Chapter Three
Dani
I took a big gulp of cool air as we exited the house into the spacious backyard. When I put my hand to my forehead, my fingers came away damp. I had no idea if I was overheating because of the crowded party or because of the gorgeous man I’d just seen. He was the most exquisite human being I’d observed in real life.
It was crazy – I didn’t know anything about this guy, and I couldn’t stop thinking about him. What was wrong with me? There was just something in the way that he’d stood with his hands on his hips, looking so smug and cocky. Not to mention the deep black hair and crystal blue eyes that seized my soul with one glance.
My heart thudded in my chest and I shivered.
Justine pressed her hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure you aren’t cold? You have goosebumps everywhere.”
“No, I’m fine. In fact, can we stay outside for a while? I just want to cool down for a bit. It was way too hot in there.”
Justine smiled, taking the seat in one of the wicker chairs next to the screen door. “Of course.” We were on the back porch. It was overlooking a large backyard, with a massive pool. I had never seen such a big yard to be honest. It seemed that in every direction I looked, there wer more and more acres of lawn and trees, rolling into the horizon.
I wobbled in my heels as I walked across the deck and stared at the sky. I could hear the humming of the music inside from where I stood and there were a few kids outside making out and some were smoking to the side. But the calm of being outdoors slowed my heart, helping the galloping to stop.
“This place, it’s so amazing,” I said under my breath and I turned around and looked back at Justine. “I’m so glad that I was able to come.”
Justine got up from the chair. She tossed her hair before taking the cup from my hand. She peered into it and then back at me. “It looks like you need a refill,” she said importantly. “I’m going to go inside and get you more. I’m glad to be spending the summer with you too,” Justine added before turning on her heel and walking inside.
I turned back to the scene before me. I was lost in thought when I heard the door open and close. “That was quick,” I called out without turning around, thinking it was Justine that had walked back onto the back porch.
“Did you wait long for me?” asked a smooth velvet voice.
I couldn’t help gasping as I turned around. It was the man I’d seen earlier, staring straight at me. Despite the warm temperature, he was still wearing his crisp suit jacket. Those dark blue eyes seized mine, making my temperature skyrocket.
“You’re beautiful,” the man growled, making me shiver involuntarily. “Really gorgeous, sweetheart.”
I blushed hotly. My heart was thudding so quickly that I had no idea how to react – how was I just supposed to talk to this god like he was a normal guy? And how many guys really just compliment you out of hand?
Besides, I’m not used to being flattered. I’m a curvy brunette with major junk in the trunk with no place to go. As a result, my ass is out here and my breasts out to there. Usually, men look right past me, instead of showering me with compliments.
We stared at each other for a few moments. My heart beat wildly in my chest as I tried to form a string of words.
“Thank you,” I squeaked after what felt like an eternity.
He chuckled as he stepped closer. On instinct, I stepped back until I hit the gate behind me. I looked at his face, trying to figure out how old he was. There was wisdom in his blue eyes that I’d never seen before. Maybe it was because he was older
“Are you afraid of me?” the man asked, mischief playing on his lips.
“No,” I said, more forcefully than I would have liked.
He chuckled again, stepping into my orbit, so his face was inches away from mine. “Then why are you running away from me, Princess?”
I tried to steady my breathing, but it was hard with him standing so close. Part of me almost wanted to push him away, but I couldn’t even think about moving. From where I stood, I could smell his clean, masculine scent. It was making me lightheaded and oddly turned on as well, the female within going loose and hot in response to the male’s call.
“I don’t know,” I whispered.
He ran his hand up my face, cupping my cheek. “What’s your name?”
“Daniella. But everyone calls me Dani.”
He extended his thumb, wiping the bottom of my lip. The rough skin of his thumb brushed against me and I shivered, craving more of the sensation.
“Daniella. Such a pretty name.” He looked into my eyes like he was staring straight into the depths of my soul. I wanted to ask his name and where he had come from, but it was like I had forgotten how to talk. I was already having trouble remembering to breathe. “You’re shivering,” he said, as he extended his arms to run down my shoulders. “Are you cold?”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out, so I shook my head. He was standing so close, and I shivered again, but not with cold.
He smiled again, a knowing grin. It was starting to infuriate me.
“Who are you?” I blurted out, before I could stop myself. I moved my hand to my mouth, already shocked at what I had just said.
Still smiling, he took a strand of my loose hair and tucked it behind an ear. “I’m Hunter,” he said. “Dani, what are you doing out here, all by yourself?”
My mind was going a mile a minute, trying to decipher what he was doing here and why he was talking to me. Nothing about me was special. There were many girls inside who were way prettier than me – heck, I could even see a few of them through the glass. No guy had ever paid attention to me at high school. It was like I was invisible. Maybe it was because of how I was dressed – Justine had been right.
“I just wanted some fresh air,” I said finally, looking away from him to the side. Staring at him for too long was like staring at the sun. He was brilliant and blinding and I couldn’t stand it.
“Too loud for you back there?” he said as he pointed inside.
I nodded my head. “It was a bit stuffy. I just wanted to come out and clear my head.” As I stood looking at the rest of the backyard, he stood next to me.
“It’s all a bit overwhelming,” I said, not really knowing why I said it. Something about him just made me want to tell him all my secrets. “I’m not from around here.”
“I gathered that, from the way you were looking at everything, like this was the first time you have been in such a big house. Where are you from?”
Although I wanted to tell him all my secrets, I also knew that from the stylish way he was dressed and the way he carried himself, he was way out of my league in every way possible.
“Um, Northern California,” I said. “My cousin lives here.” I bit my lip and stole a glance at him, trying to read his face.
He chuckled. “Well, that’s somewhere, isn’t it? I like Northern California,” he added in a smooth voice that sent a shiver down my spine.
It was insane – we were having the most mundane conversation I could imagine, and yet it was like the words held a deeper meaning. We were saying something to each other that wasn’t captured in the inane sentences.
We stood there for a moment, my heartbeat sounding loudly in my ear. “Don’t you want to go back inside?”
“Nothing interests me inside,” he said, before taking my hand and twirling me around. “When I saw you inside, I only had one thought in my mind.”
His words made my heart leap into my throat.
“And what was that?” I asked breathlessly.
He stared into my eyes. “That I had to know how you taste.”
Before I could react, his mouth was on mine. Flames engulfed our bodies as his lips pressed against my own. I reached up, stretching my arms around his neck. He nudged my mouth open with his tongue. As the man pulled me closer, kissing me deeply. I felt that I couldn’t get any closer to him. He crushed my body against his and held me securely in strong arms.
A small whimper of passion escaped my lips.
My mind was running wild. It shouted at me to pull away, to run away, to grab Justine and go home. The sane part of me wanted to leave the party and forget about this man. But the horny, crazed part of me wanted to stay right where I was.
I stood in the dark and let the handsome stranger swallow me whole, the darkness descending over my head.