Hunter Paxton

I spent the night going over Kirby's file before catching a few hours of sleep on her sofa.. My thoughts constantly wander back to her, on the other side of the closed bedroom door.. Fighting my urges to bust down that door and take her the way I want..

But after she got the news that sister would be moving in with Declan Darby, she cited a headache and left me alone in her living room.. Obviously I had to respect her need for space, and give her time to process her bizarre reality..

Now, in the warm early morning sunlight that streams through the living room windows, I sit patiently, listening to the muffled sounds of her shuffling around in the bedroom as I wait for her to emerge..

A strange tension coils in my muscles, and I realise for the first time in a long time, I'm actually almost wired up.. Just to see her..

She opens the door and I'm flawed by the breathtaking sight.. Her chocolate curls are shiny and springy as they tumble over her slender shoulders.. She wears a pair of expensive painted on pale blue jeans that accentuates the fullness of her shapely hips.. A tight red long sleeved cropped shirt, shows off just a hint of her toned midriff, and the plunging neckline immediately draws my eye to the soft curve of her cleavage as the scent of sugar-cookies perfumes the air around me..

She blinks at me, fresh faced and rosy cheeked as she struggles to fix the clasp of a delicate gold watch around her wrist.. "I, um.. I need to go to the office.. My assistant has been calling non-stop all morning.."

She avoids looking me in my eye as I rise to my feet and cross the room, though she still casts an assistive glance over my casual jeans and fitted grey t-shirt, making me feel a little underdressed..

I reach out to take her wrist, easily fixing the clasp of her watch before giving her a playful grin.. I can see the stress in the way she carries herself, her shoulders are high and her jaw tight.. I want to make her feel better, way more than I should want.. I want to see her smile, and help her bare the weight she has carried for so long by herself.. "Then let's go to your office.."

She hums disapprovingly, peering up at me all doe eyed.. "You're.. Going to come with me?"

I can't help but chuckle.. The things she thinks she can get away with are more than amusing to me..

She is wickedly intelligent, but she wears too much of her emotion in her eyes to fool me.. "Yep."

She hesitates.. "I was also going to see if Patrick was free for lunch.."

Lie.

She blinks twice..

She's good though.. Because she knows I definitely don't want to do that.. But I'll play her game, deciding to call her bluff.. "No problem, I can arrange for O'connor to meet us at your office.."

I pull out my phone, opening my contacts and pretending to type out a message, but she reaches out to stop me, placing her hand over mine on the cell..

"No, wait.. Don't.. I don't really wanna do that.." She blushes a little with her admission, and I grin, fully aware of the way she allows her hand to linger on mine, a few seconds longer than necessary..

An excellent sign.

"I know.." She tries to hide her smile from me, but I see it.. "Look, you can spend all your time trying to think of ways to get rid of me, Duchess.. .. Or, you could just admit you enjoy my company and let me take care of you.."

She scoffs, fixing two shiny golden studs into the lobes of her dainty ears.. "Are you always so sure of yourself? You know, it's kind of.." She trails off as though she doesn't want to finish the sentence..

So I finish it for her.. "Hot."

"Mmhmm..sure.." She rolls her eyes and makes her way over to the kitchen..

She stops when she sees the tea cup set out on the counter.. She blinks up at me.. "Did.. Did you make green tea?"

I laugh, scrunching up my nose, teasingly as I make an effort to return the cushions on her sofa to the way they had been before I made myself comfortable there..

"Not for me, that stuff tastes terrible.."

She seems genuinely surprised that I would remember, but really, it wasn't particularly hard for me to remember that she likes the stuff.. Honestly, it isn't hard for me to remember everything little thing about her..

Because she fascinates me..

Each new discovery brings me closer to my goal.. I want to understand her so badly.. She is like this mystery riddle that I have to solve.. And I will not stop until I have the answers..

Who is Kirby Carter?..

And what does SHE want?

