Hunter growled and plunged himself deeper. I tightened my grip on his arms and choked back a moan.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Hunter captured my lips with his, plunged his tongue into my mouth and kissed me hard. I arched my hips, encouraging him to fuck me, but he smiled as I groaned in frustration. “I’m going to fuck you slow, Summer.”

He pulled out so slowly I thought I was going to die before he could slide back in. His entire body was rock solid as he held himself back. Our gazes never left each other. That felt more intimate, as if he were staring into my soul. He shuddered when I ran my hands up his arms and slipped my fingers into his hair.

“Hunter.” His name had barely crossed my lips before he drove himself into me. It was fast and deep and out of control. He gripped my shoulders and anchored himself to me, plowed deeper. The words escaped my lips before I could stop them. “Hunter, I love you.” He paused for a split second. Fear that he would stop forever knotted my stomach.

“I love you.” He caught my mouth with his, kissed me hard and impaled me on his cock until I rode the edge of release.

I clawed down his back and moaned into his mouth as the first wave of my orgasm ripped through me. Hunter came with me. He stiffened, growled, shuddered and slammed me until we were both spent.

Hunter edged himself in beside me and drew me close. We lay in silence for a minute as we caught our breaths.

“Did you just smell my hair?” I asked, smiling, because I couldn’t stop even if I wanted too.

He lifted his hand from my hip and ran his fingers through my hair. “Maybe.”

I shut my eyes and drank in his presence. We didn’t talk about what we’d said a few minutes ago. He snaked his arm around me and pulled me in tighter. There would be plenty of time for talking later when the party cleared out and we were alone.

Chapter Thirteen

“How do I look?” I pulled my panties up, then smoothed my dress.

Hunter grabbed me by the hips and pulled me close. “Like you were just fucked.”

I laughed and pushed away. “Then I guess we better leave separately.”

His lips hovered close to my ear. I shivered as his breath grazed my skin. “Mingle for ten or fifteen minutes, then make an excuse to leave the party. Wait for me in your room. I’ll meet you there.”

“Can’t get enough of me, can you?”

His kiss was lightning. There and gone. His voice was thunder, so deep it filled me as it rumbled. “Never.”

He pulled away, winked and left the room. I looked at the clock and added up the minutes until Hunter and I would be alone and I could tell him my news. Half an hour. In half an hour, I’d be in his arms. I could whisper it to him. It’d be our secret then. I caressed my flat stomach before I smoothed my dress and slipped out of the room.

Hunter had been right. No one seemed to notice our absence. I grabbed a glass of sparkling water and circulated the room, though much of the party had moved to the large yard. My mom was outside. She hung off her new husband’s arm as they laughed and talked with his family. Now it was hers. I smiled to myself. This was my family now too, and my baby’s.

It should have scared me—the idea of having a baby before college was over. All I felt was joy. Life with Hunter was nothing like I’d ever experienced before. I knew in my gut that everything would be okay.

A warm hand grabbed my arm above the elbow.

“Can’t stay away from me, can you?” My smile morphed into a scowl when I turned and realized it was Mitch, not Hunter, who held me. I yanked my arm away. “What do you want?”

Mitch pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. He grabbed a wad of cash and pressed it into my hand. “That should cover it.”

Puzzled, I looked at him. “Cover what?”

“The abortion you’re going to get.”

Dumbfounded, I stared at him. So many awful thoughts ran through my mind, but I couldn’t say a single word. After what seemed like an eternity, I shoved the money at him. “I’m not getting an abortion,” I hissed.

Mitch grabbed my arm and pressed the money back into my hand. “Yes, you are. You’re not saddling me with support payments for some squawking brat.”

“It’s not even yours.”

Mitch narrowed his eyes at me. “Get rid of it, Summer.”

“Fuck you.”

“No, Summer, fuck you. All you girls are alike. You’ll claim it’s not mine until the day it pops out, then you’ll hit me up for child support.”

I was so angry I couldn’t speak. People looked at us now. They watched the entire scene unfold. I wanted to sink into the dirt and die. I hated that I’d let this slip earlier. I should have known Mitch would find some way to fuck with me. I opened my mouth to say something, but caught sight of Hunter. His gaze locked on mine for a moment, then he shook his head and disappeared into the crowd.

No.

No. No, no, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. “Hunter, wait.”

I threw Mitch’s money at his feet and then took off after Hunter. I didn’t care who saw me chase after him. It didn’t matter anymore. I had to find him. I had to make him understand.

I caught up to Hunter on the stairs. He had his jacket and car keys in his hand.

“Hunter, please.” I reached for his arm, but he yanked it away. The look on his face crushed my soul. “Everything is so messed up. Let me explain.”

He shook his head. “There’s nothing to explain, Summer.” He pushed past me and kept going.

I followed him outside. I ran in front of him and pressed myself against the driver’s side door of his car. “Hunter, please, I don’t know what you think you heard, but it’s not what it looks like.”

“Are you pregnant?”

“Yes, but—”

He cut me off. “Then there’s nothing to talk about.”

“Just listen to me, will you,” I pleaded even as he moved me out of the way. I struggled, but with every second that passed, my resolve to make him listen faded. “The baby, it’s yours, Hunter. Yours and mine.”

He looked at me as if I’d just told him his dog had died. “Then why was Mitch giving you money for an abortion?”

“Because he thinks it’s his.”

Tears streamed down my face. I didn’t bother to wipe them away. If Hunter was going to turn his back on me, I was going to make sure he remembered my pain.

“So he knew before I did. Why would you tell him first if it’s mine?” I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off again. “Save it, Summer.” He moved me out of the way and then got into his car.

“Where are you going?”

Hunter didn’t answer me. He wouldn’t look at me. How could he? He hated me. Love had turned to hate in a matter of minutes all because he wouldn’t listen and I lacked the power to make him. I stepped back and watched him leave. A crowd had gathered. Everyone stared. Everyone whispered. Everyone except Mitch. He smiled with his hands shoved into his pockets.

There was no way I could walk through the crowd of people. I turned and headed down the driveway. I wouldn’t let them see me cry anymore. I wouldn’t stand by while they whispered about Hunter and me.

I found a secluded part in the garden and sat on the bench by the pond. It wasn’t long before my mother found me. She sat next to me, draped her arm over my shoulders and pulled me close.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I sniffled, then shook my head.

“Can you listen?” After I nodded, she continued. “Mitch was a jerk to do that to you, but don’t worry about him, honey. Even if he doesn’t want to be there for you and the baby, know that you have our support. David and I will always be here for you, no matter what you need.”

I wanted to laugh, or cry, but everything crumbled away and all that remained was an emptiness so complete it numbed me. I didn’t care that everyone thought Mitch was the father. It’d be easier to explain than the truth.