Trying Not to Love You (22 page)

"You sure?" He leaned in to ask me.

"Yeah." I answered, still watching Hunter from where he stood at the bar, scowling at me.

Before I realized what had happened, the guy I was dancing with disappeared, and I was in Hunter's arms.

Completely shocked at what happened, I looked up at Hunter. He just shook his head and led me to a back room that seemed to be some kind of locker room.

"What the fuck was that CC?" Hunter seethed.

"Nothing, I was dancing."
Shit! I didn't mean to piss him off.

"You call that dancing? It looked like you were about ready to fuck him out there."

"Far from it, did you not notice I was looking at you the whole time?" This was not going how I planned it.

"Yeah I did, but that guy was enjoying himself too damn much. Did you even notice how close to kissing you he was? If I didn't shove him back, he would have."

Damn it!
"No, I guess I didn't. He knew I was watching you, though." I said, and then looked down to the floor. "And that you were watching my every move."

Hunter took a deep breath before he walked over to me, put his fingers under my chin and made me look up at him. "You got me all hot and bothered, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it while I'm working."

Now that's what I'm looking for!

I smiled at him and stood up on my tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips. With his lips pressed to mine, Hunter started walking us backwards until he pushed me up against the lockers. He reached down and grabbed the back of my legs, pulling me up to him. I wrapped my legs around his waist. Hunter slid his hands up and down my ass. I needed more, so I pushed myself until I felt his length pressed hard against my middle. He stopped moving his hands and pushed back against me.

Hunter started kissing from my lips down to my neck before he started nipping on my shoulder. We continued like this for a few minutes before he started sliding me down his body.

"You're gonna kill me, you know that?" He placed another kiss on my shoulder.

"Well, that would be a shame to have that happen, now wouldn't it?" I said, grinning at him.

"Such a smart ass."

"Learned it from the best!"

"Alright, let's get back out there before someone comes looking for us. I'm sure Zeke just had to save my ass tonight."

"Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking." I said bashfully.

"Just don't do that shit to anyone else unless it's me." He placed another kiss on my lips before he pulled the door open. I walked through the door and he smacked me on the ass.

I turned back to look at him and just shook my head.

I made my way out the find Hailey, Gracie and Zoey to make sure everything was ok.

"What the hell happened?" Hailey asked.

"Hunter didn't like me dancing with that guy." I shrugged and walked past her towards the bar.

"Well Zeke is done for the night; he said he'd drop us off at the dorms on his way home."

I downed the rest of my drink, hopped off the stool, grabbed her arm and started towards the door.

The next morning, the ringing of my phone woke me up. "Hello?" I said sleepily.

"Morning Sunshine, get your ass out of bed. I'm outside." Hunter said all chipper like.

I groaned. "What the hell are you so happy about? And what time is it anyway?"

"It's nine a.m. and I want to get home, so get your hot little ass out of bed and get down here."

I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands and hung up the phone, not caring that I did not say goodbye. I hated mornings, especially with happy people!

"Hails, get up; Hunter is here." I said, walking towards the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later, Hailey and I lugged all our stuff out to Hunter's truck to head home for Winter break.

I woke the next morning with a fever and an earache; this was not how I wanted my break from school to start. I went downstairs and asked my mom to get me a doctor's appointment.

I sat at the table when my mom picked up the phone to call Hunter's mom because she was a nurse at our doctor's office. Mom told her what was going on, and she asked that I come right over so that the doctor could see me before they closed up early because Christmas was the next day.

Two hours later, manned with antibiotics and fever reducer, I was laying on the couch when Hunter came by to see how I was doing.

He walked in with chicken noodle soup and a movie. My heart melted a little more for him.

I curled up on the couch and rested my head on Hunter's lap. Hailey, Mason, Cooper and Jaylinn walked in.

Mason sat on the end of the couch where my feet were and said to me, "Get up."

"Mase don't start; I don't feel good."

"I don't give a shit; lay your head on this end."
Really?
Is he kidding me?

"Just let her be man." Hunter spoke up.

Mason did not like that, not at all. Cooper just looked at Hunter as if he were crazy.

I tried to defuse the situation. I sat up and asked Hailey and Jaylinn, "Are you girls all ready for Christmas tomorrow? All your stuff wrapped?"

"Yeah, we just got back from the mall, getting our last minute things." Jaylinn said.

"I still have a few more things to wrap. Kenz, come help me with this last one I have." Hailey asked.

I moved the covers out of my way and made my way upstairs with Hailey and Jaylinn to my room.

I was waiting for her to go to Mason's room to grab the gift to wrap, but she just reached in her purse, pulled out a piece of paper and some kind of passes.

I looked at the passes; they were for skiing in the Poconos this coming weekend. New Year's Eve weekend, the weekend I was going away with Hunter.

