Page 12

Pride hits me square in the chest. “Right now, the story would be similar in all, but there are tons of settings and possibilities that would make the game interesting and unique. I think it would be cool.” Hunter smiles.

“I haven’t quite figured it out yet. It’s in the planning stages.

Last year I crammed classes so I can have an easier schedule these next few years to really work on it. ”

“That’s really smart. I’d love to see it when you start to develop it.”

Developing it would be a dream, but I’m still in the planning stages—sketches, coding, planning. In the meantime, I’ll try to get work as a tester. This is happening. I am doing this. There’s nothing else I want to do with my life. This is what I’m meant to do.

Hunter continues to squeeze my calf gently. “Thank you for stopping by,” he says, and some of the weight from earlier seems to have disappeared. “It means a lot to me.”

“Will you be okay here tonight? You can come back with me.”

He smiles. “I’d love that, but I can’t tonight. I need to give Xavi a break. I appreciate this, though. More than you know.”

“Do you want—”

The sliding kitchen door opens, startling me.

“Xavi, if you’re here—” A tall Asian man stands in the doorway, nearly taking up the entire frame. It’s dim out here, but I can see the exhaustion etched on his sharp features. Tattoos crawl up his neck and down his forearms, exposed by his rolled-up sweater. “Who the fuck is this?”

“Be nice.” Hunter glares. “This is Mark, he came to visit me.”

“You better not fuck on my love seat.”

Hunter groans. “Shut up, Jamie.”

The man’s eyes travel over me, something passing over his face before he looks back at Hunter. “Sorry. About earlier. I’ll pick up the glass.”

“Okay.” Hunter doesn’t meet his eyes, and I wonder what happened right before I got here. Hunter says he’s used to it, but there’s some weird tension here. “Mark was just leaving.”

I was? Sadness fills me, but I guess it’s for the best. Jamie’s glare makes me uncomfortable. “I brought pizza. You’re welcome to it. I brought enough . . . for . . . everyone.” I look to Hunter for help. He just shakes his head. Standing up, Hunter reaches out a hand to me.

“I’m taking him back to campus. You think you can be an adult for ten fucking minutes?” The anger shocks me. I want to ask about it, but I keep my mouth shut.

Jamie doesn’t say a word, heading back inside the house away from us. I follow Hunter to the doorway. “Is he always like that?” I ask, putting my shoes on.

“Yeah, don’t take it personally. Today was a bad day . . . for all of us.”

Hunter slips on his shoes and I don’t want to leave. I glance behind me and see Jamie walking back into the kitchen. His eyes twist in a glare making my stomach flip. A bad day. Not personal.

Then why does it feel very, very personal?

This late at night the teacher’s lot is empty and closest to my dorm. Hunter pulls in and I don’t want this night to end, but I know Hunter’s thoughts have been back home with Jamie since we left his house. He barely spoke the entire ride.

Shutting the car off, Hunter gets out to walk round to my side, and opening the door, he holds out his hand for me.

I take it, loving the rough feeling of his hand mine.

The sky above chooses this moment to split open, but Hunter ignores the rain, smiling at me.

“I had a good day today, despite everything. I’m glad you stopped by. I needed that.”

He reaches for my hand and laces our fingers together, and I relax in his grip as he pulls me against him.

I still need to grab my bag, but my arms wind around his neck, and my stomach dips when his palms grab my hips.

“Does this mean I get a second date?” I wait, a little on edge.

Hunter is so far past any league I’ve ever been invited to.

“Technically, it would have to be a third date, right?” Oh yeah.

I laugh, remembering our burger date. “We have a game next Friday. Do you want to come? You can bring Noah. My best friend will be there, and I want you to meet him anyway. After, we can hang out for a bit. I’ll ask Xavi if I can use his car. ”

Hunter playing hockey. Okay, yes to that. The rain starts to fall harder, and thunder rumbles in the air above us. Hunter’s sweater starts to soak through, and I have the thought that the smell of him will be washed away. “Shit, guess I’m leaving just in time.”

“Drive safe.” Standing close still, I can’t help but take him in, not believing someone like him is actually interested in me.

“You know.” He grins. “I’ve always wondered if kissing in the rain is as great as they make it look in the movies.”

“It seems super overrated to me. Not that I’d know.”

“You’re right. You’re right. Overhyped. Not that I, uh, would know either.”

“Stupid even.”

“Childish.”

I chew my bottom lip. “I mean, maybe we should try. For science.”

Hunter nods. “For science, you’re right. I love research.”

“Research is the best.” Hunter’s eyes search mine before I lean down and meet him in the middle.

For a moment our lips hover, both of us just breathing in each other’s air.

It’s barely a kiss. Fat droplets pelt us.

Hunter tilts his eyes up, looking at me before closing them and the distance between us.

My eyes flutter closed, and I let out a muffled moan, soaking in the delicate pressure of his mouth on mine. His lips are so fucking soft. I groan into the touch as he smooths his hands along my waist, pulling me closer, and when he sweeps his tongue along my lips, I let him in with another moan.

I grow hungrier and the slow pace is killing me.

Hunter’s hands smooth down my ass and he cups the back of my thighs, lifting me easily.

I feel so fucking warm despite the chill of the rain.

My arms tighten around his neck, and the sweet, woodsy scent of his body wash nearly makes me groan as he presses me against his car.

I love the way his hands feel on me. My fingers run through his hair while my other hand rests on his stubbled jaw.

Both of us are soaked and neither of us give a shit.

His body presses into mine. I love the weight of him.

I feel so safe here with him, like nothing can touch me .

. . nothing can hurt me. I feel dizzy. Hunter kisses with the indulgence of a man with all the time in the world.

It’s intoxicating and I can’t get enough of it.

I shift, and a strangled noise leaves my lips when I feel him press his erection against mine.

We freeze. I lose his lips. Following his gaze, I look down at us pressed together.

The rain has soaked into our clothes, making them cling to our bodies and leaving very little to the imagination for either of us.

Hunter is rock-hard, and I want to take him up to my dorm.

I want to peel these soaked clothes off us both and bury my face between his thighs, then fuck him so hard the entire fourth floor will hear him scream my name.

Hunter shares none of these plans. Instead, he gently puts me down, backing away. “Sorry.” I just want to tug him back to me. “You better go inside before you get sick. Do you want me to walk you?”

“Oh, no. No, I’m fine. My building is right there.” I open the car door and grab my backpack. Hunter nods, and I can’t help stealing another kiss, which makes him smile.

“I had an amazing time today. Thank you. Get inside. Get something warm on. Good night, Mark.”

“Night. I’ll uh, see you tomorrow. Drive safe.”

He nods with a smile, opening the car door and slipping inside. “Hey, Mark.”

“Yeah?”

“I can definitely see the appeal of kissing in the rain, but we may need to try it again. For science.”

I smile so wide it hurts. “We need a control to compare it to—kissing without the rain—to see if it’s just as good. Just to be fair. For science.”

Hunter’s smile is so huge, and I commit it to memory. I did that, I put that smile on his face. That one’s just for me. “Go get warm, okay. I’ll text you later,” he says.

“Okay. Night.”

Holy shit.

I feel like I’m floating.