Just Home for the Holidays - Deborah Cooke Page 0,24

I can’t believe it, but you don’t rush. You close your mouth over me, so slowly that it seems to take a thousand years, and I arch my back, wanting it all.

She paused and Hunter took a chance. He sent her a text.

Any requested additions?

Butter? Jam? Walnuts?

Chocolate sauce? Whipped cream?

That provoked a silence so long that he wondered whether she’d reply at all. He had time to kick himself for trashing a good thing when her reply came through.

I read a book where he used cinnamon and butter.

I’ve always been curious.

Hunter exhaled with relief.

I’ll make a note.

Walnuts? Raisins?

She answered immediately.

Walnut halves.

Tongue and lips and teeth.

And slowly, very, VERY slowly.

Hunter had a very clear and completely distracting image of Chloe in that room with morning sunlight, that cup of coffee cooling on the side table as he feasted on her.

Oh yeah.

There wasn’t going to be any room in his dreams for nightmares from the past, not tonight.

He prompted her to continue.

And then?

Her answer came immediately.

What about the secret?

Hunter grinned as he replied.

No luck. You stink at sexting. Too wordy.

Maybe you have a future as a novelist.

But please, go on. Practice makes perfect.

To his relief, she did. Chloe went on and on, and Hunter didn’t want her to stop.

She was taking it to the next level, and he could play that game. As he read, he planned for the next evening’s festivities.

Because surprising Chloe Richardson was proving to be very addictive.

Chloe had totally underestimated the fun of sending explicit emails to Hunter. It was possible—no, likely—that she’d admitted too much, but it had been exciting.

In the morning, she couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d confessed and how he’d replied. She was accused of daydreaming more than once as she and Mandy took the girls to the Columbus Circle market. She found herself looking for Hunter, even knowing that he had no plans to join them that day. She drifted past the holiday windows at the department stores, imagining that her fantasy actually came true. It was when they got back to her mom’s for an early dinner before changing for the fundraiser that she realized she hadn’t heard from Hunter all day.

Not one text message.

It was unlike him to be so quiet.

Had she scared him off?

Had she said too much?

She sat down and sent him a message.

How do I get that secret?

He didn’t reply until lunch. By then, she was sure he wouldn’t reply, but he called.

“Sorry, I missed your text. It’s been a crazy morning.” He sounded flustered, which wasn’t like Hunter at all.

“Work?”

“No, I’m not in until one. Had to pick up the suit, and make some arrangements.”

“You don’t need to make any arrangements for tonight. I have the tickets and—”

“And you have it all planned,” he teased. “Don’t forget that I have a copy of the schedule. The thing is that even a fake date has to have an upside.”

“Why don’t I like the sound of that?”

“Because you’re risk-averse. Because you distrust surprise. But I’m going to try to teach you to embrace surprise.”

“Don’t do that,” Chloe said.

“Not all surprises are bad ones. Horses teach you that.”

“Horses again. What do you know about horses?”

“They taught me that there’s no such thing as total control. Sometimes, you have to go with the flow. Like you. Tonight. You’ll need to go with the flow.”

“I don’t like the sound of this...”

“I know.” He laughed. “But tell you what: I’ll give you a second chance at a secret.”

“Just for going with the flow?”

“Yes.” He sounded so excited about whatever he was planning that Chloe found herself smiling. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

“I hope so.”

“I have walnuts,” he said.

Chloe gasped. “No! You said it was no risk...”

Hunter laughed. “Go with the flow,” he whispered wickedly and then he was gone, leaving her blushing and staring at her phone.

What was he up to?

And when had she last looked forward to one of her mom’s parties so much? Going with Hunter made all the difference. It wouldn’t be predictable, stiff, or dull and to Chloe’s own surprise, that made her look forward to it.

What would Hunter do?

She couldn’t wait to find out.

Chloe’s mom left early for the party as was her habit. She liked to check on the flowers, the auction items and all of the arrangements herself. Todd picked up Mandy, looking as handsome as ever, and they chatted a bit before the two of them left. The girls went to bed and the housekeeper retired to the kitchen. Chloe paced the living room,