Hunter: I wish you weren’t working too.
Hunter: If you were here right now, I would do all sorts of things to your body.
Hunter: Terrible things.
Hunter: Wonderful things.
Hunter: FILTHY things.
I slowly walked over to Charlie, the manager, who was taking inventory of the merchandise behind the check-out register. “Charlie, I don’t feel good. I think it was something I ate.”
He blinked twice at me. “Hope it wasn’t something here. I told Billy in the food truck that the fridge doesn’t close all the way unless you push it real hard, so the pulled pork might go bad if he’s not careful.” He lowered his voice. “What’d you eat? We might have a bigger problem than just you.”
“No!” I quickly said. “I haven’t eaten anything here. It was probably the leftovers I had for lunchbeforeI got here. But I’ve got awful stomach cramps, and I don’t want customers thinking a sick woman is pouring their beer. I hate to leave in the middle of my shift, but…”
He gave me a sympathetic look. “Don’t worry about it, Erica. You’ve never even called in sick before. We’ll be all right without you.”
On the way out the door, I called Brad. “Hey, do you want me to bring any beer home?”
“Nah, I’m good,” he replied. “I got invited out for drinks by the guys at work. I won’t be home until late.”
“Okay, have fun!” I replied. Now I was content that Brad wouldn’t be home any time soon.
I rode my bike home and hurried through the front door. “Hunter?”
There was no sound. The house was silent.
I checked the garage, then the patio out by the pool. No sign of him. Then I went upstairs and peeked into his bedroom.
Hunter was laying sideways on the bed, facing the door. He had his head propped up by one hand, and he wascompletelynude. He greeted me with a lusty smile.
“Sup, girl.”
A fit of giggles came over me. “How long have you been waiting like that?”
“Ten minutes.”
“I never replied to you. How did you know I would come home?”
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist my sexy charm.”
“Sending dick pics isn’t what I would call charming.”
“And yet here you are.” Hunter curled his finger, beckoning me toward him.
I laughed and hurried over to him, lowering my lips to his and climbing onto his nude body like it was a sexy jungle gym.
“Sex on a bed?” I said. “We’re getting fancy.”
“I figured it would be better than in a car, or in the shower,” he replied.
“That remains to be seen. The car and shower were pretty darn good.”
Hunter grinned wolfishly. “Then I’d better bring my A-game.”
I yelped as he rolled us both sideways and took control, making me forget all about the shift I had abandoned.
37