Chapter One-Hundred-Three

Chapter One-Hundred-Three
Grace's POV
I forced my eyes open, reality slowly creeping back as my body hummed with the aftershocks of pleasure. Hunter's weight pressed me into the mattress; his breathing still ragged against my neck. I hadn't meant to come without his permission. The realization sent a flutter of nervous excitement through me.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
Hunter lifted his head, those beautiful eyes finding mine, his expression amused. "For what?"
"I came without permission."
His lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "You did, didn't you?" He shifted, easing out of me with careful movements before rolling to his side, propping himself on one elbow to look down at me. "I was going to build you up all night, Grace. Make you beg for it."
I swallowed hard, watching as his fingers trailed lazily across my stomach, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "Are you... disappointed?"
"Disappointed?" He laughed, the sound low and rough. "No, baby. I'm thinking about how to punish you next time."
My breath caught in my throat. "Next time?"
"That was rule number one." His hand dipped lower, brushing through the wetness between my thighs, making me jerk with sensitivity. "You were supposed to wait for permission, and you didn't… and remember who wanted to play this game."
I bit my lip, watching his face, the intensity in his eyes sending a fresh wave of heat through me despite how thoroughly spent I felt. "What's my punishment going to be?"
Hunter's smile widened, all predator now. "You will have to wait and see. You can't take me again, baby."
I couldn't help the shiver that ran through me at his words. Part anticipation, part nervousness. This side of Hunter, commanding, dominant, holding nothing back, was exactly what I'd dreamed about. What I'd craved without fully understanding it until now.
"You're scared," he observed, his fingers still moving lazily between my legs, not quite touching where I needed but close enough to make me ache.
"Not scared," I corrected, my voice coming out breathier than intended. "…Excited."
His eyes flashed with something dark and possessive. "You really like this, don't you? Me taking control."
It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway.
"Say it."
"I like it when you take control." The admission made heat crawl up my neck, but I held his gaze. "I like not knowing what you're going to do next."
Hunter's jaw clenched, his fingers stilling completely. "Christ, Grace. You're going to destroy me."
Before I could ask what he meant, his mouth was on mine again, but different this time. Slower. Deeper. Like he was memorizing the taste of me.
When he pulled back, his thumb traced my lower lip. "Get some rest. You're going to need it."
The promise in those words sent another tremor through me.
I watched as he stood, unselfconscious in his nakedness, and headed toward the bathroom. I heard the shower turn on a moment later.
Exhaustion washed over me; the last few days had taken their toll, but my body still tingled from his touch. I should probably join him; I needed a shower too.
Knowing I needed to clean up, I dragged myself off the bed and went into the bathroom. Even with no sex involved, I liked showering with Hunter. There was something intimate about sharing that space, about washing each other's bodies that felt like another kind of closeness.
Steam billowed around me as I pushed the door open. Hunter's body was visible through the glass shower door, water cascading over his broad shoulders. He turned at the sound of the door, his expression softening when he saw me.
"Room for one more?" I asked, already stepping toward the shower.
He smiled, sliding the door open. "Always."
I stepped inside, sighing as the hot water hit my skin. Hunter's arms came around me immediately, pulling me against his chest. I rested my head against him, feeling his heartbeat against my cheek.
"This okay?" he murmured against my hair.
"Perfect," I whispered.
We stood like that for a moment, just holding each other under the spray. His hands moved to my shoulders, beginning to massage away any and all tension. I melted into his touch.
I ran my hand over my still flat belly, our baby. "Oh!" I suddenly remembered, pulling back to look up at him. "I forgot to tell you about my first scan."
Hunter's hands paused on my shoulders. "What scan?"
"The ten-week scan. I have an appointment on Monday morning." I bit my lip, searching his face. "I want you to be there. That's if you want to."
His expression shifted, something tender and fierce flickering in his eyes. "Of course I'll be there. I wouldn't miss it." He cupped my face, his thumb tracing my cheekbone. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"With everything happening, your arrest, Helena's diary, Paulo… I made the appointment and was going to tell you and our world sort of exploded around us. It just slipped my mind." I leaned into his touch. "But I really want you there with me."
"Wild horses couldn't keep me away," he said softly, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "We'll get to see our baby."
"Our baby," I repeated, the words still feeling miraculous on my tongue.
Hunter's hand drifted to my stomach, resting there with a gentleness that made my heart ache. "Our baby," he confirmed, a smile spreading across his face. "I can't wait."
"The doctor said we won't be able to tell gender… that isn't until the next scan. Do you want to find out the baby's gender?"
Hunter's thumb traced slow circles around my navel, his eyes distant like he was imagining a future I couldn't quite see yet. "Find out," he said finally. "I want to know everything. No surprises. I think we have had enough of them lately."
I smiled, understanding. "That's very you."
"Is it a problem?" His gaze sharpened, reading my expression.
"No." I covered his hand with mine. "I think I want to know too. Makes it more real somehow."
"Good." He pulled me closer under the spray, water running between us. "We'll know together then."
His hands resumed washing me, sliding soap across my skin with methodical care. I closed my eyes, letting him work, feeling cherished in a way I'd never experienced before. When his fingers brushed between my legs, gentle now, cleaning, I tensed.
"Sore?" he asked, immediately pulling back.
"A little." Heat crept into my cheeks. "Worth it though."
Hunter's expression turned smug. "Damn right it was."
I swatted his chest, laughing. "Your ego doesn't need any more stroking."
"No?" His hand caught mine, pressing it lower. "What about the rest of me?"
"Hunter Sinclair, you are impossible."
"And you love it." He kissed me, softer this time, no urgency behind it. Just affection.
We finished washing, his hands never rushing, always careful. When we finally stepped out, he wrapped me in a towel, tucking it around me like I might catch cold.
"I can do that myself," I protested.
"I know." He grabbed another towel, rubbing it over his hair. "Doesn't mean I'm letting you."
"Thank you."
His eyes softened. "For what?"
"Taking care of me."
Hunter pulled me against him, still damp and warm from the shower. "Always, Grace. Get used to it."
I pressed my face into his bare chest, breathing him in. "I love you."
The words still felt new on my tongue. Foreign but right.
"I love you too." His arms tightened.