Page 27 of Crossed Wires: The Complete Series

Hunter turned and saw Annie standing in the doorframe, wearing one of his t-shirts. Luckily it hung to nearly her knees, but there was no denying she was naked underneath. Her face was flushed and the high color in her cheeks reminded him of her embarrassment last night when he’d walked in on her playing with her vibrator.

God bless her, his mum never missed a beat.

“G’day, Annie. I was about to make breakfast. Are you ready to give the Vegemite another try?”

Annie cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Uh. Sure.”

Her agreement proved how uncomfortable she was. She’d sworn to Hunter that hell would freeze over before she’d put that vile stuff in her mouth again.

“I’m sure you’ll grow love it,” his mum insisted, even though Hunter knew chances were pretty good Annie would hate the black, salty stuff forever. It was definitely an acquired taste, usually one only those born and raised in Australia could stomach. “I’ll scramble up a few eggs too. There’s no rush, though. Why don’t you get a shower and come to the kitchen when you’re ready?”

Annie nodded. She looked like a stray cat cornered by a pack of rabid dogs.

His mother continued away from them and neither spoke until they were certain she was out of earshot. Hunter was in for the mother of all Hazel lectures before the day was out, but for now, he was more worried about Annie.

She sighed heavily. “What was that you were saying about my luck getting better?”

Hunter chuckled. “I can’t tell if you have bad luck or awful timing.”

“God.” Annie lightly beat her forehead against the door. “I can’t believe your mother watched me walk out of your bedroom in nothing but a t-shirt.Yourt-shirt, for shit’s sake. She must think I’m the biggest slut on the face of the earth.”

“Hey now.” Hunter pulled her away from the door. “Stop that. Nobody thinks badly of you. Honest. If anything, Mum’s probably in the kitchen right now waiting to tear a strip out of my hide for taking advantage of you.”

Annie snickered. “Kind of hard to take advantage of the willing.”

Her words warmed him. Before he could think better of it, he kissed her. He’d never been much for kissing before, but he’d obviously never met a girl worth the effort. Annie was funny, down-to-earth, adventurous and…fuck a bloody duck, here because Dylan invited her.

Hunter had tried to keep his distance, fight off this attraction between them. That had been a complete failure. Since her arrival at Farpoint, he’d kissed her in the airport, on the couch, by the billabong, then he’d walked into her bedroom last night, joined her in bed and they’d masturbated each other into a couple of mind-blowing orgasms.

So much for his self-restraint.

“Hunter,” his mother called out. “Do you mind giving me a hand with something?”

The request was transparent and Annie grinned at him. “Somebody’s in trouble,” she singsonged.

“I’m thirty years old, Annie. If I want to have a woman in my bed, I can.”

“So your girlfriends sleep over all the time?”

The answer to that was simple. He’d never brought a woman back to his bedroom. He was far from a saint, but when he slept with a woman, it was always at her place or in a hotel or, occasionally, he had quickies in the shed. He’d always felt it would be disrespectful to his mother to bring a one-night stand back to the homestead for sex.

That self-proclaimed rule had fallen to the wayside as easily as his determination not to poach on his brother’s girl. He was headed straight to hell. And even now, he couldn’t make himself give a damn.

“I currently don’t have a girlfriend,” he responded, dodging her real question.

“Hunter?” his mum yelled again.

“Be there in a minute.” Hunter ran his finger along Annie’s cheek. “Go get a shower. I’ll straighten things out with Mum.”

Annie looked uneasy.

“It’ll be fine, promise.” He sealed his vow with a quick kiss on the cheek. “Oh, and it’s going to be hot as blue blazes today, so you’ll be fine with a t-shirt, but you might want to consider wearing shorts instead of jeans.”

“Okay.” Annie walked back into her room.

Hunter girded his loins and headed toward the executioner.

His mum was standing in the foyer. She pointed toward his office and he followed her in silence, shutting the door behind them.