Chapter Nineteen
THEY DIDN’T HAVE wild monkey sex that night, and they didn’t go see the space off of Route 6. After Hunter made a trip home for the necessities—clothes and condoms—they made a quick dinner and watched a movie. Jana fell asleep with her head on Hunter’s lap about halfway through Million Dollar Baby, for which Hunter was glad, because he knew she’d give him a hard time about his damp eyes. That movie got him every time, because he saw Jana in Hillary Swank’s fierce determination. He’d carried Jana to bed, and for the second morning in a row, Hunter had woken up with Jana in his arms.
Then they’d had wild monkey sex.
In the days since, life had been hectic. Between Hunter’s long hours working on the sculpture to make the deadline for the competition and the extra hours Jana was putting in at the studio, they rarely saw each other before nine at night. Thankfully, Jana hadn’t fought him on staying over, and they’d woken up together every morning for the past week. He’d kicked her out of bed for her boxing practices, though he had a hard time letting her leave the house in her sexy little workout clothes, inciting her to roll her eyes and tell him that if he didn’t stay over, she’d get out of the door quicker.
He loved every minute of their bickering and somehow knew it might never change. He sure hoped it didn’t.
Hunter had spoken to Grayson about letting Jana use the space, and as Hunter had assumed, Grayson was all for it. Meanwhile, Hunter and Jana discussed the what-ifs about her accepting the space ad nauseam. What if we break up? What if we stay together but owning my own studio doesn’t work out? What if I quit my job and no one wants to take my classes? They’d become experts at talking about the space, and Jana’s excitement about opening a dance studio had only increased. But Jana had successfully avoided or redirected every conversation about their relationship.
It was Sunday evening, and their schedules had finally eased enough to go see the space.
Hunter opened the passenger door of the truck and helped Jana out, handing her the keys. “Here you go, pretty girl. Check it out. See how it feels.”
“This location is great,” she said as she walked toward the front door. “And you’re right. There’s plenty of parking.”
Like most of the buildings on the lower Cape, the cedar siding was weathered and gray, and the storefront looked more like a residential house than a commercial property.
“The gardens are overgrown, and the grass needs to be mowed, but those are easy fixes.” Hunter pointed to the right side of the parking lot. “I was thinking that we could put a sign up there, that way the trees out front won’t block it from traffic coming in either direction.”
Jana turned and faced the street with a wide smile. “I can’t believe you guys don’t use this place. Or haven’t already rented it out.”
Hunter shrugged as they made their way to the front door. “We were going to open a showroom, but right after we bought it we were so busy with orders that we pushed the idea off for a while. And now we work on a custom-order basis, so we don’t really have stock, and renting is a big time suck.”
He placed his hand on her lower back as they walked up the front steps. “But I’d suck anything for you,” he teased, with a flick of his tongue over her ear.
She giggled, and he watched her unlock the door. Lately he found himself studying her movements a little closer, capturing her energy to pour into the sculpture. He’d been so inspired this week that he’d completed the body. He’d begun fabricating thin, twisted strips of iron to create a skirt that looked like it was blowing in the wind, and over the next week or two he’d create a bodice out of hundreds of small pieces of metal and mirrors to simulate fabric for her top.
Every moment he and Jana spent together bonded them on a newer, deeper level, and he woke up each morning more inspired than the day before. The sculpture was changing as quickly as their relationship. When he looked at Jana, his muse, he saw a woman breaking free of her own confines and evolving right before his eyes, and because of that, the sculpture had taken on a life of its own.
Jana smiled as she pushed the door open. The property had been empty for so long, the hardwood floors were covered in a fine layer of dust, and Hunter realized his mistake. He’d been so excited to offer the space to her, knowing the location alone would practically assure her success, he’d forgotten about cleaning it.
“Sorry, babe. I probably should have had it cleaned before showing it to you.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind a little dirt.” They went inside, and she turned in a slow circle, a sweet smile spreading her lips. “This is big enough to have a reception area up here with chairs for parents, and…” She walked across the floor, then turned to face him again.
He was right behind her and folded her in his arms. “A reception area, huh? I was thinking that this was the make-out lobby.”
She went up on her toes and wound her arms around his neck. “Mm. I like that.”
“Wait until you see the get-down-and-dirty kitchen.” He slanted his mouth over hers and clutched her butt.
“Hunter,” she whispered. “Why didn’t we start there?”
He nibbled her neck as they moved toward the doors in the back of the building. She was walking backward, stopping every few seconds as he sucked or nipped at her skin.
“Baby, I’ll start anywhere you’d like.” He lifted her into his arms and she wound her legs around his waist. How did she do this to him? Take him from a walk through a building to wanting to tear her clothes off in a matter of seconds? The rosy flush on her cheeks and lust in her eyes as her mouth met his in a hungry kiss always pulled him in.
He pushed open the door to the kitchen and lowered her onto the counter. “You’re wicked sexy. I swear, Jana, you totally own me.” He crushed his mouth to hers.
As the tension in her body eased and their lips parted, he said, “Want to see the naked stockroom?”
HUNTER. OH, HUNTER. He was turning her inside out. He’d taken care of her in so many ways over the last week. Sex had become the icing on the cake instead of the cake itself. She never thought she’d meet a guy who was as sexual as she was. Yes, guys were all sexual, but most had no imagination. Hunter had no inhibitions. He took and gave in equal measure, and she loved that about him. He wasn’t put off when she was aggressive, and he was constantly surprising her in other ways, like texting just to say he was thinking about her. Sometimes they were sexy texts; other times they were so sweet they turned her mind to mush. When they’d argued last night, he’d taken out her boxing gloves and held up a pillow for her to work out her aggression. And probably the sweetest thing, which no one would ever believe if she told them, was that before bed, he’d begun rubbing her feet. You’re on these babies all day long. They need attention, too. Even now he took care of her, fixing her skirt and putting her shirt back on, making sure she was properly covered.
She looked around the small break room as she tried to remember why they were there. The space would work well, but the idea of mixing business with pleasure still made her uneasy.
“You like?” He kissed her again.
“What you just did? Do you even have to ask?” She knew he meant the space, but she could still feel his touch, and she became too distracted to think about anything else.
“Mm. That’s a great answer.”
She hooked her finger in one of the belt loops on his jeans and tugged him through the only other door she saw. “Show me the naked stockroom, please.”
The door clicked shut behind them, surrounding them in total darkness.
“I feel like a teenager sneaking into a closet to make out.” She was whispering, even though they were the only ones there. “It’s my turn,” she said as she tugged his shirt over his head.
“Come here.” He pulled her close and kissed her.
His skin was hot, and the muscles in his back bunched as he deepened the kiss.
“I could kiss you all night,” he said against her mouth.
“Please do.”
A million steamy kisses later, while he stroked her hair, whispering about how incredible she was, she touched her forehead to his chest, savoring the feel of being close to him.
“Let’s finish looking around, go home and clean up, and then let’s go out to Race Point and watch the sunset.” He lifted her to her feet, tucked her hair behind her ear, and kissed her tenderly.
As they drove back to her place, she wondered when it had become his home, too.