Hera learned that they entered the house through the back door, which led to the kitchen. Hunter locked and double-checked the door while Hera scrutinised the kitchen.
The grey and white floor looked like a chequerboard, and it had a black slate roof and a grey stone chimney. The counter was pure white matching the cabinets.
A small rectangular white dining table with four grey chairs placed around it complimented the kitchen perfectly. Hera dragged the tip of her fingers on the shiny table as she moved ahead, wondering how neat and tidy everything looked.
"You didn't tell me whose place is this," Hera said, following Hunter into the living hall as he switched on the lights. "My grandma's. My dad spent his early childhood here," Hunter said, waiting for her to join him at the spiral staircase. Hera was busy admiring the interior of the house.
The solid oak doors and the square windows set in the grey stone walls were mullioned and edged thickly in white.. The glasses set in the windows were thick as a beer bottle. The furniture was sparse and simple. The fireplace still worked, and there was a woodpile in the corner. Everything in the house was traditional in an old-fashioned way, simple yet beautiful.
So far, Hera liked every visible part of the house. The interior decoration, the colour coordination, the arrangement of the furniture, everything was flawless. She could tell someone had put heart and soul into it in an attempt to shape the house into a perfect home filled with so much warmth and love.
"I'm guessing the colour grey is your grandma's favourite?" Hera asked, walking to where Hunter stood. Nodding his head, Hunter smiled and added, "And white is my grandpa's." They both chuckled at that. The spiral staircase led them to the bedrooms upstairs, and Hunter showed her to the master bedroom.
Hera smiled in appreciation, studying the appearance of the room. It contained a king-sized bed, neatly made. The cot had a mahogany headboard and was not pushed up against the wall but more central. A nightstand and a dresser with a full-length mirror, a small table, and a single chair occupied the room.
Once again, the colours used were all grey and white except for the bed covers and the curtains. They were purple, almost matching the colour of Hunter's eyes. Hera looked at him with a warm smile, and as though he could read her mind, he said, "My grandma has purple eyes too."
For some unknown reason, it made her feel at home and filled her heart with warmth. "I forgot my orchids in the car. Can you bring them to me?" She requested, and he agreed.
"That's the bathroom," Hunter said, pointing to the door in the left corner. "You can use it. I'll use the one downstairs." He took out two clean towels from the cabinet for her and made his way to the door. Hera's eyes went wide as she realised she didn't have anything to wear. "What will I wear?" She blurted out, stopping him mid-step.
His forehead furrowed. Clearly, he didn't think about it either.
He appeared to be in deep thought for a second or two. One hand buried in the pocket of his jeans Hunter raked his fingers through his hair all the while keeping his eyes on Hera.
Hera watched him with her widened eyes, clutching the towels to her chest as he started to unbutton his shirt without giving her any prior warning. She swallowed nervously, goosebumps forming on her arms, "What the fuck!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing, Hunter?" He undid the last button and removed his shirt, standing with his naked torso in front of her.
Her eyes involuntarily measured every inch of his exposed skin. His hard chest, washboard abs, and the muscles of his biceps, everything looked so beautiful. Clearing her throat, she dragged her eyes off his body and met his amused purple orbs.
Gifting her a sly smirk, he threw the shirt on her face. She dropped the towels on the floor in the process of catching his shirt. He took a step forward, and she yelled in panic. "Stop right there, or I'll break your nose," she warned, but couldn't do it without stuttering.
Tilting his head to the side, he narrowed his eyes, and the look on his face screamed, 'Could she be any more idiotic?' Hera gave him a dirty look in return. Grinning, Hunter shook his head.
"Mrs Hunter, you need to get your mind out of the gutter. I'm only trying to help. You can sleep in my shirt tonight. I'll arrange something for tomorrow morning," he said, amusement dancing on his handsome face. Embarrassed, Hera hurried and disappeared into the bathroom.
After hiding his gun under the bed, Hunter removed his medallion, watch, and the wallet, placing them carefully on the dresser along with his cell phone. Shutting the door close, he went downstairs. He needed to talk to Mathew to get some closure on the earlier incident.
Mathew confirmed what Hunter already knew. He knew someone was following and watching them in the resort.
"I've to run some errands first to get you that closure. Before I leave, let me know if you need anything," Mathew asked. Hunter told him to bring something to wear for Hera in the morning.
Dressed only in Hunter's shirt, Hera came downstairs searching for him. The dim light in the hall led her to the fireplace. There she saw him, placing the dry wood into the fire while sitting on his heels. She noticed the makeshift bed and a red blanket near the fireplace.
Hera saw the Orchids in the glass water jug placed on the dining table in the kitchen as she made her way to the makeshift bed.
"I couldn't find any flower vase, so I used the water jug instead." She heard Hunter say. It amazed her how he could read her mind all the time. Her Mr Hunter had always been so observant and attentive. He could answer her queries even before she voiced them out. Sometimes it scared her that Hunter knew her so well. He could read her so accurately.
With a heart-warming smile, he extended his hand for her to take and helped her sit. Sitting on the bed, with her legs bent to one side, Hera watched him while he walked back to the fireplace and placed two more logs on top of the burning fire.
He'd showered and wore khaki shorts with a white half-sleeved V-neck T-shirt. His hair was damp, and he'd finger-combed it to one side.
Like magic, he presented two large mugs of hot chocolate out of nowhere, and Hera's heart swelled with admiration as she gladly accepted the sugary drink. The lively flames crackled as they burn the dry wood and flashed red reflections filling the hall with warmth. Hunter sat on the floor, holding the warm mug while his eyes fixed on her.
The heat they derived from the fire had already dried his hair. As he pushed one of his hands through his black mane of hair, the silky strands fell back over his forehead, making him look adorable, and Hera absent-mindedly ran her fingers through her damp hair which smelled like him. She'd used his shampoo and the soap.
His skin appeared resplendent in the red glow the flames were casting on him, and his eyes were hypnotically pulling her to him like a magnet.
'Handsomest of all.'
"You're staring," Hera stated the obvious. Hunter didn't even react, nor his eyes shifted. Hera licked the sweetness on her lips after swallowing a mouthful of her hot chocolate. "And, it's rude," she said, hoping he would say something. His silent stare made her nervous, and she hid her face behind the mug, trying to avoid his piercing eyes.
Hera finished the drink all at once.
Holding the empty cup in her hands, she watched Hunter finally lifting his mug to take a sip. After two or three sips, he stood up, walking to her, and Hera's heart was threatening to burst out of her chest because it was beating that wild. He silently took her empty cup and walked into the kitchen.
Hera straightened her legs on the makeshift bed and pulled the shirt to cover her exposed thighs as he walked back to her. She pulled the blanket over her legs to hide them from his view. Biting her lower lip, she blinked her eyes rapidly, a nervous trait. She watched him while he joined her on the bed.
"Are we sleeping here?" She questioned in a barely audible voice. He still didn't say anything, and she started to worry. He sat opposite her and imitated her posture by stretching his long legs. They were facing each other.
Hera silently followed his every move while he knelt in front of her. Hunter stood on his knees, and his hand clutched the blanket in a tight grip before pulling it off her. She gasped, before whispering his name.
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