Chapter 4
"They're going to cut the cake soon. Don't you want to come back down?" Alexa runs her hand softly over my forehead. "You're not fevered. Are you sure you're not just hiding from the hag." She laughs and clenches her teeth.
"She's in one of her moods." I roll over on my bed. I hate looking directly at her when I'm being dishonest. "She won't even notice I'm not there."
I feel the bed shift under her weight as she sits. "I saw him, Sadie." She tenderly strokes the back of my hair. "I saw Hunter."
"He was just dropping something off." I meter my tone so she won't suspect I'm breaking into a million pieces. "He's gone."
"Sooner or later you have to tell me what went down between you two."
"Later, okay?" I turn back slightly to look and her as I pull a weak grin across my lips. "Much later."
"Okay." She leans down and softly kisses my forehead. "I'll go down and lead the masses in singing to the old witch."
I can't help but laugh as she tosses me a wide smile when she leaves the room. Just as I settle my head into my pillow the unmistakable click of the door opening jars me. "What did you forget?"
"Sadie." His voice startles me and I'm jerked to a sitting position.
"Get out." I jump to my feet, tumbling forward as I do.
He catches me before I hit the floor. "Slow down," he says gently. "I need to talk to you. I can't leave until I explain a few things."
"You shouldn't be in my room." I feel lightheaded. He's here. He's in my room. A few days ago I'd imagined that exact scenario but he was sprawled out naked on my bed while I gave him the same pleasure he's given me. I shake my head to try and chase away the images.
"Five minutes." He motions for me to sit on the bed. "Just five minutes."
I need to tell him to go to hell but the pleading look on his face is tempting. It's only five minutes. Even though my better judgement is screaming at me to tell him to fuck off, my heart won't let me say the words. I just nod.
"It wasn't all about Coral," he says softly. Hearing her name on his lips tears through me. She's no longer a fleeting teenage crush. She's a part of me now.
"Most of it was." I know the words will bite him.
"It might have started out that way." His voice cracks before he continues, "But none of what's happened between us is about her."
"How can you say that?" I snap. "It's all been about her."
He squats in front of the bed. His face is so close to mine now. I can see the moisture beading at the top of his lip. His lips are so elegantly shaped. They're so soft. I have to stop looking at him.
"Coral was a part of my life when I was a teenager, Sadie." He rests both his hands on either side of me on the bed. "I'm twenty-six now. She's a very distant part of my past."
"She's not." I shake my head for added effect. "You came here that night because of Coral."
"I came here for you, not Coral," he whispers. "I wanted to see you."
"It was a private fundraiser." I point out. "How did you even get invited?"
He bows his head silently for a moment. I know he's searching for something to say. "I've known about your mother's charity since I first learned your name. I've been contributing anonymously for years now. I just called her administrative assistant and asked for an invite."
"And he just took your word for it that you were the anonymous donor?" I had heard my mother speak about large contributions that were coming in without any names attached. That can't really be him, can it?
"I gave him the numbers." He shrugs his shoulders.
"So why now?" I give him the benefit of the doubt. I can check with Chris, my mother's assistant tomorrow to confirm Hunter's story. "Why suddenly come out of the woodwork now?"
"I don't know." He exhales. "I guess part of me just wanted to see you in the flesh. I wanted to talk to you."
"So why not tell me who you were?" I press. "Why not just tell me about Coral?"