Now, Please(21)

“I can’t imagine you’d sing that tune if you were the one losing her job,” Rodge said with a condescending smile.

“I live cheaply. I was stressing after college because I didn’t have any income, but if I had unemployment, especially with all the extensions the state is granting, I’d survive. I’d rather job-hunt with a free day and money coming in than go to work and hate my whole day.”

“Yes, well—”

“What do you think, Hunter?” Bruce interrupted. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”

Hunter didn’t so much as shift positions. “I don’t have an opinion that you’d want to hear in a bar. A takeover is not a ten-minute debate over just one issue. For example, you have too many people as it is. The extra salary expense is siphoning off what you could be putting into product development. More redundancies in staff means a bigger money pit, not to mention it eats away at morale when you have people walking around half-dead with boredom, as Olivia said.

“No, I wouldn’t keep on the extras. I’d offer a healthy package, aiming at the younger crowd who would stick out their hand with a smile and then go blow it in Europe. Then I would focus on breathing new life into your old hobby. The possibilities just five years down the road would excite you, I’m sure. But that will all take time and planning—things hard to express with an opposing viewpoint seated next to me.”

“Point proven, decidedly.” I widened my eyes and grimaced comically at Bruce over the rim of my glass. I lowered my voice to a stage whisper. “He sure told us.”

He laughed and stood. “Yes he did. Food for thought. Well, I need to hit the hay. My mind is whirling from all this business talk.”

“Mine is half-dead with boredom,” I said with a smile before I sipped my drink.

Bruce said, “Thanks for joining me. I’ll see you in the lectures tomorrow.” His gaze hit mine. “Which room are you in? I’ll call the room tomorrow to see what time you can come geek out with me.”

I gave him the number as Hunter stood. He put a hand out to help me up. “We’ll head away, too, I think. It’s late.”

It was barely nine o’clock, but I took a swig and stood anyway. Without bothering to look at Rodge, the snake, I tucked my hand into Hunter’s arm and let him lead me away. We trailed behind Bruce a little and gave a wave when he turned a corner. As we exited the building and found the golf carts, Hunter said, “You’re a genius. I hadn’t thought about young people who wouldn’t mind being laid off. And I bet Bruce hadn’t, either. That helps me a great deal, Livy.”

I climbed in the passenger side. There was no way I’d find my way back in the dark. “Guys like you don’t often think about things like that,” I said, as Hunter drove.

He reached across the space between us and gently took my hand. His fingers threaded through mine. “Are you sure you’re okay with my father’s comment?”

He was holding my hand!

I closed my eyes as the electricity jumped through the contact. I wanted more. I wanted all.

“I was acting, Hunter,” I said in a breathy voice. “I don’t care about anything he said, and I certainly don’t care what your dad thinks. He’s too impressed with himself to be worth my time. But I knew it was a dick thing to say, so I thought I’d make sure Bruce noticed it.”

Hunter parked and turned to me. The yellow light from the lamp next to us made his features appear as if they were carved in stone by some great master. His hand came up and rested on my chin lightly. His thumb traced my lower lip. I could barely see his eyes in the dim light, staring at my mouth.

“He did. I did,” Hunter whispered, bending closer. His lips barely glanced off mine, sending shooting sparks through my body.

I closed my eyes, feeling his breath mingle with mine. Feeling it quicken as he kissed the very edge of my mouth. “I can’t ignore how you affect me, Livy,” he said quietly. “I want to kiss you so bad it hurts.”

“Then kiss me, Hunter. Please.”

He pulled my head closer and leaned his forehead against mine. “I…can’t. I can’t do this.”

“Why?”

His hands came to the side of my face. I felt him trembling as his nose slid beside mine, bringing our lips closer again. We breathed the same air, hot and fast, wanting each other. So close.

He exhaled and backed away, regret dragging down his features. “Because I’m screwed up, Olivia.” Sorrow infused his tone. “Because I’m badly screwed up, and I’d just drag you down with me. Some people can get over issues in their past. Some people can heal. I’m not one of them.”