"Come on," Teagan ordered. "Drop your ass, Hope!"

"I'm trying, slave-driver," I choked out. We were outside on the front lawn attempting to do some light and gentle exercise. Teagan was in her element. She was a fitness fanatic – always had been. From the very first day I met her, she had been obsessed with running and other satanic rituals like Pilates and – shudder – the dreaded treadmill.

Meanwhile, I was regretting ever entering the house of pain this morning. I had hoped coming over here would be better than staying at home and getting the silent treatment from Jordan, but now I wasn’t so sure because I swear to all things holy, I had never felt more stretched apart and broken in my life.

"Come on now," she called out cheerily. "Drop that Kim-K ass to the grass."

"Shut up, Teagan!" I huffed as sweat dripped off of very embarrassing places in my body. "I'm just not as flexible as you."

"It's all in your head," she dismissed as she twisted her limbs around in such a way a contortionist would be proud. "We all have the same limbs and muscles in our bodies. Come on, spread your legs. Feel the burn and enjoy it."

"You're a freaking sadist," I whined when I finally collapsed into the most painful, fucked up version of the splits known to mankind. "I feel like I should warn Noah."

"No need," she shot back with a grin. "He likes my sadistic tendencies."

"Gross," I whispered as I prayed to the gods not to let me have broken my vagina.

"Look," she said. "Imagine a thick pair of hips between your legs. Stretch for the thrust!"

"Are you serious?"

"Absolutely, now ass to the grass –"

"If you say that to me one more time, I'm going to stick my foot up your ass," I growled.

My worst nightmare occurred less than a minute later when I heard the sound of a car engine and gravel crunching in the near distance, causing my pride to shrivel up and die inside.

I watched in semi horror as Noah climbed out of his Lexus followed by Hunter – Hunter who could hardly stand up he was laughing so hard at me.

I hadn't seen him since our study session last week, and while we had messaged every day since, this was my first time seeing him in the flesh. It was also not the position I had hoped to be in when we came face to face again. I did, however, happen to catch a glimpse of his company when she left the house at the same time I was pulling up this morning.

Yeah, I wasn’t sure why that was still pissing me off.

It was none of my business who he entertained at night.

We were friends now.

Just friends.

It shouldn’t bother me that he was seeing other women.

Other women?

What the hell was wrong with me?

Why was I thinking like this?

It shouldn’t matter to me if he had a different woman for every night of the week. If he wanted to act like a whore, then who was I to judge him?

"The fuck you doing now, Thorn?" Noah called out, tone exasperated, as he yanked his glasses off his face and glared at his wife. He held his Ray Bans in one hand as he stared across the yard at us in obvious dismay. "Can't leave you alone for a goddamn minute."

"Oh, hey, Noah," Teagan called out as she unlocked her limbs from the precarious and inhuman position she'd been practicing. "We're just doing some pregnancy yoga." Bouncing to her feet, she stretched her arms above her head and smiled sheepishly. "It's perfectly safe."

"For what it's worth, none of this was my idea," I felt the need to call out. I would have gotten up, but I was fairly certain I was stuck in this position until someone took mercy on me and helped me up. It was pathetic, really, considering I wasn’t the one with a watermelon growing in my stomach. Even though it was only April, we were already in the low seventies today, and Teagan was dressed for the weather in a pair of tight black capris and a workout bra. She looked good, too freaking good considering she was in the eighteenth week of her second pregnancy. Her bump was small and tight and with the exception of a C-section scar that ran across her lower belly, she looked incredible. For fuck's sake, she was pregnant and still wearing a size two – a U.K 6.

Meanwhile, I was a size ten – a U.K 14 – and had been since freshman year of high school. I had an hourglass shape that no amount of dieting or food constricting seemed to change. I had come to the depressing conclusion that my curves were never going away, which was why I was currently sporting a baggy t-shirt and sweats.

I knew I wasn’t fat, but I had those pesky rolls that liked to appear when I put my body in any positon that wasn’t vertical.

"Get in the damn house," Noah groaned, looking at his wife in horror. "Before you pop something."

"Pop something," Teagan snorted. "You're cute."

I watched from my distorted position on the lawn as Teagan skipped over to Noah with a huge grin on her face. Her long blonde hair was swept back in a braid that reached her lower back, making it swish from side to side as she moved. A feeling of warmth settled in my stomach as I watched them embrace.

Yeah, Noah and Teagan were pretty damn perfect for each other.

I'd known it from the moment they clashed against each other like titans back in high school.

Noah was the fighter, but Teagan wore the gloves in their relationship.

She was the boss, the queen bee, and he seemed quite content to go along with it.

I found it comical to watch them together; the big, bad fighter and his teeny, tiny conqueror of a wife.

"Wait, I can't get up!" I heard myself wail when Teagan bounded off towards the house with her distressed looking husband in tow.

"I can't decide if I'm in awe of what a good friend you are right now, or completely turned on by how fucking incredible you look in that positon," Hunter chuckled as he walked over to me. Stopping just short of where I was spread, for want of a better word, he looked down at me and grinned. "The latter. Most definitely the latter."

