replies dryly. "Considering… Well, you know." He swallows hard, taking my hand in his. "We never talked about what happened, really," he says quietly. "With Edith, I mean."
"You said it yourself," I say. "She got in your head. I think she got in mine, too."
"I shouldn't have let her," Hunter replies.
"Then why did you?" It's a question I've had for a long time, but I've only just worked up the courage to ask it.
Hunter waits for a long time before replying. "You have to understand, I've spent my whole life thinking I was a lost cause. Amelia was always the smart one, the powerful one —between her and Dad, I was starting to think there was no hope for me. And then I met you, and…" He takes an unsteady breath. "And everything changed. To have these three other guys, and don't get me wrong, they're all brilliant, but they're all top-notch, and here I am…"
"You don't think you match up to them?"
Hunter shakes his head. "And being around you, Millie… You're this beautiful, smart, talented…" He throws his hands up hopelessly. "I didn't think I was worthy of you. Sometimes I still don't." Slowly he brushes a strand of hair out of my face. "All I can say is I'm sorry, Millie. For everything."
"No harm done," I tell him, and smile. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. I was jealous."
"Of Edith?" His eyes widen.
"I mean, yeah," I reply sheepishly. "I didn't think I could compete with her."
"Then I guess we're in the same boat," Hunter observes. And then he kisses me. It's light and tentative, almost scared, and before I even have time to reciprocate, he's pulling away. "I'm sorry," he says hastily. "I shouldn't have—"
But I interrupt him by pulling him back for another kiss. The relief of having put our feelings out in the open is overwhelming, and I find myself consumed by the desire for his touch, his comfort, especially in light of everything that's happened. Hunter's hands are light as they come up to rest around my waist, tightening as he pulls my body closer to his.
I can sense his barely contained excitement in spite of his efforts to be delicate. His lips move to the base of my neck (a vampire thing? I wonder), and I can feel his teeth working the skin there hard enough to leave a mark. I can feel his hands creeping under the hem of my shirt, but they stop before they can get where I really want them to go. "Don't stop," I murmur against his lips, sidling closer to him as I allow my fingers to tangle in his fiery hair.
Effectively given permission, Hunter hauls my shirt up and over my head, palming my breasts over my bra and soliciting a moan from me. My hands are on his belt buckle before I even have time to think. Before long we're discarding each other's clothes like our lives depend on it.
I move to roll over and pull him on top of me, but his hands on my hips keep me firmly in place.
"Here," he says, maneuvering me with his strong arms so I'm straddling him, "I want to see all of you."
I've never been on top before, and I move slowly as I guide him inside me so as not to hurt him. Hunter lets out a low groan, his lips meeting mine once more, and I begin to rock slowly into his lap as that familiar friction begins to heat up my whole body.
I don't know how long it lasts, that's how lost we are in each other, and I don't care. All that matters is the feeling of him inside me, soothing the anxiety and fear and pain, and by the time we come in unison it's all I can do to run my hands through his hair as he peppers my face and neck with soft kisses.
After a last moment of savouring the feeling, I pull away and crawl into bed, making room for Hunter beside me. There's the rustling of sheets, and moments later I feel a strong arm wrap around me as the vampire shifter pulls me flush against his chest.
"Thank you, Hunter," I murmur. "I needed that."
He presses a kiss to the back of my neck. "I should be the one thanking you. Are you feeling okay?"
"No worse, at least," I snark, before my tone dips back into one of disappointment. "This situation with my powers has me all