Is it a second chance for Hunter? Or carried away in the moment for Claire? What are your views? Do give a gem if you liked the chapter! XOXO
126Claire's heart pounded in her ribs with a force that mingled with the inexplicable emotions within her. She held his jaw firmly and sucked on his bottom lip while shivers erupted in her back. She'd never thought she would be this scared kissing Hunter.Even though she had taken initiative in their two years of marriage to start intimacy between them, this time she was scared out of her wits. This felt different. Kissing Hunter after divorce felt different. So different that her toes curled inward as she brushed her lips a little roughly on his to get his attention.Hunter responded to it after a while, after he broke out of the spell of shock she cast on him since she put her lips on his, and nipped her upper lip. His hands went around her waist and pulled her closed into his chest.Claire let his arms take her in, place her against his hot, hot chest as she enjoyed this position. She didn't hesitate to curl her legs around his waist as her hands tightened around his neck. She was
127Claire blushed and licked her lips. She was feeling ashamed for something she shouldn't be. As for Penelope, she took pleasure in teasing her best friend. She had long accepted that Claire was going to be an end game with Hunter. There's no one else she would look better with— not when Hunter had realized his mistakes. She didn't like the sound of it earlier, when Hunter was being a lovesick puppy for Zara, but now it all was making sense. Things were proceeding how they should. Claire's prayers were getting answered. Hunter was really trying to get back together with her. She didn't know what kind of person he was, but she knew Claire deserved to have her happily ever after. And for a fact, Penny knew that it wouldn't be with anyone else if not Hunter. She surreptitiously looked over her shoulder at Claire trying to put Hunter on the bed. He seemed to have fallen asleep. Taking a breath, she joined her friend. "Don't worry, I'm not here to make you melt into jelly." She quick
128Hunter's POVI woke up in a setting I had never expected to find myself in. My eyelids went up, as high as they could, in shock as I looked around myself.How could this be? I accept I dreamed of waking up in Claire's arms every morning I broke free from my sleep, but I never imagined that happening in Claire's room. Hell, I didn't imagine waking up in her room alone at all.But that's what was happening to me. I was in Claire's bed in her father's mansion. The windows were open and the sound of thunder roaring outside matched with my heart beats. The deluge was intense outside and the scenery was blurry gray on the other side of the window. I sided the quilt which smelled of Claire and placed my feet down on the furry carpet on the floor.I was about to rise to my full height when the sound of the lock turning rang in my ears and my body stiffened. My shoulders tensed and my heart skipped a beat as I witnessed Claire walking in. She was in a loose t-shirt and shorts that left a lo
129Hunter's POVIt felt awkward following Claire into the kitchen of her father's house. I kept my pace slow and my eyes affixed on her back, still anxious that her parents or brother would notice me and get mad in rage. It's strange how I'm feeling right now.My Ex parents-in-law have left for their holiday. Claire didn't say much but she mentioned that her parents needed time for themselves. They haven't had a vacation for a year.I can understand the other reason she didn't verbalize. They have worried enough over Claire and my divorce, and they deserve a break. It stuns me but it's going to be close to five months since we parted. Five months since I ruined our lives. Talking about Scott, he's gone on a three day trip to some island by the college. That's why I was able to move around the Argent Mansion like I was still the son-in-law of the family. There was a time when I hardly cared about Claire's family's feelings or what they thought of me. I was ignorant and careless. Not
130Claire couldn't help but feel adrenaline rush through her veins. She clutched the counter at her back to keep standing as she furrowed her brows accusingly at Hunter."So you are rejecting my efforts and food again?!""Hell, no. That's not what I meant and you know that." She saw Hunter's body stiffen.She knew why he was saying that and it caused her all the way more pain. That's because she was willing to give him a chance. Willing to answer his stubbornness with a yes. Willing to take a step towards him and acknowledge his persistence.Hunter's efforts to prove his love for her had been more powerful than his efforts to ignore her. And he also confronted her that he was not really as ignorant as she thought he was. She loved his efforts. She loved how he followed her.It was a dream come too. She found it embarrassing and contradicting the determinations she had made after signing the divorce papers (that she would never look back at him and their past) but how could she not loo
131Her body wanted to reciprocate. To give back the warmth to him and leave hints to him. To make it obvious that she was willing to give him a chance. "I hate to say this but I believe you. In fact, I believed it the first time you told me." "Claire, I..." Hunter was speechless. "You do? You really do? I mean, I thought it would take forever to convince you. I thought I would... God, I can't breathe properly. Please, just tell me this is not a joke. You know that I love you, right? You really believe me, don't you? Is this a dream? Because..." He wiped a hand on his face, "What I did can't be forgotten so easily. Tell me this is not a dream. Tell me do you... Do you really believe me?" "Yes, I believe you. Yes, I believe that you love me more than I ever thought you would." Claire said with a smile amidst her tears. Hunter sat back on his feet, his hands suspending to his sides exhaustedly. He closed his eyes with a deep sigh, conveying his relief and sentiments, as drops of te
132When Claire had seen Hunter sitting awake on her bed, her heart had raced fervently through the corridors of her chest. This was after ages Hunter visited her room and this was his second time. The first time he came, it was after their marriage to bring Claire to meet her parents as part of a tradition Claire's family followed. But after that, he had made it clear that he was not going to fabricate more lies than what they were telling each other's parents about their marriage. He had given her the notion that from then onwards she was supposed to come up with excuses for him. He didn't care and he didn't seem to regret it. But when she'd seen Hunter sitting on the bed, she remembered how he climbed up to her room to meet her. He didn't intend it, even then by doing that— that too in the condition which Caine termed as 'Fatal' as his indefinable perspiration suggested— he managed to crawl to the corner in her heart that she had promised never to let him enter again. Her mouth
133"I promised Claire I would come with your reports the minute I am free." Caine spoke while looking up at the sky as it grew darker and darker, though it was still the afternoon. "My reports. What kind of reports?" Hunter's forehead creased in confusion. "The reports of your blood test." Despite Zara's wincing Caine raised her. He banded a hand around her waist while Hunter felt himself fall deeper in confusion. "What kind of blood test? I don't remember giving you any blood samples.""You were too drowsy to remember." Claire jumped in.Her gaze stung at the sight of Caine holding Zara. He was a nice man and his hands performed life saving miracles. It was a shame that such hands had to hold a woman who could be identified as dirt and trash given her dupery.It was difficult not to sound angry but Claire managed to narrate everything to Hunter that she noticed happening to him from the moment he climbed to her bedroom."Your perspiration didn't look normal and thus I requested