"Shut up and save me," I whimpered as I reached for his hand.

"You know," Hunter mused, ignoring my extended hand. "If you were looking for a workout buddy, I could make this a helluva lot more enjoyable for you." Crouching down in front of me, he hooked his hand under my armpits and hoisted me to my feet, laughing when I groaned in pain as one of my thighs rejoined its counterpart.

"Funny," I shot back, still clinging to his shoulders as I tentatively stretched myself out. "I thought we talked about this? No flirting!"

"I'm just saying that there are easier ways to loosen up," Hunter teased. "More enjoyable ways."

"And you know all about those ways, right?"

Hunter frowned, obviously hearing the cattiness in my tone. "You got something you want to say to me, friend?"

His tone of voice riled me further and I couldn’t stop myself from saying, "Yes. As a matter of fact, I do, friend." Folding my arms across my chest, I added, "There's a lot of things I could say about the blonde I watched walk out of this house this morning."

Hunter seemed to enjoyed the bitchiness in my tone because he grinned and mirrored my actions. "Have at it."

"So, you don’t deny it?" I snapped, flustered. "That she was here because of you?"

"No," he replied calmly, still grinning. "Why would I deny it?"

"Why?" I shook my head and gaped at him. Ugh! He was so fucking frustrating. "Because…because…"

"Because I want you?" he offered, winking.

"Yes," I blurted out.

"But you're married?" he added with a rueful smirk.

"Exactly," I bit back, hating that I had walked myself into this this screwed up conversation.

"If you want me, I'm yours, sweetheart," he replied with another one of those killer smiles. "All you have to do is say the word, and I'll be only yours."

"Just like that, huh?" I sneered as I took a shaky step back from him.

Hunter nodded. "Just like that, HC," he clarified with a snap of fingers.

I stared at his stupid, beautiful face for the longest moment before shaking my head and moving away. "And why would I want a man like you?" I snapped, hating the feel of my cheeks heating. "You're a slut," I adding, spitting the words at him. "I prefer a man who isn’t an STD-ridden convict." Having said that, I brushed the sods of earth and grass from clothes before turning around and walking away

"And STD-ridden convict?" Hunter repeating, chuckling. "Ever hear of condoms, sweetheart? Oh no, that's right, you haven't because you're a virgin," he snorted. "A twenty-six-year-old, married virgin."

"I am not a virgin!" I snapped, swinging around to glare at him. "And even if I was, my sex life has nothing to do with you."

"You mean your non-existent sex life?" he countered, waggling his brows. "I heard you, remember," he continued to taunt, making a poor attempt at imitating my voice. "I need to be fucked. Dear god, somebody fuck me." He placed one hand against his forehead and used the other to mock fan himself. "Someone show me their cock!"

"You know," I growled, red-faced and mortified. "There are so many things I want to say to you right now, Hunter Casarazzi, but I won't. Because, unlike you, I am a grown up and am going to take the highroad instead."

"The highroad?" Hunter called out in that rage-inducing humorous tone he used regularly to drive me crazy as I stalked towards the house – and away from him. "Is that the same road that leads you back to your husband?"

I didn’t answer him.

I couldn't trust my mouth in this moment.

Everything I was longing to scream was on the tip of the surface and if I spoke those words, there would be no coming back.

"Because that's one boring ass road, HC!" he taunted from close behind me. "You should try going off-road for once in your life. You never know, maybe you'll find that big cock you're looking for."

"Shut the hell up, Hunter." I opened the front door and hurried inside before slamming it in his face. I managed to catch his body in the door and I gleamed in delight when he grunted in pain. "And just remember," I added when he opened his mouth to say something sarcastic, no doubt. "I know where you hide your gun and now, because of your wonderful teaching skills, I also know how to erase evidence." Hunter's mouth fell open and I flicked it closed with my finger. "Which is why making me mad is really not in your best interests, Casarazzi."

"Then I really shouldn’t tell you how turned on I am right now," he replied in a tone that oddly resembled awe. "Now, all I'm visualizing is you holding my gun."

I shook my head in resignation and punched his shoulder. "You're impossible."

"Wearing nothing but my holster," he added.

Giving up on scolding him, there was no point since it only seemed to encourage him, I walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch.

My ass was still aching so much from the yoga that when Hunter sat down beside me, I didn’t bother getting up and moving seats. I was too sore and he'd probably follow me anyway, so why bother?

I did, however, muster up the energy to remove the arm he'd casually flung over my shoulders before giving him a scathing glare. He responded to that by mashing his full lips together and making an obnoxiously loud kiss sound as he leaned his face towards mine.

My hand shot up and I face-palmed him. "Don’t even think about it," I warned, trying and failing to bury the smile that was spreading across my face. I was never sure of what would come out of his mouth and it was exciting. He was exciting. Exhilarating. Charismatic and magnetizing...

Hunter responded to my warning by snaking his tongue out and licking – yes, licking – my hand.

