Chapter 65

Hunter pulled back slightly, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. "Playing dirty, Jane?"

"I'm not playing at all," I retorted, wishing my voice didn't sound so breathless.

He recaptured my mouth, the kiss more demanding than before. His hand continued its upward journey, his fingertips leaving trails of fire on my skin. I made one last attempt at resistance, bringing my knee up to strike him, but he anticipated the move, effortlessly blocking it with his thigh.

With a surge of determination, I twisted my wrists free from his grip, immediately pushing against his shoulders. But he didn't budge an inch.

Instead, he pressed closer, his body perfectly aligned with mine, making it impossible to ignore the evidence of his desire. His hand left my thigh to tangle in my wet hair, angling my head to deepen the kiss further.

My resistance crumbled entirely, anger transforming into a completely different kind of heat...

I woke to sunlight filtering through unfamiliar curtains, my body nestled against Hunter's warm chest. His arm draped possessively around my waist, his steady breathing indicating he remained asleep. For a moment, I allowed myself to savor the comfort of his embrace, the unexpected security I felt within the circle of his arms.

Then reality crashed down, accompanied by memories of everything that had transpired in the bathroom—and later in the bedroom. My entire body ached pleasantly, unmistakable evidence of the night's activities. I shifted slightly, taking the opportunity to study Hunter's sleeping face.

In slumber, the hard lines of his face softened remarkably. His perpetually serious expression had yielded to something almost peaceful. Dark lashes rested against his cheeks, and his usually immaculate hair was delightfully disheveled.

After pursuing him for six years in college, only to be coldly rejected for seven, he deserved nothing but my contempt. So why did looking at him make my heart constrict in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant?

I hate him but I don't. I don't hate him but I should. The contradiction was maddening.

A wicked idea suddenly crystallized in my mind. If I couldn't show off to my friends in the group chat as originally planned, I could at least exact some small revenge. Carefully reaching for my phone on the nightstand, I angled it to capture Hunter's sleeping face.

The faint clicking sound seemed thunderous in the quiet room, but Hunter didn't stir.

A satisfied smile spread across my face as I opened our college class group chat. Everyone was already engaged in lively morning conversation.

I uploaded the photo without hesitation, adding a smug caption: "Guess who I woke up next to this morning?"

The responses were immediate:

"OMG! Is that HUNTER?"

"Jane, aren't you engaged to Lucas? When did THIS happen?"

"Didn't you two hate each other last week?"

I grinned at their reactions, typing back quickly: "It's just fun, nothing serious. We've been playing this game for years."

Someone else chimed in: "Jane, you're WILD. First you chase him for six years, then reject him, now you're back in his bed?"

"We're both adults having fun," I replied, deliberately casual. "It doesn't mean anything."

"Got any more pics to share?" another classmate teased.

My fingers flew across the screen: "Want to see more? Maybe I'll take some when he wakes up... full body shots?"

The chat exploded with shocked emojis and eager encouragements.

"I'm sure Attorney Hunter would LOVE having his nudes circulated," I typed, relishing the role of provocateur. "Stay tuned..."

"Jane James," a deep voice suddenly spoke directly into my ear, "exactly what do you think you're doing?"

I nearly dropped my phone, my heart leaping into my throat. Hunter was awake—how long had he been awake? His expression remained unreadable, but the dangerous glint in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.

"Jesus! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I clutched the sheet to my chest, though it was a pointless gesture after everything we'd done. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough," he replied, his gaze fixed on my phone. "Taking photos of me in my sleep and sharing them with our classmates? That's a new low, even for you."

I attempted nonchalance, though my heart raced beneath my ribs. "It's just your face."

"Which part were you planning to photograph next, hmm?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The challenge in his voice made my skin tingle. Despite my precarious position, I couldn't resist pushing back.

"Everything," I replied with false bravado. "Head to toe. They've been asking for years what the great Hunter Huxley looks like under those expensive suits."

In one swift move, Hunter plucked the phone from my hands. I lunged for it immediately, but he easily held it out of reach, his superior height and arm length giving him the advantage even while lying down.

"Give that back!" I demanded, practically climbing over him in my attempt to retrieve it.

"I don't think so," he replied, scrolling through our class chat with narrowed eyes.

Panic surged through me. "I was just joking! I wouldn't actually share anything... private. I'm not that kind of person."

Hunter's eyes met mine, his expression skeptical. "Aren't you?"

I tried a different tactic, deliberately softening my expression and voice. "I'm hungry. Can we have breakfast instead of arguing?"

A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, indicating he saw right through my transparent attempt to change the subject. Nevertheless, he set my phone aside on the nightstand—just far enough that I couldn't reach it without crawling over him.

Hunter threw back the covers and stood up, gloriously unself-conscious about his nudity. I couldn't help but stare, admiring the perfect proportions of his body—broad shoulders tapering to narrow hips, defined muscles moving smoothly under his skin as he walked toward the bathroom.

I shook my head, trying to clear it of inappropriate thoughts. "Don't be fooled again, Jane," I muttered to myself. "This cold-hearted man nearly destroyed you once. Have fun if you want, but never give him your heart again."

My phone dinged repeatedly with new messages. I glanced over to see the group chat still buzzing wildly:

"Jane, we're still waiting for those promised photos!" "Is she going to deliver, or is she all talk?" "Maybe she's busy getting 'disciplined' by Attorney Hunter right now..."

The last comment was uncomfortably close to the truth. I flopped back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling. Despite all my promises to myself, how had I ended up here again, caught in Hunter's orbit?

I glanced toward the bathroom door, listening to the sound of the shower running. Just one more time, I told myself firmly. Sleep with him once more, then dump him spectacularly. The perfect revenge for all those years of rejection.