Holding On (Wildcreek Ranch Series Book 3)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rihanna went about making a light chicken soup and toast for Robbie and sandwiches for themselves.

Robbie was happy to see the food and scarfed it. Hunter too enjoyed the soup and the sandwiches. "Mommy, I'm better already. Can we go out today?" pleaded Robbie.

"No sweetie. You need to get a little stronger," said Rihanna. Hunter went to work and she and Robbie spent the entire morning studying, playing and reading story books. Robbie was much better at lunchtime. Rihanna made roasted baby potato halves, carrot and dill stir-fried rice with yogurt for Robbie, who kept kissing every potato halve before eating it up. Hunter rolled his eyes.

"From where do you get these food ideas?" he said, looking amazed. Rihanna smiled. She had learned them from her granny and her aunts, having seen them make it whenever anyone was sick. She was glad that Robbie looked much better. Rihanna had kept him hydrated well the whole day, and he hadn't passed loose stools since she had arrived.

Gemma looked relieved and well rested too, but the only person who didn't look happy in the situation was Hunter. All day, he waited for an opportunity to get Rihanna all to himself. He wanted to kiss her and prove to her that the magic between them was still as strong as it was before. He wanted her to agree to marry him so that he could ask her dad for her hand and then get engaged to her. Then their wedding plans would have to be taken care of. He was excited to just think about it. Two more weeks and everything would fall into place. Rihanna would be his finally! He went back to work, hoping at night he could talk to her.

In the evening, Robbie was much better. Rihanna fed him with an early dinner and he went to bed. Gemma stayed back with him in his room in case he fell sick and needed help at night. After tucking Robbie in, Rihanna went to Hunter's room, her heart thumping loudly in her chest with apprehension.

She had been trying to divert her mind all day by keeping herself busy. She knew Hunter wouldn't let her go tonight. He would try to convince her to marry him. Just as she entered his room, he locked the door and pulled her into his arms, crashing his warm mouth to hers. This was the moment he had been waiting for all day and he didn't want to waste a single minute taking what was his.

"Hunter," she moaned, his name already surrendering herself to him. There was nothing else to do. She loved him, after all. The kiss was warm, passionate, and full of longing that came from deep within his soul. His tongue lingeringly tasted her as if it had missed her taste for a long, long time. His hand cupped her hips and pulled her close, grinding into her. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. This was heaven. This was exactly what she wanted.

His mouth suddenly released hers while his hands picked her up, wrapping her legs around his torso, and he carried her to his bed. He laid her down gently and followed her to the bed, hovering over her. His hot mouth reclaimed her lips, and the kiss turned passionate and lingeringly hot, igniting their bodies with a burning desire to devour each other.

She kissed him back with equal passion, her hands fisting gently into his soft hair, tugging at it, eliciting moans out of him too. He pulled back and trailed his lips down her neck, sucking the sweet spot on her neck. Rihanna's hands explored his hard chest and shoulders, stroking him lovingly.

"I missed you," he breathed into her neck, making her whole body come alive with an intense need to be his.

When his mouth finally left her, both tried to catch their breath. It was true. The magic between them was still strong, just as it was before.

"Can you feel the magic between us, Rihanna?" He asked, earnestly trying to prove that they were meant for one another.

"It's only the magic of desire, Hunter. Once we make love, it would reduce and finally fade away," said Rihanna. Hunter gazed at her. What was she trying to say? Would she still harp upon that love thing?

"You're wrong, Rihanna. You don't share this attraction with everyone, but only with someone special. So I don't think this will reduce once we make love and never, ever fade away," said Hunter. Rihanna sighed. "Once you agree, I'll go to your house and ask your dad for your hand in marriage. Then we'll get engaged and finally we'll plan our wedding," said Hunter.

"Hold on, Hunter. I can't get married to you," she said, hesitating a little. Hunter stared at her, not understanding what she meant.

"Why? What's stopping you?" he asked her with a hurtful look on his face.

"Unrequited love doesn't work, Hunter. It only hurts," she explained, and his mouth hung open. "I'm in love with you, but you don't love me back. For me, desire isn't reason enough to get married. I'll have expectations from you, but you would only have physical needs for me. It will only hurt me more, Hunter. I know you need me, but I just can't take this plunge. I'm sorry," said Rihanna, feeling extremely heart broken seeing the devastated look on his face.