She gives me a strange look, her mouth opens as though she is about to say something.. But instead, she shakes her head and takes a small sip of her tea before smiling nervously.. "Thank you.."

I throw her a wink.. Feeling like maybe I've made some headway here.. "You're welcome, duchess.."

I grab my coffee filled mug and join her at the kitchen counter.. "How are you feeling today?"

She arches one eyebrow, checking through her insanely tiny bag, finding a tube of red lipstick that she paints in her full lips with practiced ease.. "I'm fine.."

I can see that we're back to the closed off Kirby that doesn't trust me an inch and kind of hates me.. I'm definitely getting used to her hot and cold temperatures..

Actually, I find the whole thing much more thrilling than I should.. I don't know what that says about me..

Probably something fucked up..

At least that's what my doctor-to-be sister, Lacey, would tell me..

Not that I would ever tell Lacey about this.. I can't tell her about anything.. Not really.. It's part of my entire problem with my relationships, with her, and every other woman who has ever tried to get close to me..

I can't stand the idea of Lacey, or any of the women I care about knowing the truth about my time working for the CIA.. I did things I never thought myself capable of.. Things I can never forgive myself for..

So how could they?

"So, what's this big crisis at the office?"

She sighs, moving towards the door and stepping into a pair of painful looking, but incredibly sexy strappy red heels.. "I notified the firm I would be taking some time off, just after I found out Darby was in the city.. Most of my clients were perfectly happy to have another lawyer from the firm take over their portfolios for a few months.. But there's this one guy, he's a bit of a stickler.. It's not a big deal, I just have to finish preparing some contracts for him.."

Some asshole who is insisting she work even during her vacation time?..

What a piece of shit..

I can't tell if that frustrates me because of the principles or because she is pregnant.. And I'm already worried enough about the stress she is under.. Though I decide to keep those thoughts myself.. I'm not trying to get myself slapped.. "Awful nice of you to go out of your way for the guy.."

Her eyes darken as her hands go to her hips.. I know I've said something wrong instantly and my brain scrambles to figure out what exactly that was.. But it's too late, I know she is going to tell me.. "Oh, fuuck you Hunter.."

I shake my head, wishing I could eat my words and undo the damage I've just done.. "I didn't mean--"

She points a finger at my chest.. "I'm not fucking him either.. That's what you're thinking right!? You know.. You are a real piece of work, you're so sure that you're better than me.. It must be hard to find anyone who lives up to your impossible standards of morality!"

I don't know what the hell I was thinking agreeing to this! I take a few easy steps towards her, reaching out to take her hand.. She glares at me, but I refuse to let her twist my words against herself, because she doesn't deserve it..

I don't know why she seems to think she doesn't deserve the things she desires.. Or why I would judge her for fulfilling those desires..

I wouldn't.

I mean.. The idea of her with another guy makes me jealous as hell and I fucking hate it.. But that doesn't mean I'm judging her.. I think she is doing that all on her own.. I can feel her anger trembling through her fingertips as I trace light circles over her palm before she slowly begins to relax.. The irritation in her eyes melts away to become questioning and confusion.. "Kirby.. I was just saying that you're nice.. What you're doing-- is nice. Most lawyers would tell that guy to fuck off.. Even without everything else you have going on.. You're still trying to do your job, and help people.. I swear.. That's all.."

"Oh.." Her mouth snaps shut..

"I learned my lesson.. I'm done making assumptions and accusing you.. And I'm definitely not going to judge you.. If there are things I should know, I want you to tell me because you want to.. I want you to trust me, Duchess.."

Her eyes search mine for a moment and I think she is going to ask me something but instead she pulls away..

"Come on, Viking.. Let's just go.."

The shift is brutal.. It's not that I had really been expecting her to forgive me, especially not so quickly.. But to be faced with the evidence of her distrust, makes me feel just about as shitty as I deserve..

God damn, she's tough.. "Yes mam'.."

Kicking myself for being such a dumbass, I grab my car keys from the counter and follow her out the door..