"Did you seriously just lick my hand?" I gasped as shock encompassed my features and I snatched my hand away from his face.

"Would you prefer I lick you elsewhere?" he shot back, unashamed or embarrassed. "Because I'm totally okay with that."

"You're a terrible friend," I gasped, slapping his chest.

"I'm the best possible version of terrible," he countered with a devilish wink.

My mouth fell open and I could do nothing but gape at him, while my heart raced wildly in my chest.

He was flirting with me and being completely shameless about it, too. He didn’t care. Not one bit. I wasn’t sure if it made me mad or turned me on. either way it was working. He was getting a reaction out of me. That was his intention.

What was he trying to do to me?

I was rooted to Jordan like the roots of a great oak tree, but then there was Hunter, pulling me away from everything I had ever known. Secretly, and to my deepest chagrin, I wanted to be pulled. He was wild and unattainable and charismatic. Everything I never knew I wanted was inside this man. Something inside of him sang to the deepest part of my soul. It was a call I couldn’t resist or deny.

"Don’t lick me again. Okay?" was all I could come up with. Lame.

"Are you sure?" Hunter shot back teasingly. "You'd be amazed at how good I could make you feel by licking you." He waggled his brows. "Over and over again."

"Oh, please," I laughed, rolling my eyes at his comment. "What bullshit."

"You don’t believe me?" he asked, clearly surprised.

"Answer me this," I shot back, grinning. "Do you believe in giant, fire-breathing dragons?"

Hunter frowned. "Is that a trick question?"

"No." I smirked. "Now answer the question."

"Um, maybe?" He paused for a minute, clearly thinking about my question. "I believe they existed at one point."

"Me too!"

"Yeah?"

"Do you believe in mythical creatures like unicorns and mermaids?"

Hunter grinned. "I don’t think anyone over the age of nine believes in mermaids, sweetheart."

"Exactly," I agreed with an enthusiastic nod. "It's fiction. It’s made up stories to make people happy."

Hunter stared at me for a long moment with an adorably confused expression etched on his face. "I'm not following you," he finally admitted, looking puzzled.

"Multiple orgasms and men that can make you come with 'their tongue' until you're crying out and begging them to stop because you're absolutely positive your body cannot take the pleasure?" I cocked a brow in disbelief. "Bullshit fiction created by people like myself who write fairytales for the eighteen years and older category."

Now Hunter was the one to gape at me in disbelief. "Wait, you don’t believe a woman can have multiple orgasms?"

"Oh, I do," I shot back, smiling sweetly. "I just believe that in order to have them, she would have to do the job herself."

"Well, your husband sounds like a barrel of laughs," Hunter finally announced. "You're just an asset to that man's pride.

"I'm realistic," I corrected. "And it's not just my husband. It's facts. That kind of thing doesn’t exist."

"What rock have you been living under?"

"Oh what-fricking-ever, Hunter," I scoffed. "Like you're the master at making women have multiple orgasms!"

"I've had no complaints," he shot back with a proud smile.

I grimaced in disgust. "You're a slut, you know that, right?"

"Practice makes perfect, HC." Smirking he added, "It's all in the clit."

"Excuse me?" I spluttered.

"The clit?" Hunter smirked. "Maybe you should dust yours off once and a while and use it. You'd be amazed what a good fu–"

"Good, you're both together," Teagan announced just then as she sauntered into the living room armed with a stack of pamphlets and glossy catalogues. "We need to talk to you."

"What's up, Teegs?" I said in a bright tone, giving her my full attention, all the while thanking God for her unintentional intervention.

Hunter Casarazzi was entirely too brazen in his flirting with me, and I hated the part of me that secretly loved it. Even though it was only banter for him, he unintentionally gave me the attention I desperately craved. I was lonely and he filled the aching by making me want to smile and laugh even when my inner turmoil threatened to swallow me up.

Because the sad facts of my life were; my husband was still avoiding me. I still had to endure living with Annabelle – the same Annabelle I had been horrendously rude to a few weeks back and never apologized to. My career was going down the drain, one wordless day at a time, joining my love life in the toilet.

"Have you told them yet?" Noah asked, joining us in the living room.

"I was just about to," Teagan replied excitedly.

"Tell us what?" Hunter asked. "Wait –" He gasped and widened his eyes in mock surprise. "Are you pregnant?"

"Real funny, asshole," Teagan quipped before glaring at me. "Hope! Stop laughing – you're only encouraging him."

"I'm sorry," I choked out as I tried to smother my laughter with a cough. "Continue with your news."

"We're getting married," Teagan announced, clapping her hands with excitement.

"Um." Hunter held his hand up, like we were sitting in class and he was asking the teacher a question. "I'm pretty sure you guys are already married."

Noah shook his head and bit back a smirk. "Thorn means we're renewing our vows. Before the baby comes in the fall."

"And we want you both to be in the wedding!" Teagan looked so happy as she bounced up and down on her feet like a toddler. "Hope, I want you to be my maid of honor, and Noah wants you for his best man, Luck!"