hurt you.”
Hurt wasn’t the right word. “They frustrated me. In the end I ran away from it. I guess hurting them in the process.”
She felt his shoulders lift.
“It happens,” he said. “People miscommunicate. People want to care for each other in ways the other can’t handle. People get scared of losing the ones they love and they react unhelpfully. Even when they mean the best…”
“You’ve seen a lot of the unhelpful in people haven’t you?” It was a wonder he wasn’t completely cynical and weary of the world in general. Yet he persevered. He was so strong. The strength he had was what she’d wanted. He both terrified and attracted her.
“How do you cope with all that horror?” she asked.
“It’s the small things.
The spring flowers. Or cute baby animals on the internet.”
She laughed as she knew he’d meant her to. “You don’t watch baby animals videos.”
“Course I do. Who doesn’t?” He raised his brows. “And it’s those little acts of kindness. Of fun. Of hope. The ability to make people laugh. To inject others with energy. That vitality that draws others near.”
She shook her head, stiffening inside because she knew that was how he saw her—as a source of light. But she wasn’t. Not truly.
“You can’t put all that on another person’s shoulders,” she whispered. If he did that to her, she’d only disappoint him in the end.
“I’m not. It’s not about expecting a person to be like that all the time,” he said meaningfully. “To make another person the source of your own happiness isn’t fair on them. It’s about appreciating it when you see it. Enjoying the moment. Not putting on expectations or pressure. Just appreciating it when you encounter it.”
Because moments pass. Because nothing was forever.
Was that how he lived? He appreciated, but didn’t become too invested. She understood that hugely and tried to do the same. Her problem here was how ensuring she didn’t invest too much in him. Hence her time limits.
“Stop being so nice,” she whispered sadly. “You make me want…”
“Want what?”
“Impossible things.”
“Try me.”
She chuckled a little. “You’re amazing Hunter Shaw, but this isn’t something you can fix.”
“You lost someone.”
“I guess it’s pretty obvious, huh.” She bowed her head, resting it against him again. “I’m such a cliché. And you’ve seen so much worse.”
“There isn’t worse Luisa, we all have our own burdens. It isn’t a competition.” He rubbed her back. “Tell me about him.”
She stilled. Hunter was so certain it was a him. He was partly right. But it was much more complicated than that. And while she wanted to share, she couldn’t tell him all of it, it was still too raw. “Boyfriend. First one of course.” Jack, confident and witty and fun. He’d caught her eye the moment she’d walked into the ward.