Page 87 of The Triple Threat

“Hey,” I said, noticing how hot he looked.

He was wearing faded jeans and a dark green, long-sleeved Henley, which clung to his muscles.

“Cute PJs.” He grinned at me and tugged on the bottom of my pajama top.

I looked down at the white cotton with pink sheep all over it and smiled.

“They’re the sexiest thing I own,” I replied, stepping aside to let Hunter in.

As he passed me, he stooped to speak close to my ear. “I recall a little black dress that was much sexier.”

His words were said quietly, and when his breath whispered against my skin, I felt goosebumps erupt all over it. The sensation was incredible, and I had to stop myself from climbing Hunter like he was a tree and I was a damn monkey.

Swallowing I looked up at him and let out a slow breath. “You’re here early.”

“Yeah,” he replied, his eyes looking over every inch of my face. “I wanted to do something and knew if I didn’t do it now, I’d probably chicken out.”

“You do? Okay.”

My breathing got heavy as Hunter moved closer, his nearness sending every nerve ending in my body on high alert. While I was aware that I was mad with him about getting me to sit with Rodrick, I suddenly didn’t have it in me to care. My hormones certainly didn’t give a damn that he’d set me up.

“What is it then?” I asked.

“I want to ask you something.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, I noticed his confident smile slip. He thrust his hands into his jeans pockets and took a step back.

“What?” I felt a surge in my stomach, hesitant about his question. “What do you want to ask?”

Somehow, I knew it wasn’t some stupid little favor. It was going to be big. My thudding heart and breathlessness told me so. Hunter had said about us needing to talk, but this didn’t feel like it was him wanting to ask me that.

“I know you keep avoiding talking about it, but what’s been happening between us…” Hunter tailed off and looked over at the side table where a vase of yellow roses stood. “Are they for my mom?”

I turned and looked at them and it suddenly hit what the date was. It was Sondra’s birthday and just as she did every birthday and anniversary of her passing, Mom put out a vase of yellow roses.

“Yeah,” I replied, taking a deep breath. “Mom puts them out on her birthday and anniversary.”

“I remember.” Hunter let out a shaky breath. “Pop always puts red ones out.”

Taking his hand, I smiled up at him. “Red is love and yellow is friendship.”

“Yeah?”

“Hmm hmm.” I nodded and gave his hand a squeeze

“So does every color have a meaning?” Hunter rubbed his thumb up and down my hand, drawing patterns on my skin and sending thrills over my body.

“I think so, yeah,” I replied, barely a whisper.

Hunter nodded, looked at the roses and then back to me. “Which color says, ‘will you come on a date with me’?”

My breath pulled in sharply and my heart picked up a pace I looked into his brown eyes which felt like they were drawing me deeper and deeper into his soul.

“I don’t know,” I whispered, while in my head trying to work out what to do if this was Hunter asking me on a date, but also processing the regret of knowing it was.

Going on a date itself wasn’t a huge thing but going on one with Hunter was. If it all went to hell in a handbasket so many other people would be affected. Jefferson relied on my parents and Bronte’s parent’s friendship, but if Hunter and I suddenly started to hate each other, would Jim and Darcy feel they needed to take sides? Would my mom and dad still welcome the Delaney’s around, would Carter, would I if Hunter broke my heart?

“Well, that’s what I’m asking, Ellie,” Hunter said breaking into my inner turmoil. “If you’ll go on a date with me.”