She winked at me and said, "I have to keep him busy somehow. There's only so much I can handle of him before I can't walk."

"Oh my God Hailey! I don't want to hear about that shit!" I said, completely disgusted by the thoughts running through my head.

"No really, I told Hunter I would help him. I'm not sure this is going to work but it should, since he has no idea you are going away with him." Hailey said.

I looked over at Jaylinn, waiting for her to tell me what she was going to be doing to keep Cooper busy. They claimed nothing was going on between them but I knew different. Cooper was never one to settle but Jaylinn was just the right person to change that.

"I don't have any plans. Cooper said he was busy." Jaylinn said with an unsettled look on her face.

"Coop doesn't have shit planned Jaylinn. You guys are coming with us; just don't tell him I told you. It's supposed to be a surprise. And you," Hailey said pointing at me, "better make this time worth it."

I walked over to her and gave her a huge hug, "Love you Hails."

Jaylinn joined in on our hugging and said "Love you too Hails."

After we got our last minutes gifts wrapped up, we made our way back downstairs to the boys. We all hung out for a little while before calling it a night.

"So you, your mom and Jaylinn are coming over tomorrow for breakfast?" I asked Hunter, walking him towards the door and away from Mason and Cooper so I could steal a kiss.

"Yeah, we'll open our gifts then come here."

"Ok, then I'll see you in the morning."

Hunter pulled me close and looked over my shoulder before he kissed me. He pulled back and said, "I'll see you in the morning. Make sure you take your medicine. I need you better for this weekend," he whispered.

I smiled and nodded my head. After Hunter and Jaylinn left, I went upstairs to get some sleep before a long day tomorrow.

I woke up Christmas morning feeling slightly better, my fever gone at least. I was so excited; I loved Christmas and I got to spend it with my little nephew. I quickly got up, showered and made it downstairs just as Jackson, Chloe and Alex were walking in. I walked over to Jackson and grabbed the car seat from him; I couldn't wait to get my hands on Alex any longer.

"Merry Christmas to you too Kenzie." Jackson said sarcastically.

"Just wait, I need my nephew first." I unfastened Alex from the car seat and picked him up. He was so much bigger than the last time I saw him just a few weeks ago.

"Merry Christmas baby Alex." I cooed to him, and he grabbed a hold of my finger. He was so sweet and handsome. He looked so much like Jackson, with a little touch of Chloe.

I walked into the dining room where my mom, dad, Jackson, Chloe and Cooper were. As soon as I walked in, I lost Alex to Cooper. Now that my hands were free, I went over to Jackson, put my arms around him and wished him and Chloe a Merry Christmas.

There was a knock on the door. I figured it was Hunter, Jaylinn and Mrs. McCormick. I went to answer it but was in for a surprise when I saw Dominic standing there.

Shit!

"Merry Christmas." Dominic said.

"Um, Merry Christmas. What are you doing here?" I asked with a slight panic in my voice. I did not need there to be a fight on Christmas and I was sure there would be one.

"I just wanted to stop by and say thanks." He reached up and ran his hand over his jaw.

Huh?
"What are you talking about? Is this something that can wait for another day? Hunter is going to be here any minute and I don't want there to be another fight."

Cooper came up behind me and said, "What the fuck are you doing here? Did you not learn your damn lesson over Thanksgiving?"

"I'm not here to start any shit Cooper; I just came by to let your sister know that Brittany isn't pregnant. She lied about the whole damn thing." Dominic said, looking over at me.

"That's good and it explains why she was at the bar the other night with Logan."

"She was at the bar with Logan? You sure?" Dominic asked.

Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. "Yeah. Look, you really should leave before Hunter shows. I'm glad you got an extra Christmas present this year."

I stepped back into the house with Cooper, shut the door, turned towards Cooper and said, "Not a word that he was here, got it?"

"Yeah alright. It's my business anyway. I got my own damn problems," Cooper said, stalking off towards the kitchen.

Hailey, who must have come downstairs when I was out front with Dominic, was helping my Mom and Chloe make breakfast.

"Merry Christmas Hails." I went over and kissed her cheek.

"Get off my girl." Mason said, sneaking up on me.

"Your girl? I think she was mine first." I wrapped my arms around Mason. "Merry Christmas Mase."

"Merry Christmas Kenz. What are you doing for New Year's?"

Shit!
"Umm, I don't have any plans just yet; maybe hang out here with mom, dad, Jackson, Chloe and baby Alex. What are your plans?"

"Probably the same thing. Maybe we should invite everyone over here and have a party. I don't really feel like going out anywhere."

I glanced over at Hailey who had her eyes on the pancake mix that she was mixing. "Yeah, ok, sounds good."

Just as everything was about finished cooking, Hunter, Mrs. McCormick and Jaylinn showed up, armed with gifts.