Page 15 of Back in the Saddle

‘Well, I’m glad I ran into you. Especially since you haven’t been back to The Rouge Scot.’

‘How do you know that?’ she blurted.

‘Because I’ve been there three times since. I was hoping you’d show up.’

Her mouth went dry as she felt his breath on her neck. Turning round, she found herself almost pressed against him.

‘I hope you didn’t waste too much time thinking about me.’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t call it time wasted. Maybe I manifestedthis meeting. Is that what it’s called? When you want something to happen?’

Caroline shut her eyes, blowing off a charged breath.

The elevator stopped as a loud ping signalled the sixth floor. She held its door open. Her mouth formed into a small smile. ‘I thought you didn’t believe in fate.’

Hunter stepped forward, stopping right in front of her. His brow rose. ‘Are you saying it was fate that we met?’

His scent was a lot more hay and soil than bergamot today compared to the night in The Rouge Scot. He fiddled with the brim of his hat. He was nervous, Caroline realised. He had all the smooth talk but she was clearly making him slightly flustered, too.

She chewed on her bottom lip. ‘Would that make you a believer?’

He stuck his foot between the door, preventing it from closing. His eyes bored into hers with an intensity that knocked out all the air from her lungs.

The unbearable heat rose in her cheeks, travelling all the way up to the tips of her ears. She wet her lips, which felt absolutely parched.

Hunter must’ve noticed that as he let out a low chuckle. ‘Thirsty?’

She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘You’re enjoying this way too much.’

‘Sure I am. I don’t meet women like you every day.’

She raised her eyebrow, ignoring the elevator’s grumbling. ‘Oh, I see. You’re that kind of guy.’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘A guy who thinks women want to hear they’re different from the rest. Cheapest trick in the book. No one’s falling for that anymore.’

Hunter’s eyes widened. ‘That’s not what I meant.’

Caroline crossed her arms over her chest.

He shook his head, corners of his lips lifted in amusement. ‘It was a compliment. Look, were you the first woman I’ve ever met in a bar? Of course not. The first one I’ve kissed in a bar? Also no.’

Caroline flinched.He is nothing to you. You don’t even know him. For all you know, he might be a serial killer. Or a con artist.But even though her imagination provided a myriad of reasons why she shouldn’t care, from logical to the most fantastical, something sharp jabbed right between her ribs when he said it. And she hated herself for it.

‘Why did you want my number then? If this was nothing to you,’ she whispered, a challenge in her eyes inviting him to rise to her bait.

Gently, he took her chin between thumb and forefinger and tilted it up so their eyes were locked in an exchange of sparks. ‘You didn’t let me finish.’ His low rasp raised goosebumps on her forearms. ‘Even though I have met and kissed women in bars before, no one has ever asked me to kiss them the way you did.’

Caroline huffed. ‘You didn’t have to kiss me if you didn’t want to.’ She tried to turn her head, but his other hand was suddenly cupping her cheek, and she felt herself going boneless.

Hunter bowed his head. ‘You’re right. But you know I wanted to.’

Their foreheads touched. Caroline could swear she felt the blood pulsing through his veins. Heard the gallop of his heart.

Or was it hers?

‘What if I wanted to kiss you again?’ he murmured.